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Picking A Value Leader

Intel Z97 Express: Five Enthusiast Motherboards, $120 To $160
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The easiest way to rate value is comparing performance to price. But that doesn’t inspire anyone to add extras like USB and SATA controllers, which improve the flexibility of a platform, but don't move the needle on speed. We have to think more broadly than just looking at benchmark results.

Only ASRock was willing to add third-party controllers in this price range, but MSI has a value card up its sleeve in the form of a six month license for XSplit Gamecaster. If you use this program, you probably know that it's the equivalent of two $15 three-month memberships. In other words, MSI overcomes the expected difference in value anyway by cutting a deal with a service company that many gamers love.

That leaves ASRock's controller-rich Z97 Extreme4 as the lowest-priced model in our comparison. MSI also includes a lot of "other stuff" at the same $160 price point as Gigabyte, and Asus falls somewhere in the middle. We haven't seen ECS' solution for sale yet, but we're keeping an eye out for that one. Until it shows up, we're calling a tie between the ASRock and MSI solution for Approved recognition.

Update 5-13-2014

ASRock sent us a friendly reminder that it also offers bonus software in the form of a one-year professional license for cloud hosting by Orbweb.me.

Update 2: 5-13-2014

Newegg began listing the L337 Gaming Z97-Machine today for the low price of $140, undercutting competitor ASRock by $6. Though that would have placed the product higher on our price-to-performance chart, we believe that ASRock's easier overclocking and added features are probably worth slightly more than its $6 premium. If you personally don't want some of those features and won't overclock, the Z97-Machine offers a lower price for your consideration.

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  • 5 Hide
    onover , May 12, 2014 11:23 PM
    The table detailing the motherboard features on page 1 ... Is it just me, or is the text a bit small?
  • 3 Hide
    makishima , May 12, 2014 11:36 PM
    Quote:
    The table detailing the motherboard features on page 1 ... Is it just me, or is the text a bit small?

    I find it small
  • 3 Hide
    Someone Somewhere , May 13, 2014 12:01 AM
    I'd like to see a review on the significance of the 'killer' NICs... I highly doubt they have any difference besides branding.
  • 0 Hide
    SteelCity1981 , May 13, 2014 12:43 AM
    so intel it seems doesn't have much faith in their own thunderbolt considering there is no thunderbolt ports on this new chipset!
  • 0 Hide
    H4X3R , May 13, 2014 12:52 AM
    The Asrock one is better. Not everyone will be using XSplit, and as tradesman1 (a moderator on this site) said "I myself won't touch MSI mobos due to the poor QC".
  • 0 Hide
    Crashman , May 13, 2014 12:53 AM
    Quote:
    so intel it seems doesn't have much faith in their own thunderbolt considering there is no thunderbolt ports on this new chipset!
    READ PAGE ONE to find out why this chipset has the same features as the previous chipset.

  • 0 Hide
    H4X3R , May 13, 2014 1:04 AM
    Good review :)  I am looking forward to the best price:features motherboard review though (extreme6). I have a quick question crashman: Do asrock still use Capxxon caps (or just crappy caps in general). I would like to know the company of the caps if possible, once again, thank you :) 
  • 0 Hide
    Crashman , May 13, 2014 1:17 AM
    Quote:
    Good review :)  I am looking forward to the best price:features motherboard review though (extreme6). I have a quick question crashman: Do asrock still use Capxxon caps (or just crappy caps in general). I would like to know the company of the caps if possible, once again, thank you :) 
    I wish I knew. It appears that they get their caps custom-wrapped to get the gold color, and that the custom wrapping only has specifications (no branding).

  • 0 Hide
    tarkhein , May 13, 2014 4:20 AM
    Quote:
    I'd like to see a review on the significance of the 'killer' NICs... I highly doubt they have any difference besides branding.


    Not exactly the most comprehensive review, but here is Asus' take on NICs: http://rog.asus.com/312772014/labels/guides/tried-and-tested-why-intel-ethernet-is-still-better-for-gaming/
  • 0 Hide
    Someone Somewhere , May 13, 2014 4:31 AM
    Of course, they're testing throughput, and latency is what is generally considered to matter.
  • 0 Hide
    tarkhein , May 13, 2014 4:33 AM
    Quote:
    Of course, they're testing throughput, and latency is what is generally considered to matter.

    Latency is down the bottom of the page if you didn't realise.
  • 0 Hide
    Someone Somewhere , May 13, 2014 4:42 AM
    Hmm, I missed that.

    It looks like they're testing at 10Mb/s though, which sort of invalidates all the latency results.
  • 0 Hide
    ubercake , May 13, 2014 4:45 AM
    Z97-Z in the last paragraph on page 5 (should be Z97-A).
  • -1 Hide
    airborn824 , May 13, 2014 4:59 AM
    I am upgrading my 965BE this week to a 4770k. Looking at the MSI Gaming 3 what does evryone think? i am keeping my SSD HDD and Saphire HD6950 for now. Any suggestions for a Z97 board under $180
  • 1 Hide
    Amdlova , May 13, 2014 6:43 AM
    dooooooo the itx test :)  everyone want small cages now. asrocks have better value better power and better desing!
  • 0 Hide
    sincreator , May 13, 2014 6:53 AM
    Usually when games are tested on motherboards the results are virtually identical. Strange that the MSI board came up as far ahead as it did in this case. Any ideas on why this happened Crash?
  • -1 Hide
    H4X3R , May 13, 2014 7:08 AM
    [/quotemsg]I wish I knew. It appears that they get their caps custom-wrapped to get the gold color, and that the custom wrapping only has specifications (no branding).
    [/quotemsg]

    Well, then i guess i'll have to hunt that info down because i do not like investing in mobos with cheap components, no matter how many features it has.



  • 1 Hide
    Onus , May 13, 2014 7:59 AM
    I had to replace a cap on a cheap ASRock mobo that I knocked off myself with too-aggressive cable management. What appeared to be an exact replacement was a Nichycon, which is a good Japanese brand.
    As to MSI, I wouldn't touch their cheap boards, but their Z77A-GD65 Gaming board really surprised me over how nice it is, and how cool the VRMs stay under load. If my primary were full ATX, I'd be using it there.
  • 0 Hide
    geok1ng , May 13, 2014 8:06 AM
    After reading about the total mess that is adding SATA Xpress and M2 to a chipset starving for PCIe lanes, my upgraditis will wait for Haswell-E and X99. X97 feels like a notebook chipset.
  • 0 Hide
    palitusa , May 13, 2014 10:33 AM
    Great Review! MSI should be better than Asrock but then again Asrock price is pretty damn good!
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