Price, SATA Express and M.2 connectivity, Updated BIOS and Software, Solid performance, Good overall layout
Brown PCB, Accessory package is lacking
I think the biggest thing that surprised me about the Z97-A is how ASUS has brought many of the features that we have seen in the higher-end boards over the years down to their entry-level board. It is great to see this and it brings so many great things...
My time with the Z97-A has been extremely interesting. As always I was extremely impressed with Asus's attention to detail when packing the Z97-A full of features. Typically with a low to mid ranged motherboard like this manufactures seem to try their be...
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Published: 2014-05-13, Author: Thomas , review by: tomshardware.com
The easiest way to rate value is comparing performance to price. But that doesn't inspire anyone to add extras like USB and SATA controllers, which improve the flexibility of a platform, but don't move the needle on speed. We have to think more broadly th...
about the ASUS Z97-A MotherboardWhile a motherboard targeted for the value segment is rarely (if ever) described as overwhelming, the Z97-A is the exception to the rule. It is feature rich in ways that are not often thought of when it comes to motherboar...
As always when we're looking at a new range of hardware there is a awkward early period where the amount of available comparisons is extremely limited. Reviewing things in a vacuum is difficult for both us as your favourite hardware review site, and for y...
At $149.99 online, the Z97-A sits right in the sweet spot for enthusiast-oriented motherboards. It may not have all the bells and whistles found on pricier offerings, but it covers the essentials, and it does a good job of tapping into all of the goodnes...
Abstract: There's a physical power button on the board, which is always welcome in our books. The expandability is rather decent too, with three full length PCI-E slots available. As usual bandwidth is limited here; occupy slot one and it'll run at 3.0 x16. Occupy...
Sitting in the mid-$100 range, the ASUS Z97-A is one of the cheapest ATX boards we've looked at to date. There's no denying that when you move down to boards at this price level, you do lose a lot of the big fancy features that are seen on boards priced ...
Abstract: Over the years, ASUS has refined its product stack to include the ROG line for the gamer and hardcore enthusiast, the TUF series for those that want the utmost in reliability over the long term, the WS series for the professional, and last but not least, ...
Regrettably, we - and the industry in general - are not really in a position to properly impress you with the capabilities of this new generation of motherboards. The addition of the M.2 slot and the SATA Express ports to the Z97 chipset are pretty dar...
