ASRock Z87 Fatal1ty Killer motherboard review - Introduction

ASRock Intel 8 Series Platform - the Fatal1ty Z87 Killer review with a Killer Price

We review, test and benchmark the ASRock Z87 Fatal1ty Killer series motherboard. Multiple multi-GPU configurations are possible up-to 3-way, you'll get many USB 3.0 ports and of course an improved and enhanced audio solution based off the  Realtek ALC 1150 codec. But lets not forget an included KillerNIC E2205. Oh and of course the looks with two-tone black red colors. Be sure to check out this review. Now I have tested a lot of Z87 motherboards already, but to date ASRock has not been in the lineup due to petty things really. Years ago ASRock was launched as subsidiary from ASUS to introduce more mainstream product. Today in 2013 ASRock and ASUS pretty much do not have ties anymore and they have been left with that stain called 'entry level to mainstream' manufacturer. However if you have been following the ASRock product for the past two years you'd have noticed that in terms of product placement in the channel and overall build quality a lot has changed.

As such ASRock right now, product wise, can match the bigger names in the industry like MSI, Gigabyte and ASUS. The ASRock Fatal1ty Z87 Killer mainboard is intended for Intel's latest 22nm Haswell processors that are seated into Socket LGA1150. The board has some very nice features and overclock potential, it has the latest Killer E2205 chip -- hence the Killer LAN network card, from Killer Gaming. It's a technology that detects when a game is running and if it is using the network and can prioritize data-packets so you won't have to close, say, a torrent program or an active download in order to play without lag. So basically Killer NIC is a dedicated IC that should ensure low PING times for online gaming by prioritizing your band-with whilst giving you the option to monitor your network traffic.

• A-Style : Purity Sound, HDMI-In
• CPU Power - Hi-Density Power Connector
• VGA Card - 15μ Gold Finger, SLI/CrossFireX Power Connector
• Internet - Qualcomm Atheros Killer LAN
• Audio - Purity Sound
• Supports 4th Gen Intel Core i7 / i5 / i3 / Xeon / Pentium / Celeron in LGA1150 Package
• Premium Gold Capacitor Design, Digi Power, 8 Power Phase Design
• Supports Dual Channel DDR3 3050+(OC)
• 3 PCIe 3.0 x16, 4 PCIe 2.0 x1
• Supports AMD 3-Way CrossFireX, NVIDIA Quad SLI
• VGA Output/Input Options : D-Sub, DVI-D, HDMI-Out, HDMI-In
• 7.1 CH HD Audio with Content Protection (Realtek ALC1150 Audio Codec), Supports DTS Connect
• Qualcomm Atheros Killer E2200 Series Gigabit LAN
• Supports A-Style, F-Stream, Key Master, Easy Driver Installer, FAN-Tastic Tuning, USB Key
• 6 SATA3, 6 USB 3.0 (2 Front, 4 Rear), 8 USB 2.0 (4 Front, 3 Rear, 1 Fatal1ty Mouse Port)
• Free Bundle : XSplit 3 Months Premium License

In addition to Killer LAN support, ASRock tossed in Hi-Density Power Connectors (25% less power loss), 15 gold fingers in the VGA PCIe slot, a SLI/CrossFireX Power Connector, Purity Sound, the XSplit recording tool, 3050+(OC) MHz Dual Channel DDR3, etc. This motherboard comes even with a decent VRM design (8 phases) and a component selection that is impressive for the money. ASRock Purity Sound on its end is a combination of several hardware and software audio solutions and technologies, it offers 7.1 CH HD audio with Realtek ALC1150 audio codec, 115dB SNR DAC with Differential Amplifier, TI 5532 Premium Headset Amplifier which supports up to 600 ohm headphones, cap less Direct Drive technology, EMI shielding cover, PCB isolate shielding and support for DTS Connect. A built-in 600Ω headphone amplifier allows you to use studio-grade headgear and get the most amazing sound quality out of your gaming PC. Lets have a peek at this feature rich motherboard and then let's fire up this review. Oh and before you browse to the next page, you can find this puppy for as little as 125 EUR already.