ASUS Announces Z270 Series Motherboards

ASUS
Announces Z270 Series Motherboards

ROG,
ROG Strix, Prime, TUF and Workstation motherboards packed with innovations to extract
every ounce of performance from the 7th Gen Intel Core processors

KEY
POINTS

Singapore
(4th January, 2017) — ASUS today announced its complete 2017 lineup
of Z270 motherboards designed to maximize the potential of 7th Generation Intel®
Core™ processors. The new range includes the highly-anticipated next-generation
Republic of Gamers (ROG) Maximus IX gaming motherboards — with Maximus IX Apex having
already secured its place in history by claiming eight world records and 13 global
first places in some of the world’s toughest benchmarks.

Also included in the lineup are the latest ROG
Strix gaming motherboards for style-conscious enthusiast, the all-new ASUS
Prime series for everyday customization and tuning, and the latest ASUS TUF
boards with 24/7 stability and newly-added overclocking abilities. The ASUS
workstation motherboard series has also been updated for the Z270 revolution —
and all boards are loaded with exclusive technologies to enable users to extract
every ounce of performance from Intel’s latest CPUs.

Commenting on the Z270 motherboard series, Joe
Hsieh, ASUS Corporate Vice President and General Manager of Motherboard
Business Unit & New Product Planning Division said, “Our previous
generations have been validated and most awarded by many respected media
outlets, proving that ASUS is the number-one motherboard brand. We strive to
offer Best-selling, Easy-to-use, Stable and Trusted
motherboards — that’s why we call them BEST. For our Z270 generation, we’ve
taken innovation and customization to the max, with personalization features
such as Aura Sync RGB lighting and support for 3D-printed components. We’ve also
co-operated with Shapeways to launch a dedicated ASUS
shop where users are able
to purchase, download and customize and 3D-printable accessories worldwide — so
they’ll never again have to stare into a drab, unexciting computer case. It’s
time to unlock the power of 7th Generation Intel Core processors — and an ASUS Z270-series
motherboard is the perfect way to do just that!”

Built for
performance: Multiple overclocking-friendly technologies

ASUS is the world’s foremost motherboard
manufacturer. Our world-class research-and-development teams are devoted to
providing the best performance to users, with exhaustive testing that exceeds
industry standards, giving users the ability and confidence to overclock to
5.0GHz or even beyond[1] — and all with a single click from the
ready-made UEFI profile. ASUS Z270 motherboards have multiple features to aid
overclockers in their endeavors.

ASUS-exclusive 5-Way Optimization dynamically
optimizes essential aspects of the system based on real-time use, including the
all-new Stress Test Distribution feature that allows users to adjust the
proportion of CPU and DRAM stress for the best overclocking performance. As
well, the latest-generation Fan Xpert 4 allows users to monitor the GPU
temperature to ensure cooler usage scenarios when the graphics card is under
heavy loads, such as during 3D content creation or when gaming.

ASUS Pro Clock technology has a dedicated
base-clock (BCLK) generator designed for 7th Generation Intel processors,
enabling overclocked base-clock frequencies of up to 425MHz and beyond. It
works in tandem with the ASUS TurboV Processing Unit (TPU) to enhance voltage
and base-clock overclocking control, and boosts performance up to 5.4GHz and
beyond.

Third-generation ASUS T-Topology takes DDR4
memory overclocking to new heights — up to 4133MHz or even beyond[2]. Refined manufacturing ensures ultra-consistent
quality and minimal crosstalk between custom trace paths, so users can enjoy
the thrill of overclocking DDR4 with time-aligned signaling for superior
stability. And ASUS motherboards are tested for compatibility with industry-leading
790+[3] DDR4 memory modules — for great flexibility
and reassurance.

Built for
customization: Aura Sync and 3D-printable components

ASUS Aura Sync is the world’s first
motherboard-RGB-synchronization technology, delivering distinctive light shows across
Aura Sync-capable motherboards, graphics cards and peripherals for up to nine
effects — all controlled via the simple and intuitive Aura app. The all-new
Music mode is also able to pulse synchronized LEDs in time to the user’s
favorite tunes. Users are able enhance their illumination still further, either
via the integrated 4-pin/12V Aura
RGB
header or the included extension cable. Aura offers a brilliant spectrum of
colors, and can even change shades to reflect the CPU temperature, providing
valuable information at a glance.

ASUS has always strived to make it easier for
users to customize the cosmetic appearance of their PC components, and now it
has become the world’s first motherboard brand to support 3D-printed components
— making it easy for users to print their own parts to customize the motherboard’s
appearance, improve system performance or manage cables. Dedicated onboard 3D
mounts that use the same screws as M.2 and standard motherboard mounting holes make
fitting 3D-printed parts easy, so users can quickly add custom nameplates,
cable covers, or even an M.2 fan holder to lower M.2 temperature by up to 30°C — preventing
throttling. ASUS has also designed a series of 3D-printable accessories, including
2-way SLI™ bridge cover, fan grille, ROG-font letters and all sizes of cable
combs, adding style to any build.

ASUS has also cooperated with Shapeways, the
world’s largest 3D-printing service company, to launch the ASUS 3D Printing
Store. This hosts the full selection of ASUS 3D-printable parts, enabling users
to select the parts they want to print — replete with preferred materials and
color — and order directly via Shapeways. For advanced customization, the original
CAD files are available for download, allowing users to personalize them as
much as they want before ordering parts via the Shapeways printing service or
using their own 3D printers.

Record-breaking
performance: Redefining limits for the 7th Gen era

The all-new ROG Maximus IX Apex motherboard is
the latest ground breaking model in the ROG product family which brings players back to ROG’s roots, a
one-of-kind community for world-class
cutting-edge
enthusiasts looking to reach the apex of gaming
performance. With a
performance-oriented layout, the Apex enables overclocking enthusiasts to go beyond
the limits by using extreme cooling methods, including liquid nitrogen (LN2) or
liquid helium (LHe)— and it’s already scored multiple world records (WRs) and
global first places (GFPs), several being long-standing records. These include
the best Intel Core processors CPU frequency  processors, with a record of 7.383GHz on a single core and
one thread
and 7.328GHz on four cores and eight threads using the Intel Core i7-7700K. It
also set a reference clock (BCLK) at 584MHz and a memory frequency surpassing
5GHz, with 5041MHz. In total, the
Maximus IX Apex has secured eight world records and 13 global first places, as
detailed in the following table:

*All world records were verified on 3rd
January 2017 on HWBOT.org

ROG and ROG
Strix: Defeat all challengers together with a new creed

The ROG motherboard lineup includes Maximus IX
Extreme, Maximus IX Formula, Maximus IX Hero and two new models, the Maximus IX
Code and Maximus IX Apex, plus a new series from ROG Strix — the latest recruit
to the ROG fold. The new boards are all based on the latest Intel Z270 Chipset
and engineered with leading innovations and ROG-exclusive technologies to
deliver epic performance in every perspective.

The new ROG family provides the best gaming
audio with the exclusive SupremeFX audio codec, best air- and water-cooling
innovations, best auto-overclocking performance, plus many refined design
choices and class-leading features. Also, Aura Sync and 3D-printing-friendly designs
provide stylish customization for awesome gaming rigs.

Maximus IX Apex is engineered to provide the
best overclocking experiences, and features a revolutionary DIMM.2 design that
allows two M.2 drives to be vertically-mounted on a DDR4 interface. DIMM or
case fans can then be mounted to prevent throttling, and to ensure the system
never breaks a sweat. Built to surpass from the inside out, the Apex not only features a radical
asymmetrical X-shaped circuit board, but more
importantly, relies on the cutouts to allow
the Aura Sync illumination to shine through, adding more appeal to style-conscious
gaming enthusiasts. An aircraft-inspired heatsink design and illuminated custom
nameplate completes Apex’s winning aesthetic.

ROG also offers two complete Z270-based water-cooling
solutions — Maximus IX Extreme and Maximus IX Formula.

Maximus
IX Extreme is the world’s first motherboard with integrated monoblock — expertly
manufactured by Bitspower. Maximus IX Extreme is packed with ROG innovations
that refine traditional solutions: The monoblock detects the flow rate of the
water coolant, and has dedicated circuitry to detect both the inlet and outlet
temperatures and leakage. The monoblock also integrates the neighboring M.2
heatsink for unmatched heat-dissipation to eliminate throttling — therefore
improving reliability and enabling greater performance.

Maximus IX Formula’s renowned hybrid heatsink is
redesigned by the cooling masters at EKWB. The new thinner fins offer a 4˚C cooling
improvement over the previous design ─ delivering efficient, quiet cooling.

All ROG motherboards offer a better water-cooling experience,
with onboard headers that allow water flow and water temperature sensors to be easily monitored. 

ROG Strix is the all-new gaming creed, with
models crafted to appeal to every type of gamer: ROG Strix Z270E Gaming, ROG
Strix Z270F Gaming, ROG Strix Z270H Gaming ATX, mATX ROG Strix Z270G
Gaming and mini-ITX ROG Strix Z270I Gaming.
ROG Strix Z270 gaming motherboards combine bold aesthetics with premier
performance and incredible SupremeFX audio to deliver unrivaled gaming
experiences and style. Unique, angular patterns inspired by the slashes of a sword
lend to ROG
Strix series’
striking visual accents,
and a reflective polychrome ROG logo emblazoned on a diamond-cut metal
nameplate shines as a mark of gaming pride. Additionally, Aura Sync technology adds a burst of vibrancy as it syncs with Aura-enabled
components for a system that glows in a nearly infinite spectrum of colors.

ROG Strix Z270I Gaming

ASUS Prime: Primed
to outclass

ASUS
Prime is the next evolution of the ASUS motherboard, born of a pedigree that
stretches all the way back to 1989. Our team of world-class engineers are
passionate about empowering everyone to enjoy the benefits of customization and
tuning, and the driving force behind the development of Prime is to make
advanced enthusiast controls easily accessible — maximizing performance,
stability and compatibility for the very best DIY PC experiences.

Prime
features ASUS-exclusive 5-Way Optimization for one-click full-system tuning, with
upgraded auto-tuning easily overclock up to 4.8GHz or beyond[4] and an upgraded Fan Xpert 4
with the ability to monitor GPU temperatures for cooler gaming. Third-gen
T-Topology pushes DDR4 to 3866MHz and beyond, with ultra-consistent quality and
minimal crosstalk, while 5X Protection III offers multiple hardware safeguards include
all-new SafeSlot core, featuring a fortified design that is anchored to the
motherboard by a special hook, which provides 1.6x stronger retention and 1.3x
greater shearing resistance than standard expansion slots.

Prime
series motherboards also include ASUS-exclusive Aura Sync with an integrated 4-pin
RGB header to offer synchronized illumination with Aura Sync-capable hardware,
plus a dedicated 3D mount for 3D-printing-friendly design. Prime series also
refines audio experiences with the S1220A codec. Designed in close
collaboration with Realtek®, the codec improves performance to
provide 120dB signal-to-noise ratio for the stereo line-out and 113dB SNR for
the line-in, to capture pristine audio; and has an impedance-sensing circuit that
automatically adjusts the gain to ensure the optimal volume range for headphones.
Integrated DTS Headphone:X®  technology
delivers immersive 3D surround sound for rich audio experiences.

Ultra-fast connectivity is also a key theme of the
all-new Prime Z270 series, with up to dual M.2 slots to tap into 32Gbps of PCI
Express® (PCIe®) bandwidth, and USB 3.1 Type-A and
reversible Type-C™. Most Prime series motherboards also supports Intel Optane™
memory. Prime Z270-A and Z270-AR also includes ASUS SLI HB Bridge (2-Way-M), a
quick-to-fit expansion card that doubles the available transfer bandwidth to
provide silky-smooth surround gaming, which compatible with NVIDIA®
Titan X, GeForce® GTX™ 1080 and GeForce GTX 1070 graphics cards

ASUS TUF: Unconditionally
tough with 24/7 reliability

TUF is where ambition for reliably brilliant
performance meets reality. Some of the world’s most respected independent
testing laboratories have certified TUF components as fit for military use. We
are so confident of the reliability and durability of our products that each
and every TUF motherboard is backed by a five-year warranty.

For the first time, TUF motherboards are made
for overclocking. Implementing a new engineering-intensive DRAM layout, the
third-generation ASUS T-Topology delivers new DDR4-overclocking dynamics to let
users push memory frequencies further than ever — all the way up to 3866MHz if
all memory slots are being utilized.

Pro Clock is the ASUS-exclusive base-clock
generator that pushes base-clock frequencies up to 425MHz[5] with 7th Generation Intel CPUs, taking TUF
system performance to extreme heights. The boards also include Thermal Radar 2+
with TurboV Processing Unit (TPU) for efficient operation from precise voltage
control and monitoring — all managed with a single click.

ASUS TUF engineers have forged TUF ICe, a
dedicated processor that monitors onboard temperature sensors and fan speeds
for ultra-accurate cooling, whether adjusting settings manually or using the
automatic one-click optimization via Thermal Radar 2+ and TUF Detective 2. Thermal
Radar 2+ lets users control fans on ASUS graphics cards as well as case fans. Multiple
onboard sensors enable the monitoring of onboard temperatures as well as GPU
temperatures while gaming and content-creating, for instant real-time cooling –
with users able to make adjustments manually or optimize automatically, with a
single click.

TUF Thermal Armor is a strong, futuristic
shield with built-in Aura RGB illumination that adds eye-catching aesthetics to
every TUF Z270 system. It looks great and offers another way to keep things
cool. Users just need to connect an additional fan[6] to boost airflow to the heat-sensitive
voltage-regulator module — this reduces area temperatures by up to 18.9° C.

Similar to the Prime Series, TUF Z270 provides
immersive 3D surround sound with Realtek S1220A and Crystal
Sound 3, and DTS Headphone:X Technology.

TUF Z270 series is carefully engineered to work
seamlessly with a wide range of high-performance workstation graphics cards.
The ASUS promise of great compatibility is backed by our comprehensive
Qualified Vendor List (QVL) that includes leading brands and products — so users
can be certain of compatibility before buying that perfect graphics card.

ASUS Workstations:
Engineered for professional performance

ASUS workstation motherboards have also been
upgraded for the Z270 era. Z270-WS features ASUS 5-Way Optimization to
dynamically optimize performance with a click — ensuring the whole system is
tuned to its optimal potential based on real-time use.

Z270-WS has four PCI Express x16 slots,
protected by reinforced ASUS SafeSlot technology, and able to carry up to four
dual-slot graphic cards. Supporting NVIDIA GeForce SLI, NVIDIA Quadro®
SLI, and AMD® CrossFireX™, Z270-WS is an excellent choice for
designers and other professionals that depend on powerful graphic — so it’s
perfect for design and modeling, processing-intensive simulation, and 3D-rendering
applications.

Similar
to the Prime Series, Z270-WS is fitted with Realtek S1220A and Crystal
Sound 3. And with newly-added DTS
Headphone:X Technology, the Z270-WS delivers flawless audio with immersive
3D surrounding sound. 

Z270-WS also offers scalable high-speed storage
and expandable connectivity, with dual M.2 and dual U.2 on demand — for up to
32Gbps of PCIe bandwidth. Z270-WS provides great backward compatibility with integrated
USB 3.1 Type-A, plus future-proof connectivity in the shape of reversible USB
3.1 Type-C — all protected by the stainless-steel back I/O shield. In addition
to up to 10Gbps transfer speeds, Z270-WS also supports ASUS ThunderboltEX 3, a
quick-to-fit expansion card for blistering transfer speeds of up to 40Gbps. It
also has built-in dual Intel Gigabit LAN, making connections to multiple
networks both easy and convenient.

AVAILABILITY
& PRICING

To be announced again.