When you’re planning out your next PC build, getting the latest CPU is an effective way to make sure you’re geared up for the latest games and have performance headroom for future games. For 14th Gen Intel CPUs, ASUS has the motherboards needed to take full advantage of the hardware, and it offers AIO coolers to optimize performance and add a splash of style to the system. If you’re looking for inspiration for your next build, ASUS has a few fanciful configurations for 14th Gen Intel CPUs that deliver the next-gen performance and capabilities you should strive for.
For a bright and bold build, ASUS’s Frozen Throne rig is loaded with inspiration. From the white-out ROG Hyperion Case to the ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 White graphics card, it’s a brilliant affair. This build is centered around an Intel Core i9-14900K, and to tap into all that the CPU is capable of, ASUS pairs with the ROG Ryujin III 360 ARGB White Edition — a beefy AIO cooler with a 360mm radiator that lets the CPU maintain its cool just like the frosty stylings of the system while offering additional aesthetic customization on a 3.5-inch screen on the water block. Building with the ROG Maximus Z790 Formula motherboard, the system can support a whopping 192GB of DDR5 memory, five M.2 SSDs, and two full-length PCIe cards. While the AIO keeps the CPU cool, the motherboard includes beefed-up cooling for the VRMs so the CPU can enjoy reliable power delivery.
If white-out isn’t your style, you can turn to the dark side with ASUS’s From the Shadows rig. Tucked away in the black ROG Hyperion case, this rig veils its power in darkness, though there’s plenty of RGB lighting on deck to find your ideal balance of light and dark. Some of that comes from the ROG Ryujin III 360 ARGB, a darker version than that found in the Frozen Throne rig. But the From the Shadows rig is also getting a lot of its sultry appeal from the ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero, which offers the same extensive PCIe, M.2, and memory capacities as the ROG Maximus Z790 Formula and puts on a light show with Polymo dual-layer RGB lighting on the I/O shroud. These components all let the Intel Core i9-14900K and an RTX 4090 inside plow through games.
Where affordability is a priority, ASUS still has options that will let you enjoy the aesthetics of these rigs. The Intergalactic Explorer follows the lead of the Frozen Throne rig, but it’s built around more affordable components. It still starts inside a ROG Hyperion case, but opts for a ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4080 White and an Intel Core i7-14700K. You don’t have to miss out on bold cooling with the ROG Ryuo III 360 ARGB White Edition cooler, which still provides a huge radiator and a display-clad pump housing. Built on the ROG Strix Z790-A Gaming WiFi II motherboard, the system enjoys light metal covers for the I/O, VRMs, M.2 slots, and chipset, effectively complementing the white elements in the rest of the build. It even continues to offer massive M.2 capacity and two full-length PCIe slots.
The Dreadwalker rig offers an affordable alternative to the From the Shadows design without missing a beat in design. It uses the same ROG Hyperion case, and the ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4070 offers a much cheaper price than the RTX 4090 of the From the Shadows rig while providing remarkably similar looks. With the ROG Ryuo III 360 ARGB cooler, you still get plenty of cooling potential for the Intel Core i7-14700K this system is paired with while enjoying the custom lighting that lets you set the mood of your system. This rig is also built on the ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi II motherboard, which loads up on memory and storage space while providing three full-size PCIe slots with one delivering full PCIe 5.0 x16 bandwidth and the other two running through the chipset at PCIe 4.0 x4 speeds.
If you’re building on a tighter budget, ASUS has a tough option as well with the TUF as Nails rig. This setup uses a flexible TUF Gaming GT502 case that supports a variety of internal configurations so you can toy around with different designs. If you want to go all TUF, though, ASUS’s build includes a TUF Gaming LC II 360 ARGB cooler with 400mm tubing for flexible positioning and powerful cooling. It also uses a TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4060 Ti, which is a lower-cost option great for 1080p gaming. You don’t have to miss out on modern capabilities though, as the TUF Gaming Z790-Pro WiFi motherboard used in this rig provides PCIe 5.0, Thunderbolt 4, 2.5Gb Ethernet, and Wi-Fi 6E.
These rig designs are more than just concepts. If you want, you can make your own rig out exactly as ASUS has here. You can also mix and match components, taking some of the design as inspiration for something unique of your own. Asus has the hardware to help you get started. You can find out more about all the motherboards and AIO coolers here and even enter into the ASUS Upgrade-A-Palooza contest for a chance to win a few components to start your next build as well as select ASUS gaming accessories.
