Asrock Z97 Extreme6

Asrock isn't messing effectually with half dozen Z97 motherboards and two H97 boards already squared abroad, and we know of a few more that will be released presently.

For at present, the flagship enthusiast model is the Z97 Extreme6, while Asrock will effort and lure high-end gamers with the Fatal1ty Z97X Killer. Too available are the Z97 Extreme4, Z97 Pro4, Z97E-ITX/ac, Fatal1ty Z97 Killer, Fatal1ty H97 Operation and Fatal1ty H97 Killer.

We accept the Z97 Extreme6 and Fatal1ty Z97X Killer on hand...

Asrock Z97 Extreme6

Asrock started using darker themes with its 'Farthermost' series around when the 2nd-generation Core processors arrived. Since then, we have seen seven-Series and 8-Series Asrock motherboards dressed in black with a few silver and grey highlights.

Nosotros really liked the change from the company's preference for bright blues and other random hues predating the Intel half-dozen-Serial chipsets.

That said, it seems Asrock decided to get a little colorful with the Haswell refresh, giving each board its own unique flair. Although nosotros miss the all-black Farthermost models, we take to admit the new designs are still very tasteful.

The Z97 Extreme6 uses anodized blueish highlights on the aluminum heatsinks along with baby blueish DIMM slots (similar to those used by Gigabyte). Whereas the Farthermost series used to be similar Dwayne Johnson in Fast & Furious information technology's now more like The Rock in Be Absurd.

Anyway, don't permit the flamboyant blues fool y'all, this is still a seriously loftier-cease desktop motherboard, even more so than the previous Z87 Extreme6.

Non-chipset related features include dual Gigabit LAN using an Intel I218V PHY and a Realtek RTL8111GR controller. Sound is provided by the Realtek ALC1150 codec, which has 7.1 CH HD audio with content protection. Asrock has upgraded this solution with 115dB SNR DAC including a differential amplifier, TI NE5532 headset amplifier (Supports up to 600 ohm headsets), Direct Drive technology, EMI shielding cover and PCB isolate shielding, they phone call this 'Purity Audio two'.

The Z97 Extreme half-dozen also includes three PCI Limited 3.0 x16 slots, two PCI Limited three.0 x1 slots, Ultra M.ii and M.2 slots (for add together-in mini PCI Express cards and SSDs), a divide PCIe ability connector at the bottom (for more stability) and ten SATA 6Gb/due south ports.

The I/O console includes a PS/ii port, DVI-I output, DisplayPort ane.two output, Optical S/PDIF output, eSATA connector, vi USB 3.0 ports, two Gigabit LAN ports, Clear CMOS switch and five audio jacks.

Of form, the newest features are storage-related and they are provided by the chipset. Apart from the six SATA 6Gb/s ports which back up RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID x, Intel Rapid Storage Technology xiii and Intel Smart Response Technology, there are a few other connectors of note.

The ASMedia ASM1061 controller has been included to provide an boosted four SATA 6Gb/s ports, which support NCQ, AHCI, Hot Plug and Asrock HDD Saver Technology. The fourth port is also shared with the eSATA port plant on the boards I/O panel.

In that location is also a SATA Express connector which when used occupies the fourth and fifth SATA ports equally well as the M.2 socket, then you want to be enlightened of that. Fortunately, there are actually 2 K.2 sockets and that i'southward the secondary, which is express to the standard 10Gb/south bandwidth for G.2 SATA 6Gb/south and G.2 PCI Express modules.

Asrock has also included an 'Ultra' 1000.2 socket that provides 32Gb/due south of bandwidth to a PCI Express module (doesn't support SATA 6Gb/s modules). Whereas the standard G.2 socket is connected to the Z97 chipset then the CPU, the Ultra Chiliad.2 socket is wired directly to the CPU, effectively bypassing the chipset.

Asrock says they tested the read speed of the Samsung XP941 PCIe x4 M.2 SSD on the Ultra M.2 socket and accomplished a throughput of i.16GB/due south, 46% faster than PCIe x2 M.2 socket.

Apart from the impressive storage capabilities and other exciting features we only mentioned, Asrock also includes a 12-phase ability design, XXL aluminum alloy heatsink, premium blend chokes, Dual-Stack MOSFETs, NexFET MOSFETs and 12K Platinum Caps (100% Japan made high quality conductive polymer capacitors).

Surprisingly the Z97 Extreme6 costs only $170, which seems very reasonable given the feature fix and the fact that this thing is hot off the press. By comparing, the Z87 Extreme6 costs $160 and is besides an infrequent bargain as far as Z87 boards go. The Z87 Extreme6 also has the Z87 Extreme9/ac and Z87 Extreme11/ac standing over it, both of which are incredible and so we can't expect to see what Asrock has in store for the Z97chipset downward the rail.