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Five Z87 Motherboards Under $220, Reviewed
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1. Haswell: Is Now The Best Time To Build?

There's hardly a bad time to upgrade an old, slow PC. We only get skittish a few days before and a few days after a major technology launch, when vendors start jockeying for position with their prices and the newest stuff might end up pricier than where it'll eventually settle. Intel tends to replace the products in its stack with comparably-priced offerings, though. So, any level of improvement, no matter how small, could (and probably should) make Haswell-based processors better values than the outgoing models built on the Ivy Bridge architecture. 

In case you missed it, we reviewed the flagship desktop CPU in The Core i7-4770K Review: Haswell Is Faster; Desktop Enthusiasts Yawn. The title makes it pretty clear: Chris wasn't particularly impressed with the incremental improvements Haswell brings to the desktop space, acknowledging that this architecture has bigger aspirations in mobility. If you already own a Core i7-3770K, there's probably little reason to upgrade. If you made an investment in Sandy Bridge-E, again, there's probably little reason to upgrade. But if your machine employs a Core i7-2700K or older, it might be time to start thinking about something new.

Fortunately, Intel's 8-series platform controller hubs give us platform-oriented guys something to get excited about. Intel got rid of the Z77’s four SATA 3Gb/s ports in favor of additional SATA 6Gb/s connectivity, creating a more SSD-friendly storage foundation. The company also increased USB 3.0 port count by 50%, again bringing the total to six. And with only one generation of processors to support, Intel was able to guarantee the ability to split the on-die PCI Express 3.0 controller's 16 lanes into two x8 links, or a x8 and two x4 slots. Surely that's big news for anyone who read The GeForce GTX 770 Review: Calling In A Hit On Radeon HD 7970? and is considering three 770s for less than the price of two 780s.

That’s not to say the new chipset is perfect. Its ancient DMI 2.0 interface still limits us to the bandwidth of four USB 3.0 ports. Or four-lane PCIe 2.0 devices. Or barely more than three SATA 6Gb/s drives. Intel gets away calling this its top-end mainstream solution only because we've grown to expect fairly little from south bridges.

Well-informed readers might even point out that this is the same DMI interface used in Intel’s last two platforms, and Intel’s own documents confirm that Z87 Express can be used with its older LGA 1155 interface. But you probably aren't going to see many Z87-based boards with last generation's socket because motherboard manufacturers know that intermediate parts confuse the market. We’ve been there and written about that. It appears that power pin assignments for the new architecture, which employs integrated voltage regulation, were the only snag that required Intel to adopt yet another interface.

LGA 1150 ATX Motherboard Features
 ASRock Z87
Extreme6
Asus
Z87 Pro
ECS Z87H3-A2X
Extreme
Gigabyte
Z87X-UD4H
MSI Z87-GD65
Gaming
PCB Revision1.061.021.01.01.1
ChipsetIntel Z87 ExpressIntel Z87 ExpressIntel Z87 ExpressIntel Z87 ExpressIntel Z87 Express
Voltage Regulator12 Phases12 Phases12 Phases16 Phases12 Phases
BIOSM1.21D (05/17/2013)1007 (05/17/2013)30514 (5/14/2013)F5 (05/16/2013)V1.1 (04/26/2013)
100.0 MHz BCLK99.97 (-0.03%)99.94 (-0.06%)99.77 (-0.23%)99.77 (-0.23%)100.01 (+0.01%)
I/O Panel Connectors
P/S 211None11
USB 3.046664
USB 2.02None2None2
Network21211
eSATA1 (Shared w/SATA)122 (Shared w/SATA)None
CLR_CMOS ButtonYesNoYesNoYes
Digital Audio OutOpticalOpticalOpticalOpticalOptical + Coaxial
Digital Audio InNoneNoneNoneNoneNone
Analog Audio56566
Video OutDVI-I, DisplayPort, HDMIHDMI, DisplayPort, VGA, DVI-DDisplayPort, HDMIVGA, DVI-I, HDMI, DisplayPortVGA, DVI-I, HDMI
Other DevicesHDMI-In (Pass-through)802.11n / Bluetooth Combo802.11n, BluetoothNoneNone
Internal Interfaces
PCIe 3.0 x163 (x16/x0/x0, x8/x8/x0, x8/x4/x4)2 (x16/x0, x8/x8)3 (x16/x0/x0, x8/x8/x0, x8/x4/x4)2 (x16/x0, x8/x8)3 (x16/x0/x0, x8/x8/x0, x8/x4/x4)
PCIe 2.0 x16None1 (x4/x1 shared w/3x x1)None1 (x4/x1 shared w/x1)None
PCIe 2.0 x114 (3 shared w/x4)13 (2 shared w/x4)4
USB 3.02 (4-ports)1 (2-ports)1 (2-ports)2 (4-ports)1 (2-ports)
USB 2.02 (4-ports)4 (8-ports)13 (6-ports)3 (6-ports)
SATA 6Gb/s10 (1-shared w/eSATA)878 (2-shared w/eSATA)8 (1-shared w/mSATA)
SATA 3Gb/sNoneNoneNoneNoneNone
4-Pin Fan26255
3-Pin Fan4None21None
FP-Audio11111
S/PDIF I/ONoneOutput OnlyOutput OnlyInput And OutputNone
Internal ButtonsPower, Reset, CMOS selectorPower, DirectKey, MemOK, BIOS Flashback, TPU, EPUPower, Rest, Backup ROM, Quick OC, 8OP SwitchPower, Reset, CLR_CMOS, CMOS IC/Mode selectorsPower, Reset, OC Genie, Go2Bios, OC-Switch, BIOS Switch
Diagnostics PanelNumericNumericNumericNumericNumeric
Other DevicesMini PCIe x1, Dual PCI, SerialTPMmSATA, PCI, SerialTPM, Serial, PCImSATA, TPM, Serial
Mass Storage Controllers
Chipset SATA6x SATA 6Gb/s6x SATA 6Gb/s6x SATA 6Gb/s6x SATA 6Gb/s6x SATA 6Gb/s
Chipset RAID Modes0, 1, 5, 100, 1, 5, 100, 1, 5, 100, 1, 5, 100, 1, 5, 10
Add-In SATA2x ASM1061 PCIe
4x SATA 6Gb/s
1x eSATA 6Gb/s
ASM1061 PCIe
2x SATA 6Gb/s
2x ASM1061 PCIe
2x SATA 6Gb/s
2x eSATA 6Gb/s
88SE9172 PCIe
2x SATA 6Gb/s or
2x eSATA 6Gb/s
ASM1061 PCIe
2x SATA 6Gb/s
USB 3.0ASM1074 Hub (4-ports)ASM1074 Hub (4-ports)ASM1042 PCIe (2-ports)2x PD720210 Hub
(8-ports)
None
Networking
Primary LANWGI217V PHYWGI217V PHY8111G PCIeWGI217V PHYKiller E2205 PCIe
Secondary LANWGI211AT PCIeNone8111G PCIeNoneNone
Wi-FiNoneAR9462 PCIe Combo,
802.11a/b/g/n Dual-Band
AR9271 USB 2.0
802.11b/g/n Single-Band
NoneNone
BluetoothNoneAR9462 BT 4.0AR3011 BT 3.0 (USB)NoneNone
Audio
HD Audio CodecALC1150ALC1150ALC1150ALC898ALC1150
DDL/DTS ConnectDTS ConnectDTS ConnectNoneNoneNone
WarrantyThree YearsThree YearsThree YearsThree YearsThree Years


Rather than split its input voltage across multiple rails externally, Intel's LGA 1150 uses a single input voltage and splits it via an internal voltage regulator. That would apparently allow motherboard manufacturers to simplify their PWM designs, but the firms still use a similar number of power phases to assure voltage stability across quickly-shifting loads. We’ll note this effect in the BIOS descriptions of each product before testing to see how far these boards can push our CPU.

2. ASRock Z87 Extreme6

ASRock surprises Z87 Extreme6 buyers with dual network controllers and dual HDMI ports, in addition to DVI-I and DisplayPort. ASRock takes its network controllers upscale with Intel’s chipset-driven I217V PHY and PCIe-based I211AT parts, bringing with them Intel’s full set of management features and renowned response times.

The extra HDMI connector is neither an output nor a full-featured input, but instead a pass-through that can add a second device to a PC's single-port display. Though we liked this monitor-retasking feature in an all-in-one PC, its value on a motherboard that doesn’t have a dedicated display is less apparent.

Ten SATA ports that line the front panel are all SATA 6Gb/s-capable, including the four driven by a pair of PCIe x1 controllers. That interface limits those ports to 5.0 Gb/s per pair, and one of the ports must be left unoccupied to keep eSATA operational.

Placing four of the chipset’s USB 3.0 ports on the rear panel, ASRock adds a USB 3.0 hub to expand its front panel from single to twin dual-port headers. The four-port hub occupies only one of the chipset’s remaining two ports, so ASRock breaks the remaining port out as an internally-mounted external header. Think “USB drive on the motherboard”—with shades of first-generation ReadyBoost devices—but using the far-faster USB 3.0 interface. We have a few fast ones in mind that you'll see rounded-up in the next couple of days.

ASRock connects all three of its x16-length slots to the CPU’s PCIe 3.0 controller, dynamically changing between x16-x0-x0, x8-x8-x0, and x8-x4-x4 modes when cards are added. PCIe 3.0 mode offers twice the bandwidth of PCIe 2.0, circumventing our former criticism of four-lane graphics slots. The configuration also avoids the need to disable x1 slots or devices when adding a third card, though builders who prefer to put a slower device there might prefer not to share its bandwidth with graphics.

ASRock also dodges any complaint about blocked-off x1 slots beneath the main graphics card by instead putting a Mini PCIe slot there. Nearly any combination of graphics card and notebook-sized expansion card should fit simultaneously.

Power and reset buttons at the bottom-front corner assist bench testers like us, though these lose their usefulness once you button up your system's chassis. A dual-BIOS switch above those buttons makes it easy to get running after making a bad O/C setting, and the two ROMs above it are replaceable just in case you make a catastrophic mistake. A two-digit LED status display helps overclockers figure out which component they’ve pushed too far.

The engineers over at ASRock do a good job with this platform's layout, though a perfect design would require more space around the connectors. Caveats include a secondary USB 3.0 front-panel connector below the lowest graphics card slot that can’t be used when you have a graphics card installed, the internally-mounted external USB 3.0 port that likely suffers the same issue when installing long graphics cards, and a front-panel audio header that, by being located in the extreme bottom-rear corner, is unreachable by too-short cables that come with some cases. If you think that last problem is limited to old or cheap models, read all three parts of our recent 11-way case round-up.

The Z87 Extreme6 includes six SATA cables, an SLI bridge, and ASRock’s famous USB 3.0-to-3.5” bay adapter with integrated 2.5” SSD adapter tray.

3. Z87 Extreme6 Firmware

Though everything can potentially be configured manually, the easiest way to overclock your Haswell-based CPU from Extreme6's firmware is to pick the pre-defined clock that’s closest to your desired settings, and then make minor changes. Built-in configurations up to 4.8 GHz at 1.42 V were initially stable with our CPU, though thermal throttling forced us to seek lower values.

Starting with the "Turbo 4.4GHz" profile, I was thrilled to achieve 4.6 GHz through a simple multiplier increase. Then again, this was the first board I tested.

Our test memory’s DDR3-3000 XMP setting almost worked, but the Z87 Extreme6 firmware doesn’t appear to know the multiplier limits of Intel’s memory controller. The memory is supposed to operate at the DDR3-2933 ratio with a slightly elevated base clock, but I had to manually set its multiplier.

The Z87 Extreme6 also surprised us by adding 60 mV to our DRAM voltage setting, and then misreporting the actual voltage. Our volt meter revealed that 1.65 V actually occurs at the 1.59 V setting, and that the 1.59 V monitored value is simply inaccurate.

Primary, secondary, and tertiary timing controls are all available for full tuning, and each item can be separately changed from automatic to manual configuration.

4. Z87 Extreme6 Tuning Software

ASRock A-Tuning gets a new interface, with separate menus to address two power/clock modes and automatic-overclocking. Three attempts at Auto-Tuning produced three different results, with the most stable run reaching 4.2 GHz at stock voltage.

ASRock’s “Tools” menu spreads across four pages, providing its RAM drive application, custom fan profiles, dehumidifier warm-up function for damp environments, and HDMI pass-through controls.

ASRock OC Tweaker gives users Windows-level access to firmware controls, including its full range of base clock, CPU ratios, and primary voltages.

A-Tuning’s “System Info” tab reveals vital operational statistics.

5. Z87 Extreme6 Applications

Using the same ALC1150 high-end audio codec as several other competitors, ASRock is one of only two companies to include DTS Connect mode in today’s round-up. This is a two-part technology consisting of DTS Interactive and DTS Neo:PC, upmixing stereo sources to as many as eight channels, and then encoding the signal in real-time for output through a digital source. Systems that lack this function limit output of more than six channels to analog connections.

Realtek’s sound panel also includes positioning, equalizer, and reverberation controls to synthesize 23 different listening environments.

The Z87 Extreme6 installation DVD also includes several freeware and trial-ware applications, such as Google Chrome, Splashtop Streamer, and Norton Internet Security. Stardock’s Start8 start menu for Windows 8 grabbed my attention because my Windows 8 applications menu is cluttered. Alas, this software is also a trial. It also lacks the “Accessories” folder that I grew fond of in previous Windows versions.

6. Asus Z87-Pro

Rather than configure dual Ethernet connections, Asus adds its dual-band 802.11n/Bluetooth module to a single Intel gigabit PHY in its $210 Z87-Pro. The I/O panel-based wireless connection (sporting two transmit and two receive antennas) can also be configured as an access point for other devices when using the wired gigabit connection for Internet access, and Asus even adds a couple of extra USB 3.0 ports next to it.

Starting off with a good I/O section doesn’t make the Pro a Deluxe-class board—Asus sells a Deluxe model for those customers—and some readers will be surprised to see that the Z87-Pro uses a maximum of four of the chipset’s PCIe 2.0 lanes to feed its third "graphics" slot. The top two x16-length slots still run at PCIe 3.0 signaling, switching from x16-x0 to x8-x8 mode when the second card is added. But builders who want to place a slower device in the bottom slot will also be happy that it doesn’t steal lanes from the top two x16 slots.

Using the bottom slot in x4 mode requires that the three PCIe x1 slots above it get disabled, leaving only a single functioning x1 slot at the top of the board. The alternative is to treat the bottom slot as x1, since that’s the default configuration.

Next to its bottom-edge power button and diagnostics panel, the DirectKey button signals the board to boot directly into UEFI. Knowing that this button won’t be easily accessible in a finished build, Asus even adds a set of pins to connect a front-panel switch, and suggests that users who favor this function over the standard reset might connect their reset buttons here. This is particularly useful in Windows 8, where you don't get enough time to hit F2 or Delete before the operating system starts booting.

Moving a bit farther forward, the BIOS_Flash button accesses Asus’ USB BIOS Flashback ASIC to flash the firmware from a thumb drive, even if other components (such as the CPU) are missing. It's too early for us to tell, but this could come in useful down the road if Intel updates its Haswell line-up and you find yourself needing a new firmware with a compatible processor to plug in.

Near the front edge, a TPU switch enables automatic overclocking, an EPU switch enables automatic voltage reduction, and a MemOK button next to the memory sets a custom memory underclocking mode that was formerly needed to make certain poorly-programmed high-voltage RAM bootable at default voltage levels.

Asus improves its Z87-Pro layout in two ways compared to most competitors. First, it moves its front-panel audio connector forward by around 1.5 inches to ease short-cable concerns that affected a couple of contenders in our recent round-up. Second, it flips its EPS12V (CPU) power connector upside-down so that the latch is on the bottom, making it easier to unlatch when its cable is wrapped over the top of the board.

The Z87-Pro targets mid-market builders by including only four SATA cables. Its SLI bridge is flexible, and its 2x2 Wi-Fi antenna is foldable.

7. Z87-Pro Firmware

Asus’s latest firmware generation is feature-packed, from an extra XMP button placed on the "Easy Mode" screen to a custom-configurable home page that includes only the settings you choose. The company spent about 30 minutes going over just its firmware with us, and I'm sure it'll have a public version of its presentation soon.

Jumping straight to the tuning parts, setting our overclock with Ai Tweaker began by choosing its XMP option, which loosened our memory timings to DDR3-3000-rated values, increased the multiplier to Intel’s top 2,933 MT/s data rate, and bumped the base clock to 102.3 MHz.

Backing down BCLK to 100 MHz allowed the CPU to run at an astounding 47x multiplier, though added voltage was needed to make it stable.

I’ve recently been informed that a 1.30 V core is nearly impossible to keep cool on Intel’s Haswell-based processors while taxing their AVX pipelines specifically. But this news came to me only after I was able to use that voltage stably, albeit while running Prime95. Maybe my old MUX-120 cooler is just that good. Maybe I should have tried this in a heated room. Or maybe I just didn’t use an application that was capable of touching the core's most heat-sensitive areas. At any rate, Prime95 and Intel’s stability test running in tandem couldn’t push my configuration past the low 90s in °C, so my CPU sample remained stable at 4.7 GHz. Thanks Intel; thanks Asus!

Asus is the only motherboard manufacturer in today’s round-up to honestly report DIMM voltage, as confirmed with a volt meter. Defaulting to 20 mV over XMP, that extra 20 mV was correctly reflected as 1.655 V after I manually dropped the setting to 1.635 V.

The Z87-Pro includes primary, secondary, and tertiary memory timing controls that can be individually configured without affecting other, automatic settings.

8. Z87-Pro Tuning Software

Asus incorporates most of its applications into its new Ai Suite III, including OS-based overclocking functions. The software opens to its 4-Way Optimization tab, showing several status readings, but few controls.

The TPU tab exposes base clock and cache ratio settings, with two more configuration buttons at the bottom for voltage and CPU core ratio settings.

EPU power-savings includes three voltage-reduction profiles that can be re-defined by the user.

DIGI+ power control primarily affects CPU response to thermal and amperage triggers.

Asus brags a lot about its fan controls, from increased granularity to greater independence for all headers, and even for its ability to use both voltage-based and PWM-based control on all of its connectors.

CPU-Z can’t read SPD and XMP values on most Asus motherboards, not even the customized-for-Asus version included with the Z87-Pro. That makes Ai Suite’s System Information tabs especially useful, where I scrolled through all six SPD settings before finding our memory’s XMP rating.

9. Z87-Pro Applications

Asus Ai Charger+ adds fast-charge capability (similar to Apple’s) to BC 1.1-compliant devices. Devices that can’t use these technologies can still be boosted by the board’s added-current capability demonstrated by the USB Charger+ menu.

Network iControl is Asus’ packet prioritization suite.

Asus’ “Wi-Fi GO!” menu is a universal starting point for advanced Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functions. Users can set their mobile devices up for instant transfers (either locally or to Asus WebStorage), as remote control, or even as a playback device for local content.

The Z87-Pro’s Wi-Fi Engine menu configures its wireless controller as either a network client or access point. As one whose computer sits next to the modem, I choose option two.

Asus Ai Suite also has a Web updater function for drivers and BIOS. Users can set it to automatically load their new BIOS to a USB flash drive for use with Asus’ USB BIOS Flashback feature.

10. ECS Z87H3-A2X Extreme

ECS’s $240 Z87-A2X Extreme “goes large” with features, adding a single-band USB-based 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth controller with its dual-gigabit Ethernet capability. But wait, isn’t this a sub-$220 round-up?

After initially disclosing a $220 MSRP, ECS decided to add a $50 game bundle to this board and increase its price by $20. That could be a bargain, depending on the titles, but would have also excluded this product from today’s round-up. Knowing that, ECS is applying a $20 temporary discount to the board. Thanks to the discount, June buyers get both the original $220 price and the promised game certificate.

Other I/O panel features include a CLR_CMOS button, dual eSATA, DisplayPort, and HDMI. Separate front and rear controllers make all four added-in SATA ports function simultaneously.

The Z87H3-A2X Extreme’s extra internal ports aren’t as noticeable as competing solutions, since one of its connectors is perpendicular to the motherboard and the other connects to an mSATA slot. With mSATA drives now exceeding 256 GB, builders who dislike drive cables can build without them, and expect fairly comparable performance.

Buyers who like on-board buttons will be thrilled with the Z87H3-A2X’s bottom-front corner, finding power, reset, boot-to-UEFI, overclocking profile, and diagnostics display mode switches next to a three-digit panel. The diagnostic ouput can display POST code, CPU TDP, CPU voltage, CPU wattage, or CPU MOS temperature readings.

A five-pin connector next to the DIMM slots is designed to hold volt meter probes for verifying CPU core, DIMM, PCH, and PCH I/O voltage levels. If we’ve learned anything about motherboard monitoring of DIMM voltage, it’s never to trust and always to verify.

ECS configures the Z87H3-A2X Extreme’s slots to support up to three-way graphics arrays, and even spaces its slots to allow a trio of double-space cards to fit within an ATX case’s seven spaces. These slots automatically switch from x16-x0-x0 to x8-x8-x0 and x8-x4-x4 transfer modes as the next long slot is filled. Though the bandwidth boost of PCIe 3.0 makes four-lane transfers acceptable to many builders, those who'd rather put a slower card in the third slot might be upset when the first slot drops to eight and the middle to four lanes. This is always going to be a tradeoff when only 16 third-gen lanes exist.

ECS places its USB 3.0 internal header along the motherboard’s bottom edge, which could have been a problem if its hadn’t moved all of the platform's PCIe slots further up on the board compared to competitors. The slot move is a great idea in my opinion, though I can imagine other reviewers are going to ask for more space around the DIMM latches.

Our only true layout concern is that the front-panel audio connector is tucked a little too far into the bottom rear corner for the reach of some front-panel cables. Our solution is to buy a better case.

Though I haven’t seen anyone get ganked since the second millennium, I was amused to find the term re-emerge in certain gaming and entertainment circles. ECS includes a full set of SATA cables, a flexible SLI bridge, and a Wi-Fi antenna inside the Z87H3-A2X Extreme's colorfully-named box.

11. Z87H3-A2X Extreme Firmware

ECS’s overclocking options are fairly limited, though the Z87H2-A2X Extreme does access many of Haswell’s new features. Its M.I.B. X menu opens to a simple list of submenus and a few system stats.

The Z87H3-A2X Extreme doesn’t manipulate Intel Turbo Boost to create a fixed ratio, but instead allows users to pick the highest boost ratio. As a result, our 4.5 GHz overclock dropped to 4.3 GHz when four cores were highly taxed, regardless of other settings.

My chosen 1.300 V core came easily from the M.I.B. X Over Voltage submenu, but I was a little disturbed to find DRAM voltage 40 mV above the setting I intended. I was even more disturbed to see that the board only reported it as 14 mV higher.

Should I mention that ECS was shooting for a top DRAM overclock? It got there using the 1.61 V setting to achieve a true 1.65 volts and a 3,050 MT/s data rate.

This version of Z87H3-A2X Extreme firmware appears unaware of Intel’s 22x133 max memory ratio, though jumping directly from our memory’s XMP-3000 profile to “Manual” mode caused it to keep that profile’s timings as we dropped from the non-functional 30x100 ratio.

12. Z87H3-A2X Extreme Tuning Software

Users who want to configure an overclock through Windows might have better luck with Intel’s eXtreme Tuning Utility, as ECS’s eOC hasn’t caught up with its hardware.

The application opens to CPU and motherboard thermal readings.

Easy Tuning is easy enough. There are no overclock settings for the new platform in this version of the software. We anticipate updates.

Voltage adjustment is limited to the parts outside the CPU. Perhaps the current version of eOC is designed to supplement Intel XTU?

Auto-execute probably doesn’t mean much when the clocks aren’t adjustable. Then again, anyone using both eOC and XTU can set eOC to launch first, providing the external voltage levels that might be required to sustain their XTU-based overclocks.

13. Z87H3-A2X Extreme Applications

ECS eBLU and eDLU provide Internet-based BIOS and driver updates.

ECS Smart Fan controls speed in three groups based on temperature readings, using one of four profiles or user-defined settings.

The Z87H3-A2X Extreme also includes several freeware titles, such as Intel TurboBoost Monitor and THX TruStudio basic (with an upgrade nag), plus trial applications like Muzee, Cyberlink media suites, and Norton Internet Security. Hardware-specific suites include ECS EZCharger, Realtek Teaming software for the dual-network controllers, and Intel SmartConnect.

14. Gigabyte Z87X-UD4H

In the balance between quality and features, Gigabyte’s $200 Z87X-UD4H appears to favor the former while still addressing the latter. We still find, for example, four extra USB 3.0 and four extra SATA ports split between internal and external connectors, but only two of those added-on SATA ports can be activated simultaneously.

The I/O panel also features separate VGA and DVI-D connectors, rather than using a DVI-I adapter block, in addition to the expected HDMI and DisplayPort outputs.

Similar compromises are found atop the board, from its older-but-adequate ALC898 audio codec to its four-lane PCIe 2.0 bottom slot. Using the chipset's PCIe connectivity for the bottom slot lets you drop in a card without stealing lanes from the graphics slots, but also makes the slot unsuitably slow for three-way CrossFire. And many builders are probably better-off treating it as an x1 slot, since enabling four-lane transfers requires the middle two x1 slots to be disabled.

Of course, one of those x1 slots will probably be covered by a graphics card anyway, since most of us favor powerful graphics engines.

Gigabyte shoves the Z87X-UD4H fairly hard towards the overclocking market with top-mounted power and reset buttons, a CLR_CMOS button, two BIOS switches, a POST code LED display, and a row of voltage rail detection points. The BIOS switches select single or dual BIOS mode, and which MOS is primary.

The company is still a bit proponent of its dual-BIOS functionality, and Gigabyte continues to do well with this technology. Anecdotally, though, I still remember the old days of swearing at the dual BIOS system, when a missed boot would cause the old backup ROM to overwrite the new one, when the old firmware wasn’t compatible with a new CPU. Recent improvements include a an automated request to update the backup MOS after rebooting from a primary MOS update, but users can still turn the feature off if desired.

Our only layout concerns are that owners of poorly-designed cases might have some difficulty getting their front-panel audio cables to reach the Z87X-UD4H’s bottom-rear corner header, and that its second USB 3.0 port is located too close to the third x16-length slot. If we pretend that bottom slot is incompatible rather than unworthy of a high-end graphics card, our second concern goes away.

The Z87X-UD4H installation kit is fairly basic, including only four SATA cables with an I/O plate and SLI bridge.

15. Z87X-UD4H Firmware

To the firmware for its Z87X-UD4H, Gigabyte adds some of the features its chief competitor spent nearly an hour bragging about, including a Performance home page with the most frequently-used clock settings. For Gigabyte, this is simply an advancement of its already-popular M.I.T. "Frequency" main menu, and does not include voltage controls. We were able to reach a stable 4.7 GHz after setting voltage appropriately.

The CPU Core Features submenu grows longer with Haswell, and now requires a scroll-through.

Changing DRAM Timing Selectable within the Z87X-UD4H memory menu to Quick allows full control of both channels within its Timings submenu. Expert mode allows per-channel timings.

Individual settings include primary, secondary, and tertiary timings. These can each be altered without affecting the automatic mode of other timings.

 

Wholly bloat(ed) Batman! Four submenus within the Voltage main menu have as few as one setting. We reached 1.30 V under load at the Z87X-UD4H’s 1.28 V setting, and a volt meter showed that the board’s 1.625 V firmware setting produced our memory’s 1.65 V DIMM rating.

16. Z87X-UD4H Tuning Software

Everything Gigabyte does these days appears intended for widescreen displays, from its high-resolution main firmware menu to its 1600-pixel-wide EasyTune window. Not able to legibly compress its small font to a review-appropriate size, I was forced to trim out the black space before shrinking these screen shots.

EasyTune opens to a system information page with very basic statistics, similar to those found in the far-more-compact CPU-Z application. Motherboard model and BIOS version were also shown before I trimmed this image.

Smart QuickBoost offers overclocking profiles from a stock-voltage 4.10 GHz to a 1.32-volt 4.50 GHz. A 1.32 V setting in this case corresponds to the board’s 1.30 V setting.

Gigabyte SmartFan includes several fan profiles and allows users to create their own.

Gigabyte’s 3D Power provides voltage regulator controls.

17. Z87X-UD4H Applications

Gigabyte’s App Center service pop-up gives easy access to many of the firm's motherboard-specific applications. Most unusual (and potentially valuable) of these, USB Blocker allows users to set access controls for various USB ports to block access from unwanted devices, such as someone else’s infected thumb drive.

Gigabyte @BIOS provides firmware update checks and its FaceWizard utility for boot-screen customization.

Gigabyte Live Update checks servers for the latest version of the motherboard’s drivers and utilities.

Notice the writing on this screenshot tab: Gigabyte is the only company I’ve recently seen to include a digital audio input with its audio solution. Other menus are identical to the Realtek apps discussed previously within this article.

18. MSI Z87-GD65 Gaming

Arriving at its anticipated $190 price point, MSI’s Z87-GD65 Gaming relies primarily on Intel’s feature set to create value with gaming enthusiasts. For example, four I/O-panel-based USB 3.0 ports complement a dual-port front-panel header to consume all six of the chipset's ports, without the need for added hubs or controllers.

The Z87-GD65’s I/O panel features a digital coaxial S/PDIF output—a rare find on modern motherboards—in addition to optical and HDMI audio. And speaking of HDMI, the board also adds DVI and VGA graphics outputs to this oft-used connection.

While the easy-access CLR_CMOS button is only found on the Z87-GD65’s I/O panel, on-board power and reset buttons are available on top, next to its two-digit POST code display, within easy reach for bench top testing. MSI also includes its OC Genie automatic overclocking button, a GO2BIOS button for easier firmware access, and a BIOS selector switch.

Lacking eSATA, MSI makes use of its single added SATA 6Gb/s controller by expanding internal connections to eight ports. Next to those, its USB 3.0 front-panel header also faces forward for enhanced card clearance.

Keeping with the gaming-enthusiast theme, the Z87-GD65 Gaming’s third x16-length slot borrows PCIe 3.0 lanes from the middle slot. As with its ECS and ASRock competitors, the Z87-GD65’s CPU PCIe lane configurations drop from 16-0-0 to 8-8-0 and 8-4-4 depending on the slots you populate. Four lanes might not sound impressive, but PCIe 3.0 transfers make up for the bandwidth deficit on most recent graphics cards.

Installing a slower card in the bottom slot still causes it to steal lanes from the top and middle slots, but MSI attempts to make up for that by putting a total of four PCIe 2.0 x1 slots above it. One of those slots will likely get covered up by a graphics card, but the three remaining slots are more than adequate for most builds.

The Z87-GD65 also has an mSATA slot to host tiny SSDs, connected to the Z87 Express chipset’s SATA 6Gb/s controller. Using it requires the builder to leave one of the forward-facing ports empty.

Next to the Z87-GD65’s main power connector, a row of voltage rail testing points makes it easy for fussy overclockers to find the true voltage that corresponds to their set voltage. MSI even adds a set of output wires to its installation kit to expand this feature’s appeal.

This motherboard's one layout issue is a front-panel audio connector that, by being in the bottom-rear corner, is too far away from the slightly short cables of some cases. Moreover, MSI’s audio header placement follows a 1997 tradition that’s often hard to break.

The Z87-GD65 Gaming includes four SATA cables, a set of voltage monitor leads, a flexible SLI bridge, a pair of cable-bundling header extenders, a “go away” door tag, and a very large and shiny case badge.

19. Z87-GD65 Gaming Firmware

Sometimes familiarity makes things easy, as is the case with MSI’s Z87-GD65 firmware. Everything appears just about where it should, though our complaint about its relatively small text remains.

Unable to reach the anticipated 4.7 GHz, we achieved 4.65 GHz at 1.30 V by dropping the CPU multiplier to 46x and raising its base clock to 101 MHz.

Our desired 1.30 volts was achieved at the board’s 1.29 V setting. Though a CPU-integrated voltage regulator should allow the same core voltage setting to apply to all boards, it appears a small variation might be related to each motherboard’s VCCIN differences.

A DRAM setting of 1.635 V pushed an actual 1.65 volts, in spite of the board’s report of 1.616 V. That volt meter is beginning to look like a wise investment.

Individual primary, secondary, and tertiary timings can be adjusted without affecting the automatically-assigned values of others.

20. Z87-GD65 Gaming Tuning Software

MSI uses a mildly-customized version of Intel’s XTU to enable advanced CPU overclocking, without spending too much of its own time trying to develop an alternative solution.

XTU opens to a couple pages of system information, with system status shown at the bottom.

The All Controls tab reveals every setting found within individual CPU, Memory, and Other tabs, starting with CPU base clock and non-Turbo ratio. CPU voltage can be shifted between offset and fixed values at a user’s discretion.

A little further down the menu are VCCIN, cache ratio, and cache voltage settings.

Around halfway down the All Controls menu, we finally reach Turbo Boost ratios.

Memory Latency and Multiplier settings are seen as we approach the bottom.

A few advanced voltage settings are found at the end of All Settings, which corresponds to the Other Settings menu.

One of the most important parts of overclocking is to verify stability. Intel’s XTU provides a pair of very good stability tests that we’ve incorporated into today’s O/C validation.

21. Z87-GD65 Gaming Applications

When packet prioritization is your priority, why not go with one of the originals? That appears to have been MSI’s thought when implementing a Qualcomm/Atheros Killer E2205 into its latest Gaming-series board. The associated application occupies five screen shots, though I found default settings adequate.

The Z87-GD65 includes SoundBlaster Cinema software, complete with a sound mixer, Crystalizer fidelity enhancement, Smart Volume sound level equalization (the opposite of Crystalizer), and Dialog Plus vocal audio volume enhancement. Users who don’t want any of those features will also find an MSI-skinned version of Realtek’s control panel.

MSI Super Charger increases the available current through specified USB ports for decreased charging times on portable devices.

Other applications include MSI’s Live Update 5, which scans for application, driver, and firmware updates automatically. Though it appears unchanged from the above-linked review, curious readers can find additional screen shots in our image gallery.

22. Test Settings And Benchmarks
Test System Configuration
CPUIntel Core i7-4770K (Haswell): 3.5-3.9 GHz, 8 MB Shared L3 Cache, LGA 1150
CPU CoolerThermalright MUX-120 w/Zalman ZM-STG1 Paste
RAMG.Skill F3-17600CL9D-8GBXLD (8 GB) at DDR3-1600 C9 Defaults
G.Skill F3-3000C12D-8GTXDG (8 GB) at XMP-3000 C12 Timings
GraphicsAMD Radeon HD 7970 3 GB: 925 MHz GPU, GDDR5-5500
Hard DriveSamsung 840 Series MZ-7PD256, 256 GB SSD 
SoundIntegrated HD Audio
NetworkIntegrated Gigabit Networking
PowerCorsair AX860i: ATX12V v2.3, EPS12V, 80 PLUS Platinum
Software
OSMicrosoft Windows 8 Professional RTM x64
GraphicsAMD Catalyst 13.4
ChipsetIntel INF 9.4.0.1017


Many critics said this would never happen, but I was able to keep this Core i7-4770K sample well-under 100° Celsius at 4.7 GHz using nothing more than an ancient Thermalright MUX-120. Perhaps the cool room helped, or perhaps Thermalright rigged this particular sample by filling its heat pipes with unobtanium?

After trying every memory sample in the lab, the only set I found that defaulted to DDR3-1600 CAS 9 was an old pair of G.Skill’s DDR3-2200. Since some boards automatically turn on “Enhanced Turbo” when XMP is enabled, I avoided that technology in benchmarks.

The old RAM couldn’t push beyond the overclocking capabilities of the Shark Bay platform, though. For that we secured a new set of DDR3-3000 that, unfortunately, defaults to DDR3-1333 prior to enabling XMP.

Corsair warns that some power supplies won’t wake up from C7 suspend mode, and tells us that’s why it's disabled on many motherboards. I didn’t have time to test every power supply in the lab, so I took the company's advice as an opportunity. The AX860i is, after all, an 80 PLUS Platinum-rated part.

Due to tight scheduling and the need to provide additional hardware and software details, we skipped the individually-tested games and reserved benchmarks to our batch-process applications suite. Apparently, Chris sees me and the batch process for getting these stories done. ;)

Benchmark Settings
Adobe Creative Suite
Adobe After Effects CS6Version 11.0.0.378 x64: Create Video which includes 3 Streams, 210 Frames, Render Multiple Frames Simultaneosly
Adobe Photoshop CS6Version 13 x64: Filter 15.7 MB TIF Image: Radial Blur, Shape Blur, Median, Polar Coordinates
Adobe Premeire Pro CS6Version 6.0.0.0, 6.61 GB MXF Project to H.264 to H.264 Blu-ray, Output 1920x1080, Maximum Quality
Audio/Video Encoding
iTunesVersion 10.4.1.10 x64: Audio CD (Terminator II SE), 53 minutes, default AAC format 
Lame MP3Version 3.98.3: Audio CD "Terminator II SE", 53 min, convert WAV to MP3 audio format, Command: -b 160 --nores (160 Kb/s)
HandBrake CLIVersion: 0.98: Video from Canon Eos 7D (1920x1080, 25 FPS) 1 Minutes 22 Seconds
Audio: PCM-S16, 48,000 Hz, Two-Channel, to Video: AVC1 Audio: AAC (High Profile)
TotalCode Studio 2.5Version: 2.5.0.10677: MPEG-2 to H.264, MainConcept H.264/AVC Codec, 28 sec HDTV 1920x1080 (MPEG-2), Audio: MPEG-2 (44.1 kHz, Two-Channel, 16-Bit, 224 Kb/s), Codec: H.264 Pro, Mode: PAL 50i (25 FPS), Profile: H.264 BD HDMV
Productivity
ABBYY FineReaderVersion 10.0.102.95: Read PDF save to Doc, Source: Political Economy (J. Broadhurst 1842) 111 Pages
Adobe Acrobat XVersion 10.0.0.396: Print PDF from 115 Page PowerPoint, 128-bit RC4 Encryption
Autodesk 3ds Max 2012Version 14.0 x64: Space Flyby Mentalray, 248 Frames, 1440x1080
BlenderVersion: 2.64a, Cycles Engine, Syntax blender -b thg.blend -f 1, 1920x1080, 8x Anti-Aliasing, Render THG.blend frame 1
Visual Studio 2010Version 10.0, Compile Google Chrome, Scripted
File Compression
WinZipVersion 17.0 Pro: THG-Workload (1.3 GB) to ZIP, command line switches "-a -ez -p -r"
WinRARVersion 4.2: THG-Workload (1.3 GB) to RAR, command line switches "winrar a -r -m3"
7-ZipVersion 9.28: THG-Workload (1.3 GB) to .7z, command line switches "a -t7z -r -m0=LZMA2 -mx=5"
Synthetic Benchmarks and Settings
3DMark 11Version: 1.0.1.0, Benchmark Only
PCMark 7Version: 1.0.4 x64, System, Productivity, Hard Disk Drive benchmarks
SiSoftware SandraVersion Version 2013.01.19.11, CPU Test = CPU Arithmetic / Cryptography, Memory Test = Bandwidth Benchmark
23. Results: 3DMark And PCMark

As Intel continues to integrate components onto its processors, we find it increasingly difficult to differentiate between motherboards based solely on performance. At this point, we’re only looking for cheaters and/or broken firmware configurations, and suggest that most readers will be satisfied to simply skip to our power consumption tests.

24. Results: SiSoftware Sandra

We haven’t seen a stand-out product yet, and that hasn’t left us anything to write about. That trend continues in Sandra, except for a tiny deficit in Gigabyte’s memory bandwidth that’s likely attributable to stability-seeking timings.

25. Results: Audio And Video Encoding

One-second differences in our A/V suite are likely only a few hundredths of a second before rounding, and differences that small can be attributed to minor clock speed variation and/or chance.

26. Results: Adobe Creative Suite

MSI stumbles slightly in Adobe After Effects, possibly due to software overhead. We weren’t able to confirm a cause, but so small a difference is not likely to be noticeable in our overall performance evaluation.

27. Results: Productivity

The benchmarks giveth and taketh away, or vice-versa for MSI. Its negligibly-faster 3ds Max result compensates for a negligibly-slower Adobe After Effects result.

28. Results: File Compression

ASRock takes a slight dip in 7-Zip compression performance, but that difference is again too small to cast suspicion. WinZip strikes MSI in a similar manner.

29. Power, Heat, And Efficiency

ASRock’s Z87 Extreme6 saves energy spectacularly, while ECS’ Z87H3-A2X doesn’t appear to idle down completely.

ECS also reflects higher CPU thermal readings, which are explained by its added power consumption.

Performance differences are less than 1% between all platforms, and anyone who’s curious about trivialities will find a very long chart of average performance in this article’s image gallery. Dividing performance differences that small by far larger power differences means we expect an efficiency chart inversely proportional to power consumption. “Average of all systems” is the baseline for our chart, which starts out as 100% and is zeroed out by subtracting 100% from all results.

ASRock's low power consumption gives it the efficiency win!

30. Overclocking
BIOS Frequency and Voltage settings (for overclocking)
 ASRock Z77
Extreme6
Asus
Z87 PRO
ECS Z87H3-A2X
Extreme
Gigabyte
Z87X-UD4H
MSI Z87-GD65
Gaming
Base Clock90-300 MHz (0.1 MHz)80-300 MHz (0.1 MHz)99.5-300 MHz (0.1 MHz)80-267 MHz (0.1 MHz)90-300 MHz (0.1 MHz)
CPU Multiplier8.0-120x (1x)8.0-80x (1x)16-80x (1x)8-80x (1x)8-80x (1x)
DRAM Data Rates800-4000 (200/266.6 MHz)800-3200 (200/266.6 MHz)800-3000 (200/266.6 MHz)800-2933 (200/266.6 MHz)800-3200 (200/266.6 MHz)
CPU Vcore0.80-2.00 V (1 mV)0.001-1.92 V (1 mV)0.00-2.00 V (1 mV)0.50-1.80 V (1 mV)0.80-2.10 V (5 mV)
VCCIN1.20-2.23 V (10 mV)0.80-3.04 V (10 mV)-1 to +1 (Offset Only)1.00-2.91 V (10 mV)1.80-3.04 V (10 mV)
PCH Voltage0.97-1.32 V (5 mV)0.70-1.50 V (12.5 mV)1.06-1.68 V (10 mV)0.65-1.30 V (5 mV)1.05-1.68V (10 mV)
DRAM Voltage1.17-1.80 V (5 mV)1.20-1.92 V (5 mV)1.10-1.82 V (5 mV)1.15-2.10 V (5 mV)0.30-2.45 V (25 mV)
CAS Latency4-15 Cycles1-31 Cycles4-18 Cycles5-15 Cycles5-15 Cycles
tRCD3-20 Cycles1-31 Cycles4-18 Cycles4-15 Cycles5-15 Cycles
tRP4-15 Cycles1-31 Cycles4-18 Cycles4-15 Cycles5-15 Cycles
tRAS9-63 Cycles1-63 Cycles10-40 Cycles5-63 Cycles10-40 Cycles


Most of the firmware ranges presented by today’s motherboards are extremely unrealistic, as LGA 1150-based processors are generally limited to around 10% base clock alteration (beyond base clock ratio changes) and a maximum DRAM data rate of 22x 133 MHz (2,933 MT/s). Higher memory multipliers aren’t supported by Haswell CPUs, but combining a functional multiplier with a higher base clock is still an option.

Gigabyte ties Asus for the highest CPU clock, with MSI trailing only slightly behind. ECS reaches 4.5 GHz, but I wasn’t able to prevent it from using the standard two-ratio drop to 4.3 GHz when loading four cores.

Asus and Gigabyte also have the highest base clock, though Intel told our editor-in-chief, Chris Angelini, that ratio selection isn’t available for multiplier-locked Haswells. Other boards had trouble using the 166 MHz ratio, though we don't see any practical reason to do so with our air-cooled Core i7-4770K.

ECS bragged to me that it had the best-overclocking motherboard, and when I told the company otherwise, it referred to memory data rate. Indeed, the Z87H3-A2X ties Asus’ Z87-Pro for top memory clock.

31. Picking Our First Z87-Based Winner

Asus and Gigabyte sent us the two top overclocking motherboards in today’s round-up. And with performance essentially equal between all candidates, it would be easy for me to simply award those two products first and second place. Doing so wouldn’t account for differences in features and price, however.

ASRock let us know that its motherboard would sell for $220. Yet, when the product launched, it was $190. The original $220 price was reserved for a Wi-Fi-equipped version of the same product.

At the other end of the pricing scale, ECS matches ASRock’s dual networking capability in a fashion, though its network controllers are slightly-less expensive Realtek models. ASRock uses Intel. These two boards would also be equally priced if ASRock hasn't implemented a last-minute price drop. ECS improves its lot with low-cost Wi-Fi and Bluetooth controllers. ASRock only beats ECS as long as the Z87 Extreme6 sells for less than $200.

MSI’s Z87-GD65 Gaming can be purchased for $190, and we have no doubt the company will maintain its pricing structure. We believe it’s a slightly higher-quality product as well, though it’s impossible to overcome the fact that it offers fewer features.

The Asus Z87 Pro roughly matches ASRock’s apparent feature value by adding a fairly good Wi-Fi and Bluetooth solution. Higher stability, quality components like 5,000-hour-rated capacitors, and less conspicuous features (such as its USB BIOS Flashback IC) probably make up for its $20 price premium. We’re not afraid of radical price shifts from Asus; the company's prices usually go down following a launch. And those factors come together, making it easy for us to give the most stable motherboard in this round-up our stamp of approval.

Let’s also not forget that Asus is the only firm to accurately report DIMM voltage. Anyone who still sees a tie here might want to knock a couple of percent off of everyone else’s score after re-reading our firmware analysis pages.

Update (6/4): ASRock's Z87 Extreme6 Drops Again!

ASRock’s preemptive strike against pricing incredulity is to apply yet another $20 discount on top of the already-discounted price discussed above. That drops its Z87 Extreme6 to $170. Although I had to reserve any award for a $190 Z87 Extreme6 that might have shot back up to $220, a $170 price that might shoot back up to $190 makes me a lot more confident about the Z87 Extreme6’s high value.

We’re holding ASRock to this $170-$190 range for the next month as we prepare our next round-up.

Update (6/11): Gigabyte's Z87X-UD4H Surfaces (Or Was It There All Along?)

Number two in overclocking stability, Gigabyte’s Z87X-UD4H originally looked like a great product at too-high of a price. But the company claims to have known something we didn't: the board was available all along at Micro Center for $185. Compare the launch-day price of $190 for ASRock's Z87 Extreme6. As enthusiasts, we usually favor overclocking features over secondary network controllers. Gigabyte's question is whether it was more deserving of a value award on launch day. We answer with a resounding “Probably”. But the Micro Center price didn't show up in any of our searches before this round-up went live, and we have confirmation from Gigabyte that it won't be available elsewhere until next month. Without a way for us to verify Micro Center’s price history, we simply can’t know for sure.

What we do know is that hours before we published this article, ASRock’s Z87 Extreme6 price dropped to $170. Though a $185 Z87X-UD4H might have taken the value award ahead of a $190 Z87 Extreme6, ASRock’s price drop probably would have forced us to issue a matching award for both the Z87 Extreme6 and the Z87X-UD4H. We don't issue or retract awards retroactively though, so that point is now moot. Regardless, whether Gigabyte's attractive price at Micro Center is long-lived or a more recent development, the board now gets our recommendation as a top-value overclocking alternative.