ASRock Z87 Extreme9/ac Motherboard Review

The ASRock Z87 Extreme9/ac is an excellent motherboard that has very good overclocking potential, support for 4-way graphics configurations, and plenty of features that will keep storage fanatics happy for years to come.

Thanks to the motherboard's efficient power delivery system and highly-adjustable BIOS settings, we had no problems taking our 4770K directly to its day-to-day limit of 4.5GHz. Even ASRock's well-configured automatic overclocking mode was able to take us to 4.4GHz with an appropriate voltage and complete stability.

Memory performance of the Z87 Extreme9/ac was as impressive as we have seen from any Z87 motherboard that we have tested to date. The Z87 Extreme9/ac is the first board that can successfully boot with our 2933MHz G.Skill Trident X F3-2933C12D-8GTXDG memory modules' high-frequency, and very demanding, XMP mode enabled. We were also able to boot using the 2933MHz divider, proving that ASRock's motherboard has great high-speed memory compatibility.

ASRock crams the Extreme9/ac with useful features that will be of convenience to enthusiasts and day-to-day users. Ten SATA connections, up to twelve USB 3.0 ports, dual gigabit LAN, ultra-fast 802.11ac WiFi connectivity, and two Thunderbolt connectors are just some of the enthusiast-grade features that can be useful on a day-to-day basis.

Board layout by ASRock is generally good, although it certainly could be better. The 8-pin connectors' location makes them very difficult to access when large CPU coolers or confined case are used. One right-angled USB 3.0 header would also be welcomed over the two outwards-facing ports.

PCI-E slot configuration and placing is good, with the exception of the one wasted slot space. ASRock gives single graphics cards users a direct PCI-E connection from the CPU to prevent increased latency brought about by the PLX chip. Multi-VGA users also benefit from wise lane configuration and slot spacing on ASRock's part.

We liked ASRock's UEFI BIOS due to its very good layout and wealth of user-definable parameters. The only things missing from this easy-to-use and well-implemented interface are an attractive style that matches that of the competitors' options, and the ability to save more than three overclocking profiles. While we do prefer function over form, an attractive UEFI BIOS makes overclocking a much more pleasant experience than an ugly one does.

Listed on many retailer websites as the ASRock Z87 Extreme9/TB4, Scan has the motherboard on pre-order at £305.84. At this price, the ASRock Z87 Extreme9/ac features tough competition from high-end, overclocking-geared motherboard such as the MSI Z87 XPower and Asus Maximus VI Extreme.

The ASRock Z87 Extreme9/ac is an excellent motherboard that has more than enough overclocking potential to hold its own in a tough market. Add its impressive feature set into the equation, and ASRock's Z87 Extreme9/ac motherboard is an excellent choice for high-end gamers, enthusiasts, and overclockers alike.

Pros:

• Very good overclocking potential
• Works with high-speed memory (2933MHz G.Skill Trident X)
• Support for 4-way SLI/CrossFire
• Onboard dual-band 802.11ac WiFi
• Good UEFI BIOS settings and layout
• Two Thunderbolt ports
• Plenty of features (10 SATA, 12 USB 3.0, Bluetooth, dual LAN)

Cons:

• Ugly UEFI BIOS
• High ‘stock' voltage by default

KitGuru says: An excellent motherboard with great overclocking potential and a wealth of useful features.

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