While it is too early to say with any authority it does seem that the Z97 release has the market as saturated as a dipsomaniac's liver. All the major players have released more models simultaneously at launch than is usually seen, eschewing the staggered release model we have seen in the past. This is great for the enthusiast capable of making up their mind based on features and the price point but could prove very confusing for those who are relatively new to the game of silicon. Start this long list of motherboard reviews at [H]ard|OCP with the new ~$260 MSI Z97 MPower MAX AC designed for the overclocker which even ships with an MSI Overclocking Guide Book.
"Today we take a look at MSI’s latest entry into its "OC" series motherboards. The MSI Z97 MPower MAX AC is specifically designed with the computer hardware overclocking enthusiast in mind. This new Z97 Intel Express Chipset MSI motherboard sports a solid feature set with a host of overclocking tools that allow many avenues of attack."
Here are some more Motherboard articles from around the web:
- This is Intel's 9 Series chipset @ The Tech Report
- ASUS Z97-A Motherboard Review @ Modders-Inc
- Asus' Z97-A motherboard @ The Tech Report
- ASUS Z97-A LGA1150 Motherboard Review @ Hardware Canucks
- ASUS Z97-A @ eTeknix
- Asus Sabertooth Z97 Mark 1 @ Kitguru
- ASUS Sabertooth Z97 Mark 1 @ Benchmark Reviews
- ASUS Z97-Pro Wi-Fi AC Intel Z97 Motherboard Review @ Legit Reviews
- ASUS Z97-DELUXE @ Benchmark Reviews
- A Look at ASUS’ Upcoming Z97 Motherboard Lineup @ Techgage
- ASUS MAXIMUS VI IMPACT (Intel LGA1150) @ techPowerUp
- ASUS 9-Series LGA1150 Motherboards Preview @ Hardware Canucks
- MSI Z97 Gaming 7 LGA 1150 Motherboard @ Custom PC Review
- MSI Z97 Gaming 7 @ eTeknix
- MSI Z97 MPower MAX AC Motherboard Review @ Modders-Inc
- MSI Z97 Gaming 5 @ Kitguru
- MSI Z97 GAMING 5 (Intel LGA 1150) @ techPowerUp
- GIGABYTE Z97X-Gaming G1 Black Edition Review @ Hardware Canucks
- GIGABYTE Z97X-SOC Force Motherboard Review @ Legit Reviews
- Gigabyte Z97X-UD5H-BK @ Kitguru
- GIGABYTE G1.Sniper 5 LGA 1150 @ [H]ard|OCP
- ASRock Z97 Extreme6 @ The SSD Review
- Gigabyte F2A88XN-WIFI review @ Bjorn3d
Mr. Hellstrom, thanks for the
Mr. Hellstrom, thanks for the article.
I was going to reward myself for a major career achievement last year by buying a brand new rig. I settled for a video card upgrade to tide me over, because I was waiting for a rig that would handle 4K-3D, as I really enjoyed my 1080p 3D TV and wanted to push the experience to the next generation of resolution.
I discovered that HDMI doesn’t have enough bandwidth to support 4K-3D at frame rates that I would be comfortable with (30 fps and above). I would have to wait for HDMI 2.0.
I really liked Mr Shrout’s feature on the twin-twin monster cards running 4K, but isn’t 4K-3D really limited by HDMI, to say nothing of the cost factor of that twin-twin rig?
What I am trying to do now is forecast when I could get a rig for 4K that will play 4K-3D and still be somewhat future proof. I will probably go for a 4K-3D-TV rather than a desk monitor, and I would also like to through in a near top of the line processor and next gen RAM for additional future proofing.
Do any of the current mother boards sound like they would fit the bill for what I am after?
In the back of my mind is Oculus and other VR offerings which I presume demand the same (if not more) CPU/GPU power as 3D. I have heard Oculus prototyping a 1080p set, and I am wagering that they are already wargaming higher resolutions to include 4K. Future proof to me means the ability to do VR at 4K.
I find it amazing that the console wars are over and the PC won! By that I mean that XBox One and PS4 are struggling to handle 1080p in their first market year, while PC enthusiasts are likely to be fully engaging 4K by Christmas and certainly in 2015 as Mr Shrout’s twin-twin rig or equivalent become more and more affordable.
Could this all be for naught as 8K prototypes have also been shown at CES and elsewhere, or will that be a bridge too far for manufacturers given the current state of the market?
Finally, let me say that I listen regularly to the PC Per podcast which I started listening to last year when I began to plan for a new rig. At first it was hard for me to keep up as it was like learning a new language. In my student days I was up on all the latest lingo, but that was 7 to 8 years ago! After about a dozen episodes, I had a decent grasp on the current state of affairs, and even though I didn’t get a new rig, I can use that as motivation in my career and get one in a year or so as an even bigger and better reward.
Thanks again!