Clean layout, Nice BIOS upgrade, SATA Express support, Thoughtful mix of features
PCIe lane usage could be an issue
The Intel Z97 chipset constitutes a minor upgrade over the Z87 introduced almost a year ago. Main advantages include provision for M.2 SSDs, SATA Express and specific support for the Haswell refresh chips known as Devil's Canyon. Z97 is more about future...
Brown PCB, VRM heatsinks could be more substantial, Sparse bundle,
PricingThe ASUS Z97-A has an MSRP of £115 or $150. It is currently selling on Amazon and Newegg for $150 and it comes with a 3 year ASUS warranty.OverviewIt is quite honestly difficult to believe that the ASUS Z97-A is only the entry level motherboard for...
Great performance, Runs cool, Introduces new features
Price
The ASUS Z97-A looks like a very simple motherboard, but what ASUS has done here is to improve on an already excellent product by tweaking the things that matter, and leaving the features that work alone.(previously published in issue June 2014)...
The three tests shows that the performance did improve but not as much as anticipated. This could be due to early drivers or bandwidth issues. Nevertheless, devices based on the USB 3.1 will ship and made affordable when the mass market goes for this new...
