ASUS Z87M-Plus: Review and Feedback

A compact motherboard from a well-known company to create a very, very productive computer is all about the ASUS Z87M-Plus. This is an excellent solution for a gaming PC, graphics station or even a budget-class server. Also, this product allows you to create a print server without any problems. Undoubtedly, this is a universal motherboard, the technical parameters of which will be further examined in detail.

Positioning and solutions

The motherboard ASUS Z87M-Plus combines a high functionality, a relatively low (as for the solution of this class) cost and flagship technical specifications. All this makes it possible to relate it to the premium segment with confidence. In such a motherboard, it is only possible to establish a 4-nuclear solution as much as possible. At the same time, the chips of the "Kor Ai7" line at the software level using the proprietary technology called "Hyper Trading" from "Intel" can turn into eight-stream ones.

As a result, this product allows you to create computing systems that solve any problems without special problems: from office documents, audio and video playback to complex 3D modeling and demanding toys of the latest generation. With all this PC will cope without any problems.

Equipment

A very good package from the ASUS Z87M-Plus. Drivers and additional software applications go on CD. The list of documentation is presented by the multilanguage user's manual and the warranty card. Also, in the package, besides the motherboard itself, there is a set of interface cords for connecting drives and a metal panel for the back side of the system unit. All previously listed allows you to immediately build a full-fledged computer without additional acquisitions precisely from the position of the motherboard. In the rest it will be necessary to look at the configuration of other components of the computer system.

The layout of this product

Almost in the middle of the ASUS Z87M-Plus is the processor socket. To the left of it there is a system of power supply to the CPU along with the cooler. On the right are the slots for installing the RAM. Well, at the very edge of the same location is the power connector on the motherboard. Directly under the processor socket are 4 expansion slots for graphics adapters and external controllers. Closer to the right edge of the board is the only chip of this set of system logic - the south bridge. More ports to connect the drives are to the right. Two of them are turned parallel to the plane of the board.

This design allows you to connect only two drives when installing a second video card. With more of their number will have to make a choice: either a second graphics accelerator, or three or more drives for storing information and installing programs. And the second component (the north bridge) is integrated directly into the central processing unit. But immediately under the south bridge are grouped contacts for connecting the front panel of the PC case.

Chipset

Essentially, the ASUS Z87M-Plus is a smaller and more affordable modification of another product from the same manufacturer - Z87-Plus. The letter "M" in this case indicates that the board is made in a form factor with reduced overall dimensions - "MicroATiks." In the rest, both these products are based on the set of system logic - Z87. This is the most functional chipset for the LGA 1150 platform.

Its key feature is a full-fledged support for chips with the "K" index. That is, this motherboard allows even to overclock the CPU with the unlocked multiplier.

Socket and CPU

As noted earlier, the processor socket in the ASUS Z87M-Plus is LGA1150. This solution supports only the semiconductor crystals of the Kor family of the 4th generation. That is, only the central processing units of the families "Haswell" and "Haswell Refresh", and all models of the CPU: Ai7, Ai5, A3, Pentium and Celeron. Physically, you can also install chips with the code name "BroadVell" (that is, already the 5th generation of processors based on the "Kor" architecture) in this socket. But they can not function as part of such a system - there is no support for them in the "BIOS". For this purpose, the chipsets of the 9 series are designed. Well, for the Z87M, it is most optimal to use the CPUs of the series "Ai7" and "Ai5" with the unlocked multiplier. It is for the creation of such systems that the set of system logic is positioned by the manufacturer.

List of wired interfaces integrated in the board

On the rear panel of Z87M such ports are displayed:

• With a choice of PCs, you can connect either a manipulator or a keyboard via the PS / 2 interface. Such a port is only one in this product, and its computer specialists are called combined. The second peripheral device from this list will have to be connected already by "YUSB".
• There are six USB ports. Two of them function according to the specifications "2.0". The other four support the transmission speed in accordance with the requirements of the "USB 3.0" standard.
• There are three graphics ports, and they are oriented towards the use of an integrated graphics accelerator in the CPU. In addition to the usual DVI and D-Sub, there is also nowadays popular HDMI.
• The board also includes a LAN connector for connecting the PC to the local area network.
• To organize the input / output of audio signals, the board is equipped with 6 3.5 mm audio jacks.

Expansion Slots

On the one hand, a rather modest set of expansion slots boasts ASUS Z87M-Plus. The overview of the appearance of this product indicates only 4 slots for RAM (in this case you can install 32 GB), 2 slots for discrete graphics accelerators and exactly the same number of slots for external controllers. But on the other hand, this list is enough to create a full-fledged computer system with decent characteristics.

"BIOS" and UEFI

"Motherboard" ASUS Z87M-Plus refers to premium solutions. As a result, both BIOS and UEFI are endowed with an impressive number of parameters, and this allows flexible configuration of the computer system. For the same reason, it is not difficult to accelerate the CPU in the presence of such a device from ASUS.

Owners opinion

Only 2 significant drawbacks are provided by the owners of the ASUS Z87M-Plus. Reviews In this regard, they only talk about the small number of wires for connecting 3.5-inch drives (there are only 2 of them) and the inconvenient location of SATA ports for connecting drives, starting from the third. But, as a rule, in most modern PCs, the number of hard disks and other information stores is rarely more than 2. Well, if there are 3 or more of them, you will have to choose between the 2-nd video card and the drives. A peculiar solution in this case can be the installation of a more efficient graphics adapter in the first slot and the release of the second one. Otherwise, this board has only positive aspects: support for overclocking, the ability to set the maximum number of RAM, a relatively low cost and the ability to connect three active cooling systems.

Price and relevance of the product

It was possible to buy such a charge from stock in the new state in March 2016. At the same time its price was equal to 147 dollars. Now it is very, very problematic to find such a solution. On the other hand, a relatively new platform based on LGA 1151 has been launched relatively recently. It is for this that we first of all need to pay attention when assembling a new computer system.

Results

An affordable and functional solution based on the LGA 1150 is the ASUS Z87M-Plus motherboard. From a technical point of view, its characteristics continue to be relevant. But from the perspective of the life cycle, it is now preferable to choose a PC based on LGA 1150. This is a more recent platform, and its life cycle is just beginning.