Packaging and Accessories

While this may be the first FM2+ ROG motherboard, but Asus did stick with tradition on the packaging. The box has the standard red and black ROG them on it with Crossblade Ranger in big letters across the front. The front flips up to show a large window that gives us full view of the board, all around the edge are small notes highlighting specific features. The back of the flap that flips up has information on the Crossblade Rangers audio, networking, and even a section highlighting all the different ways the board protects you, from over current protection, the use of stainless steel on the rear I/O, even a note showing that the rear I/O panel doesn’t have the small springs that can cut up your hands. The back of the box has a few more photos but it is mostly covered in the full specification listing. Asus also included a line drawing of the rear I/O to show all of the connections you get with the Crossblade Ranger.

When we get into the box, the motherboard sits in a cardboard tray and under it are all of the accessories and documentation. For documentation, you get a full user guide to help you get your PC built and to help with any questions or for diagnosis down the road. You also get an ROG door hanger and SATA cable labels. Then of course there is the driver/software disc as well.

For accessories, the Crossblade Ranger gets a few things but nothing compared to Asus’s high end ROG boards. You get four black SATA cables, two of the four cables have a right angle connection. They include a Q Connector to make hooking up your front panel connections simple. Then for the rear I/O panel you get a chromed panel with foam on the backside rather that those pesky metal springs that tend to get caught on your I/O panel when installing. I love that they also slip in a ROG mousepad as well!