1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:05,520 It's pretty hard to get me excited about a motherboard by putting a bunch of 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:10,559 flashy lights in my face these days. I haven't even been on the DIY PC scene 3 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:14,960 that long compared to some folks. But I still feel like at this point I've kind 4 00:00:12,639 --> 00:00:19,279 of seen it all and I've become jaded enough about these often barely 5 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:23,199 functional features that all I want is a motherboard manufacturer to make a 6 00:00:21,039 --> 00:00:27,279 product that isues all of that nonsense and gives me a back to basics board that 7 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:30,960 just plain works no matter what you throw at it. I'm starting to get the 8 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:34,559 feeling that deep down ASUS knows this because in spite of the fact that they 9 00:00:32,559 --> 00:00:37,920 just launched like a dozen Z97 motherboards or something like that, 10 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:45,239 they offered to send me a grand total of one of them, the Z97WS, or as I'm 11 00:00:40,879 --> 00:00:45,239 calling it, the Lionus edition. 12 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:55,360 The CMTORM SF17 uses a massive 18 cm fan 13 00:00:53,600 --> 00:01:00,879 to cool your gaming notebook, and it adds a four- port USB hub. Click now to 14 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:03,199 learn more. The WS in the model number 15 00:01:00,879 --> 00:01:08,080 stands for wonderful stability. And when ASUS does build a board in this series 16 00:01:05,519 --> 00:01:11,920 on a given chipset, they only do one because when you trim the fat and leave 17 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:17,759 only the good stuff, you only need one model. It's boring looking with no LEDs, 18 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:22,320 doesn't have any OC panels, carries almost no consumerfriendly features like 19 00:01:19,759 --> 00:01:26,320 onboard Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and lacks some of the really hardcore overclocking 20 00:01:24,799 --> 00:01:32,079 tuning options that you might find on an ROG series board. And yet, it costs the 21 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:36,159 same as these featureladen, you know, race car type options. So, what the heck 22 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:40,640 is up with that? Well, the money that would have been spent in R&D on features 23 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:46,000 that a small fraction of a fraction of the user base will use gets spent on 24 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:51,200 workstation grade componentry, extremely flexible expansion, and on validating WS 25 00:01:49,119 --> 00:01:54,720 boards with a huge variety of hardware that goes beyond the traditional well, 26 00:01:53,119 --> 00:01:58,880 it works with AMD graphics cards and NVIDIA graphics cards, so I guess it's 27 00:01:56,320 --> 00:02:03,520 okay treatment that many motherboards get. We're talking RAID cards, high-end 28 00:02:00,719 --> 00:02:07,680 nick cards, PCIe storage cards, and even much more obscure stuff than that. All 29 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:14,720 right, so what comes with it? You get an IO shield, a USB 2/Wire PCI bracket, a 30 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:16,800 serial PCI bracket, eight SATA 36 GB per 31 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:20,560 second cables, two-way, 3-way, and four-way SLI bridges, those Q connector 32 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:25,040 blocks that make it easier to plug in your front switches, a manual, a driver 33 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:29,840 disc, and finally the motherboard itself. Now, I said already it's boring 34 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:35,440 looking, but I guess now you guys see my point. I prefer the full-on borggasm 35 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:39,120 look with a black PCB and just plain silver accents. But I guess if I had to 36 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:42,400 have a gold motherboard, I'll take a practical looking one like this over a 37 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:46,400 blingy tacky one like some of the ones I've seen in the past. Our feature tour 38 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:51,599 begins at the CPU socket where we'll find support for current generation LGA1 39 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:55,040 1150 Haswell and Haswell refresh processors with promises of future 40 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:58,959 Broadwell support. a nice little thing to have in your pocket. Those CPUs all 41 00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:05,120 share a common memory support scheme. So to the right of the socket, you'll find four DDR3 memory slots that run in dual 42 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:08,480 channel mode. Power to the CPU and RAM is handled by a next generation all 43 00:03:06,879 --> 00:03:12,480 digital power design with eight phases for the CPU and two for the memory. And 44 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:17,599 it includes some pretty seriously impressive Japanese capacitors that are 45 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:21,840 rated at an industryleading 12,000 hours 46 00:03:17,599 --> 00:03:24,640 of operation at 150° C. Well higher than 47 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:29,120 any PC should get. On the top edge, we find hardware buttons for TPU and EPU 48 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:33,840 optimizations. I generally don't touch them, but if you want to, then TPU 49 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:37,120 boosts CPU performance a bit, and EPU reduces power consumption a little bit. 50 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:41,200 Next to those switches, we've got a couple more useful switches. The memo K 51 00:03:38,879 --> 00:03:44,959 button boots the PC with super safe memory settings. So, even with finicky 52 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:48,879 RAM, you can get into the BIOS and make the adjustments you need to. And the XMP 53 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:52,799 switch lets you enable performance optimized memory profiles without any 54 00:03:50,879 --> 00:03:58,080 software configuration. This could be handy since the board does support 55 00:03:54,159 --> 00:04:00,080 memory speeds up to 3,300 MHz out of the 56 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:03,680 box. Moving down the right hand side is the 24 pin connector that aside from 57 00:04:02,319 --> 00:04:07,120 being in the correct position on the right hand edge, ASUS claims is 58 00:04:05,519 --> 00:04:10,799 exceptional because it uses a new design that improves contact with your power 59 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:15,200 supply connector, reducing the risk of burning out the contacts. Neato under 60 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:19,759 that are two USB3 front headers for a total of 10 USB 3 ports on the board. 61 00:04:18,079 --> 00:04:23,280 And then the doctor power switch that enables OS monitoring of your power 62 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:26,720 supply to help you detect a failing unit. Haven't got a dead power supply 63 00:04:25,280 --> 00:04:32,720 that I feel like plugging into a working board to test it, but I guess that sounds pretty cool. Continuing on down, 64 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:36,800 we've got either eight SATA 36 GB per second ports with six of them coming off 65 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:43,280 of an Intel chipset and two off of a secondary as media one or four Intel 66 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:45,520 SATA 3 ports and two SATA Express 10 67 00:04:43,280 --> 00:04:49,840 Gbit per second ports. one powered off the Intel chipset and one off the Asdia 68 00:04:47,759 --> 00:04:54,400 chipset. This will provide a ton of expansion options as SATA Express drives 69 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:59,759 start showing up, but it also doesn't end there. There's an M2 slot right next 70 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:03,680 to them for a total of three SSDs that can be plugged right into PCI Express 71 00:05:01,919 --> 00:05:09,360 rather than just SATA for improved throughput and latency. Right on. Above 72 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:15,199 the usual contingent of audio, FireWire, serial, USB 2, TPM, and front panel 73 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:18,960 connector headers are the only necessary onboard buttons that you might find 74 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:23,600 useful for testbench use, like power, reset, and clear SIMOS. No, you know, 75 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:26,720 fancy esoteric functionality there. You'll also find a fourdigit post 76 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:31,840 readout that will give you useful diagnostic information. But if you can't 77 00:05:29,280 --> 00:05:35,280 see it because, you know, the numbers move too fast or because there's a 78 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:38,720 graphics card in the way of the board and you, you know, you can't see it, 79 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:43,120 don't worry. You can dump the logs onto a USB drive using the Q code logger 80 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:47,440 button right next to the USB BIOS flashback button on the rear panel that 81 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:53,440 lets you flash the BIOS without a CPU installed. Wicked expansion is another 82 00:05:50,479 --> 00:05:59,199 pillar of WS boards. And with four PCI Express Gen 3 16X slots that can 83 00:05:56,560 --> 00:06:04,080 simultaneously operate an 8X mode, this iteration doesn't disappoint. That means 84 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:08,479 you can throw four AMD or NVIDIA graphics cards in here in SLI or 85 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:12,880 Crossfire for gaming. Or you can simply load it up with a bunch of compute cards 86 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:15,840 for workstation use. You can also fill it up with red rockets, raid cards, or 87 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:21,360 whatever else you want to do because boards like this are made for future 88 00:06:18,319 --> 00:06:23,680 growth. Love it. Just make sure that you 89 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:28,479 use that six pin auxiliary connector above the top slot if you want to load 90 00:06:25,919 --> 00:06:33,440 her up, so to speak. Even the fancy 24 pin connector likely won't save the 91 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:35,120 board from quad overclocked R9290X's 92 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:39,600 if you don't use that auxiliary connector. Finishing up in the corner, 93 00:06:37,199 --> 00:06:44,400 we find a quality, if unexceptional, onboard audio solution that uses the 94 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:48,240 Realtech ALC 1150 codec. I use a separate amplifier anyway. So, this is 95 00:06:46,479 --> 00:06:52,240 more than good enough for my needs. But, if you're expecting your motherboard to 96 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:55,919 drive fancy 300 to 600 ohm impedance headphones, you may want to rethink 97 00:06:53,919 --> 00:07:00,000 something about your setup. On the back of the board, we find some good stuff. 98 00:06:57,759 --> 00:07:04,960 And actually, my first complaint about it. I'll start with the good stuff. two 99 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:10,160 USB 2 ports, six USB 3 ports, dual Intel gigabit LAN, 7.1 analog audio out with 100 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:15,360 goldplated connectors, e SATA 6 Gbit per second, optical audio out, a display 101 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:18,639 port output, and an HDMI port. Now, the 102 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:20,880 glaring emission in what is otherwise a 103 00:07:18,639 --> 00:07:25,680 perfect workstation grade board, that mini DisplayPort connector. While it 104 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:29,599 does enable three concurrent displays, it really should, in my mind, be a 105 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:34,000 Thunderbolt 2 port on a board of this caliber. ASUS does have their 106 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:38,160 Thunderbolt header to allow this functionality to be added with an add-in 107 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:42,560 card, but I still wish it was on board and they weren't asking me to spend more 108 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:48,319 money and waste a waste a PCIe slot on it after the fact. Well, that was it. 109 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:53,520 That was my only complaint. Aside from the stuff I just mentioned, you've got the usual ASUS essentials, including 110 00:07:51,039 --> 00:07:57,840 their easy to navigate UFI BIOS, onboard temperature probes, their automagical 111 00:07:56,080 --> 00:08:01,680 fan speed tuning that can create fan speed profiles with the six onboard 112 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:06,400 three or four pin fan headers that damically adapt to your system load. And 113 00:08:04,479 --> 00:08:10,879 finally, due to its build quality and BIOS optimization, this WS board has 114 00:08:08,639 --> 00:08:15,039 enough overclocking options to run with the best of them. So, it's all basically 115 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:19,039 there. But that's not the focus here, and you won't find marketing blurs about 116 00:08:16,879 --> 00:08:23,919 that on the box or on the product page. No. While, as usual, ASUS's messaging is 117 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:27,919 a little rough when they try to emphasize their quality control 118 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:32,800 standards and compatibility testing, the message still gets through. And based on 119 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:37,599 my experience with their WS-class boards, I can't recommend anything more 120 00:08:35,279 --> 00:08:41,200 heartily. I still like some flashy lights on my fans and water cooling 121 00:08:39,279 --> 00:08:44,720 tubing or whatever. But when it comes to the motherboard, an often overlooked 122 00:08:43,279 --> 00:08:49,839 component that does so little for performance these days, but so much for 123 00:08:46,959 --> 00:08:54,240 smooth operation, I'll take a WS board any day of the week if I could choose 124 00:08:51,519 --> 00:08:58,480 any board on the market, which I can, so I did. Thank you for watching my 125 00:08:56,240 --> 00:09:00,959 overview of the Z97WS. Just like with all of my videos, you can find a link 126 00:08:59,680 --> 00:09:05,519 with pricing and availability that includes my affiliate code in the video description under the like, share, and 127 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:08,720 dislike buttons, which I'd love for you to use accordingly. Also, in the video 128 00:09:07,279 --> 00:09:12,080 description is a support link where you can give us a monthly contribution, buy 129 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:15,279 a t-shirt like this one, or change your Amazon bookmarks to ones that include 130 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:19,440 our affiliate code, so we get a small kickback whenever you buy lozenes or 131 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:22,640 whatever. Thank you for watching, guys. I hope you enjoyed this video as much as 132 00:09:20,959 --> 00:09:27,680 we enjoyed making it. And don't forget to mash that subscribe button if you 133 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:31,279 haven't already. By the way, that bit at the beginning about how WS stands for 134 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:35,680 wonderfully stable or whatever I said stands for workstation. I was just 135 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:38,680 messing with you. Well,