Features and Motherboard Layout
Features
Courtesy of ECS
- 2-Way multi-graphics solution
- Supports 3 independent displays
- 6 Phase Power Design
- Supports Intel® K Series unlock CPU
- Applied 100% Solid capacitor design to maximize component reliability
- ECS Durathon Technology ensure the stability, reliability and performance of system.
(Triple Density PCB; Extreme Temp Resistance; 1.5K Marathon Test; Superior Solid CAPs) - ESD Protection prevents computers from electrostatic discharge damage to enhance its durability and lifespan
- ECS EZ charger provides a fast way to charge your smart devices, even if the PC is off
- Supports ECS EZ BIOS for tweaking BIOS in graphical user interface within a multi language environment
- ECS MIB X – A friendly interface for overclocking, especially for gamer
- Microsoft Windows 8.1 Certified
- Intel® 22nm 4th generation Multi-Core CPU support
- Intel® 14nm 5th generation Multi-Core CPU support
- Supports DirectX® 11.1 to enhance graphical performance
- Supports NVIDIA® SLI Technology to Intelligently scale graphics performance by combining multiple NVIDIA® graphics
- Supports ATI® CrossFireX™ to expand your system’s graphics capabilities.
- Supports Intel® HD Graphics, InTru™ 3D, Quick Sync Video, Clear Video HD Technology, Insider™
- Supports HDMI 1.4a Technology ( resolution up to 1920X1200 ) and HDCP function
- Supports Sound Blaster Cinema2 technology to deliver cinema-quality picture and sound to home environments
- Supports Intel® Rapid Start technology
- Supports Intel® Smart Response technology
- Free Bundle: Norton Internet Security, CyberLink PowerDVD, CyberLink PowerDirector 9, Muzee, Google Chrome, Magix with trial version
- ECS Intelligent EZ Utility: eBLU, eDLU, eOC, eSFM
Motherboard Layout
ECS designed the Z97-Machine board with gaming appeal, using a black PCB with gold highlights on the heat logos. They have definately put to bed their Golden-series design ethos. There is more than sufficient room around all components, making for easy install and use.
Other than the normal trace lines and solder points, their are no components on the back of the board that will interfere with installation. The area directly behind the CPU socket and cooler mount points is entirely free of sensitive areas, making for a minimal risk backplate use.
ECS integrated the following ports into the Z97-Machine's rear panel: PS/2 keyboard/mouse port, 6 USB 2.0 ports, 4 USB 3.0 ports, an RJ-45 Intel I-218V GigE NIC port, an HDMI video port, a VGA video port, a DVI video port, an optical S/PDIF audio port, and five analogue audio ports.
The Z97-Machine motherboard has a total of five device ports – two PCI-Express x16 slots and three PCI-Express x1 slots. For the PCI-Express x16 slots, the board supports full x16 bandwidth with a single card and x8 bandwidth with cards in the primary and secondary slots. Notice that ECS designed the boards PCI-Express slot layout so with a PCI-Express x1 slot to the right of the primary x16 slot so that an x1 slot remain available. Further, the x16 slots support video cards with up to tri-slot coolers without impeded board function or case fitting. The CMOS battery is located in between the lower parts of the primary and secondary PCIe X16 slots.
In the upper left corner of the board are the S/PDIF input header, the front panel audio header, the voltage measurement points, the 2-digit diagnostic display, and the power and reset buttons. The voltage measurement points can be used to read selected board voltages directly from the PCB using a multi-meter. The diagnostic display can be used to troubleshoot board initialization issues by cross-referencing the code with the table provided at the back of the motherboard manual.
Along the lower left of PCIe x16 slot 2 are the integrated M.2 SSD port, the speaker header, the clear CMOS jumper, the chassis intrusion header, a USB 2.0 header, and a 4-pin system fan header. The M.2 slot supports a PCIe-style M.2 SSD up to 80mm in length.
In the bottom left corner of the board are a 4-pin system fan header, four SATA III ports, and the front panel header.
The Intel Z97 Express chipset cooler is a low profile aluminum heat sink just below the PCIe x16 slots. The heat sink features the ECS L337 Gaming logo.
The board's four integrated DDR3 memory slots are located just below the CPU socket in the lower right quadrant of the board. Dual Channel memory mode is enabled by seating memory modules in slots 1 and 3 or slots 2 and 4 with slots 2 and 4 being the primay slot set. The board supports up to 16GB of memory running at a maximum speed of 3000MHz. Note that memory speeds above 1600MHz are considered overclocked speeds and are outside of the official Intel stock memory speed specifications. Just below the memory slots are the USB 3.0 header, a 4-pin system fan header, and the 24-pin ATX power connector.
ECS designed the Z97-Machine with large CPU coolers in mind. The area surrounding the socket is clear of obstructions on three sides with the 6-phase digital power circuitry located just above the socket. The CPU power components are cooled by a large aluminum heat sink, sporting a L337 Gaming logo.
To the lower right of the CPU socket are the primary and secondary 4-pin CPU fan headers with an additional 4-pin system fan header to the sockets upper left.
The 8-pin ATX12V power connector as well as a 3-pin fan header are located to the upper right of the CPU socket.
So if the board had a better
So if the board had a better location of the CMOS battery it would received a gold award? lol.
Anyway, I see the lack of SATA express and having only 4 sata ports very fitting for most value-minded buyers like me. Having an M.2 SSD is like a luxury compared to the cheaper 2.5″ SSDs
That baseclock issue may be remedied by a simple BIOS fix if the VRM hardware is up to par to similar performance boards.
Anyway, good write-up!
did you get m.2 ssd to boot? how?
One of the questions I always
One of the questions I always wait to see an answer for, is that you and the Manufactures, all talk about USB Ports on the Main Boards, But unless I miss it, it would great to know if the area single Chip per bank or a Chip per port, meaning if like this one, it has 4 USB 3.0 ports on the back, If I connect 4 USB 3.0 Drives, will I be getting the theoretical 5Gb/s on each port? I always made you when I buy 3.0 expansion card, the if it had 4 ports the total bandwidth was 20Gb/s. (there are very few out there)
Or I’m I to assume there best scenario for every board?, that “word” should I be looking for? Channels? Or should Still should be buying add-on cards?
If not, is there a Board out there that each port is a separate “channel”?
On the board, all USB 3.0
On the board, all USB 3.0 ports are controlled by the Z97 chipset and feed into a single root hub. According to the Intel spec, the Z97 USB 3.0 controller sits on the PCIe bus with a maximum bandwidth of 5 Gbps (which is equivalent to a single PCIe lane – x1). Since all ports go through a single hub, all connected devices share the 5 Gbps available bandwidth.
In my experience, the integrated Intel chipset control USB 3.0 ports always have better performance than those controlled via a 3rd party controller embedded in the board. This is most likely because the 3rd part controller has to share the PCIe bus and bandwidth with other devices/ports in the system.
If you went with a PCIe card for USB 3.0, the card would be limited by the bandwidth it is granted by the PCIe slot, which would most like also be x1 or 5Gbps. So if you added a USB 3.0 PCIe controller card, you would get another 5Gbps, shared between the ports on the card.
Hope that helps…
[quote]Hope that
[quote]Hope that helps…[/quote]
It helps me anyway! Thanks. Also appreciate all the photos; very useful.
Thanks for your response, I
Thanks for your response, I like to hear back from you after you view this link from the USB 3.0 Card I usually get and refer to on my comments. This are 4 dedicated and claim a total of 20 Gbps (4 x 5)
http://www.highpoint-tech.com/USA_new/series_RocketU1144C.htm
I’m disappointed to find out the USB ports on most Motherboards are shared (I seen some with 2 Controllers, that may give me 2 channels, guess). I happy to report, that with the Highpoint above card, I get close to 80% of the USB 3.0 speed when using 3 USB drives at the same time (comparing it so a single drive in use on the same card), sadly I don’t have an new Motherboards with 3.0 ports yet to compare.
One of the biggest problem that this card solves for me, is that I often copy data between external drives and with this card I get much better performance in that scenario (I compared it to copying the date from one drive to the computer and then back out to the other drive, never mind the time to takes to do that).
Thanks again, please let me know your thoughts on the Highpoint cards.
Thanks
Thanks