ULookPrettyGood :
Tradesman1 :
Both are good mobos, I've got the Hero (both Z87 and Z97), it should provide a little better OCing, and run a bit cooler, there are other minor differences (they are like big Brother/Little Brother to each other) am still waiting/hoping the Ranger will be released in the States
Does the Ranger support SLI and 3 monitors simultaneously? Or should i just get the Hero.
I'm pretty sure the Ranger is essentially the exact same thing as the Hero but it has two less SATA 3 ports and like Tradesman1 mentions the Hero will be a better overclocker both with the CPU and memory. Here you can see the differences from a website:http://www.eteknix.com/asus-republic-of-gamers-maximus-vii-ranger-z97-lga-1150-motherboard-review/
The advantages of the hero are as follows...
-Better power componentry (such as 4 more PWM drivers and 60A ferrite chokes) to provide more efficient power delivery and better overclocking potential
-Two more SATA III ports via an ASMedia controller for additional storage options
-A heat pipe joining the two CPU VRM heatsinks to provide more effective cooling and longevity
-Additional onboard lighting to provide more striking aesthetics
-A dual colour PCB design which includes red PCB accents around the heatsinks, audio codec and across parts of the motherboard
-A slightly better bundle which includes a few extra SATA III cables
By the way, yes the Ranger will support SLI but the 3 monitors being displayed simultaneously depend on your GPU but if you want you can use the mobo's vga, DVI, and HDMI ports.
I would say go for the Ranger if you are on a budget and are not so keen on overclocking. The Hero would be the choice for extreme overclockers. Sure the Hero has a dual-colour PCB and cool lighting effects but it's not really worth it over the main features of the two mobos. If the Ranger is a lot cheaper than the Hero just go for that but people just choose the Hero because it will last longer and is a lot more reliable.
For my build I chose the Hero because I'm going to be overclocking to full potential and I'm going to use it for a high-end build.
I hope I could help you and be sure to pick your answer soon!