![]() One thing to note is the use of a Realtek ALC892 codec, which is perhaps a little surprising as there will be other motherboards around this price point that have the ALC1150.ĪSUS' marketed unique points include their onboard ICs to aid overclocking (TPU) and power (EPU), along with an onboard switch to help enable XMP on a memory kit without going into the BIOS. Networking is the Intel I219-V controller, there is a single PCIe 3.0 x4 based M.2 slot, two USB 3.1 ports at 10 Gbps is provided by an ASMedia ASM1142 controller in both Type-A and Type-C formats, and the PCIe layout promotes two-way graphics with a tertiary PCIe 3.0 x4 slot from the chipset so SLI is not disrupted. On the face of it, looking at the base hardware add-ons, the Z170-A comes in with a fair amount of what you expect at this price. ![]() At $165, it aims at a price point that end-users and system integrators alike will use for the majority of their i5 and i7 systems. ASUS is not alone in this push, which makes the Z170-A an important part of ASUS' product offering. Aside from ASUS' Republic of Gamers brand, the channel line from ASUS remains free of the gaming SEO and promotes itself as a platform bundled with their self-proclaimed value additions, which can be condensed into 'design, user requested software tools and user experience'. This is seen by the continual march on gaming branded motherboards, if only for SEO, or marketing label enhancements. There is strong competition, profit margins are low, and there is a bare minimum expectation of utility. ![]() The motherboard industry has gone through years of consolidation and enhancement, making it very difficult for new companies to emerge. To read specifically about the Z170 chip/platform and the specifications therein, our deep dive into what it is can be found at this link. Discrete Graphics: An Update for Z170 Motherboards – PCIe Firmware Update.Z170 Chipset Analysis and 55+ Motherboards – Motherboard Overview.Skylake Architecture Analysis – Architecture.Overclocking Performance Mini-Test to 4.8 GHz – Overclocking.Comparison between the i7-6700K and i7-2600K in Bench – CPU Comparison.Skylake-K Review: Core i7-6700K and Core i5-6600K – CPU Review.Other AnandTech Reviews for Intel’s 6 th Generation CPUs The newest Skylake platform is upon us, and we review the ASUS Z170-A motherboard to see their interpretation of the desktop this generation. Like all the motherboard manufacturers, I've followed ASUS for years, and observed their constant iteration as platforms evolve. ![]() Sometimes there is nostalgia, but it never stops us using the latest because it provides the user experience we expect at a minimum. All the time we expect technology to grow and improve, being better than the last. In the world of technology, you could speculate if there is ever a golden age, or a renaissance. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |