What is the difference between "killer" and "performance" H97 motherboards?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
E

ephraim3

Distinguished
Nov 5, 2009
25
0
18,540
What's the difference between these two motherboards?

ASRock Fatal1ty H97 Killer LGA 1150 Intel H97 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
(http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157509&cm_re=fatal1ty_killer_asrock_h97-_-13-157-509-_-Product)

ASRock Fatal1ty H97 Performance LGA 1150 Intel H97 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
(http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157510&cm_re=fatal1ty_performance_asrock_h97-_-13-157-510-_-Product)

What kind of user will notice a difference? I intend to use for light gaming, web, work, and watching videos online.
 
Solution
synphul
From the looks of it, they're pretty similar. The performance has 1 extra standard pci slot, uses the intel 1218v for the network controller and lacks m.2 or sata express capability. The killer has 1 less pci slot, uses the qualcomm killer network controller but supports sata express and m.2 (likely one or the other, not both at the same time). The "killer" probably gets it's name from the killer network adapter. Sata express and m.2 are newer technologies for connecting ssd hard drives (requires an m.2 or sata express ssd, not just any regular ssd).

http://www.asrock.com/mb/compare.asp?SelectedModel=Fatal1ty+H97+Killer&SelectedModel=Fatal1ty+H97+Performance

The difference in network controllers is a flip of the coin. Supposedly the...
Sort by date Sort by votes
SinxarKnights

SinxarKnights

Distinguished
Jan 3, 2007
2,333
3
20,960

If you simply look at the specs it is spelled out. One has killer NIC the other does not. The killer also has a SATA Express connector.


The gullible kind. The killer NIC allows traffic shaping and claims to lower your ping. In practice there is no perceptible difference.

That being said, there is no reason other than a $8 price difference to not get the killer version. The networking features might be useful if you have a slow connection.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
synphul

synphul

Champion
Mar 11, 2011
9,477
7
54,965
From the looks of it, they're pretty similar. The performance has 1 extra standard pci slot, uses the intel 1218v for the network controller and lacks m.2 or sata express capability. The killer has 1 less pci slot, uses the qualcomm killer network controller but supports sata express and m.2 (likely one or the other, not both at the same time). The "killer" probably gets it's name from the killer network adapter. Sata express and m.2 are newer technologies for connecting ssd hard drives (requires an m.2 or sata express ssd, not just any regular ssd).

http://www.asrock.com/mb/compare.asp?SelectedModel=Fatal1ty+H97+Killer&SelectedModel=Fatal1ty+H97+Performance

The difference in network controllers is a flip of the coin. Supposedly the killer network uses software to make it more 'gaming' oriented giving preference to gaming over the network. Some say it works, many have problems with it and end up just installing different drivers and getting rid of the network management software. Some say it makes no real difference. Others prefer the stability of the intel network adapter.

Unless you plan to use an m.2 or sata express hard drive in the future, it won't matter which one. They'll perform the same. If you think you'll use either of those technologies in the future, then get the killer version.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom