From the Archives · Originally published 2013 · Updated October 2026
Yes — we covered motherboards back then. And this one deserved it, because in 2013 ASRock did something genuinely unhinged: they built a premium overclocking motherboard, coated it in a water-resistant conformal coating, and then dunked it in water while it was running to prove the point.
What Was the Z87 OC Formula?
The ASRock Z87 OC Formula was a flagship LGA1150 motherboard for Intel’s 4th-generation Core processors (Haswell), designed in collaboration with legendary overclocker Nick Shih. It was loaded with everything the 2013 enthusiast wanted: beefy 12-phase power delivery, onboard power/reset buttons, an LED debug display, and LN2 (liquid nitrogen) overclocking modes for competitive benchmarkers.
But the headline feature — the one that got it demoed on stages with actual tubs of water — was the conformal coating. ASRock applied a protective coating to the PCB that resisted moisture, dust, and corrosion. In live demonstrations, the board kept running while water was poured over it. For a product category where a single spilled drop of coolant could mean a $300 funeral, it was spectacular marketing for a genuinely thoughtful feature: extreme overclockers working with condensation-prone LN2 and dry ice were exactly the people who needed moisture protection.
Why It Was Cool (and a Little Absurd)
The Z87 OC Formula captured everything wonderful about the 2013 enthusiast scene: maximalist, theatrical, slightly ridiculous, and technically serious underneath. Nobody needed a water-resistant motherboard. But the overclockers pushing Haswell chips under liquid nitrogen absolutely appreciated not losing a board to condensation — and the rest of us enjoyed watching a motherboard survive a dunking.
It was also a reminder of how competitive the motherboard market was. ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, and ASRock were in an arms race of features, and “we coated ours so you can pour water on it” was ASRock planting a flag.
How Motherboards Evolved Since
The water-dunking demos are gone, but the spirit of over-engineering survived — redirected:
- Power delivery went from “12 phases is a lot” to 20+ phases being routine on premium boards.
- Connectivity leapt from USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s to USB4, WiFi 7, 10Gb Ethernet options, and PCIe 5.0 slots with M.2 Gen5 SSD support pushing 14,000 MB/s.
- Memory moved from DDR3 to DDR5 running at 2–3x the frequency.
- Aesthetics became an industry: ARGB ecosystems, OLED status displays, and cable-free “back-connect” designs.
Nobody bothers with conformal coating anymore — modern boards are so dense and the market so mature that the theatrics moved elsewhere. But pour one out for the era when a motherboard launch involved a fish tank.
The Takeaway
The Z87 OC Formula is a perfect time capsule: peak 2013 enthusiast culture, when progress was measured in phases and demos involved plumbing. If you’re building a PC in 2026, you won’t find its direct descendant — but you’ll find its DNA in every overbuilt VRM heatsink and every overclocker-friendly BIOS. Some ideas just get absorbed into the groundwater.
Looking for modern hardware guidance? Our laptop buying guide covers what actually matters when choosing a machine in 2026.
Nick Shih and the Overclocking Scene
You can’t tell the Z87 OC Formula’s story without Nick Shih. In 2013, competitive overclocking was a genuine spectator sport — HWBOT rankings, live LN2 sessions at trade shows, grown adults cheering at SuperPi times. Shih was ASRock’s star overclocker, and the OC Formula line was essentially his wishlist made into a product: every button, readout, and BIOS option tuned for someone about to pour liquid nitrogen into a copper pot strapped to a CPU.
That scene has quieted since — modern chips boost themselves so aggressively that manual overclocking yields slimmer gains — but its fingerprints are everywhere: the robust power delivery, the clear-CMOS buttons, the BIOS flashback features that even budget boards now include. The Z87 OC Formula was built for a hundred people doing something insane, and the other million buyers got the benefits for free.
Would It Still Work Today?
Funnily enough, yes — a Z87 board with a Haswell i7 remains a perfectly usable retro-gaming and office platform in 2026, and the conformal coating means it’s probably the best-preserved 2013 board you’ll find on the used market. Just don’t expect it to keep up with a modern budget system; a $120 current-generation CPU outperforms the best Haswell chip ever made. Buy it for the story, not the speed.
Further reading: gaming laptop buying guide · best gaming laptops of 2026
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