Picking Some Favorites

Full general performance of these Z170 motherboards was similar, leaving them to be mostly differentiated past their features and toll.

Looking at the about featured-packed boards, it was a shut fight between the Gigabyte Z170X-Gaming seven, Asrock Z170 Extreme7+ and MSI Z170A Gaming M7. We feel Gigabyte delivered the goods this fourth dimension and nosotros're glad nosotros made the determination to buy the Z170X-Gaming 7. The Gigabyte board is slightly cheaper than both the Asus ROG and Asrock Z170 Extreme7+ while delivering similar features. In fact, we'd fence that against the ROG Maximus Viii Hero it comes with a lot more offering dual Gigabit LAN, a improve sound solution and greater storage support.

Asrock Z170 Extreme7+ Asus ROG Maximus VIII Hero Gigabyte Z170X-Gaming 7 MSI Z170A Gaming M7 Supermicro MBD-C7Z170-SQ EVGA Z170 FTW
Cost $240 $230 $220 $210 $200 $190
Dual PCIe x16 x8/x8 x8/x8 x8/x8 x8/x8 x8/x8 x8/x8
Triple PCIe x16 x8/x8/x4 x8/x8/x4 x8/x8/x4 x8/x8/x4 x8/x8/x4 x8/x8/x4
Quad PCIe x16 Due north/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
mini-PCI Limited Slot 1 0 0 0 0 0
SATA 6Gb/south x 8 8 6 6 6
SATA Express 3 2 three ii 0 0
Yard.2 three 1 2 2 1 1
Grand.2 Supported Length 30, 42, lx, fourscore and 110 mm xxx, 42, 60, lxxx and 110 mm 30, 42, lx and 80mm 60, 80 and 110 mm 60, eighty and 110 mm 42, 60 and 80mm
eSATA 0 0 0 0 0 0
Storage Interfaces xvi 11 13 x seven 7
Max Usable Interfaces 16 nine 8 vii seven 6
Sound Purity Sound iii
Realtek ALC1150		 SupremeFX 2022
Realtek ALC1150		 SoundCore 3D
Creative CA0132		 Audio Boost 3
Realtek ALC1150		 Realtek ALC1150 Realtek ALC1150
Wired Network Dual Gigabit LAN
(Intel I219-V & Intel I211-AT)		 Single Gigabit LAN
(Intel I219-Five)		 Dual Gigabit LAN
(Intel I219-V & Killer E2400)		 Unmarried Gigabit LAN
(Killer E2400)		 Single Gigabit LAN
(Intel I219-V)		 Unmarried Gigabit LAN
(Intel I219-V)
Wireless Network Northward/A N/A Northward/A N/A Northward/A N/A
I/O Console USB iii.0 4 two five 2 two six
Total USB 3.0 8 half dozen ix half-dozen half dozen viii
Total USB three.1 four 2 two 2 1 0
Brandish Outputs DisplayPort, DVI-D, HDMI DisplayPort, HDMI DisplayPort, HDMI DisplayPort, HDMI, HDMI DisplayPort, DVI-D, HDMI DisplayPort, HDMI
Class Factor ATX 305 x 244mm ATX 305 x 244mm ATX 305 10 244mm ATX 305 x 244mm ATX 305 x 244mm ATX 305 x 244mm

There isn't much to dislike about the Gigabyte Z170X-Gaming 7. Its audio implementation impressed us the virtually, and it's probably the best on board audio nosotros accept e'er heard. While we would take preferred dual Intel NICs, the Killer E2400 is about every bit adept but it ways features such as Teaming are off the table. The multi-color lighting is awesome and the software to control it works well. I'thou still not sure if I like the look of the Z170X-Gaming 7, simply the customizable lighting is winning me over.

Asrock's Z170 Extreme7+ is the most feature rich motherboard in our roundup and you accept to pay a very small-scale difference to become it all. The flexible storage options are slap-up and nosotros enjoyed having ten SATA 6GB/southward ports as well as the dual Intel NICs. Purity Sound 3 likewise proved to exist i of the amend implementations of the Realtek ALC1150. The front end panel USB 3.1 module that uses an onboard SATA Express port works well and is a valuable add-on to the bundle that affords the Z170 Extreme7+ four USB 3.1 ports.

The Asus ROG Maximus VIII Hero is in our opinion the best looking motherboard in terms of aesthetics, but information technology falls curt of the Z170X-Gaming seven and Z170 Extreme7+ when comparing features. Although the SupremeFX 2022 provided a similar sound experience to that of Asrock'due south Purity Audio 3, Asus slipped up in other areas. For case, there's only one Chiliad.2 slot, a single Gigabit LAN port and 6 USB three.0 ports, while the Gigabyte Z170X-Gaming vii offers more of everything for the aforementioned price.

Supermicro and EVGA'southward boards are pretty bare and don't offer much to back up the Z170 chipset. Considering triple PCIe x16 Z170 motherboards start at but $140, neither Supermicro or EVGA did much to justify their ~$200 price tags. The Asrock Z170 Extreme4, MSI Z170 Krait Gaming and Gigabyte Z170XP-SLI all offer the same level of features and quality for $140 to $150.

Nevertheless, nosotros will say that the Supermicro C7Z170-SQ proved to be a solid Z170 solution and the LatencyMon issue was the best of any tested.

At the stop of the twenty-four hours, Gigabyte has put the best packet together with its Z170X-Gaming vii. It's a well rounded motherboard that at $220 has no real drawbacks. For a piddling more, the Asrock Z170 Extreme7+ offers greater storage options and better USB three.ane support, simply lacks the higher quality Creative audio solution. If you already accept your ain discrete sound card then perhaps the Asrock Z170 Extreme7+ makes more sense.