Intel Z97 Express: Five Enthusiast Motherboards, $120 To $160

[logainofhades]

If I ever go mini-ITX, I would want the M.2 slot. Less cables = better airflow.

 

[Crashman]

If I ever go mini-ITX, I would want the M.2 slot. Less cables = better airflow.

Perhaps, but the point of the M.2 (slot) to SATA-Express (cable) discussion was that if you use the cables for that data connection, you don't get that benefit.

Once the cables get involved, you're left comparing one drive with four cables (SATA Express) to a better-performing pair drives with three cables (SATA RAID).

 

[logainofhades]

As long as you don't use the SATA express port, and use the adjacent SATA ports as normal SATA connections, the M.2 slot should still work, correct?

 

[Crashman]

As long as you don't use the SATA express port, and use the adjacent SATA ports as normal SATA connections, the M.2 slot should still work, correct?

Correct for the most part. When you consume two SATA ports for the M.2 slot, two out of six original SATA ports are disabled. That means you get four SATA ports and an M.2 slot. At least one of the boards in the roundup was even wired with two of the SATA ports missing, so that builders wouldn't need to know "which" two SATA ports were being disabled.

 

[logainofhades]

I do hope that Intel comes up with a better way of doing things, or at least some third party controller options become available. I can see there being mass confusion with the way things are being done now.

 

[Crashman]

I do hope that Intel comes up with a better way of doing things, or at least some third party controller options become available. I can see there being mass confusion with the way things are being done now.

As long as M.2 uses SATA ports, motherboard manufacturers will be tempted to put two of them in both places. It makes sense because many users have only SATA drives, and could find the extra ports useful.

 

[naeembabakheil]

i have Intel DH67Cl currently will upgrade when got some money ....

 

[Vaeserion]

Just something I picked up: according to MSI's Z97 Gaming 5 manual, three of the four-pin fan headers have an unused fourth pin. So in reality, you have two four-pin fan headers and three three-pin fan headers.

 

[Ang3r]

with all the software for auto overclocking, adjustments and tweaking, wouldnt take that long to make an auto overclock, run the build int stability test and post along with your normal OC. would really have liked to see the OC software being used.

Ang3r.

 

[RichardtheZ]

did you notice that almost all the results of asrock z97 extreme4 is better than its brother asrock extreme6 along with all its competitors!!!

I compared the results of this article, to this one "http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/enthusiast-z97-motherboard-overclock,3893-20.html"

please confirm or explain how "Five Enthusiast Motherboards, $120 To $160" are all better than "Five Z97 Express Motherboards, $160 To $220, Reviewed" ! ! !

 

[Crashman]

did you notice that almost all the results of asrock z97 extreme4 is better than its brother asrock extreme6 along with all its competitors!!!

I compared the results of this article, to this one "http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/enthusiast-z97-motherboard-overclock,3893-20.html"

please confirm or explain how "Five Enthusiast Motherboards, $120 To $160" are all better than "Five Z97 Express Motherboards, $160 To $220, Reviewed" ! ! !

First article had the 4790, consecutive articles had the 4790K which is 400MHz faster.

 

[JagoStriker]

I need the specs of the power needs of this motherboard. Only thing I logically know is it needs a lot of power(but how much is a lot?)

 

[RedJaron]

You'll need to clarify what you mean. First off, there are five mboards listed in this review, so you'll need to specify which model you're talking about.

Second, a mboard itself doesn't use a lot of power compared to the components plugged into it. The CPU and GPU you use will have a bigger say in your overall power requirements than your motherboard selection.

 

[Onus]

In my testing, with all the same components, I only see a few watts of difference. There is some, but in most cases it isn't much, and it's never been extreme.

 

[Crashman]

In my testing, with all the same components, I only see a few watts of difference. There is some, but in most cases it isn't much, and it's never been extreme.

And even that is often proportional to CPU power, so that a board that needs 4 extra watts with a quad-core might only need 2 extra watts with a dual-core.

 

[logainofhades]

The boards are going to be so close in power consumption, when all other hardware is the same, that it doesn't really matter. A mainboard by itself, isn't going to use much. The big hitters, for wattage, are going to be CPU and GPU, especially GPU.

 

[Crashman]

The boards are going to be so close in power consumption, when all other hardware is the same, that it doesn't really matter. A mainboard by itself, isn't going to use much. The big hitters, for wattage, are going to be CPU and GPU, especially GPU.

That is, unless you're running the Z170 Claymore
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ecs-z170-claymore-intel-skylake-motherboard,4263.html#p6

 

[logainofhades]

ECS really does seem to have problems making good boards anymore. They have had a few gems over the years, but for the most part, they are not very good. Good thing they have their OEM business, to help keep them afloat.