Haswell Z87 Motherboard Reveals Round-up

[DalekDoc]

I didn't see any threads regarding the new Haswell motherboard news coming out in the past few days so decided to create one..

Gigabyte
1. Enhanced Audio Motherboards with changeable op-amps and inbuilt headphone amplifier - http://www.hardwareheaven.com/revie...enhanced-audio-motherboards-full-article.html

2. Gigabyte shows off customizable Hi-Res UEFI - http://www.techspot.com/news/52471-...e-high-res-uefi-for-haswell-motherboards.html

3. Gigabyte shows off enhanced EasyTune Software - http://www.guru3d.com/news_story/gigabyte_easytune_software_for_haswell_motherboards.html

4. Detailed look at Gigabyte G1.Sniper 5 Audio (translated from Korean) - Pg 1 - http://translate.googleusercontent....d=4620&usg=ALkJrhi3Q4DX2KWv-2Xb7vOrXs5e3ocXOQ
Pg 2 - http://translate.google.com/transla...chstring=&page=&id=4620&detail_id=33877&from=

5. Gigabyte's Z87X-UD3H Detailed in Pictures - http://www.pcauthority.com.au/Gallery/342169,exclusive-first-look-gigabytes-z87x-ud3h.aspx/1

6. Gigabyte GA-Z87X-OC Unboxed - http://www.pcworld.fr/carte-mere/ac...el-haswell-overclocking-lga-1150,538441,1.htm

ASRock
1. ASRock haswell boards priced in Europe - http://www.fudzilla.com/home/item/31269-asrock-haswell-boards-listed-in-euroland

2. ASRock previews upgraded on-board audio dubbed Purity - http://www.asrock.com/news/index.asp?cat=News&ID=1263

3. ASrock Z87 Motherboards Revealed - http://wccftech.com/asrock-z87-motherboards-revealed-z87-fatal1ty-oc-formula-lineup-pictured

4. Z87 Extreme 4 in Further Detail (Korean) - http://www.brainbox.co.kr/review/vi...chstring=&page=&id=4621&detail_id=33879&from=

ASUS
1. Asus Z87 Lineup Revealed - http://wccftech.com/asus-z87-mother...vi-hero-z87-sabertooth-z87-gryphoon-pictured/

ECS
1. ECS Z87H3-A2X Extreme Pictured - http://wccftech.com/ecs-z87h3-a2x-extreme-motherboard-exposed-features-cooltech-cooling-design/

MSI
1. MSI Teases Z87 Xpower and Z87 MPower MAX - http://wccftech.com/msi-z87-xpower-teased-equipped-oc-genie-4-oc-essential-features/
http://wccftech.com/msi-teases-z87-mpower-max-motherboard-military-class-4-components/

2. MSI Z87-G45 Gaming Motherboard Images leaked - http://wccftech.com/msi-z87-g45-gaming-motherboard-spotted-tested-core-i74770k/

3. MSI Z87 MPower MAX Unboxing - http://wccftech.com/msi-z87-mpower-max-motherboard-unboxed-detailed-loaded-overclockers/

BIOSTAR
1. Hi-Fi Z87x Pictures & Details - http://wccftech.com/biostar-hi-fi-z87x-3d-motherboard-puro-hi-fi-technology/

 

[AustinInDallas]

wtb z87 micro-itx

 

[Wall Street]

I'm excited about both Gigabyte and ASRock's commitment to better analog audio outputs.

 

[HexiumVII]

I'm hoping the Asrock Extreme 4 successor is as awesome as the Z77 version, solid board, tons o/cing, almost all the features you want, bargain basement price.

 

[ShintaiDK]

Intel 8 series lineup. DH87FB for me.

 

[kasakka]

That high res UEFI looks awesome. Is there any reason why it couldn't be released for Z77 boards as well?

 

[Riceninja]

gigabyte looks pretty ballin this generation.

 

[DalekDoc]

Added ASRock Z87 lineup.. they look pretty awesome.. built in wireless ac on almost all models but high end onboard sound only on the higher end.

Liking Gigabyte the best so far..

 

[AdamK47]

The ASRock board looks interesting. Their boards have been getting better and better over the years. I'm a bit confused with them building all of those audio features around a cheap Realtek chip.

I'd like to see ASRock comes up with an updated version to the Extreme11 when IB-E is released in a few months.

 

[DalekDoc]

The ASRock board looks interesting. Their boards have been getting better and better over the years. I'm a bit confused with them building all of those audio features around a cheap Realtek chip.

Well It's really no different from what ASUS was doing on it's Maximus V formula and it's SupremeFX IV. They're doing all they can to have the chip live up to it's ~110 snr, like isolating it from other components, sound grade caps, etc..
and Ian felt it did improve significantly as compared to usual onboard audio - http://www.anandtech.com/show/6850/asus-maximus-v-formula-z77-rog-review/9

 

[DalekDoc]

Added links to a korean site which takes a detailed look at the on-board audio on the z87 G1 Sniper.

Looks very cool.. From what I understand they even have a line in which then passes through the amp before going to headphone/speaker out.. so you can even use your mobo as an amp for other devices!
please correct me if I'm wrong about that

 

[crashtech]

I thought Intel was getting out of the desktop board business. It wouldn't be a moment too soon, they've always been as ho-hum as you could get, no complaints about reliability of course, but so boring! But I guess we'll have to endure another generation of white bread motherboards from Intel, just as I'm sure we'll be enduring more ice-water-on-the-party posts from ShintaiDK.

P.S. Agreed on the Gigabyte offerings, they are offering a real challenge to the other makers, imo. I know they won me away from Asus recently, so far, so good.

 

[DalekDoc]

Added detaile pics of Gigabyte's Z87X-UD3H - http://www.pcauthority.com.au/Gallery/342169,exclusive-first-look-gigabytes-z87x-ud3h.aspx/1

Features better than usual on-board audio it seems but nothing like their Z87 G1 it seems

 

[Riceninja]

very happy to see 10 sata ports on most of the asrock boards, esp the extreme6.

my cpu is holding out but my 1366 mobo and its 6 sata slots has been severely limiting my media needs. with 1155 most mid range boards maxed out at 8 and 2 extra slots wasn't a compelling argument for upgrading.

hopefully all these new sound features will also replace the need for a budget sound card like xonar dg/ds.

 

[dawp]

The ASRock board looks interesting. Their boards have been getting better and better over the years. I'm a bit confused with them building all of those audio features around a cheap Realtek chip.

I'd like to see ASRock comes up with an updated version to the Extreme11 when IB-E is released in a few months.

aopen did the same thing when they had their 'audiophile' boards. had tube amps that ran off ac97 codec.

 

[DalekDoc]

Finally have some MSI news which I added to OP. The teases are old but images of the Z87-G45 out in the wild are new. It also has some benchmarks of the retail ramples of 4770k and 4570k

 

[phillyman36]

Finally have some MSI news which I added to OP. The teases are old but images of the Z87-G45 out in the wild are new. It also has some benchmarks of the retail ramples of 4770k and 4570k

That's what i was trying to get home to post lol
Thanks DalekDoc for updating the first post. Makes it easier to find the boards rather than scrolling thru the posts.

I was hoping Asus stayed with the blue/black color scheme. Not sure i like the gold color for the deluxe versions

 

[DalekDoc]

That's what i was trying to get home to post lol
Thanks DalekDoc for updating the first post. Makes is easier to find the boards rather than scrolling thru the posts.

I was hoping Asus stayed with the blue/black color scheme. Not sure i like the gold color for the deluxe versions

Well I found the gold theme very surprising.. because when they had teased the z87 lineup.. they posted this image:

The Pcie connector is clearly black here and gold in the reveal images.. It was either just a mistake or they changed the product since.. My theory is that the gold is either a limited release or the m&m's in the tease mean many colours..??

Anyway, personally, I'm hoping for a matx board with really good, isolated on-board audio. I want so badly to build matx but the I can't have dual-gpu + audio card on it..

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Well I found the gold theme very surprising.. because when they had teased the z87 lineup.. they posted this image:

The Pcie connector is clearly black here and gold in the reveal images.. It was either just a mistake or they changed the product since.. My theory is that the gold is either a limited release or the m&m's in the tease mean many colours..??

Anyway, personally, I'm hoping for a matx board with really good, isolated on-board audio. I want so badly to build matx but the I can't have dual-gpu + audio card on it..

this is a different image. I saw this exact image but without the m&ms at the top part. the top part said "windows 8 ready" on it

 

[phillyman36]

Anyone have any ideas on which board they are leaning towards buying?

 

[ShintaiDK]

Anyone have any ideas on which board they are leaning towards buying?

Intel DH87FB

 

[aaksheytalwar]

Who buys an intel board for overclocking?

 

[aaksheytalwar]

Can somebody tell me which motherboards from each brand will support the following features:

8+ sata ports
Onboard Bluetooth and onboard wifi

 

[ShintaiDK]

mSATA/mPCI slots seems to be pretty popular on 8 series boards. So for bluetooth/wifi you can buy a laptop card.

 

[AdamK47]

What is the max bandwidth of the SATA controller on Z87? With the SATA 6Gbps controller on Z77 and X79 it's limited to 1GB/sec, but of course it only has two ports. Z87 has six.