The Asus Maximus VII Gene and Gigaybte Z97MX-Gaming 5 are a pair of very different microATX LGA1150 motherboards that succeed at appealing to each of their target audiences.
January 12, 2014 by Lawrence Lee
Product | Asus Maximus VII Gene MicroATX Motherboard | Gigabyte Z97MX-Gaming 5 MicroATX Motherboard |
Manufacturer | Asus | Gigabyte |
Street Price | US$210 | US$125 |
A year and a half after its release, Intel’s Haswell
CPU microarchitecture continues to be incredibly popular among DIYers
due to its relatively high performance and low power consumption compared to
the competition. The LGA1150 socket is the defacto choice for enthusiasts as
the chips run cooler and are easily overclocked via multiplier adjustment on
boards using the Z87/Z97 chipsets. That being said, it’s not just a platform
for sophisticated users to create high-end systems. The variety of LGA1150 processors
on the market is vast and covers a wide gamut of price points, including the
sub-$100 level. The same applies to the accompanying motherboards.
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Today, I’m going to examine a pair of microATX LGA1150 mainboards powered by
the flagship Z97 chipset. They share a lot of the same features, but aside from
that, they’re two very different products. The Asus Maximus VII Gene is a balls-to-the-wall
premium model from the Republic of Gamers line which differentiates itself from
the rest of Asus’ lineup by its Maroon color scheme and features that make life
a little easier for enthusiasts. Despite the suffix in the model name, the Gigabyte
Z97MX-Gaming 5 is not as ambitious, a more pragmatic option lacking many of
the Asus boards’ bells and whistles.
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Not only does the Maximus VII get its own box inside the package, it even comes
with a plastic cover so you can gaze at its glory without pulling it out. Notable
accessories include six SATA data cables, an SLI bridge, Q-connectors to more
easily wire the front panel and USB header, and the all-important “Do Not
Disturb” door hanger. There’s also the SupremeFX Impact II, a dedicated
sound card that helps limit EMI, something known to affect audio quality.
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By comparison, the Z97MX’s accoutrement is decidedly lacking. Gigabyte throws in an SLI bridge and four SATA cables, which is pretty much standard for a board of this type in its price range.
Asus Maximus VII Gene | Gigabyte Z97MX-Gaming 5 | |
CPU | Intel® Socket 1150 for the 5th/New 4th/4th Generation Core™ i7/Core™ i5/Core™ i3/Pentium®/Celeron® Processors Supports Intel® 22 nm CPU Supports Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 | Support for Intel® Core™ i7 processors/Intel® Core™ i5 processors/Intel® Core™ i3 processors/Intel® Pentium® processors/Intel® Celeron® processors in the LGA1150 package L3 cache varies with CPU |
Chipset | Intel® Z97 Express Chipset | Intel® Z97 Express Chipset |
Memory | 4 x DIMM, Max. 32GB DDR3 1333-1600 MHz, DDR3 1800-3300(O.C) MHz Non-ECC, Un-buffered Memory Dual Channel Memory Architecture Supports Intel® Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) | 4 x DIMM, Max. 32GB DDR3 1333-1600 MHz, DDR3 1800-3300(O.C) MHz Non-ECC, Un-buffered Memory Dual Channel Memory Architecture Supports Intel® Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) |
Graphics | 1 x HDMI supporting up to 4096 x 2160 @ 24 Hz / 2560 x 1600 @ 60 Hz | 1 x D-Sub supporting up to 1920×1200@60Hz 1 x DVI-D supporting up to 1920×1200@60Hz 1 x HDMI supporting up to 4096×2160@24Hz or 2560×1600@60Hz * Support for HDMI 1.4a version. Support for up to 3 displays at the same time |
Multi-GPU Support | Supports NVIDIA® Quad-GPU SLI™ Technology Supports AMD Quad-GPU CrossFireX™ Technology | Support for 2-Way AMD CrossFire™ and 2-Way NVIDIA® SLI™ Technology |
Expansion Slots | 2 x PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16 (x16 or dual x8) 1 x PCIe 2.0 x4 (shares bandwidth with mPCIe 2.0 x1 and M.2 slots; if you install PCIe 2.0 x4 device, the system will automatically detect and disable mPCIe 2.0 x1 and M.2 slot) 1 x mini-PCIe 2.0 x1 | 1x PCIe 3.0 x16 slot 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16 slot, running at x8 1 x PCIe 2.0 x16 slot, running at x4 1 x PCIe 2.0 x1 slot |
Storage | Intel® Z97 chipset : 1 x M.2 Socket 3, , with M Key, type 2260/2280 storage devices support (PCIe ASMedia® ASM1061 controller : | Intel® Z97 chipset : 1 x M.2 PCIe connector (Socket 3, M key, type 2242/2260/2280 SATA & PCIe SSD support) 1 x SATA Express connector 6 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors (M.2, SATA Express, and SATA3 4/5 connectors can only be used one at a time. The SATA3 4/5 connectors will become unavailable when an M.2 SSD is installed.) Support Raid 0, 1, 5, 10 |
LAN | Intel® I218V, 1 x Gigabit LAN Controller(s) | Qualcomm® Atheros Killer E2201 LAN chip (10/100/1000 Mbit) |
Audio | ROG SupremeFX Impact II 8-Channel High Definition Audio CODEC – Supports : Jack-detection, Multi-streaming, Front Panel Jack-retasking Audio Feature : – SupremeFX Shielding™ Technology – ELNA premium audio capacitors – Blu-ray audio layer Content Protection – DTS Connect – Optical S/PDIF out port at back panel | Realtek® ALC1150 codec TI Burr Brown® OPA2134 operational amplifier Support for Sound Blaster X-Fi MB3 High Definition Audio 2/4/5.1/7.1-channel Support for S/PDIF Out |
USB | Intel® Z97 chipset : 4 x USB 3.0 ports (2 at back panel, blue, 2 at mid-board) 7 x USB 2.0 ports (4 at back panel, black, 3 at mid-board) 1 x USB2.0 ports at mid-board (USB13) shares with ROG extension (ROG_EXT) port ASMedia® USB 3.0 controller : | Intel® Z97 Chipset: 6 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports (4 ports on the back panel, 2 ports available through the internal USB header) 8 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports (4 ports on the back panel, 4 ports available through the internal USB headers) |
Back I/O Ports | 1 x PS/2 keyboard/mouse combo port 1 x HDMI 4 x USB 3.0 (blue) 4 x USB 2.0 (one port can be switched to ROG Connect) 1 x LAN (RJ45) port 1 x Optical S/PDIF out 3 x Audio jacks 1 x Clear CMOS button 1 x ROG Connect On/ Off switch | 1 x PS/2 keyboard port 1 x PS/2 mouse port 1 x D-Sub port 1 x DVI-D port 1 x HDMI port 4 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports 4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports 1 x RJ-45 port 1 x Optical S/PDIF out 5 x Audio jacks (Center/Subwoofer Speaker Out, Rear Speaker Out, Line In, Line Out, Mic In) |
Internal I/O Ports | 1 x 24-pin ATX main power connector 1 x 8-pin ATX 12V power connector 1 x M.2 Socket 3 for M Key, type 2260/2280 devices 8 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors 1 x CPU fan header 1 x CPU OPT fan header 3 x Chassis Fan connectors 1 x Front panel header 1 x System panel (Q-Connector) 1 x USB 3.0/2.0 header 3 x USB 2.0 headers (up to 5 ports) 1 x TPM header 1 x MemOK! button 10 x ProbeIt Measurement Points 1 x Thermal sensor connector 1 x LN2 Mode header 1 x Power-on button 1 x Reset button 1 x ROG extension (ROG_EXT) header 1 x KeyBot Button 1 x Sonic SoundStage Button | 1 x 24-pin ATX main power connector 1 x 8-pin ATX 12V power connector 1 x M.2 PCIe connector 1 x SATA Express connector 6 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors 1 x CPU fan header 1 x CPU OPT fan header 3 x System fan headers 1 x Front panel header 1 x Front panel audio header 1 x USB 3.0/2.0 header 2 x USB 2.0/1.1 headers 1 x S/PDIF Out header 1 x Clear CMOS jumper 1 x Audio gain control switch |
Accessories | User’s manual Support Disc I/O Shield 6 x SATA 6Gb/s cables 1 x SLI bridge 1 x Q-connector (2 in 1) 1 x 12 in 1 ROG Cable Label 1 x ROG Door Hanger | User’s manual Quick Install Guide Support Disc I/O Shield 4 x SATA 6Gb/s cables 1 x SLI bridge |
Differences in bold. |
Looking at the specifications breakdown, there are a number of differences between the two as one would expect. As it’s unlikely anyone would use the integrated graphics on a US$200+ board, the Maximus VII is outfitted with only a single HDMI port. Both have M.2 slots but the Asus has a mini PCI-E slot as well, though they both share the lanes of the PCI-E x4 slot, while the Z97MX’s M.2 option shares bandwidth with a pair of SATA 6 Gbps ports. Oddly, the Gigabyte board sports SATA Express, which is hooked up in the same manner, so only one of these three options can be utilized at once. The Maximus VII has a number of additional features including an extra SATA and USB 3.0 controller, the aforementioned audio card, and a number of enthusiast options physically on the board itself.
PHYSICAL DETAILS: Asus Maximus VII Gene
The Asus Maximus VII Gene has a fairly typical layout for a microATX motherboard. All the onboard headers are conveniently located along the edges of the board. The most difficult spot to get to is the top left corner due to the VRM heatsink, making it a bit difficult to connect the 8-pin EPS12V connector and the mini-PCI Express slot. The CPU and CPU_OPT fan headers are also on the very top edge of the board. All these are hard to access in tighter cases or if a large CPU heatsink is employed.
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PHYSICAL DETAILS: Gigabyte Z97MX-Gaming 5
The Gigabyte Z97MX-Gaming 5 has a relatively conventional layout for a microATX
motherboard. Like the Maximus VII, the 8-pin EPS12V connector is positioned
in a hard to reach location but the rest of the features are convenient to access.
Interestingly, the Z97MX’s M.2 slot resides directly underneath the CPU socket
rather than the far more common location between the PCI-E slots.
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BIOS/UEFI: Asus Maximus VII Gene
The Maximus VII ships with essentially the same UEFI BIOS as the Z97-PRO, except with a red Republic of Gamers skin. Its array of frequency, voltage, and power settings is so vast, I’m not going to bother listing them (see the manual for details). Needless to say, it’s more than enough to satisfy most overclocking needs. There are also some nice extras like fan calibration, extensive voltage monitoring, the ability to disable/enable the onboard LEDs, setting bookmarks, and before exiting, a list of all the changes made is presented for confirmation.
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BIOS/UEFI: Gigabyte Z97MX-Gaming 5
The Z97MX ships with a similar to UEFI BIOS to the Z87X-UD5 TH I reviewed last year, only with a more subtle orange/black color scheme and background. Being a budget board, there aren’t any notable bonus features, and the number of options is limited (see the manual for details) compared to the Asus model, but the basics are enough for a quick and dirty overclock.
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TEST METHODOLOGY
Test Setup:
- Intel Core i7-4770K processor – 3.5 GHz, 22nm, 84W, integrated
HD 4600 graphics - Scythe Kabuto CPU cooler – stock fan at 800 RPM
- Kingston HyperX LoVo memory – 2x4GB, DDR3-1600, C9
- ADATA XPG SX910 solid-state drive – 128GB, 2.5-inch, SATA
6 Gbps (for Asus Maximus VII Gene) - Kingston HyperX 3K solid state drive – 120GB, 2.5-inch, SATA
6 Gbps (for Gigabyte Z97MX-Gaming 5) - Seasonic SS-400ET ATX power supply
- Microsoft Windows 7 operating system – Ultimate, 64-bit
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Measurement and Analysis Tools
- CPU-Z
to monitor CPU frequency and voltage. - AIDA64
to monitor system temperatures and fan speeds. - Media Player
Classic – Home Cinema to play H.264/VC-1 video. - Mozilla
Firefox with Adobe
Flash Player to play Flash video. - Crysis demo standalone benchmark for stress testing.
- TMPGEnc Xpress video encoder for stress testing.
- Prime95
processor stress software. - Extech
AC Power Analyzer 380803 AC power meter, used to measure the power consumption
of the system. - Infrared Thermometer to measure heatsink temperatures.
- CrystalDiskMark benchmarking tool for storage devices.
- Kingston HyperX 3K 120GB solid state drive to test storage subsystems.
Video Test Clips
H.264/MKV 1080p: A custom 1080p H.264 encoded clip inside an Matroska container. |
Flash 1080p: The Dark Knight Rises Official Trailer #3, a YouTube HD trailer in 1080p. |
Testing Procedures
Before testing, certain services/features
like Indexing, Superfetch, System Restore, and Windows Defender are disabled
to prevent them from causing spikes in CPU/HDD usage. We also make note if energy
saving features like Cool’n’Quiet, SpeedStep or S3 suspend-to-RAM do not function
properly.
Our main test procedure is designed to measure the overall system power consumption
at various states. To stress the CPU, we use Prime95 (large FFTs setting). After 10~15 minutes of load (when temperatures stabilize), We also measure the hottest points on the external heatsinks using an infrared thermometer.
Finally, storage subsystems are tested briefly using CrystalDiskMark (1000 MB of 0x00 fill test data) and a Kingston HyperX 3K 120GB solid state drive.
TEST RESULTS
Power Consumption
Note: Motherboards vary in regard to stock Turbo Boost settings so more aggressive models consume more power which is a detriment when using energy efficiency as a metric. For these tests, all the boards compared have been tweaked to use the exact same CPU clock speeds (a multiplier of 39x/38x/37x/36x for 1/2/3/4 core operation on our Core i7-4770K chip) and GPU frequency (1250 MHz) to ensure a level playing field.
Compared to our last three previously reviewed LGA1150 boards, these two models
are right up there in terms of energy efficiency. The Z97MX is the most thrifty
of them all, using 3W less during video playback than the Maximus VII, and 6W
less at idle. This is likely due to its simpler power regulation system and
lack of additional features (the Asus model has extra SATA and USB 3.0 controllers,
and non-integrated audio card). The Maximus VII is the best of the rest, and
managed to squeak past the Gigabyte Z97MX on heavy load. It seems that the more
the system is pushed, the more efficient it gets, which is typical for mainboards
with more sophisticated voltage regulation.
Cooling
To test the board’s cooling, the CPU was stressed for ~15 minutes with Prime95. Temperatures of the boards’ chipset heatsinks were recorded using a spot thermometer. The highest temperatures were taken for comparison.
While the Maximus VII’s chipset and VRM heatsinks are not the best design,
their sheer sized and solid mounting system helped deliver solid results with
both measuring just 20°C above the ambient room temperature on full CPU
load. The Z97MX’s less substantial heatsinks, which use thick thermal pads for
heat conduction and pushpins for mounting, were less efficient, especially the
VRM heatsink which lagged behind by 9°C. No stability issues presented at
any time with either board, but if the system is pushed further, the hotter
and more inefficient the VRMs become.
SATA 6 Gbps Performance
Intel’s native SATA 6 Gbps controller has consistently put up great results over the past few years, and this time is no exception. The Maximus VII’s add-on ASMedia controller doesn’t quite live up to the same standard, with lower maximum throughput across the board in every metric. Thankfully, this is still more than fast enough for mechanical hard drives, and its unlikely you’ll run out of native ports for high performance SSDs that are capable of pushing up against these kinds of speeds.
Boot Performance
To test boot time, the BIOS/UEFI was optimized by setting the hard drive recognition and other delays to minimum, taking care not to disable common functionality like full USB support, POST messages, etc. and measured the time it takes to reach the Windows loading screen (it’s stopped here because this is the point where the O/S and drive become factors).
Despite having a complex BIOS and a rich feature-set, the Maximus VII completed the boot up sequence faster than any socketed desktop board I’ve tested, with the Z97MX not far behind. They both hit the Windows 7 loading in well under 8 seconds. For many users, they will hit this screen before the display comes out of standby mode.
Software/Fan Control: Asus Maximus VII Gene
The Maximus VII ships with AI Suite, a powerful and extensive set of utilities that further enhance the Asus experience. Like the Z97-PRO before it, I encountered the same issue getting it installed. Typically when setting up a motherboard, I install Windows, followed by the latest drivers off the manufacturer site, then the software, then critical Windows updates. Following this procedure, I wasn’t able to get the AI Suite installer to work. The only surefire method I found was to install it directly off the support disc after a fresh Windows install. Beyond AI Suite, there are additional software features for enhancing other areas like networking, gaming, audio quality, and keyboard operation.
The major aspects of the software suite are bundled together in what they call “Dual Intelligent Processors 5.” At the top is a “5-Way Optimization” button that tweaks the settings in each main module (TPU, Fan Xpert, DIGI+Power Control, EPU) for optimal performance and energy efficiency. It automatically overclocks, changes voltages, tunes fans, selects appropriate power regulation settings, and tests for stability all simultaneously so you don’t have to deal with all the minutia. Each module can be tweaked individually of course, and at the bottom is a monitoring section which can display frequencies, voltages, temperatures, fan speeds, CPU utilization, etc.
The TPU section is where a typical overclocker will spend most of their time. The same options as in BIOS are present but everything is depicted in a more pleasing manner.
My favorite module is Fan Xpert, a sophisticated interface dedicated to fan control. Each fan can be labeled and assigned a case position (in case you ever forget which fan is connected to which header) and given their own individual speed profile. There’s also a fan tuning option which puts each fan through its paces to determine its safe operational range.
Fan Xpert displays the controllable range for each fan and allows you to adjust the fan speed curve accordingly. You can also control how quickly the fans react at both ends, when speeding up and slowing down. Another advanced feature is the ability of the Chassis fan headers to react to different temperature sensors.
AI Suite is almost a full screen application but I wish there was a single, consolidated screen with simplified options that displays everything in one spot. The fan location diagrams take up a lot of space so there isn’t enough room to show all the fans on the same screen, and system monitoring is limited to the bottom quarter of the screen so you can’t look at a graph of all the sensors at once.
Software/Fan Control: Gigabyte Z97MX-Gaming 5
Gigabyte’s answer to AI Suite is EasyTune, but it has trailed in both functionality
since as long as I can remember. This is still true for the Z97MX, but understandable
considering it’s a budget board. It has similar capabilities to the iteration
encountered on the Z87X-UD5 TH, but they’ve spun off the fan control into a
separate app.
Obviously there aren’t as many settings to fiddle with but the interface is simpler as well, making it less intimidating for users who are more hesitant to tweak their system. There’s a “Smart Quick Boost” section that will do a quick overclock or power saving underclock with predetermined settings, and an advanced menu if you don’t mind getting your hands a bit dirty.
Fan control and monitoring now reside in the System Information Viewer app, and like Fan Xpert, there’s a poor use of screen real estate. All the elements are so big that you can’t adjust fan speeds and look all the sensor data simultaneously. It has a similar calibration option though which is a nice plus and of course a customizable fan curve for each controllable header.
If you want to use a fixed RPM for a fan, it only allows adjustments in increments of 10%. Asus’ utility is more granular in this regard as it allows multiples of 50 RPM. For a 2000 RPM fan, that would equate to steps of 2.5%.
Gigabyte has a useful graphing option complete with a recording option. Interestingly, it progresses in the Asian style, from right to left.
FINAL THOUGHTS
After spending all this time comparing the Asus Maximus VII Gene and Gigabyte
Z97MX-Gaming 5, it has become clear that the two can’t really be fairly compared.
The differences between them are a great illustration of what separates a high-end
motherboard from a budget model. I enjoyed and was comfortable using both, but
they offer a completely different experience tailored for different audiences.
The only recurring theme between the two is high efficiency with respect to
their feature-sets.
The Maximus VII Gene has some great features including a dedicated sound card,
additional USB 3.0 and SATA controllers, and both M.2 and mini PCI-E slots.
It is not just a collection of connectors though, as it’s also blessed with
a versatile fan control system, great cooling, a ton of customization options,
and a highly tweakable BIOS. This is rounded out by conveniences like the onboard
power/reset buttons, BIOS reset/update buttons on the I/O panel, voltage measurement
points, and various touches found inside the BIOS. Priced at US$210,
it offers everything you could possibly want in a motherboard, and more than
you could possibly use, making it a prototypical enthusiast board. It’s not
great from a value perspective but there’s absolutely nothing to complain about
aside from process of actually installing AI Suite.
The Z97MX-Gaming 5 is the lesser board in just about every area. It has fewer
features, a more limited set of customization options, poorer cooling, very
few extras, and less robust software. That being said, if you’re not looking
to do some heavy duty overclocking or don’t require a lot of SATA and USB 3.0
ports, it’s a far more pragmatic option that fills the needs of most everyday
users. The fan control system is not as flexible, but the mere fact that it
has five independently controllable fan headers is impressive. It also deserves
kudos for a better than average audio setup and the inclusion of a SATA Express
option which may extend the longevity of the board a bit. For US$125,
it’s a solid low frills/thrills option for LGA1150.
Our thanks to ASUS and Gigabyte for the Maximus VII Gene and Z97MX-Gaming 5 motherboard samples.
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Asus Maximus VII Gene & Gigabyte Z97MX-Gaming 5 are Recommended by SPCR
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Asus Maximus VI Impact: Enthusiast Mini-ITX Motherboard
Gigabyte GA-H77TN Thin Mini-ITX Motherboard
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