Highlights
- In the world of high-end motherboards, the ASRock Crosshair VIII Formula and the ASRock Dark Hero stand out as two of the most popular and powerful options.
- The ASRock Crosshair VIII Dark Hero is a great choice for those who want a high-end motherboard with a more compact form factor.
- The ASRock Crosshair VIII Formula is a better choice for gaming because it has a larger heatsink and a more robust VRM.
In the world of high-end motherboards, the ASRock Crosshair VIII Formula and the ASRock Dark Hero stand out as two of the most popular and powerful options. Both boards are based on AMD’s X570 chipset and offer a wide range of features and connectivity options. But which one is the better choice for your next build? In this in-depth comparison, I will pit the ASRock Crosshair VIII Formula against the ASRock Dark Hero to see which one comes out on top.
Design and Build Quality
The ASRock Crosshair VIII Formula and the ASRock Dark Hero both feature high-quality construction and a premium look and feel. The Formula has a more traditional ATX form factor, while the Dark Hero has a more compact Mini-ITX form factor. Both boards have a black and red color scheme, with the Formula featuring more RGB lighting. The Formula also has a larger heatsink, which helps to keep the board cool under load.
Features and Performance
The ASRock Crosshair VIII Formula and the ASRock Dark Hero both offer a wide range of features and connectivity options. Both boards have multiple PCIe 4.0 slots, USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, and onboard Wi-Fi 6. The Formula has a few more features than the Dark Hero, including a built-in Thunderbolt 3 port and a 10GbE LAN port.
In terms of performance, the ASRock Crosshair VIII Formula and the ASRock Dark Hero are both excellent performers. Both boards can handle even the most demanding tasks without breaking a sweat. However, the Formula does have a slight edge in performance, thanks to its larger heatsink and more robust VRM.
Overclocking
The ASRock Crosshair VIII Formula and the ASRock Dark Hero both offer excellent overclocking capabilities. Both boards have a wide range of BIOS settings that allow you to fine-tune your overclock. However, the Formula has a few more overclocking features than the Dark Hero, including a dedicated LN2 mode and a BIOS flashback button.
Cooling
The ASRock Crosshair VIII Formula and the ASRock Dark Hero both have excellent cooling capabilities. Both boards have large heatsinks that help to keep the board cool under load. The Formula has a larger heatsink than the Dark Hero, which gives it a slight edge in cooling performance.
Wrap-Up: The Winner is…
The ASRock Crosshair VIII Formula and the ASRock Dark Hero are both excellent motherboards. They offer a wide range of features and connectivity options, and they both perform very well. However, the Formula has a few more features and a slightly better performance than the Dark Hero.
Honorable Mention: ASRock Crosshair VIII Dark Hero
The ASRock Crosshair VIII Dark Hero is a great choice for those who want a high-end motherboard with a more compact form factor. It offers many of the same features as the Formula, but it has a smaller size and a lower price.
What You Need to Know
Q: Which motherboard is better for gaming, the ASRock Crosshair VIII Formula or the ASRock Dark Hero?
A: The ASRock Crosshair VIII Formula is a better choice for gaming because it has a larger heatsink and a more robust VRM.
Q: Which motherboard is better for overclocking, the ASRock Crosshair VIII Formula or the ASRock Dark Hero?
A: The ASRock Crosshair VIII Formula is a better choice for overclocking because it has more overclocking features and a dedicated LN2 mode.
Q: Which motherboard has better cooling, the ASRock Crosshair VIII Formula or the ASRock Dark Hero?
A: The ASRock Crosshair VIII Formula has better cooling because it has a larger heatsink.