A compact motherboard from a renowned company to create a very, very productive computer is all about the ASUS Z87M-Plus. This is a great solution for a gaming PC, graphics station or even a budget server. This product also allows you to create a print server without any problems. Of course, this is a universal motherboard, the technical parameters of which will be further discussed in detail.
Positioning and solution options
The motherboard ASUS Z87M-Plus combines high functionality, relatively low (as for a solution of this class) cost and flagship technical specifications. All this allows us to confidently attribute it to the premium segment. In such a motherboard, it is only possible to install a 4-core solution. At the same time, the chips of the “Cor Ai7” line at the program level with the help of proprietary technology called “Hyper Trading” from Intel can turn into eight-stream ones.
As a result, this product allows you to create computing systems that will solve any problems without any problems: from office documents, playing audio and video to complex three-dimensional modeling and demanding toys of the latest generation. With such a PC can handle without any problems.
Equipment
Very good equipment from the ASUS Z87M-Plus. Drivers and additional application software come on a CD. The list of documentation is presented by a multilingual user manual and warranty card. In addition to the motherboard itself, the package also includes a set of interface cords for connecting drives and a metal panel for the back of the system unit. All of the above allows you to immediately assemble a full-fledged computer without additional purchases from the position of the motherboard. For the rest, you will need to look at the configuration of other components of the computing system.
The layout of this product
Almost in the middle of the ASUS Z87M-Plus is the processor socket. To his left is a CPU power supply system along with a cooler. The slots for installing random access memory are displayed on the right. Well, on the very edge there is also a power supply connector to the motherboard. Directly under the processor socket are 4 expansion slots for graphics cards and external controllers. Closer to the right edge of the board, the only microchip of this system logic set is the south bridge. The ports for connecting drives are displayed even more to the right. Two of them are rotated parallel to the plane of the board.
This design allows you to connect only two drives when installing a second video card. With a larger number of them, you will have to make a choice: either a second graphics accelerator, or three or more drives for storing information and installing programs. And the second component (north bridge) is integrated directly into the central processing unit. But right under the south bridge the contacts are grouped to connect the front panel of the PC case.
Chipset
In essence, ASUS Z87M-Plus is a smaller and more affordable modification of another product of the same manufacturer - Z87-Plus. The letter "M" in this case indicates that the board is made in a form factor with reduced overall dimensions - "MicroATX". Otherwise, both of these products are based on a set of system logic - Z87. This is the most functional chipset for the LGA 1150 platform.
Its key feature is full support for chips with the "K" index. That is, this motherboard even allows you to overclock the central processors with an unlocked multiplier.
Socket and CPU
As noted earlier, the processor socket in the ASUS Z87M-Plus is the LGA1150. This solution supports only 4th generation semiconductor crystals of the Kor family. That is, only the central processing units of the Haswell and Haswell Refresh families, with all CPU models: Ay7, Ay5, Ay3, Pentium and Celeron. Physically, you can also install chips with the code name BroadWell in this socket (that is, the 5th generation of processors based on the Cor architecture). But they cannot function as part of such a system - there is no support for them in BIOS. For this purpose, chipsets of the 9th series are intended. Well, for the Z87M it is most optimal to use the CPU of the Ay7 and Ay5 series with an unlocked multiplier. It is for the creation of such systems that this set of system logic is positioned by the manufacturer.
List of wired interfaces integrated into the board
The following ports are displayed on the rear panel of the Z87M:
- You can either connect a manipulator or a keyboard to the PC via the PS / 2 interface. There is only one such port in this product, and its computer experts call it combined. The second peripheral device from this list will have to be connected already according to the "USB".
- There are six USB ports. Two of them operate according to the “2.0” specifications. The remaining four support the transmission speed in accordance with the requirements of the standard "USB 3.0".
- There are three graphics ports, and they are focused on the use of a graphics accelerator integrated into the CPU. In addition to the usual DVI and D-Sub, there is also the now popular HDMI.
- The board also integrates a LAN connector for connecting a PC to a local area network.
- To organize the input / output of audio signals, the board is equipped with 6 3.5 mm audio jacks at once.
Expansion slots
On the one hand, ASUS Z87M-Plus boasts a fairly modest set of expansion slots. A review of the appearance of this product indicates only the presence of 4 slots for RAM (in this case, 32 GB can be installed), 2 slots for discrete graphics accelerators and exactly the same number of slots for external controllers. But on the other hand, this list is quite enough to create a full-fledged computer system with decent characteristics.
BIOS and UEFI
"Motherboard" ASUS Z87M-Plus refers to premium solutions. As a result, both BIOS and UEFI are endowed with an impressive number of parameters, and this allows for flexible configuration of the computer system. For the same reason, to overclock the CPU in the presence of such a device from the "ASUS" is not difficult.
Owners opinion
Only 2 significant disadvantages are distinguished by the owners of the ASUS Z87M-Plus. Reviews in this regard, they speak only about a small number of wires for connecting 3.5-inch drives (there are only 2 of them) and an inconvenient arrangement of SATA ports for connecting drives, starting from the third. But, as a rule, in most modern PCs rarely the number of hard drives and other information storages exceeds 2. Well, if there are 3 or more of them, you will have to make a choice between the 2nd video card and drives. A unique solution in this case could be to install a more efficient graphics adapter in the first slot and release the second. The rest of this board has only positive aspects: overclocking support, the ability to set the maximum amount of RAM, relatively low cost and the ability to connect three active cooling systems at once.
Price and relevance of the product
It was possible to buy such a fee from stock in a new state back in March 2016. At the same time, its price was equal to 147 dollars. Now such a solution is very, very problematic to find. On the other hand, a relatively new platform based on LGA 1151 has been launched relatively recently. It is precisely on it that one should first of all pay attention when assembling a new computer system.
Summary
An affordable and functional solution based on the LGA 1150 is the ASUS Z87M-Plus motherboard. From a technical point of view, its characteristics continue to be relevant. But from the point of view of the life cycle, it is now preferable to choose a PC based on LGA 1150. This is a more recent platform, and its life cycle is just beginning.