Product Showcase

Product Showcase

The ASRock Fatal1ty Z87 Killer can be considered a mainstream to high-end product. It is loaded with some very interesting features that really are enthusiast level, while in the meantime ASRock kept the price down. This motherboard will cost you only 125 EUR and in the USA we noticed it selling for as little as 119 USD already. Let's have a quick peek at the box first shall we?

Below is the packaging and bundle. Above just the packaging. As you'll notice the motherboard is a reasonably nice looking motherboard alright. A black & red style however there are a lot of colors going on there; components and connectors wise. 
 

The Fatal1ty Z87 Killer motherboard has a Killer E2200 Intelligent Networking Platform, it reduces the latency in online gaming. ASRock ran some in-house testing. ASRock's Fatal1ty Z87 Killer motherboard also features some of the usual high-end features we have come to expect from the motherboard maker, which come in the form of Hi-Density Power Connectors that "reduces 23% power loss and decreases the power connector's temperature." 

ASRock has also baked in Purity Sound, which is an on-board audio solution and HDMI-in for those who want to use their PC as a video-in device. Packaging wise you get the basics, there's no added WIFI or anything, but that does translate to the price. So included with the motherboard are the standards like SATA cables, manual, driver CD, IO rear backplate.

The I/O back panel reveals four USB 2.0 ports with another four USB 3.0 ports. A Realtek ALC1150 high definition audio codec is the source for audio and we spot the E2205 KillerNIC 10/100/1000 fast Ethernet (KillerNIC E2200). There is a single PS/2 port that can be used for a gaming keyboard, we spot optical SPDIF in/out port and six audio jacks.

Then monitor connectors wise. Not one but two HDMI connectors and one DisplayPort in the following configuration.

• 1 x DVI and 1 x VGA DSUB
• 2 x HDMI ports  with max. resolution up to 4096x2160@24Hz, 24bpp/2560x1600@60Hz, 24bpp/ 1920x1080@60Hz, 36bps.

Lacking here is a CMOS reset switch, which I always find very convenient at the rear IO. In fact the entire motherboard does not have any extra buttons for power/reset etc. That's OK though.

The motherboard is just nice to look at. This Z87 has an 8 Phase Power Design. The motherboard features three  PCIe x16 Gen 3.0 expansion slots and four PCIe x1 slots.  The board has one 8-pin power feeds for the processor located on just behind the rear IO. Four DIMM slots offer support for dual-channel DDR3 memory up to even 3050 MHz. You can install a maximum of 32GB in total.