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Trio of Z87 OC Motherboards Tested

Motherboards/Intel S1150 by leeghoofd @ 2013-07-26

Today we will be looking at 3 high end Overclock optimized mainboards for Intel's 4th generation processors. Madshrimps received the Z87-OC Formula sample from ASRock, the Gigabyte Z87X-OC and MSI's Z87 XPOWER flagship. Three boards, although all listed in total different price categories, targeted specifically at the enthusiast crowd. Fully equipped to squeeze the last MHz out of your Haswell. Due to the specific nature of these particular boards we have adapted the review method slightly to go more into the efficiency aspect instead of listing all of the onboard features/chips.

Built-in OCing Feature

All three boards include one or more profiles to boost your K skew CPU's performance. Some opt to go for a straightforward light OC via pressing a button, others include preset profiles inside the Bios. We tested these profiles via a Wprime 1024, X264HD and 3DMark Vantage test.

ASRock Z87-OC Formula Board:

Option 1 via Auto Tuner function:

Advanced Turbo 20: 4400MHz at 1.287Vcore: Stable

Advanced Turbo 40: 4600MHz at 1.32Vcore: Stable

ASRock opts to keep the Ring/Uncore bus speed in sync with the CPU Multiplier. However this means that for 4600MHz CPU speed, the board pumps 1.3 ring Voltage. The latter is a tad too much too my liking for daily usage.

Option 2 via preset profile

4000MHz at 1.16Vcore: Stable RAM at 1333MHz

4200MHz at 1.20Vcore: Stable RAM at 1333MHz

4400MHz at 1.30Vcore: Stable RAM at 1333MHz

4600MHz at 1.32Vcore: Stable RAM at 1333MHz

4800 and 5000MHz preset also available but not stable with our retail CPU.

Gigabyte Z87X-OC Board:

OverClocking 20%: 4300MHz at 1.35Vcore: Stable RAM OC: 1600MHz

OverClocking 40%: 4400MHz at 1.35Vcore: Stable RAM OC: 1600MHz

OverClocking 60%: 4500MHz at 1.35Vcore: Stable RAM OC: 1600MHz

Option 80% ( 4600MHz at 1.36Vcore) and 100% ( 4700MHz at 1.44 Vcore ) are available too , but are too far fetched, for our retail CPU, to maintain safe operating temperatures

The Gigabyte crew ups the CPU multiplier and keeps the Ring ratio at 4000MHz, which allows to keep the linked voltage far lower. Surprisingly they did not adjust the Vcore in relation to the CPU speed. From 4500MHz on, the RAM speed is upped to a conservative 1866MHz.

MSI Z87 XPOWER Board:

OC Genie mode 1: 4000MHz at 1.1Vcore: Stable RAM OC: 2400MHz

OC Genie mode 2: 4200MHz at 1.225Vcore: Stable RAM OC: 2666MHz

MSI keeps it plain simple with one click of a button, their famous OC Genie button. Either press it on the mainboard or via the Bios. Interesting to see that MSI dares to take the rams up to 2400MHz. Via the OC Switch you can select between two modes : mode 1 which is 4000MHz and mode 2 which is 4200MHz with our RAMs pushed up to 2666MHz. Take note that the mode 2 only works by utilising the onboard button, thus not via the Bios OC genie button.

Comment from Teemto @ 2013/07/26

Really like the editor's note

Comment from NordWolfe @ 2013/08/03

Finally somebody with the balls to tell it like it is. Now I would just like somebody to call-out Intel, for their woeful/unacceptable manufacturing quality control on their CPUs, and AMD, for their incompetence that permits these abuses from their rivals. At least, so it seems, AMD is now hiring the right people for their CPU division. Hope this pays off quickly so that Intel loses it’s arrogance, and total lack of respect for it’s customers. For that to happen we need many more true reviewers, such as yourself, and not Corporate Whores, such as we see in most sites, and youtube channels.
I salute your courage, integrity, and the knowledge you have on your mission.
Cheers.

Comment from leeghoofd @ 2013/08/04

Thx guys for the feedback. It's not what the manufacturers or people from the PR team want to read, but at least it's the truth based on hard facts... apreciated that my hard works is applauded

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