ASUS Introduces Z97-Pro Gamer Motherboard
ASUS is introducing a new Z97 gaming motherboard that is designed to offer excellent gaming performance at a price that is much more affordable than its Republic of Gamers line. The Z97-Pro boasts M.2 and SATA Express connectivity as is typical with ASUS’ Z97 segment offerings but also provides Supereme FX audio and Intel Gigabit Ethernet, complete with ASUS exclusive features such as LANguard and GameFirst II technologies. The Z97 Pro sports an 8-phase VRM design with 10K solid Japanese FP caps all over and ELNA capacitors for the audio subsection which puts it above the average Z97 mainstream motherboard offering. More information can be found in the official press release below:
ASUS Announces Z97-Pro Gamer
ATX motherboard delivers pure gaming fun with M.2 and SATA Express connectivity, Intel Gigabit Ethernet networking and exclusive LANGuard, GameFirst II, SupremeFX audio and Sonic Radar II technologies.
Taipei, Taiwan — ASUS today announced Z97-Pro Gamer, a high-performance ATX motherboard with 10Gibt/s M.2 and SATA Express connectivity, Intel® Gigabit Ethernet, exclusive SupremeFX audio with Sonic Radar II and GameFirst ll and LANGuard networking technologies to deliver pure gaming fun.
The Intel Z97 chipset-based Z97-Pro Gamer also benefits from ASUS Gamer’s Guardian, a collection of components hand-chosen for exceptional safety, durability and performance to protect gamers’ backs, and is the latest addition to the popular ASUS Gamer motherboard series.
Faster, smoother and more reliable gaming networking
Z97-Pro Gamer is equipped with Intel Gigabit Ethernet and ASUS-exclusive LANGuard for faster, smoother and more reliable gaming sessions.
Intel’s networking technology has the advantage of communicating directly with Intel processors to offer exceptionally-high Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP) throughput, lowering overall processing demands and improving efficiency — releasing more power for games and gameplay.
LANGuard employs advanced signal-coupling technology and premium surface-mounted capacitors to improve throughput, and includes both surge protection and electrostatically-guarded components to defend against lightning strikes and static-electricity discharges.
Z97-Pro Gamer also has ASUS-exclusive GameFirst II technology, an innovative traffic-shaping technology that reduces lag significantly by prioritizing game-related data. Tests by ASUS engineers show that latency is greatly reduced — ping times are up to eight times (8X) faster with GameFirst II enabled. GameFirst II’s EZ Mode allows everyone to take advantage of low-latency gaming, with no need for expert knowledge.
Best-in-class gaming audio
Players gaming with Z97-Pro Gamer-based systems enjoy SupremeFX technology for near-lossless audio with a remarkable signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 115dB that enhances every sound detail.
The advanced audio chipset is isolated from electromagnetic interference (EMI) by a protective shield, preserving the integrity of the audio signals. Exclusive ‘red-line shielding’ horizontally separates SupremeFX audio components from the rest of the motherboard. This unique combination effectively eliminates analog interference to ensure flawless sound quality. Premium ELNA® audio capacitors are added to the mix to deliver a warmer, natural sound to complete the audio experience.
SupremeFX also has a built-in amplifier that drives high-quality headphones — all the way up to 300ohm impedance — for sound quality that’s as great as a dedicated sound card.
Z97-Pro Gamer also includes Sonic Radar II, an ASUS-exclusive technology that displays a stealthy overlay showing the precise direction and origin of in-game sounds. This enables players to hone their enemy-pinpointing skills, delivering a vital the edge in first-person-shooter (FPS) games.
Fastest gaming storage
Z97-Pro Gamer has the fastest consumer-storage connectivity, with both SATA Express and M.2. on board. SATA Express provides data-transfer speeds of up to 10Gbit/s from two PCI Express 2.0 (PCIe 2.0) lanes, enabling Z97-Pro Gamer players to speed up their game storage with the next generation of super-fast SSDs.
The new motherboard’s built-in M.2 socket also offers two native PCIe 2.0 lanes for data-transfer speeds of up to 10Gbit/s, giving Z97-Pro Gamer owners the freedom to choose their preferred method to speed up both their storage and gameplay.
Exceptional gaming durability
Z97-Pro Gamer is engineered with high-quality, highly-durable Gamer’s Guardian components for exceptional real-world protection for extended gaming sessions.
Gamer’s Guardian includes onboard resettable fuses that protect the connection ports and DRAM against overcurrent and short-circuit damage, while exceptionally high-quality, Japanese-made 10K black-metallic capacitors offer greater temperature endurance and improved lifespans.
Gamer’s Guardian ESD Guards on the USB ports, audio connectors and Ethernet (LAN) port ensure that Z97-Pro Gamer is actively protected against sudden electrostatic discharge (ESD).
Z97-Pro Gamer also has the ASUS-exclusive Digi+ voltage-regulator module (VRM) to enhance performance, increase efficiency and ensure reliability, and a stainless-steel back input/output (I/O) panel that’s chromium-plated and corrosion-resistant to last up to three times (3X) longer than traditional panels.
SPECIFICATIONS[1] |
|
| ASUS Z97-Pro Gamer | |
| CPU socket | LGA1150 socket for the 4th-, new 4th- and 5th-generation Intel® Core™ i7, Core i5, Core i3, Pentium®, and Celeron® processors |
| Chipset | Intel Z97 Express |
| Memory | 4 x DIMMs, up to a maximum of 32GB, DDR3 3200MHz (OC)
Supports Intel Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) |
| Expansion slots | 2 x PCI Express 3.0/2.0 x16 slots (single at x16 mode; dual at x8 mode)
1 x PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot (maximum x4 mode) 2 x PCI Express 2.0 x1 slots 2 x PCI slots |
| Graphics (VGA) | Integrated Intel HD Graphics
Multi-VGA output support: HDMI, DVI-D, RGB ports |
| Multi-GPU | Quad-GPU NVIDIA® SLI™ and AMD CrossFireX™ technologies supported |
| Storage connectivity | 1 x SATA Express port (compatible with 2 SATA ports)
1 x M.2 socket 3 with M key — 2260/2280-type storage devices supported,( both SATA and PCI Express mode) 4 x SATA 6Gbit/s ports |
| Networking/LAN | Intel Gigabit Ethernet with LANGuard and GameFirst II |
| USB | 6 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports (4 on back panel, 2 mid-board)
8 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports (2 on back panel, 6 mid-board) |
| Audio | SupremeFX 8-channel high-definition audio
– Jack-detection, multi-streaming, front-panel mic jack-retaskng – High-quality stereo playback with 115dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) – SupremeFX shielding technology – ELNA® premium audio capacitors – Sonic Radar II – Headphone AMP – Optical S/PDIF-out port on back panel |
| Dimensions / form factor | ATX, 12 x 9.6in (30.5 x 24.4cm) |
About ASUS
ASUS is a worldwide top-three consumer notebook vendor and maker of the world’s best-selling, most award-winning, motherboards. A leading enterprise in the new digital era, ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today’s digital home and office, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards, graphics cards, optical drives, displays, desktop and all-in-one PCs, notebooks, netbooks, servers, multimedia devices, wireless solutions, networking devices, tablets and smartphones. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS won 4,256 awards in 2013 and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with its Eee PC™. ASUS has more than 13,600 employees around the globe with a world-class R&D team of 4,500 engineers. Company revenue for 2013 was approximately US$14 billion.
[1]Specifications, content and product availability are all subject to change without notice and may differ from country to country. Actual performance may vary depending on applications, usage, environment and other factors.
