ASUS Z97 Motherboards - Official Support Thread
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This thread is for the official support of the ASUS Z97 motherboard series.
Lots of feature changes over the older platforms - from software, UEFI and aesthetics.
A comparison table containing all ASUS Z97 motherboard features can be found here: http://www.asus.com/us/site/motherboards/Z97/comparison/
Key Features For ASUS 9 Series Motherboards
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EZ Setup Screen - One-stop location for simple system setup..
The EZ mode screen allows quick setup of storage BOOT priority, XMP for memory, RAID, overclocking presets via wizards, system time, fan control and many more features.
![]()
Fan Controls are now far more intuitive with a graphical interface for setting the fan slope with 3 control points (more than enough to configure any fan) in manual mode as well as 4 preset modes. Full PWM and DC support is present on EVERY fan header across all ASUS Z97 motherboards from the Z97-A to Deluxe, ROG and of course the TUF series.
We've also introduced the ability to map each fan to various temperature sensors on the board instead of having all system fans react to the CPU temp only. For example, the chassis inlet fans can be mapped to PCH temperature which allows the fans to react to temperature changes in that region - GPU environment temperatures for example.
A fan calibration routine has also been added to UEFI advanced mode. The calibration routine determines the minimum rotational speed of each fan and then sets the fan slope minimum value accordingly.
With these features, users can enjoy comprehensive fan control with any operating system as no software is required (although we still have Fan Xpert 3 in Windows - more on that later).
Major Software Changes
Graphically AI Suite 3 is the same as the Z87 series but there have been a lot of functionality refinements that take the software to the next level.
Auto Tuning is an automated overclocking routine that tunes a system overclock for the end-user. We’ve had this feature for a few generations now and have been enhancing it year-on-year based upon end-user, media and our internal feedback.
Auto tuning works by running a Prime based stress test on the system. Previously, there was no control over the duration of the stress test. We ran a quick 15 second test and then increased processor clock frequency in steps. For Z97, we've added the ability to set stress test duration up to 1 hour at each step (we can extend this further via an update). Plus we've added a memory stress test to the mix for more stringent overclock testing.
Users can also target frequency or a temperature to tune to. Overall a far more comprehensive set of auto tuning parameters to help make overclocking easy for newcomers and help seasoned users evaluate the overclocking potential of a CPU effortlessly.
Turbo App is the 5th element of 5-Way Optimization. This nifty addition allows us to set dynamic overclocking profiles based upon the application being used.
The advantage of this is two-fold:
[INDENT]1) Overclocks no longer need to be limited by the hottest application we run on our system. Typically, we tune our maximum overclock to the hottest software we will run. With Turbo Ap, we can set higher overclocks for software/games that don’t load the CPU as heavily.
2) The overclock is applied dynamically in real-time as we switch through applications – no need to enter UEFI to change the overclock preset or navigate via various GUIs changing configurations. Turbo App also contains LAN priority and audio presets which will change to our desired setting when the application is active.[/INDENT]
Turbo App is simple to use and setup and helps get the most out of each CPU.
While we have added a comprehensive set of fan control features in UEFI, there’s more on offer in Fan Xpert 3.
[INDENT]i) Full fan calibration for each fan connected to the motherboard.
ii) The ability to control fan spin up and spin down response.
iii) Setting lower speeds for fans that can spin at low duty cycles.
iv) Look up tables for each fan to show RPM versus power or duty cycle.
v) Renaming of each fan for easy reference. [/INDENT]
With all of these options at our disposal, just about any fan con be configured to be quiet and react to system temperature changes. Between UEFI and Fan Xpert 3, the options on offer are the most comprehensive ever seen for motherboard fan control. In fact, there’s no reason to invest in a dedicated fan controller at all.
Push notice is an application that teams a mobile device such as a phone or tablet to the PC in order to send system event, sensor or user messages to the remote device. Once a device is paired to the app (requires client software – which is free to download and use) the alerts will work over a local network or via the internet. This means the messages will be received no matter where you are, provided internet access is available.
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System events such as configured restarts, system shutdown or sleep can be set and a message sent to the remote device at a user configured time before the event occurs.
![]()
Power supply voltage and CPU package temp warnings can also be set to trigger an alert message to the paired remote device.
Mainstream motherboard audio has been revised for 9 series – physically similar layout techniques to the ROG boards to prevent crosstalk.
Other changes include a RTL circuit to prevent DC thump for all outputs while the Deluxe model gets a buffer amplifier to drive either the front headphone jack or rear output jack. The buffer is only needed when connecting hedphones with an impedance over 120 ohms or so to provide additional voltage gain and prevent excessive roll-off at frequency extremes.
Z97-Deluxe : http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Z97DELUXENFC_WLC/
Z97-PRO : http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Z97PRO/
Z97-A : http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Z97A/
Maximus VII Hero : http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/MAXIMUS_VII_HERO/
Maximus VII Gene : http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/MAXIMUS_VII_GENE/
Z97 Sabertooth Mk.1 :http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/SABERTOOTH_Z97_MARK_1/
5-Way Optimization User Guide
UEFI Fan Control and Fan Xpert 3 Guide
Z97-Deluxe: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz2VRRbLPrZnckx1QmNHX0...
Z97 Sabertooth Mk.1: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz2VRRbLPrZnTmNFb3VzST...
Z97-Pro: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz2VRRbLPrZnQ29DR25UUm...
Z97-A: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz2VRRbLPrZnWktvZjhnWk...
Maximus VII Hero: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz2VRRbLPrZndTFNVVpIRF...
Maximus VII Gene: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz2VRRbLPrZnSHJfMWNpNj...
Patch list:
1. Update uCode for new Anniversary Edition CPU support.
2. XMP DRAM frequency reset after load optimized defaults.
3. Enhance security setting.
4. Enhance compatibility for ASUS ThunderboltEX II series cards.
5. Enhance stability for OC profile function.
6. Enhance legacy storage support for the RAID wizard in EZ Tuning Wizard function.
7. Change “Next Boot after AC Power Loss” setting to speed up PC boot time.
These builds will be up on the support site shortly.
Lots of feature changes over the older platforms - from software, UEFI and aesthetics.
Motherboard Info
A comparison table containing all ASUS Z97 motherboard features can be found here: http://www.asus.com/us/site/motherboards/Z97/comparison/
Key Features For ASUS 9 Series Motherboards
New UEFI Features

EZ Setup Screen - One-stop location for simple system setup..
The EZ mode screen allows quick setup of storage BOOT priority, XMP for memory, RAID, overclocking presets via wizards, system time, fan control and many more features.

Fan Controls are now far more intuitive with a graphical interface for setting the fan slope with 3 control points (more than enough to configure any fan) in manual mode as well as 4 preset modes. Full PWM and DC support is present on EVERY fan header across all ASUS Z97 motherboards from the Z97-A to Deluxe, ROG and of course the TUF series.
We've also introduced the ability to map each fan to various temperature sensors on the board instead of having all system fans react to the CPU temp only. For example, the chassis inlet fans can be mapped to PCH temperature which allows the fans to react to temperature changes in that region - GPU environment temperatures for example.
A fan calibration routine has also been added to UEFI advanced mode. The calibration routine determines the minimum rotational speed of each fan and then sets the fan slope minimum value accordingly.
With these features, users can enjoy comprehensive fan control with any operating system as no software is required (although we still have Fan Xpert 3 in Windows - more on that later).
Major Software Changes
Graphically AI Suite 3 is the same as the Z87 series but there have been a lot of functionality refinements that take the software to the next level.
5-Way Optimization - Auto Tuning (Mainstream and WS Only)
Auto Tuning is an automated overclocking routine that tunes a system overclock for the end-user. We’ve had this feature for a few generations now and have been enhancing it year-on-year based upon end-user, media and our internal feedback.
Auto tuning works by running a Prime based stress test on the system. Previously, there was no control over the duration of the stress test. We ran a quick 15 second test and then increased processor clock frequency in steps. For Z97, we've added the ability to set stress test duration up to 1 hour at each step (we can extend this further via an update). Plus we've added a memory stress test to the mix for more stringent overclock testing.
Users can also target frequency or a temperature to tune to. Overall a far more comprehensive set of auto tuning parameters to help make overclocking easy for newcomers and help seasoned users evaluate the overclocking potential of a CPU effortlessly.
Turbo App
Turbo App is the 5th element of 5-Way Optimization. This nifty addition allows us to set dynamic overclocking profiles based upon the application being used.
The advantage of this is two-fold:
[INDENT]1) Overclocks no longer need to be limited by the hottest application we run on our system. Typically, we tune our maximum overclock to the hottest software we will run. With Turbo Ap, we can set higher overclocks for software/games that don’t load the CPU as heavily.
2) The overclock is applied dynamically in real-time as we switch through applications – no need to enter UEFI to change the overclock preset or navigate via various GUIs changing configurations. Turbo App also contains LAN priority and audio presets which will change to our desired setting when the application is active.[/INDENT]
Turbo App is simple to use and setup and helps get the most out of each CPU.
Fan Xpert 3
While we have added a comprehensive set of fan control features in UEFI, there’s more on offer in Fan Xpert 3.
[INDENT]i) Full fan calibration for each fan connected to the motherboard.
ii) The ability to control fan spin up and spin down response.
iii) Setting lower speeds for fans that can spin at low duty cycles.
iv) Look up tables for each fan to show RPM versus power or duty cycle.
v) Renaming of each fan for easy reference. [/INDENT]
With all of these options at our disposal, just about any fan con be configured to be quiet and react to system temperature changes. Between UEFI and Fan Xpert 3, the options on offer are the most comprehensive ever seen for motherboard fan control. In fact, there’s no reason to invest in a dedicated fan controller at all.
Push Notice
Push notice is an application that teams a mobile device such as a phone or tablet to the PC in order to send system event, sensor or user messages to the remote device. Once a device is paired to the app (requires client software – which is free to download and use) the alerts will work over a local network or via the internet. This means the messages will be received no matter where you are, provided internet access is available.

System events such as configured restarts, system shutdown or sleep can be set and a message sent to the remote device at a user configured time before the event occurs.

Power supply voltage and CPU package temp warnings can also be set to trigger an alert message to the paired remote device.
Revised Audio deisgn (mainstream)
Mainstream motherboard audio has been revised for 9 series – physically similar layout techniques to the ROG boards to prevent crosstalk.
Other changes include a RTL circuit to prevent DC thump for all outputs while the Deluxe model gets a buffer amplifier to drive either the front headphone jack or rear output jack. The buffer is only needed when connecting hedphones with an impedance over 120 ohms or so to provide additional voltage gain and prevent excessive roll-off at frequency extremes.
Product Page Links
Z97-Deluxe : http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Z97DELUXENFC_WLC/
Z97-PRO : http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Z97PRO/
Z97-A : http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Z97A/
Maximus VII Hero : http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/MAXIMUS_VII_HERO/
Maximus VII Gene : http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/MAXIMUS_VII_GENE/
Z97 Sabertooth Mk.1 :http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/SABERTOOTH_Z97_MARK_1/
Guides
5-Way Optimization User Guide
UEFI Fan Control and Fan Xpert 3 Guide
Latest UEFI Releases (090* series)
Z97-Deluxe: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz2VRRbLPrZnckx1QmNHX0...
Z97 Sabertooth Mk.1: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz2VRRbLPrZnTmNFb3VzST...
Z97-Pro: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz2VRRbLPrZnQ29DR25UUm...
Z97-A: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz2VRRbLPrZnWktvZjhnWk...
Maximus VII Hero: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz2VRRbLPrZndTFNVVpIRF...
Maximus VII Gene: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz2VRRbLPrZnSHJfMWNpNj...
Patch list:
1. Update uCode for new Anniversary Edition CPU support.
2. XMP DRAM frequency reset after load optimized defaults.
3. Enhance security setting.
4. Enhance compatibility for ASUS ThunderboltEX II series cards.
5. Enhance stability for OC profile function.
6. Enhance legacy storage support for the RAID wizard in EZ Tuning Wizard function.
7. Change “Next Boot after AC Power Loss” setting to speed up PC boot time.
These builds will be up on the support site shortly.
More about : asus z97 motherboards official support thread
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Reply to raja@asus
For the z97 chipset, the z87-k was about 110-120, and the z87-a was about 130. So far I haven't heard any news of the z97-k, but the z97-A has been announced, so for now its probably going to be around 130 which is still very good for a z chipset motherboard that supports sli.
EDIT: The new z97 prices as of now (newegg) are 130 for z97-k and 150 for z97-A, they also have a c class in between.
EDIT: The new z97 prices as of now (newegg) are 130 for z97-k and 150 for z97-A, they also have a c class in between.
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Reply to bob hays
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Related resources
- ASUS Z87 Motherboards - Overview, Guides and Official Support - Forum
- Asus Z97 Motherboards. Can someone help me clarify some things? - Forum
- Will I need a bios update on the asus z97 deluxe in order for it to support the i7-4790k? - Forum
- HELP! Which new ASUS Z97 mobo do support 4x8GB=32GB @2400MHz of the Kingston KHX24C11T3K2/16X - Forum
- ASUS MAXIMUS VI FORMULA z87 vs Z97 Motherboards - Forum
The Ranger is a new ROG Z97 a step below the Hero, here's the prices at the Egg
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=E...
Just got the Hero (Z97), runs cooler than the Z87 and haven't pushed the OC yet (used AS and want to let it cure a bit more), but under lite loads it's running about 8+ degrees cooler with an OC on
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=E...
Just got the Hero (Z97), runs cooler than the Z87 and haven't pushed the OC yet (used AS and want to let it cure a bit more), but under lite loads it's running about 8+ degrees cooler with an OC on
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Reply to Tradesman1
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serblander
13 May 2014 12:43:27
Jake Anderson
13 May 2014 18:22:46
kathir28
13 May 2014 20:28:12
kathir28
14 May 2014 07:06:50
kathir28
14 May 2014 14:22:40
kathir28
14 May 2014 16:42:57
Jake Anderson
14 May 2014 22:07:36
Jake Anderson
15 May 2014 00:10:41
tom_cranks
15 May 2014 03:31:10
1) By using a negative offset. Bear in mind though that this is meaningless. When the CPU is in C7 state so little current is drawn that the voltage is virtually irrelevant. Moral of the story is, don't follow other people just because something "looks" good to you.
2) Depends on the monitoring tool being used as well. Technically the CPU can power gate certain areas off so the voltage appears at 0.00V
2) Depends on the monitoring tool being used as well. Technically the CPU can power gate certain areas off so the voltage appears at 0.00V
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Reply to raja@asus
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Jozudave
20 May 2014 13:59:14
As the new Z97 mobos are so new I can't find any recommendations on what RAM performs well with it.
Can anyone please recommend me a specific RAM brand and model that's a safe bet to work well with the Asus Z97 mobos (I'll be getting the TUF version although this is unlikely to have any meaningful impact on the RAM performance). Looking for the RAM to be at least 1600 or over and thinking Kingston or Crucial as my chosen brands.
Can anyone please recommend me a specific RAM brand and model that's a safe bet to work well with the Asus Z97 mobos (I'll be getting the TUF version although this is unlikely to have any meaningful impact on the RAM performance). Looking for the RAM to be at least 1600 or over and thinking Kingston or Crucial as my chosen brands.
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Reply to Jozudave
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Updated 1st post with Fan Xpert 3 and UEFI fan control guide:
UEFI Fan Control and Fan Xpert 3 Guide
Also updated latest UEFI builds for:
Maximus VII Hero: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz2VRRbLPrZndTFNVVpIRF...
Maximus VII Gene: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz2VRRbLPrZnSHJfMWNpNj...
UEFI Fan Control and Fan Xpert 3 Guide
Also updated latest UEFI builds for:
Maximus VII Hero: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz2VRRbLPrZndTFNVVpIRF...
Maximus VII Gene: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz2VRRbLPrZnSHJfMWNpNj...
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Reply to raja@asus
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Zerothian
21 May 2014 14:19:45
Just picked up a z97-K and noticed the temps are pretty high on the mainboard is this normal? http://puu.sh/8V9GM.png Been getting some hardware related bluescreens so just running through the list of things it may be.
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Reply to Zerothian
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Zerothian
21 May 2014 19:39:54
raja@asus said:
Those temps are too high but I have no idea if the software tool you are using is up to date for the board.Might be worth listing all parts and configuration as well (oc'd or not and if the board has airflow over it).
-Raja
I've looked through my BIOS and the temps were reading as 38c so it looks like HW Monitor wasn't talking with the mobo sensor properly.
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Reply to Zerothian
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Kent_Ernich
24 May 2014 17:31:29
Can someone tell what the difference between the Z97-K /-C /-A is? Seems to me the only difference is the amount of PCI Slots. Looking at the picture, the biggest and only noticable difference is that the -A model has a cooling block on the top side.
I'm looking to upgrade from an E8400 and put a 4670k, which hopefully gets a bit cheaper than 190,- atm
E: thx Tradesman, that helps.
I'm looking to upgrade from an E8400 and put a 4670k, which hopefully gets a bit cheaper than 190,- atm
E: thx Tradesman, that helps.
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Reply to Kent_Ernich
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Reply to Tradesman1
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I would like to know who is the manufacturer of those ASP1252 controller that Asus used on lower end motherboards like z97-A or Z97 Ranger. It's definitely not a higher-end digital controller from International Rectifier since they don't have a product in these sizes and pin count. I doubt it is a digital controller unless it's from CHL but not sure. An hybrid/analog Intersil? Probably. But still can't be sure. Infineon? Who knows? Also what is that "CEE"? Doubler driver? Some virtual phases?
Same question for ASP 1257 as well. Is it actually a IR 3563B this time? or 3580? Or anything else?
What is going on? Maybe you guys can clarify this situation.
I'm having hard times understading this. Why a big company bother to hide their vrm components. I hope Asus is not becoming a new ASRock who just can't stop doing false and deceptive marketing about their motherboards.
Same question for ASP 1257 as well. Is it actually a IR 3563B this time? or 3580? Or anything else?
What is going on? Maybe you guys can clarify this situation.
I'm having hard times understading this. Why a big company bother to hide their vrm components. I hope Asus is not becoming a new ASRock who just can't stop doing false and deceptive marketing about their motherboards.
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Reply to feelingtheblanks
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The CPUs don't pull much current so all this VRM stuff doesnt mean enough for me to start dissecting it. Sorry. Any board that can push out 200W is enough to sustain a haswell OC, and the parts used on all of them will more than outlast the life of the board in a customer's hands. Nothing here to obsess over really.
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Reply to raja@asus
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Yea you might be right but still wondering why a big brand bother to hide (or rename) the vrm controller they are using. VRM might not be that important for low-end H series boards yes, but Zs are mostly enthusiast/overclocking boards so it's normal that people expect the best quality for buck. Every brand offers asimilar features for similar price and in the end it is all about the quality of the components.
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Reply to feelingtheblanks
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Christian72D
3 June 2014 13:09:38
I just recieved my Z97-A and it´s really great!
Now i´d like to add the Temparture probe, but don´t know what kind of probe i have to use.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/mfgvidlevd81djk/t-sensor.JPG
Now i´d like to add the Temparture probe, but don´t know what kind of probe i have to use.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/mfgvidlevd81djk/t-sensor.JPG
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Reply to Christian72D
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Dimitris22
5 June 2014 20:23:36
I have a question about ASUS Z97-A. I own 4 sticks of Corsair vengeance CMZ4gx3m1a1600c9b . This model of RAM is supported by the official ram support list but if you check out the list you can see that at DIMM socket support it has only "ticks" on 1 DIMM and 2 DIMM column.What does it mean tha there isn't a "tick" at 4 DIMM column? Sorry for my bad english..Greek guy :-P
http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1150/Z97-A/Z97_A...
http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1150/Z97-A/Z97_A...
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Reply to Dimitris22
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DV2
7 June 2014 19:54:28
I have a few questions regarding the Z97-PRO motherboard :
-In the official site, Windows XP is NOT shown as a supported OS. Does this means my HDD with WXP (in a partition,since i have an SSD with Windows 7 actually) will not work or will it work with the traditional IDE config change in the BIOS? (Site http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Z97PRO/ )
-Will my Frio OCK CPU Cooler (1155) fit in the 1150 socket of the Z97-PRO or any other new board,even the gaming ones?
-I have an Intel i5 2500K (NO OC), 8GB DDR3 1333mhz, an SSD and an HDD with my ASUS P8Z68-V PRO GEN3. I was thinking to upgrade to Intel's Haswell i7 (because of that special faster tasking function i've heard..correct me if i'm wrong), the i7-4477 or something (3,4?Ghz) and from 8 to 16GB DDR3 1600?mhz and an Nvidia GIGABYTE 660GTX Ti OC 2GB DDR5. Will i see a big improvement or better wait?...
Thanks in advance
-In the official site, Windows XP is NOT shown as a supported OS. Does this means my HDD with WXP (in a partition,since i have an SSD with Windows 7 actually) will not work or will it work with the traditional IDE config change in the BIOS? (Site http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Z97PRO/ )
-Will my Frio OCK CPU Cooler (1155) fit in the 1150 socket of the Z97-PRO or any other new board,even the gaming ones?
-I have an Intel i5 2500K (NO OC), 8GB DDR3 1333mhz, an SSD and an HDD with my ASUS P8Z68-V PRO GEN3. I was thinking to upgrade to Intel's Haswell i7 (because of that special faster tasking function i've heard..correct me if i'm wrong), the i7-4477 or something (3,4?Ghz) and from 8 to 16GB DDR3 1600?mhz and an Nvidia GIGABYTE 660GTX Ti OC 2GB DDR5. Will i see a big improvement or better wait?...
Thanks in advance
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Reply to DV2
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ejbragg
8 June 2014 19:31:46
I believe your Windows XP would work just fine on the new systems, although the older O.S. may limit you in some ways. Is your XP version a 32-bit (x86) or 64 bit (x64)? You will most certainly be limited on a 32-bit operating system.
Your CPU cooler for the socket 1155 should work just fine on an 1150.... according to wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGA_1150
You can do a quick check of a benchmark difference between 2500K & 4770K systems at:
http://www.cpu-world.com/Compare/576/Intel_Core_i5_i5-2...
Your CPU cooler for the socket 1155 should work just fine on an 1150.... according to wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGA_1150
You can do a quick check of a benchmark difference between 2500K & 4770K systems at:
http://www.cpu-world.com/Compare/576/Intel_Core_i5_i5-2...
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Reply to ejbragg
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ejbragg
8 June 2014 20:06:58
For anyone interested, I have bought and overclocked the i7-4770K on the Z97-A mobo. I really like this board. Here are my settings, AND method to get there:
Memory: 32GB GSkill Trident PC 2400
PSU: Seagate X Series 850W
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 Air cooler
(My experience is that water is more effective, but difficult to work around)
Computer case: HAF XB EVO Test Bench style (LOVE this case!)
Case fans:
- 2 Noctua 80mm fans under mobo
- 1 Noctua 120mm rear fan
- 2 NZXT 140mm front fans
- 1 cooler Master 200 mm ceiling fan
1. Started with the BIOS easy Tuning wizard, achieved nominal 16% o.c.
2. Loaded O.S. (Win 7 OEM, x64)
3. Loaded Asus utilities and optimized system.
4. Fired up "AI Suite 3" and ran the 5-way Optimization utility, which raised the vcore voltage to 1.25v and oc'd to 21% using ratio stepper only at 45x multiplier (that's 28.5% cpu speed increase, but only 21% overall system speed increase).
From there, I decided to tweak it further, since my peak o.c. temps were topping at 70C.
I inched up the vCore to about 1.35v before I was able to get a decently stable overclock at a 46 multiplier (all 4 cores). The temps topped at about 82C, and averaged 79C. However, when running Prime95, I would sometimes get a crash. Furthermore, increasing voltage to 1.4 didn't stop the crashes; it only increased temps to about 88C (92C peaks).
I have read a lot of people warning against increasing the base clock due to stability issues on the system in general, but after trying everything else with less-than-satisfactory results, I decided to go against the grain, and try the more "old school" method of strapping the base clock to a higher frequency and stepping up the multiplier from there. The TPU setting on the auto-tuner allowed for this, as well. After letting it run its course, I was quite happy to end up with an overclock of 4478.2 (128 MHz x 35), or 28% overall system speed increase - according to the utility. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I suspect this means the "FSB" (or everything connected to the mobo) increases w/ the BCLK increase; whereas exclusively increasing the multiplier only affects the CPU / RAM. (?)
I'm not sure if this is any better than a straight-up 100 x 45 multiplier CPU of 4500 (slightly higher), which I also easily attained before strapping the bClk, since using the base clock strapping method also increased my GPU rate, by the same percentage; whereas, the multiplier-only method limited the GPU to a much lower value. The system is now running a very stable vCore voltage of 1.29v under stress, and a peak core temp average of 70C.
In retrospect, the Haswell chip really does seem to have a brick wall stability point, above which temps may get warmer, but no matter your cooling power, stability tends to to go awry. I'm sure, if you're a guru, you will probably be able to clear this hurdle. And if anyone does so, I would personally love to know how you did it.
Memory: 32GB GSkill Trident PC 2400
PSU: Seagate X Series 850W
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14 Air cooler
(My experience is that water is more effective, but difficult to work around)
Computer case: HAF XB EVO Test Bench style (LOVE this case!)
Case fans:
- 2 Noctua 80mm fans under mobo
- 1 Noctua 120mm rear fan
- 2 NZXT 140mm front fans
- 1 cooler Master 200 mm ceiling fan
1. Started with the BIOS easy Tuning wizard, achieved nominal 16% o.c.
2. Loaded O.S. (Win 7 OEM, x64)
3. Loaded Asus utilities and optimized system.
4. Fired up "AI Suite 3" and ran the 5-way Optimization utility, which raised the vcore voltage to 1.25v and oc'd to 21% using ratio stepper only at 45x multiplier (that's 28.5% cpu speed increase, but only 21% overall system speed increase).
From there, I decided to tweak it further, since my peak o.c. temps were topping at 70C.
I inched up the vCore to about 1.35v before I was able to get a decently stable overclock at a 46 multiplier (all 4 cores). The temps topped at about 82C, and averaged 79C. However, when running Prime95, I would sometimes get a crash. Furthermore, increasing voltage to 1.4 didn't stop the crashes; it only increased temps to about 88C (92C peaks).
I have read a lot of people warning against increasing the base clock due to stability issues on the system in general, but after trying everything else with less-than-satisfactory results, I decided to go against the grain, and try the more "old school" method of strapping the base clock to a higher frequency and stepping up the multiplier from there. The TPU setting on the auto-tuner allowed for this, as well. After letting it run its course, I was quite happy to end up with an overclock of 4478.2 (128 MHz x 35), or 28% overall system speed increase - according to the utility. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I suspect this means the "FSB" (or everything connected to the mobo) increases w/ the BCLK increase; whereas exclusively increasing the multiplier only affects the CPU / RAM. (?)
I'm not sure if this is any better than a straight-up 100 x 45 multiplier CPU of 4500 (slightly higher), which I also easily attained before strapping the bClk, since using the base clock strapping method also increased my GPU rate, by the same percentage; whereas, the multiplier-only method limited the GPU to a much lower value. The system is now running a very stable vCore voltage of 1.29v under stress, and a peak core temp average of 70C.
In retrospect, the Haswell chip really does seem to have a brick wall stability point, above which temps may get warmer, but no matter your cooling power, stability tends to to go awry. I'm sure, if you're a guru, you will probably be able to clear this hurdle. And if anyone does so, I would personally love to know how you did it.
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GamerBro10
12 June 2014 09:42:16
I just received my Asus Z97-A today from Amazon and I was wondering what the standard packaging is for the retail box? I purchased it new directly from Amazon (no third parties) but I have my doubts now. Both the motherboard box and anti-static packaging were unsealed and opened right up so I was wondering if this could have been a return?
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ejbragg
12 June 2014 16:26:24
My anti-static package was not sealed, either. I'm pretty sure mine was new, so I don't think that's a sign of anything. I don't remember if my box was sealed shut or not. I do know one thing: when I checked the BIOS, it was very up-to-date. Likely, your board was tested and the BIOS updated before they shipped it.
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GamerBro10
13 June 2014 21:48:09
hrafn42
14 June 2014 06:26:37
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