The computer DIY market is an interesting paradox these days. The Intel 9 Series “Broadwell” chipset motherboards released, while Z87 boards seemingly start hitting their prime with solid BIOS and software updates. In fact, there are still quite a few excellent Z87 boards on the shelves. But it makes sense since the Z97 chipset isn’t really a major leap forward, with the two most obvious updates are of course SATA Express, and support for Devil’s Canyon CPU support.
Naturally, DIY users are wondering what makes the new Z97 chipset any better than the previous Z87 Lynx Point. To answer those questions, we’ve assembled the GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-UD5H, MSI Z97 Gaming 7, ASUS Z97 Mark-I Sabertooth and ASRock Fatal1ty Z97 Killer motherboards, for a fight to the finish, in this Intel Z97 Motherboard round up!
Intel Z97 “Broadwell” Features and Specifications
Before we look at the boards, we need to understand the nature of the Z97 chipset. This time it’s about SATA Express bandwidth and Devil’s Canyon CPU support. And aside from those updates, there aren’t any other tangible differences. Oddly, SATA Express is missing from the diagram which is a key feature on some boards, where some of the PCIE lanes have been doubled up to improve storage bandwidth. Specifically when paired with high performance or mini-SATA M.2 SSDs, like the ones on the GIGABYTE, MSI, and ASRock Z97 boards in this round up.
Along with M.2 support, SATA Express should support faster SATA based SSDs, delivering better bandwidth. For example, the M.2 mSATA connects directly to the PCIe bus and could be paired with a current SSD as little as 16GB (or higher). The standard SATA ports still benefit from SSD Caching when paired with regular platter based hard drives. One can always slap a high performance 240GB or 480GB mini SSD and skip caching altogether. In either case, you will not be disappointed. Especially when it comes to significantly reduced boot times.
As for the chipset IO and connectivity features, there are a couple additions and changes to the Z and H class chipsets. Keep in mind, Intel partners often add their own enhancements, but you won’t see a board offer less unless it’s an ITX. Obviously due to lack of PCB real estate.
An interesting update is the Intel Device Protection Technology feature with Boot Guard. Lets face it, untrustworthy individuals have been looking for ways to get in your system for many reasons. The minute you take your system’s security for granted, you become a statistic. This is just one way Intel is trying to help if you play a little loose with your security measures.
Alright, let’s look at the boards so you can see what each offers in terms of connectivity, software, and extra features.
First Look – GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-UD5H
If you followed our preview of the GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-UD5H, then you know it follows the previous generation Intel Z87. The UD5H offers NVIDIA SLI and AMD CrossFireX support with auxiliary SATA power for the gamers, or bitcoin zombies. Two PCIX Gen 1 and PCI 32bit slots fill the ranks. Power, reset, and UEFI BIOS reset buttons and BIOS selectors populate the upper corner for those who may have open enclosures. The board sports 8 SATA ports, five of which are SATA Express tethered. The DDR3 slots can support most everything in to the 3000 MHz frequency ranges.
The IO back panel offers 8 USB (6 USB 3.0 and 2 USB 2.0). An aging serieal combo port is there for users who have legacy keyboards or mice. The video out ports include a DVI, legacy VGA, and HDMI. Dual Gigabit NICs give users the choice between a Killer E2201 or Intel Gigabit interface. The audio receives the capacitor support, keeping things clear on the audio, in addition to a rear audio amplifier, which is better than stock. This is also one of the few boards that offers a mini-SATA M.2 port piped directly in to the PCIE.
Quality wise, there isn’t anything out of place that would question the stability of the platform. High quality capacitors, chokes, and VREG components populate the entire board. A total of 6 fans augment cooling possibilities either manually or through the Easy Tune management utility.
Inside the Box – GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-UD5H
The GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-UD5H doesn’t come with much extra that we’ve come to expect. There are four SATA cables, SLI bridge (also works with AMD), IO shield, software disc and manual plus one little sticker. The UD5H usually came with a little something extra in the past. If there were a UD5H-WiFi model, it would no doubt come with more, but it would also cost more.
As it stands, the gold GA-Z97X-UD5H starts off at $230 US/CA but can be found for $180 at some retailers. The Black Edition GA-Z97X-UD5H offers additional testing, a longer warranty, but the same bundle at $230, but comes dressed in black. Both boards are identical otherwise.
First Look – ASUS Z97 Sabertooth Mark-I
The ASUS Z97 Sabertooth Mark I returns with the Thermal Armor shell. The armor gets two optional fans to install below and behind the CPU socket to add a little extra air flow if your enclosure doesn’t quite cut it. Two silver slides open and close allowing more air to hit the VREG MOSFETs underneath. The board offers 9 fan ports all managed through the BIOS or through AI Suite 3 and Thermal Radar software. An Easy Tuning Wizard makes automated or manual overclocking easier than ever. Just ensure you have excellent cooling and let the software do the rest.
Expansion includes three PCIE slots for NVIDIA SLI and CrossFireX support as well as three PCIX Gen 1 slots. 8 SATA ports are provided which is typically more then enough for the normal user. All the USB 2.0 and 3.0 headers line the bottom of the board. A MemOK automated memory configuration button is next to the main power slot.
The back IO panel offers 8 USB (4 USB 3.0 and 4 USB 2.0), Display and HDMI port, as well as dual NICs in the form of an Intel I218V and Realtek 8111GR interfaces. A BIOS reset switch is included should you get too eager with settings. The Realtek ALC1150 gets a circuit change this time around, as Asus engineers continue using a shielded PCB design, audio amplifier, separate left and right channel layers, and circuits that eliminate popping commonly associated with audio during start-up as well as switching between output sources.
In terms of quality, a lot of lower profile high tolerance components line the board to ensure stability regardless of whether the TUF shielding is in place or not.
Inside The Box – ASUS Z97 Sabertooth Mark-1
The $250 US/CA ASUS Sabertooth Z97 Mark I comes with four SATA cables, SLI/CrossfireX bridge, IO shield, software disc, manual, flashier TUF INSIDE case sticker and includes the Quick Connect front panel header as well as a package (dark gray right) with TUF items.It includes voltage wire leads, PCIE slot caps, DIMM slot caps, USB caps, and other port caps that can be used to protect every unused motherboard port, or block them off for a very clean orderly look. There is also two option fans included that mount to the TUF motherboard guard to move a little more air.
Next, let’s see what the MSI Z97 Gaming 7 and ASRock Fatal1ty Z97 Killer have to offer!
First Look – MSI Z97 Gaming 7
MSI leaves the red dragon theme and returns to a more badged look. Like the other platforms, there are three PCIE slots for NVIDIA SLI and AMD CrossFireX. Four additional PCIX Gen 1 ports provide further expansion. The bottom of the board contains any USB headers and a power, reset, and OC Genie 4 button. Pressing the Genie automatically overclocks your Haswell or Devil’s Canyon CPU of choice. It’s not clear if the Genie will favor the cooler Devil’s Canyon processor over Haswell though. But hopefully we’ll find out in a future article.
Storage capabilities include 8 SATA ports along with SATA Express support. There is also an M.2 slot behind the chipset heatsink.
The IO panel features 10 USB (8 USB 3.0 and 2 USB combo in red) ports, a legacy PS2 port, clear CMOS button (careful not to accidentally push), two HDMI, and one Displayport. The Audio Boost 2 analog audio is different, containing a red port dedicated for standard to 600 ohm headphones. Dual OP amps give the audio a much needed boost. Finally, a single Killer E2200 Gigabit network port gives gamers the option of prioritizing their apps that utilize bandwidth.
In terms of quality, the MSI Z97 Gaming 7 has all the right components in the right places to create a stable gaming platform. It’s one of the least busy boards around. Like the other boards, the upper DDR3 overclocking spectrum is at 3300 MHz. MSI upped the software with an updated MSI Command Center and Gaming App for overclockers and regular users alike. It’s as easy as pressing a button or clicking a mouse to get extra performance on this board.
Inside The Box – MSI Z97 Gaming 7
The MSI Z97 Gaming 7 also comes with a similar bundle to other boards in this round up. There are four black SATA cables, SLI/CrossfireX bridge, voltage jumpers (oddly, for extreme tweaking for high-end overclocking which isn’t in the board’s repartee), matching theme IO shield, door sign for when gaming, two USB connectors, software disc, and various installation manuals. There is an MSI case badge and some cable stickers if you need help remembering which port has which storage device.
This is a relatively even bundle, and at $190 US/CA, it is certainly one of the more affordable boards of the round up.
First Look – ASRock Fatality Z97 Killer
The ASRock Fatality Z97 Killer is actually a slightly narrower ATX board meaning that you should make sure your computer case still has the holes for proper mounting. Since this is a budget gamer platform, mainly just the basics are being offered in this red highlighted board, which doesn’t include NVIDIA SLI support, with only AMD CrossfireX supported. It still supports SATA Express and offers an M.2 slot just below the first PCIe slot right next to CMOS and BIOS (1 or 2) selection jumpers. ASRock opted for two PCI slots a the bottom which are becoming a rarity just like the VGA out on the IO area. Users will get 7 SATA ports including one for SATA Express below the red chipset heat sink.
The rear IO panels include 8 USB (4 x USB 3.0 and 4 x USB 2.0) headers. All, but the USB above the green/purple PS2 port (left), are inactive till you install the OS-USB drivers from the DVD or website. There is one Qualcomm Killer E2200 network interface port. For video out, there is a VGA, DVI, and HDMI port. Like the GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-UD5H, these kinds of monitors are few and far between anymore. Plus, GPU purchases come with adapters so these aren’t really needed anymore.
Finally, the ASRock Purity Sound II is actually a Realtek ALC1150 audio processor. A few capacitors help support clearer audio fidelity though. With proper implementation, we’ve heard the audio create a surprisingly lively experience in games and music.
Inside The Box – ASRock Fatality Z97 Killer
The Fatal1ty Z97 Killer includes four SATA cables, colorful non-matching IO shield, software disc, manual, and various software options not typically seen with gaming boards. The board did not come with an AMD CrossfireX bridge so hopefully your AMD card does. As for the software, Keymaster can theoretically help improve your game through keyboard macros and mouse tuning. However, it only works on high DPI precision mice and most real precision gaming mice are already programmable not to mention, they have their own software. The same goes for the keyboards.
Other extras include X-Split Gamecaster and Broadcaster for streaming your games, but it’s only free for 3 months. Otherwise, it’ll cost you $24.95 every 3 months. ASRock Cloud is actually Orbweb ME which is a bit like having multimedia based cloud storage.
At $135 US/CA, this is the, ASRock Fatal1ty Z97 is the least expensive board in our round up, and likely one of the cheapest gaming boards on the market, and comes paired with a fairly unique software bundle.
Now that we’ve had a good look at what each of our round up motherboards are bringing to the fight in terms of hardware, let’s have a look at the setup and BIOS of each of the boards next.
A Look At The BIOS…
Each motherboard was evaluated on aspects like installation, setup, and BIOS. These are the main aspecs DIY users will work through especially in regards to the BIOS. Here are some notes on what we experienced as end users.
MSI Z97 Gaming 7
The easiest to setup was the MSI Z97 Gaming 7. Hardware configuration is very clean and simple. They’ve finally got their driver software a bit more aligned so that it’s easy to install. When it comes to configuring the BIOS, only three main buttons on the left which will be easy to remember. Flashing the BIOS is also quite easy. The main BIOS screen makes it easy to arrange your Boot drives by dragging and dropping the order.
Unfortunately, the Info bar on the right still doesn’t quite educate the user to each setting’s purpose. For the user who needs a quick installation without all the minute tweaking options, this is your board.
ASUS Z97 Sabertooth MKI
The most informative experience was the ASUS Z97 Sabertooth MarkI. Users will find it surprisingly simple to setup despite the seemingly complex platform and numerous features. The most difficult steps involve adding the optional small cooling fans which really aren’t needed, and the routing of WiFi cables. It’s easy to see where everything needs to go and the quick connect front panel headers are still useful.
The ASUS software suite is thorough and only includes what is supported by the board, to minimize bloatware. But the BIOS is the most complex of the lot with plenty of settings for tweaking and overclocking. However, the information bar makes the BIOS user friendly explaining a lot of the settings. In fact, the basic user won’t even have to venture past the main screen to the advanced mode.
GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-UD5H
The GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-UD5H is slightly more involved in that the set up has a larger software suite which includes a lot of apps for different aspects of the system. Users don’t have to install everything to experience the board but most are needed. Manual setup still requires installing the App Center first or else the supporting app software will appear to install without any error yet can’t be accessed. That’s one of the caveats for having hub-based software, but it is far better integrated than GIGABYTE’s previously disjointed effort, that involved installing a whole bunch of mismatched software.
The BIOS reveals a lot of information and settings but the descriptions are still fewer than expected. There are plenty of tuning options for overclocking, which is to be expected from GIGABYTE. Unfortunately, the shortcut F key options are jumbled at the bottom which can make it feel chaotic. Two lines of text would be a better and clearer option.
Aside from the small issues, users will find the basic installation process easy enough without having to go to the BIOS.
ASRock Fatal1ty Z97 Killer
Finally, the ASRock wasn’t difficult to set up in terms of software but the hardware installation had some obstacles partially due to its slimmer PCB base.
First, the DIMM (RAM slots) are closer to the CPU socket than most other boards meaning you’ll probably want to use low profile memory, so that things clear properly. Second, the bottom PCIe slot is so close to the chipset heatsink that the locking clip just barely allows enough room to tilt the big video cards out. Third, the gray SATA ports near the heat sink are flimsy and tilt noticeably if any pressure is placed on them. Fourth, only one active USB port is available during setup. If you install Windows from USB, you only have the one port which means no keyboard or mouse making it very frustrating.
Some minor placement issues include the CMOS and BIOS selection jumpers which are between the two red PCIe slots and the front panel (case) header, which is located in the middle of everything at the bottom. Hopefully you won’t need these jumpers when running dual cards.
Finally, the BIOS is quite simple as it’s a gamer supporting board. There are plenty of tuning options but it also lacks some of the better descriptions for more novice users.
Global Test System Configuration
Here is the list of the components used in testing. The only change was the swapping in and out of motherboards. Otherwise, the rest of the components were kept standard through each test set, to maintain consistency.
- Processor: Intel Core i7-4770K and Core i7-4970K
- CPU Cooling: be Quiet! Dark Rock Pro 3
- Motherboard 1: GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-UD5
- Motherboard 2: ASUS Sabertooth Z97 Mark I
- Motherboard 3: MSI Z97 Gaming 7
- Motherboard 4: ASRock Fatal1ty Z97 Killer
- Memory: Kingston HyperX Beast 16GB
- mSATA M.2: Kingston 120GB (SM22803G/120G)
- Storage: Kingston HyperX 240GB SSD
- Graphics: ZOTAC NVIDIA GTX 770 2GB
- OS: Windows 7 Pro
- Power: beQuiet 850 Dark Power Pro 10 (80Plus Gold)
All the latest firmware, BIOS, and drivers at the time of writing, were used with the boards. And because of constant refinements of these items, performance may vary slightly down the road.
The systems were benchmarked in an open tech station from Epicenter Design Works. I’ve been using the aluminum stations for almost two years now as the design is one of the most easily accessible chassis around. This way we can keep the systems as cool as possible.
In terms of benching software, we used PCMark 7 first, as it performs a pretty extensive overall system test, seeing if the motherboard can influence the scores. SISOFT SANDRA was used to test each boards’ basic IO performance which includes SATA, USB, network bandwidth, and any other connective features. Some game benchmarks were thrown in to make sure the boards can support PCIe graphics flawlessly.
Audio performance, overclocking, and power consumption finish off the tests. Alright, it’s benchmark time!
PCMark 7
As expected, Devil’s Canyon does better on the Z97 due to its 4GHz base operating frequency which turbos upwards of 4.3GHz allowing better system performance. However, when the 4770K was used, the scores are also in favor of the Z97 versus the Z87. It’s not a lot but it’s something. If I were looking for a deal, I’d still grab a Z87 and Haswell processor which would likely be $100 or more cheaper.
SANDRA – IO and Network
It’s business as usual. ASUS still has the handle on UASP support for USB 3.0 which is nice to have if you move a lot of media files stored on an external USB 3.0 storage device, or edit directly from a disk system. Otherwise, everything else is similar. Network speeds are within a few MB/s and SATA is still comparable. Unfortunately, we don’t have any newer SSDs to test the SATA Express ports. However, we did get a great little 120GB M.2 SSD from Kingston. This is about 80MB/s more than the mSATA we have on other Z87 and Z77 boards.
Gaming – Battlefield 4, Assassin’s Creed III, Metro Last Light, Crysis 3
What I wanted to show you for gaming is that there isn’t really any performance gained. It’s all very close revealing most of the magic happens between the CPU and GPU. If you’re just looking to game, again, the Z87 and a Haswell will save you some money. Otherwise, you can overlock a bit to get a little more out of the frame rates. Overclocking is just a couple sections away.
Audio Performance
RightMark Audio Analyser is used to evaluate each board’s audio implementation objectively. Even at 50% volume, all of today’s latest motherboards should be able to produce good if not excellent audio quality. This is where those extra capacitors and Op Amps make integrated audio shine. There really is no excuse for cutting corners to save a few bucks on audio.
I can almost always correlate the results with actual human ear testing. With that in mind, the GA-Z97X-UD5H, Z97 Sabertooth Mark I, Z97 Gaming 7, and Fatal1ty Z97 Killer all produce decent analog audio quality. Noise is non existent and frequencies are very clear. However, the Z97 Killer wasn’t as loud or lively as the other three. In other words, you’re not going to be pushing any ear drums or shaking any walls unless you plug the system into a powered headset or speaker set. But it is also the least expensive of the bunch.
Overclocking – Presets and Manual
Auto overclocking has been one of my favorite features since Z77. The feature is built into GIGABYTE Easy Tune, ASUS AI Suite 3, MSI Command Center, and ASRock F-Stream Tuning utilities. Each board was tested using auto, manual, and preset overclocking settings using the Core i7-4790K processor. A maximum load temperature of 80C and 1.4 volts was defined as we don’t recommend anyone running it hotter or else your CPU will eventually stop working. Turbo was disabled as well. Your results will depend heavily on the CPU cooler but also BIOS tuning.
Both the GA-Z97X-UD5H and Sabertooth Mark I seemed to be cut from the same cloth and delivered great results. The platforms are very quick to apply the preset overclocks and more importantly, both were very stable. The Z97 Gaming 7 was just a slight bit unstable at 4.7GHz but did better when manually overclocked. While not stable with the preset, manual 4.6GHz was stable.
Bringing up the rear, the Fatal1ty Z97 Killer doesn’t have the VREG to support all those BIOS and software overclocking options. Unfortunately, auto tuning was less than “killer” as it stopped short of the processor’s max Turbo option and stopped short of 4.6GHz no matter how much voltage was pushed. This board seems at its best when running on stock settings.
Power Consumption
Boards with more components almost always consume more power. The one thing I really like about the last two generations is the very low consumption levels at idle. No, this is not in sleep or hibernation mode. The Sabertooth Z97 Mark I and older GIGABYTE Sniper 5 (Z87) are the hungriest by only a few watts, for comparison. Otherwise, you can expect similar consumption between all Intel Z97, NVIDIA GTX 770, and Intel Core i7-4770K or 4790K, based systems.
Now that all the testing is done, it’s time to quantify and conclude!
Conclusion – GIGABYTE GA-Z87X-UD5H
The GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-UD5H is a very solid board, performs respectably well, still offers decent audio, and sets up relatively easily. The stability is top notch and overclocks very well (4.85GHz) as long as your CPU is kept cool, and is willing. Don’t get the UD5H gold version confused with the UD5H Black Edition, which isn’t quite as aggressive, but does offer their stability guarantee, for workstation loads.
While the BIOS and App Center software suite work well and aren’t difficult to navigate, they still need a little work in terms of accessibility and design as we users like to find things easily. The BIOS is very extensive but could use some more information. It’s still a bit too basic and quick function keys are jumbled at the bottom.
The App Center is separate and doesn’t auto install with each individual app, nor do you get an auto message alerting you to do so first. Users don’t read manuals, and it would be great if the software was designed in this fashion, to minimize a poor user experience. Users would also appreciate an updated all in one bundle available from the software page.
The GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-UD5H is currently at an MSRP of $230 US, and earns a strong recommendation.
Pros
- Stable and reliable both stock and overclocked
- Great integrated audio
- Good basic and advanced tweaker’s BIOS
- App Center has everything including fan control
- User friendly platform
- Optional M.2 (mSATA Express) slot
Cons
- BIOS can use some more descriptions
- App Center could be more user friendly
Overall Rating: 8.5/10
Conclusion – ASUS Z97 Sabertooth Mark I
The ASUS Z97 Sabertooth Mark I continues to offer that special TUF theme which still identifies with users looking for something a bit more exotic. The board is very solid, performs just a bit beyond spec due to its BIOS tuning, offers decent integrated audio, and sets up quite easily, despite its extra bells and whistles. Plus, the detail of the user manual is excellent.
Stability is also top notch and overclocks quite well (4.85GHz), along with the GIGABYTE in this round up, as long as good CPU is provided. With even better cooling, the CPU could be pushed just a bit further. Although most users will stick with ASUS’ basic BIOS mode, advanced mode isn’t really meant for the faint of heart. The descriptions are there in support of features, but a handful could use a little updating.
Their AI Suite III software is one of the better polished bundles well suited for the end user. An up to date all in one bundle is always available for download.
It would be nice if the two included 60mm fans came pre-installed, as they are finicky to setup. The hat trick would be providing on/off switches for them as well, so that noise could be limited, or eliminated.
The ASUS Z97 Sabertooth Mark I is the most expensive board in our round up, but it also performed the best overall. At $250 MSRP, it’s also a board well worth the price, and earns our Editors’ Choice Award with a 9.0 / 10.0 rating.
Pros
- Stable and reliable stock and overclocked
- Very good integrated audio
- Great basic and advanced tweaker’s BIOS
- AI Suite III intuitive and very user friendly
- Very user friendly platform
- TUF theme and accessories always unique
Cons
- Included TUF fans aren’t pre-installed
Overall Rating: 9.0 / 10.0
Conclusion – MSI Z97 Gaming 7
The MSI Z97 Gaming 7 went back to a pretty conservative theme this series. I find myself missing the Z87’s awesome red dragon theme, but the cleaner, yet plainer, less busy implementation is also OK. Nonetheless, the Gaming 7 is also a solid board, performs well, offers relatively decent audio, and sets up very easily. The board is stable and overclocks with a push of the OC Genie button, but overclocks better manually (4.75GHz) through the BIOS.
The MSI BIOS was the easiest to navigate of the bunch, and user friendly because of its basic layout. Unfortunately, it needs more descriptions as well as some updating. As for their MSI Command Center software, it includes only the things users will typically need, making it very simple to operate which is great for the users. The integrated “Audio Boost” actually performs well perhaps due to more capacitors and amps. It’s interesting that the board supports the Steam OS as of right now which is still beta for these platforms.
Otherwise, the MSI Z97 Gaming 7 has an MSRP of $190 US, and represents a very good price for a board with its capabilities and cosmetics. It certainly gets our recommendation, but is slightly edged out by the GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-UD5H.
Pros
- Stable and reliable both overclocked and stock
- Very good integrated audio
- BIOS is very easy to navigate and use
- Command Center very user friendly
- OC Genie IV easy overclocking button
- Optional M.2 (mSATA) slot
Cons
- BIOS needs some description support
Overall Rating: 8.0 / 10.0
Conclusion – ASRock Fatal1ty Z97 Killer
Finally, the ASRock Fatal1ty Z97 Killer sports its dashing red muscle car heatsinks well. The board was a fairly standard performer, handling the tasks casual gamers and desktop users expect including acceptable audio. It maintained stability throughout testing. However, given its $140 MSRP, gamers give up NVIDIA SLI connectivity, but do get AMD CrossfireX support. Additionally, enthusiasts will find the automated overclocking a bit buggy topping out at 4.3GHz versus a slightly higher manual overclock of 4.53GHz. Hopefully this can be rectified with software/BIOS updates.
Speaking of BIOS, the setup is quite basic not to mention easy to figure out, but could use some more descriptions to help the more novice user. While these quirks fit the board given its lowest cost in this round up, a single active USB port during OS installation and loose gray SATA ports does not make any sense, if one is simply trading features for a lower price point. The parts quality should not have to suffer. Users should also consider using low profile RAM especially if using a big high performance CPU cooler, due to the narrow PCB. It would also have been nice to have the BIOS jumpers in an accessible location, not stuck underneath your GPUs.
The ASRock Fatal1ty Z97 Killer’s $140 US price tag is affordable, but can it still be classed as a gaming board for its AMD CrossfireX only capability? And was the shorter PCB (and seemingly cheaper SATA ports to name a few things) worth cheapening to get to the low price tag? As it stands, it scores 7.5 /10.0 in our round up, but is substantially cheaper than anything else in this round. And if left alone to run without any tweaking, and if you’re an AMD GPU fan anyway, it certainly represents a very good value at its price point. So we have to throw it that bone.
Pros
- Overall stable and reliable (at stock settings)
- Good integrated audio
- Relatively easy installation and setup
- M.2 (mSATA) slot
Cons
- Supports only AMD CrossfireX
- Very large CPU coolers need lower profile RAM
- Gray SATA ports wiggle too much
- BIOS jumpers and M.2 slot tough to reach under first PCIE slot
- Only one single active USB port during OS installation
- Limited overclocking capability
Overall Rating: 7.5 / 10.0
Final Thoughts
This round up isn’t about which board outscores the other. But to the companies that supplied them (GIGABYTE, ASUS, MSI and ASRock), they do indeed affect their bottom lines.
Different boards offer more or better features depending on pricing. For example, lower priced boards tend to offer limited overclocking or less stellar audio than their more expensive counterparts. However, no board should be unstable, or be unable to deliver the proper level of performance for each feature. Thankfully, we didn’t find that behaviour in any of the boards in our round ups. But what we did find were things that could be improved, to take each platform just a little further, a little better, and give users a more enjoyable experience.
With that in mind, evaluating this round up is about the cost, the feature, and the performance as well as the overall user experience. Although all the boards fought against one another, and scores were tallied, you should feel free to purchase any of these boards, to fit your budget and build.
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