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Guardian Angel ... 1-3 ASUS EZ DIY ... 1-3 ASUS Exclusive Features ... 1-4 Other special features ... 1-4 Before you proceed ... 1-5 Motherboard ... Power connection ... 2-7 SATA device connection ... 2-8 Front I / O Connector ... 2-9 Expansion Card installation ... 2-10 Basic installation 2.2 2.3 BIOS update utility ... 2-11 Motherboard rear and audio connections ... 2-13 Rear I / O connection ... 2-13 2.3.1 iii Contents Safety information ... vi About this guide ... vii GRYPHON Z87 specifications summary ... ix Installation tools and components ... xiv Package contents ... xiii Chapter 1: 1.1 1.1.1 1.1.2 1.1.3 ...

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... Onboard Devices Configuration ... 3-35 APM ... 3-37 Network Stack ... 3-38 3.6.1 3.6.2 3.6.3 3.6.4 3.6.5 3.6.6 3.6.7 3.6. 8 3.6.9 3.7 3.8 3.9 Monitor menu ... 3-39 Boot menu ... 3-43 Tools menu ... 3-49 ASUS EZ Flash 2 Utility ... 3-49 ASUS O.C. Profile ... 3-49 ASUS SPD Information ... 3-50 3.9.1 3.9.2 3.9.3 3.10 3.11 4.1 4.2 Exit menu ... 3-51 Updating BIOS... 3-52 Installing an operating system ... 4-1 Support DVD information ... 4-1 Running the support DVD ... 4-1 Obtaining the software manuals ... 4-3 AI Suite ...

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4.3.3 4.3.4 4.3.5 4.3.6 4.3.7 4.3.8 4.3.9 4.3.10 Remote GO! ... 4-12 USB 3.0 Boost ... 4-18 EZ Update... 4-19 Network iControl ... 4-20 USB BIOS Flashback Wizard ... 4-22 USB Charger + ... 4-24 System Information ... 4-25 Audio configurations ... 4-26 Chapter 5: 5.1 5.1.1 5.1.2 5.1.3 5.1.4 5.2. 1 5.2.2 5.2.3 RAID configurations ... 5-1 RAID definitions ... 5-1 Installing Serial ATA hard disks ... 5-2 Setting the RAID item in BIOS... 5-2 Intel® Rapid Storage Technology Option ROM utility ... 5-3 Creating a RAID driver ...

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... to find more information Refer to perform when installing system components. The ASUS website provides updated information on the motherboard. These documents are not part of the BIOS parameters are also provided. Optional documentation ASUS websites 2. Refer to change system settings through the BIOS Setup menus. This chapter describes the RAID configurations. Your product package ...

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USB 3.0 Boost featuring speedy USB 3.0 transmission - AI Suite 3 - ASUS Q-Slot - ASUS Q-DIMM - ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 - ASUS O.C. Multi-language BIOS 1 x 19-pin USB 3.0 / 2.0 connector supports additional 2 USB ports (moss ... BIOS download scheduling - ASUS MyLogo 2 Internal I / O connectors - Profile - ASUS Q-LED (CPU, DRAM, VGA, Boot Device LED) - ASUS EZ Flash 2 - EZ Update- Disk Unlocker - button 1 x Clear CMOS jumper 1 x DirectKey button 1 x DRCT (DirectKey) header 1 x TPM header 3 x Thermal Sensor connectors (continued on the next page) xi GRYPHON Z87...

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... of a button. It also allows you to use software package. USB BIOS Flashback USB BIOS Flashback offers a hassle-free updating solution for UEFI BIOS updates, and download the latest BIOS automatically. It allows you to press the key during boot-up. 1.1.6 ASUS Exclusive Features USB 3.0 Boost ASUS USB 3.0 Boost, which supports USB 3.0 standard UASP (USB Attached SCSI Protocol ...

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... 1. The MemOK! If the installed DIMMs still fail to its default settings. If you that the BIOS has been restored to boot after using the MemOK! function. Replace the DIMMs with the motherboard may cause ... the system reboots and test the next set is tested. switch to the latest BIOS version from the ASUS website at www. asus.com. Due to BIOS overclocking, press the MemOK! Installing DIMMs that you to fine-tune performance when ... ® OS environment. 1.2.6 Onboard buttons allow you download and update to boot and load the BIOS default settings.

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... storage device to the optical drive and install the USB BIOS Flashback Wizard. To use a USB 2.0 storage device to save the latest BIOS version for three seconds, and the BIOS is updated automatically. ASUS GRYPHON Z87 2-11 Chapter 2 We recommend you to the USB port, press the USB BIOS Flashback button for better compatibility and stability. 3. 4. 5. Place the ...

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... system fails to improper USB flash drive connection, BIOS file name error, or incompatible BIOS file format. If FLBK_LED flashes for assistance Chapter 2 2-12 Chapter 2: Basic installation BIOS updating poses some risks. If the BIOS program is not working properly due to reboot, please contact your local ASUS Service Center for five seconds and turns into ...

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Some legacy USB devices must update their maximum supported pixel clocks: - Multi-VGA output supports up from S5 mode Orange 100 Mbps connection ** Audio 2, 4, 6, or 8-channel configuration Port Light Blue Lime ... activity Ready to design of the Intel® 8 series chipset, all USB devices connected to three displays under Windows® OS environment, two displays under BIOS, and one display under Windows® OS environment and after the USB 3.0 driver installation. We strongly recommend that you connect USB 3.0 devices to USB 3.0 controller ...

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... that are needed for this user manual refers to enable a more flexible and convenient mouse input. ASUS GRYPHON Z87 3-1 Chapter 3 When downloading or updating the BIOS file, rename it as your operating system. Chapter 3: BIOS setup BIOS setup 3.1 Knowing BIOS 3 The new ASUS UEFI BIOS is a Unified Extensible Interface that complies with UEFI architecture, offering a user-friendly interface that requires ...

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... program. Press the power button to turn the system off then back on how to erase the RTC RAM via the Clear CMOS jumper The BIOS setup program does not support the bluetooth devices. Do this section are for reference purposes only, and may not exactly match what you see on ... You can be used under the Exit menu or press hotkey. See section 3.10 Exit Menu for information on. 3.2 Use the BIOS Setup to update the BIOS or configure its routines. Press the reset button on your screen Ensure that a USB mouse is connected to your motherboard if you do not press, ...

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... malicious buffer overflow attacks when combined with extended CPUID functions. Configuration options: Chapter 3: BIOS setup CPU Configuration Intel Adaptive Thermal Monitor Enables the overheated CPU to throttle ... Limit CPUID Maximum When set to, this menu show the CPU-related information that the BIOS automatically detects. The items in each processor package. Configuration options: Chapter 3 3-26 Execute Disable ... supporting OS (SuSE Linux 9.2, RedHat Enterprise 3 Update 3).

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... problem using the motherboard support DVD or a USB flash drive when the BIOS file fails or gets corrupted. Carefully follow the instructions of BIOS, DO NOT manually update the BIOS. Updating BIOS The following utilities allow you to update your BIOS if necessary. ASUS BIOS Updater: Updates and back ups the BIOS in DOS environment using a USB flash drive. For details, refer to ...

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... flash disk that contains the latest BIOS, and then press. Press to switch to the Folder Info field. Enter the Advanced Mode of the BIOS setup program. To update the BIOS using this utility, download the latest BIOS from the ASUS website at www. asus.com. ASUS GRYPHON Z87 3-53 Chapter 3 Press the Up ... / Down arrow keys to find the BIOS file, and then press to find the USB ...

Every day more and more solutions appear on the market based on the new Intel Z87 Express system logic set. Moreover, some manufacturers not only followed the path of updating last year's motherboard models, but also presented completely new solutions. For example, which became the first motherboard belonging to the TUF line, made in a compact microATX format. It makes no sense to speculate for a long time about the advisability of such a step, since the benefits of buying ASUS GRYPHON Z87, based on its performance characteristics, are obvious. The new model combines the advantages of the older ASUS SABERTOOTH Z87 with the dimensions of the microATX format, which will make it possible to assemble on its basis not only a compact, but also a productive system with increased reliability, which previously ASUS fans were deprived of. Speaking of "increased reliability", in this case, it comes not only the manufacturer's declared advantages in the form of protection against electrostatic damage, high-quality element base and a number of proprietary features, for example, Thermal Radar 2, but also an extended five-year warranty, which is already an indirect confirmation of the company's confidence in the reliability of its brainchild.

ASUS GRYPHON Z87 motherboard specifications:

Manufacturer
	GRYPHON Z87 (rev 1.0)
	Intel Z87 Express
CPU socket
Supported processors	4th Generation Intel Core i7 / Core i5 / Core i3 / Pentium / Celeron
Memory used	1866 (OC) / 1600/1333/1066 / 800MHz
Memory support	4 x 1.5V DDR3 DIMM slots supporting up to 32GB memory
Expansion slots	2 x PCI Express 3.0 x16 (CPU) 1 x PCI Express 2.0 x16 (PCH)
	1 x PCI Express 2.0 x1
Disk subsystem	Intel Z87 Express Chipset Supports: 6 x SATA 6Gb / s ports supporting 6 SATA 6Gb / s devices RAID 0, 1, 5, 10 support
	1 x Intel WGI217V (10/100/1000 Mbps)
Sound subsystem	Realtek ALC892 Codec 8-channel audio
	24-pin ATX power connector 8 pin ATX12V power connector
Fans	2 x CPU fan connectors (4-pin) 1 x Gryphon Armor Kit Shroud Fan Connector (3-pin) 4 x system fan connectors (4-pin)
Cooling	Aluminum MOSFET heatsinks Chipset aluminum heatsink
External I / O ports	1 x Optical S / PDIF out 6 x Audio ports
Internal I / O ports	1 x USB 3.0 with support for two USB 3.0 (19-pin) connections 2 x USB 2.0, each supporting two USB 2.0 connections 6 x SATA 6Gb / s ports 1 x front panel audio connector 1 x Front Panel Connector Block 1 x CMOS Clear Jumper 1 x BIOS Flasback
	64 MB AMI UEFI BIOS
Equipment	user guide; warranty brochure; CD with drivers and utilities; quality certificate 1 x set of ASUS Q-Connectors; 4 x SATA cables; 1 x 2-Way SLI Bridge; 1 x interface panel cover.
Form factor, dimensions, mm
Products webpage

See all prices for ASRock + Z87M + EXTREME4

Packaging and equipment

The packaging of the ASUS GRYPHON Z87 motherboard is entirely consistent with the high-end solution. So in the design, mainly black is used, and various types of printing are almost completely absent, with the exception of the logo of the TUF (The Ultimate Force) series. We also note the presence of a logo informing about an extended five-year warranty, which is typical for all motherboards of this series.

On the back there is an image of the motherboard itself, its interface panel, as well as the main specifications. The top section describes the key advantages of ASUS GRYPHON Z87:

Thermal Radar 2- due to the large number of temperature sensors, as well as the presence of connectors for connecting multimeter probes on the PCB, the user receives the most complete and truthful information about the current state of the system.

TUF Components- the element base of the motherboard meets the highest quality standards. For example, ASUS GRYPHON Z87 uses special titanium solid-state capacitors, field-effect transistors that have passed independent quality control and tested for compliance with military standards, as well as chokes with increased reliability in order to avoid possible "whistling" during the operation of the motherboard.

Server-Grade Reliability Test- the motherboard has passed a special test by a series of tests and fully complies with the reliability standards put forward for server motherboards. This means that ASUS GRYPHON Z87 demonstrates very high stability even under prolonged load and is able to withstand the test of high temperature and high humidity.

USB BIOS Flashback- the user has the opportunity to update the BIOS firmware version without any problems using a flash drive and a corresponding button on the PCB, which not only greatly simplifies the update process, but also guarantees its safety.

In the box with ASUS GRYPHON Z87, in addition to the usual CD with software, user manual and interface panel cover, it is supplied:

four SATA cables;

quality certificate;

a set of ASUS Q-Connectors, which greatly facilitate the process of connecting the front panel of the PC case;

2-Way SLI bridge.

The package bundle of ASUS GRYPHON Z87 is very decent and, in principle, it will be quite enough for a smooth assembly and further use of the PC.

Board design and features

Unlike its older sister, the ASUS GRYPHON Z87 motherboard does not hide its modest equipment under the plastic "armor" and looks quite familiar. As you can see, it is made in accordance with the TUF series standards on black PCB. At the same time, the main connectors and the cooling system are painted brown, which generally gives it an external resemblance to military equipment.

As for the layout of ASUS GRYPHON Z87 itself, despite the modest dimensions of the microATX PCB (244 x 244 mm), ASUS engineers managed to place all the elements in the optimal places for them. As a result, we did not have any complaints and, accordingly, difficulties in assembling the PC and operating it.

As for the casing, it can be purchased separately. Set Gryphon Armor Kit comes in a package of a decent stand-alone motherboard and costs a hefty, in our opinion, $ 50. On the other hand, buying this kit gives you the following benefits:

Thermal Armor- an active cooling system, which, with the help of a special protection installed over the entire surface of the PCB, generates air flows aimed at cooling the key components of the board.

TUF Fortifier- a special stiffening plate is installed on the back of the motherboard, which prevents damage to the PCB during installation and use of dimensional expansion boards and cooling systems.

Dust defender- Gryphon Armor Kit comes with a set of plugs for all ports and expansion slots to prevent dust ingress.

As a result, the complete Gryphon Armor Kit includes two protective covers, a fan for cooling the power elements of the board, a set of plugs to protect expansion slots and ports from dust, and three temperature sensors for connecting to the corresponding ports on motherboard.

The main elements of the Gryphon Armor Kit are, of course, two protective covers. By analogy with ASUS GRYPHON Z87, one, made of plastic, covers the motherboard from the front side, while the second, this time metal, protects the back side of the PCB from bends and breaks. The whole structure is assembled into a single whole with seven screws.

Separately, we note that a dielectric film is applied on the back of the metal casing, which protects the textolite from electrostatic damage.

Returning directly to the review of the motherboard, we note that the reverse side of the PCB does not bear practically any significant elements, except for the base plate of the processor socket and several elements of the power stabilization module for additional nodes.

The bottom of the board contains the following connectors: a front panel audio connector, S / PDIF out, a connector for a system fan, a CMOS jumper, a TPM port, and two pads for connecting USB 2.0 ports. In total, the board supports eight USB 2.0 ports, four internal and four external (on the interface panel). The operation of all eight interfaces is implemented by the chipset. Also, the ASUS GRYPHON Z87 model, using the TB_HEADER connector, can be equipped with an expansion board with Thunderbolt ports, which is, although not very popular, but a pleasant feature.

Closer to the right corner of the PCB there are a front panel connection block, another connector for a system fan, a button for quickly updating the BIOS firmware, connectors for connecting temperature sensors, and a DirectKey button, with which you can quickly access the BIOS settings of the motherboard. Thanks to the DRCT connector, the user has the opportunity to connect a separate button to access the BIOS and bring it, for example, to the front panel of the case.

Another interesting feature of ASUS GRYPHON Z87 is the ability to replace a microcircuit with BIOS firmware without the help of a service center, for this you just need to remove the microcircuit from the socket and replace it with a new one.

In the right corner of the board, parallel to the PCB surface, there are six SATA 6 Gb / s ports. Their work is provided by the Intel Z87 Express chipset. There is support for SATA RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and RAID 10. Next to the SATA ports there is a connector for an external panel with USB 3.0 ports. In total, ASUS GRYPHON Z87 supports six USB 3.0 ports: two internal and four on the interface panel. All ports are powered by the Intel Z87 Express chipset.

ASUS GRYPHON Z87 motherboard is equipped with four DIMM slots for DDR3 memory modules, which are equipped with latches on one side only for greater convenience. The RAM can work in two-channel mode. To implement it, modules must be installed either in the first and third, or in the second and fourth slots. Modules operating at frequencies from 1066 to 1600 MHz in the nominal mode and from 1866 MHz and higher in overclocking are supported. The maximum memory capacity can be up to 32 GB, which should be enough for almost any task at hand. We also note the presence of the MemOK! Button, which allows you to automatically coordinate the parameters of memory modules to resolve possible conflict situations.

The cooling system of the motherboard in question consists of three aluminum radiators: one removes heat from the Intel Z87 Express chipset, while the other two cover the MOSFET microcircuits, and at the same time, to increase the efficiency of heat transfer, they are interconnected by a heat pipe. All three radiators are fastened with screws. During the testing of the board, the heatsink temperature did not exceed 36.4 ° C, which is a good result.

The location of the processor socket is typical for motherboards based on Intel Z77 Express and Intel Z87 Express chipsets. The processor is powered according to an 8-phase scheme for computing cores and additional nodes.

The converter itself is based on the ASP1251 PWM controller with built-in Digi + power management system. As we said at the beginning of our material, ASUS lays special emphasis on the highest quality of the element base of the ASUS GRYPHON Z87 motherboard. Judge for yourself, titanium solid-state capacitors, field-effect transistors, passed a number of tests by independent companies, as well as improved high reliability chokes. All this, as well as the presence of an extended five-year warranty, gives us hope for long-term and trouble-free operation of ASUS GRYPHON Z87. At the same time, we note that the main 24-pin and additional 8-pin connectors are designed to power the new product.

Since the ASUS GRYPHON Z87 motherboard belongs to the compact microATX format, there are four corresponding slots to expand its functionality. As you can see, there are three slots for installing PCI-Express x16 graphics adapters. Two of them are connected to the processor and share 16 PCI Express 3.0 lanes. The third slot, in turn, is connected to the chipset and, accordingly, uses four PCI Express 2.0 lanes. When installing several video cards, the lines will be distributed according to the following schemes: x16, x8 + x8, x8 + x8 + x4, and the latter option is possible only if three video cards from AMD are installed, since NVIDIA does not support 3-Way SLI mode for slots with throughput x4.

Also, the expansion of the functionality of the motherboard is possible due to one PCI-Express 2.0 x1 slot, which is connected to the chipset.

If you decide to take advantage of the capabilities of the graphics core integrated into the CPU, then you have at your disposal two video outputs HDMI and DVI-D, the functioning of which and switching between them is carried out by the ASMedia ASM 1442K chip.

Multi I / O capabilities are provided by the NUVOTON NCT6791D chip, which controls the operation of the system fans and also provides monitoring.

For support network connections is a gigabit LAN controller Intel WGI217V.

The sound subsystem of this motherboard is based on the 8-channel HDA codec Realtek ALC892, which supports 2/4 / 5.1 / 7.1 audio systems. It delivers high-quality lossless audio playback at 192 kHz sampling rate and 24-bit resolution.

The following ports are displayed on the interface panel of the ASUS GRYPHON Z87 model:

• 1 x Optical S / PDIF out;

  6 x Audio ports.

The configuration of the interface panel as a whole deserves an extremely positive assessment due to the presence of a large number of USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports, convenient connection of multi-channel speakers, as well as the presence of HDMI and DVI-D video outputs. However, as in the case of ASUS SABERTOOTH Z87, potential buyers of ASUS GRYPHON Z87 will have problems connecting analog monitors, since for this they will have to purchase an adapter to VGA separately, which is not a significant disadvantage, but such a situation cannot be ruled out.

ASUS GRYPHON Z87 motherboard is equipped with seven fan headers. Two of them are used for cooling the CPU, four for connecting system fans, and the last one is for connecting the fan that comes with the Gryphon Armor Kit. All connectors, except the last one, are 4-pin.

UEFI BIOS

ASUS GRYPHON Z87 motherboard uses a state-of-the-art UEFI GUI preloader that can be configured using the mouse. The main screen of the UEFI BIOS displays monitoring of temperatures and voltages on the lines of the power supply and processor. Also in this section you can see the BIOS version, processor model and the amount of RAM.

All settings related to the overclocking of the system are located in the "Ai Tweaker" tab.

The memory frequency multiplier allows you to set the frequency from 800 to 3200 MHz.

Also, if necessary, you can access the memory delay adjustments.

To increase stability during overclocking, the settings for controlling the digital power supply system Digi + can be used.

The settings required for overclocking and optimizing the system are summarized in the table:

Parameter	Menu name	Range
System bus frequency
		100, 125, 166, 250
RAM frequency	Memory Frequency	3200, 2400, 2133, 1866, 1600, 1333, 1066, 800
RAM timings		CAS Latency, RAS to CAS, RAS PRE Time, RAS ACT Time, DRAM COMMAND Mode, RAS to RAS Delay, REF Cycle Time, Write Recovery Time, READ to PRE Time, FOUR ACT WIN Time, WRITE to READ Delay, Write Laency
	CPU Power Thermal Control
	Min. CPU Cache Ratio Limit
	Max CPU Cache Ratio Limit
Fixed processor frequency	CPU Fixed Frequency (KHz)
	Long Duration Package Power Limit
	Package Power Time Window
	Short Package Power Limit
	CPU Integrated VR Current Limit	0,125 - 1023,875
	CPU Current Capability
	DRAM Current Capability
Fixed frequency of RAM	DRAM Fixed Frequency (KHz)
	CPU Core Voltage Override
	CPU Cache voltage Override
Permissible deviation from the set voltage on the system agent	CPU System Agent Voltage Offset
	CPU Analog I / O Voltage Offset
	Power Current Slope	Auto, Level -4 - Level 4
	Power Current Offset	Auto, -100% - 100%
	CPU Digital I / O Voltage Offset
	Power Fast Ramp Response
	Power Saving Level 1 Threshold
	Power Saving Level 2 Threshold
	Power Saving Level 3 Threshold
Input voltage to processor	CPU Input Voltage
Voltage on RAM modules		1,20000 - 1,92000
Chipset voltage	PCH Core Voltage	0,70000 - 1,50000
		1,20000 - 2,00000
		0,60000 - 1,00000
	DRAM CTRL REF Voltage	0,39500 - 0,63000
	DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHA	0,39500 - 0,63000
	DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHB	0,39500 - 0,63000
	Clock Crossing VBoot	0,10000 - 1,90000
	Clock Crossing Reset Voltage	0,10000 - 1,90000
	Clock Crossing Voltage	0,10000 - 1,90000

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Foreword In connection with the transition to a new operating system Microsoft Windows 8.1 and a small change in the test bench configuration, we have already begun the second series of reviews of motherboards based on Intel Z87 logic and designed for LGA1150 processors. List of tested models has already passed over a dozen and a half and we can say that we managed to get acquainted with the bulk of the most interesting boards. Of course, testing absolutely all motherboards is unrealistic, if only because manufacturers are systematically expanding their assortment and regularly announcing new models. In addition, a number of boards, which are quite attractive from different points of view, have not yet fallen into the sphere of our interests. For example, of the motherboards from ASUSTeK, designed for gamers and overclocking lovers, which belong to the "ROG" (The Republic of Gamers) series, we tested only one model, but there are five types of such LGA1150-boards, and the series of motherboards with increased reliability with an extended warranty period, "TUF" (The Ultimate Force) has generally remained out of our attention.

As a matter of fact, it was the traditionally armored model Asus Sabertooth Z87 that we were going to study in the next review, but then we thought about it and changed our plans. The fact is that first of all we usually test full-size ATX form-factor boards or even large-sized E-ATX models, meanwhile, microATX boards are gradually becoming more and more attractive. Their width is the same as that of ATX-boards (although it may be less), and the length is shorter and equal to the width, they are usually square with sides of 244 mm. The difference in length is reflected in the number of slots for expansion cards, of which there can be only four, not seven, as on ATX boards. It may seem that microATX boards differ from full-size only in their shorter length and because of this, the fewer connectors, but this is not entirely true. Modern computers rarely include more than two expansion cards; four connectors would be sufficient in most cases. This is not why enthusiasts dislike microATX models, but because they are inconvenient to build and modify.

Optimal places for placing elements on boards have been known for a long time. Most manufacturers follow the principles that have been worked out over the years, and ATX motherboards with poor design have almost disappeared. The basic rule when creating an ATX board is to place all the necessary features in the most convenient way. For a microATX motherboard, this rule sounds similar, but the essence changes radically - you need to somehow place the necessary elements in a limited area. As a result, you have to suffer with microATX-boards, where the video card connector is so close to the processor socket that it is impossible to install a large cooling system. Where it is difficult to change or add memory modules, since the latches cannot be opened, because they rest against the video card. Where a large expansion card blocks the SATA ports, the power connector sticks out from somewhere in the middle of the board, and you don't even need to remember about the optimal location and a sufficient number of other elements, such as connectors for fans. The reduced dimensions of the motherboard do not greatly affect the decrease in the size of the system unit, so the enthusiast, almost without losing anything, switched to ATX motherboards and for a long time forgot about the slightly more compact and inexpensive, but very inconvenient microATX models.

However, all this was in the past, but now the situation is changing. Modern logic sets include all the necessary basic features and support up-to-date interfaces, so there is no need to use a large number of additional controllers to create a board. Even if add-on chips are required, production rates have decreased and network controller or audio codec chips are much more compact than they used to be. Large IDE, FDD and LPT connectors have disappeared from the boards, modern SATA and USB take up less space, which also saves space. It is possible that we have been held captive by outdated delusions for too long. Choosing ATX-boards, we ourselves deprive ourselves of the opportunity to purchase a model of the microATX format of equal capabilities, only a little cheaper. In this regard, we decided to make a small excursion and, as part of the second series of reviews, examine several microATX boards from different manufacturers. Not forgetting to look at the "TUF" series motherboard, we thought that the Asus Gryphon Z87 motherboard could be a good starting model.

Packaging and equipment

Making a box with a motherboard Asus board The Gryphon Z87 is somewhat different from the usual models of ASUSTeK, but the principles remain the same. On the front side, we see the name of the board and logos, among which the emblem stands out, reminiscent of the five-year warranty period. On the reverse side you can find a picture of the board and its rear panel of connectors, a short list of technical characteristics and information about some of the features.

The list of included accessories turned out to be unusually long for such a small board. It includes:

four Serial ATA cables with metal latches, half with straight, half with L-shaped connectors, all cables are specially designed for connecting SATA 6 Gb / s devices (differ in white inserts on the connectors);
flexible bridge for combining two video cards in SLI mode;
back panel cover (I / O Shield);
set of adapters "Asus Q-Connector", which includes modules to simplify the connection of buttons and indicators on the front panel of the system unit, as well as a USB 2.0 connector;
user guide;
poster with short instructions on assembly;
a certificate of reliability with an indication of the testing methods for components;
five-year warranty notice;
DVD with software and drivers;
"Powered by ASUS" sticker and "TUF INSIDE" decal for the system unit.

Design and capabilities

The descriptions of the basic capabilities of the various motherboards we test often look similar, almost the same, which is not surprising since they are all based on the Intel Z87 chipset. And now we can say that the Asus Gryphon Z87 board supports all modern models of LGA1150 processors. In this she is assisted by a digital power system operating according to the 8 +2 formula, created on the basis of high-quality elements. However, already at this moment, differences can be found, because the element base, undergoing intensive testing, is about the same as in products intended for the needs of the army or for creating servers, allows ASUSTeK to provide a five-year warranty for TUF series motherboards. Four slots for DDR3 memory modules can accommodate a maximum volume of 32 GB, as on other models, but the maximum frequency is 1866 MHz, and not the usual 2933 or even 3000+ MHz. However, you should not be afraid of this limitation. BIOS boards allows you to set any available coefficients for setting the memory frequency, so that our modules worked on the board at a frequency of 2133 MHz no worse and no slower than on other models.

Six SATA 6 Gb / s ports are quite enough for a small board, it successfully dispenses with additional storage controllers, like many other models of this form factor, but the set of expansion card slots is again non-standard. Since the Intel Z87 chipset allows the division of PCI Express processor lines, it would be quite expected to see two PCI Express 3.0 x16 slots, although many models cost only one. However, the Asus Gryphon Z87 board has three PCI Express x16 slots at once, and support for the collaboration technologies of AMD Quad-GPU CrossFireX or NVIDIA Quad-GPU SLI video cards is implemented. The first two connectors belong to the third generation of this interface and can share the processor lines PCI-E 3.0 (1x16 or 2x8). The third is based on the second generation chipset lines and provides a maximum speed of x4. In addition, the board is equipped with one PCI Express 2.0 x1 slot, but there was no place for the usual PCI slot.

Rejection of outdated interfaces is a deliberate decision that is typical for many boards from ASUSTeK. Asus Gryphon Z87 has no serial COM port, no PS / 2 keyboard or mouse connectors on the rear panel, and even no D-Sub analog video output. In general, the rear panel of connectors is not encouraging, there is too much unused free space, but the basic set of necessary interfaces is present:

four USB 2.0 ports, and four more can be connected to two internal connectors on the board;
video connectors DVI-D and HDMI;
four USB 3.0 ports (blue connectors) appeared thanks to the capabilities of the Intel Z87 chipset, and two additional USB 3.0 ports can be brought out using one internal connector;
LAN connector (the network adapter is built on the Intel WGI217V gigabit controller);
optical S / PDIF, as well as six analog audio connectors, the operation of which is provided by the eight-channel Realtek ALC892 codec.

By the way, we have completely forgotten about one characteristic feature of motherboards that belong to the "TUF" line. Only logos and a characteristic camouflage color speak of the Asus Gryphon Z87's belonging to this series, but where is the famous armor? It is there, but now it is not installed initially, it can be purchased separately if desired. The Gryphon Armor Kit includes panels for both sides of the motherboard, a screwdriver and the necessary mounting kit, dust plugs and a small 35mm fan. So our claims are not entirely fair, the free space above the DVI-D video output was left on purpose, even in the plug of the rear panel connectors there are holes for air exchange in this place, since it is planned to place this optional fan behind.

We have seen more than once plugs that prevent dust from clogging up infrequently used connectors. Modern motherboards are almost always equipped with video outputs on the rear panel, but many of them are geared towards using discrete graphics cards. Therefore, some manufacturers began to install protective caps and plugs for video outputs, and some models come with several inserts to protect the USB connectors. In addition to the above-mentioned plugs, the set of TUF series boards includes Dust Defenders brackets for unoccupied expansion card slots and memory modules, but plugs for audio connectors were encountered for the first time. Very nice.

We just have to take a look at the circuit board in order to appreciate the convenience of its design and pay attention to additional features. For example, for small microATX boards, it is usually considered sufficient to have only three connectors for connecting fans, but the Asus Gryphon Z87 has an unprecedented number of them. There are seven connectors in total, two of them are processor connectors, and the only three-pin connector is designed for a small additional fan. Of the buttons, the first to be mentioned is "USB BIOS Flashback", which will help you update the firmware without fully assembling the system; all you need to do is supply power to the board. In addition to it, there is a button "MemOK!"

It is worth noting the complex of technologies "Q-Design", which simplifies the assembly and operation of the system based on ASUSTeK motherboards. The Asus Gryphon Z87 board is equipped with almost all the features included in this complex, with the exception of the POST-codes indicator, however, the "Q-LED" LEDs (CPU, DRAM, VGA, Boot Device LED) will help to determine the source of problems at startup, with their help diagnostics are less accurate, but much easier and faster. “Q-Slot” are convenient wide latches for video card slots, and “Q-DIMM” are one-sided latches for memory modules; on a small board, they are most appropriate, since they will allow you to replace or add modules without having to remove the installed video card ... Q-Shield ”is a cover for the rear panel (I / O Shield), but instead of the extruded tabs, which strive to get inside the connectors during installation, there is a soft electrically conductive gasket on its back side. "Q-Connector" is a set of adapters that includes modules to simplify the connection of buttons and indicators on the front panel of the system unit and one internal USB 2.0 connector.

We have compiled all the main technical characteristics of the Asus Gryphon Z87 motherboard into a single table, and by clicking on it, you can open a summary comparative table with the specifications of all previously tested LGA1150 motherboard models:

ASRock Fatal1ty Z87 Professional;
ASRock Z87 Extreme4;
ASRock Z87 Extreme6 / ac;
Asus Maximus VI Hero;
Asus Z87-Deluxe;
Asus Z87-K;
Asus Z87-Pro;
Gigabyte G1.Sniper 5;
Gigabyte GA-Z87X-D3H;
Gigabyte GA-Z87X-OC;
Gigabyte GA-Z87X-UD4H;
Gigabyte GA-Z87X-UD5H;
Intel DZ87KLT-75K;
MSI Z87-G43;
MSI Z87-GD65 GAMING;
MSI Z87 MPOWER.

BIOS Features

In previous reviews, we have repeatedly reviewed in sufficient detail the BIOS capabilities of LGA1150 boards from ASUSTeK. This time we have a small board, but its BIOS is almost exactly the same, only its color scheme is different, so let's just skim through the sections and refresh the main features in our memory. As before, by default, when entering the BIOS, we are greeted by the simplified EZ Mode. It allows you to find out the basic characteristics of the system, select an economical or productive mode of operation and set the order of polling boot devices by simply dragging them with the mouse. In addition to the ability to set the correct time and date, as well as select the fan operating mode, you can use the "X.M.P." for memory modules and familiarize yourself with the information about the connected drives. The "F7" key is used to switch from "EZ Mode" to "Advanced Mode", or you can use the "F3" key, which allows you to quickly move to one of the most frequently used sections of the BIOS.

Each time you enter the BIOS, you can switch from "EZ Mode" to "Advanced Mode", you can use the F3 key, which, by the way, works in all other sections of the BIOS, but it will be much more convenient if you make the "Advanced Mode" starting in the settings. In this case, the familiar section "Main" will appear first before our eyes. It provides basic information about the system, allows you to set the current date and time, it is possible to change the BIOS interface language, including Russian. In the Security subsection, you can set user and administrator access passwords. However, the "Main" section is no longer the first in the list, a new section "My Favorites" appeared in front of it. It is designed to collect all the parameters you use most often in one place. Initially, the section is empty and contains only reference information on how to add or remove options using the mouse or keyboard. I must say that there are a number of prohibitions for selecting parameters, and they apply not only to entire sections or subsections, but even to individual parameters that contain submenus. The list of options displayed by pressing the "F3" key has been freed from such annoying restrictions, which can now also be edited by deleting unnecessary items and adding the necessary items. So the maximum flexibility can only be gained from sharing the "My Favorites" section with the menu with the most common links, which is not at all as convenient as it could be if there were no restrictions. In addition, the section “My Favorites” appeared to be on the sidelines, it cannot be selected as a starting point, as, indeed, any other section, so this is also a drawback.

The bulk of the overclocking options is concentrated in the "Ai Tweaker" section. It was rather big before, but it became even larger, since the number of information parameters increased at the beginning, multipliers were added to change the cache memory frequency in the middle and voltage control parameters towards the end of the section. Moreover, initially you see a far from complete list of parameters, since all of them are set by the board automatically, but as soon as you proceed to manual configuration, many options previously hidden as unnecessary appear.

For example, if you just change the value of the "Ai Overclock Tuner" parameter to "X.M.P." to automatically change the parameters of the memory subsystem, or to "Manual", then the options for changing the base frequency and for controlling the processor multiplication factors will immediately appear. The voltages can be set both above and below the nominal, the current values ​​are indicated next to the parameters that change them, which is very convenient. When changing the voltage on the processor, you can now choose between three different options. It can be rigidly fixed at a certain value, you can only add or subtract the required value in the "Offset" mode, or you can use the adaptive (interpolation) option. We have already discussed the differences between the three methods of changing the processor voltage in more detail in the review of the Asus Z87-K motherboard.

Some of the parameters are traditionally placed in subsections so as not to overly clutter up the main one. Changes in memory timings are given on a separate page, their number is very large, but it is quite convenient to use the capabilities of this subsection. Using the scroll bar, it's easy to see all the timings set by the board for two memory channels. You can change only a few of them, for example, only the main ones, leaving the default values ​​for the rest.

It is impossible not to notice a large number of options related mainly to power and energy consumption, which appeared thanks to the digital power system "DIGI +". Directly in the BIOS, you can control proprietary energy-saving technologies that allow you to change the number of active phases of the processor power supply, depending on the level of its load. The technology to counteract the voltage drop on the processor under load "CPU Load-Line Calibration" can not only be turned on or off, but also the degree of counteraction can be measured.

ASUSTeK boards have an advantage in the form of numerous options in the "CPU Power Management" subsection. In addition to the usual parameters available for other manufacturers' boards, which allow increasing the permissible limits of processor consumption, a number of additional options will make it possible to speed up the response time and reduce power consumption at rest.

This completes the capabilities of the "Ai Tweaker" section, meanwhile, we have not yet found a whole group of very important options that control processor energy-saving technologies. This is a characteristic drawback not only of ASUSTeK boards, but also of most boards from other manufacturers. The root of the problem lies in the AMI BIOS that underlies the UEFI BIOS of modern motherboards and in its irrational basic layout.

The capabilities of the subsections of the "Advanced" section are generally well known to us and understandable from their names. They allow you to configure the operation of a set of logic and additional controllers, various interfaces, enable specific technologies such as "Intel Rapid Start" and "Intel Smart Connect".

In the "CPU Configuration" subsection, we learn the basic information about the processor and manage some processor technologies, for example, virtualization technology. However, we still do not see the parameters related to processor power-saving Intel technologies, since they are placed on a separate page "CPU Power Management Configuration". Actually, initially only the first three parameters are visible on the screen, since the "CPU C States" option is set to "Auto", and all subsequent parameters are hidden. We specifically changed the value of the "CPU C States" option to "Enabled" to demonstrate a large number of previously hidden parameters that can be changed. They have a very significant effect on the power consumption of the system at rest, so it is better to set their values ​​manually, rather than leave it to the discretion of the board.

The "Monitor" section reports the current values ​​of temperatures, voltages and fan speed. For all fans, preset speed control modes can be selected from standard set: "Standard", "Silent" or "Turbo", leave the full rotation speed, or select the appropriate parameters in manual mode.

A characteristic drawback of many modern motherboards was the lost ability to regulate the rotational speed of three-pin processor fans, but now this function has finally returned to motherboards from ASUSTeK.

Next is the "Boot" section, where we select the parameters that will be applied at system startup. Here, by the way, and you need to change the starting mode "EZ Mode" to "Advanced Mode". At the same time, during setup, you can disable the "Fast Boot" parameter so as not to encounter problems when entering the BIOS due to the fact that the board starts up very quickly and you simply do not have time to press a key in time. The next section "Tools" contains a couple of extremely important and regularly used subsections and one almost useless one. The built-in utility for updating the firmware "Asus EZ Flash 2" is one of the most convenient and functional programs of this kind. One of the advantages is support for reading from partitions formatted in NTFS. So far only motherboards from ASUSTeK and Intel have this feature. Unfortunately, the ability to keep the current firmware version before upgrading has been eliminated altogether. The Asus Overclocking Profile subsection allows you to save and quickly load eight complete BIOS settings profiles. Each profile can be given a short name to remind you of its content. Profiles can be exchanged by storing them on external media. The downside is that the error has not yet been fixed, due to which the disabling of the start image display is not remembered in the profiles.

In addition, in the "Tools" section there is a subsection "Asus SPD Information", where you can get acquainted with the information hardwired into the SPD of memory modules, including the XMP (Extreme Memory Profile). However, the place for this subsection was chosen unsuccessfully, because memory latencies change in a completely different subsection, it is very far from here and it is inconvenient to use the information provided.

In the center of the right part of the screen, above the constantly reminiscent list of "hot keys", two buttons are visible - "Quick Note" and "Last Modified".

The first one allows you to write down and keep yourself some important reminder, and the second displays a list of the last changes made, it is saved even when the system is rebooted or turned off. You can always look at and remember what changes in the BIOS settings were made the last time, and now you do not even need to enter the BIOS for this, since the "Save to USB" button allows you to save the list of changes to an external medium.

Extremely convenient was the "Last Modified" pop-up window "BIOS Setting Change", which automatically shows a list of changes every time the settings are saved. Looking at the list, you can easily check the correctness of the specified values ​​before applying the changes, make sure that there are no erroneous or forgotten options. In addition, using this window, it is easy to find out the differences between the current settings and the values ​​recorded in the BIOS profiles. Having loaded the profile, you will instantly see absolutely all its differences from the previously set parameters in the appeared “BIOS Setting Change” window.

Summing up, we can say that the capabilities of the Asus EFI BIOS were very good before, and therefore there was no need for deep processing, only a certain correction was required to eliminate the shortcomings. It was carried out and in the new BIOS modification you can find many changes for the better. Some are not too dramatic, such as a slight increase in functionality to that almost completely useless "EZ Mode". Others are more important, including the new "My Favorites" section, the ability to leave notes and edit the list of the most frequently used BIOS sections, which can be displayed at any time by pressing the "F3" key. The “Last Modified” list is useful, and the “BIOS Setting Change” popup with a list of the current changes that will be applied is extremely useful. The returned ability to regulate three-pin processor fans is encouraging, although in this case, instead of the proverb “Better late than never”, it would be more correct to use another one - “Good dinner spoon”.

At the same time, the error has not yet been fixed, according to which the disabling of the start image display is not remembered in the profiles. The parameters of the "CPU Power Management Configuration" page, which play a very important role in the energy saving of the system, have not yet been included in the "Ai Tweaker" section, they are too inconvenient to get to. The widespread use of the "My Favorites" section is hindered by serious restrictions on adding parameters and the impossibility of selecting it as a starting one, like any other section, by the way. The parameter "EPU Power Saving Mode", which includes proprietary energy-saving technologies, has lost its flexibility in setting. Previously, it was possible to independently choose the most suitable level of savings, but now it can only be turned on or off.

Test system configuration

All experiments were carried out on a test system that includes the following set of components:

Motherboard - Asus Gryphon Z87 rev. 1.03 (LGA1150, Intel Z87, BIOS version 1603);
Processor - Intel Core i5-4670K (3.6-3.8 GHz, 4 cores, Haswell, 22 nm, 84 W, LGA1150);
Memory - 4 x 8 GB DDR3 SDRAM G.SKILL TridentX F3-2133C9Q-32GTX, (2133 MHz, 9-11-11-31-2N, supply voltage 1.6 V);
Video card - Gigabyte GV-R797OC-3GD ( AMD Radeon HD 7970, Tahiti, 28 nm, 1000/5500 MHz, 384-bit GDDR5 3072 MB);
Disk subsystem -Crucial m4 SSD (CT256M4SSD2, 256 GB, SATA 6 Gb / s);
Cooling system - Scythe Mugen 3 Revision B (SCMG-3100);
Thermal paste - ARCTIC MX-2;
Power supply - Enhance EPS-1280GA, 800W;
Case - an open test bench based on the Antec Skeleton case.

The operating system was Microsoft Windows 8.1 Enterprise 64 bit (Microsoft Windows, Version 6.3, Build 9600), a set of drivers for the Intel Chipset Device Software 9.4.0.1027, the video card driver was AMD Catalyst 13.9.

Nuances of work in nominal mode

Initially, we had certain concerns about assembling a test system based on the Asus Gryphon Z87 microATX board. The Scythe Mugen 3 cooling system we use is not gigantic, but still quite large, it is a tower cooler for a 120 mm fan. I didn't want to change it in order to preserve the possibility of comparison with the previously tested full-size ATX boards. Fortunately, the assembly did not cause any problems, the system successfully turned on and started working. With the help of the built-in utility, the BIOS firmware was updated to the latest version at the time of checking the version, but then we had to face a series of errors and shortcomings, which is traditional for ASUSTeK motherboards.

At startup, ASUSTeK boards show a boot image, which prompts you to enter the BIOS by pressing the "Del" or "F2" keys. However, these are standard features that do not require reminders, and the rest of the keys, individual for different manufacturers, are traditionally forgotten. For example, Asus boards use the F8 key to bring up a menu that allows you to select a startup device for an extraordinary boot. There is information about this in the manual, but the hint would be most appropriate and very useful when starting the board, but for some reason it is still not there.

The display of the boot image can be permanently disabled using the appropriate setting in the BIOS or temporarily, only for the current start using the Tab key, but we will not wait for the prompts to appear, but we will see another characteristic drawback. As the startup procedure progresses, the board will display a lot of useful information about the model name, BIOS version, processor name, memory size and frequency, number and type of USB devices, as well as a list of connected drives. However, it is impossible to find out the real frequency of the processor, the board reports only the nominal one. In fact, its frequency will be higher not only during overclocking, but even during normal operation, since under load it will be increased by Intel Turbo Boost technology. This drawback is all the more annoying, since we know that motherboards from ASUSTeK, which belong to the "ROG" series, are able to correctly determine not only the nominal, but also the real frequency of the processor.

We know the advantages of ASUSTeK motherboards, there are a lot of them, they belong to a wide variety of areas, most of them are serious and significant. The disadvantages are also familiar, some can be corrected, the rest you just have to accept and try not to notice. Among the shortcomings, there are no critical ones, which, in principle, would not allow using the boards for their intended purpose, but the number of disadvantages is also very large, and this significantly poisons the pleasure of working with the boards. To make it clearer, let's try to list the actions that need to be performed to ensure effective work boards in nominal mode.

After entering the BIOS, we load the default settings, set the correct time and date, and determine the order of starting the drives. You may need to customize the operation of expansion card slots, enable specific technologies, or otherwise change parameters. These are the standard procedures with which to start using any board, so we will not take them into account, but when we enter the BIOS of ASUSTeK boards we find ourselves in "EZ Mode", so first we need to switch to "Advanced Mode" - this is times, and at the same time immediately making it the starting one in the "Boot" section - that's two. In the same place, you should disable the "Fast Boot" parameter so as not to encounter problems with subsequent entries into the BIOS - these are three.

It's great that the boards automatically adjust the fan speed depending on the temperature. However, in the BIOS snapshots, you could see that the number of revolutions of the processor fan is highlighted in red. This means that the board itself reduced the rotation speed, but immediately got scared that it became too low, and therefore, every time the system is started, the start will be paused. A warning message about too low RPM will appear on the screen and the system will wait for your decision. Previously, you had to simply ignore this parameter, but now you can reduce the minimum allowable fan speed in the "Monitor" section - that's four.

There is no need to adjust anything in the Ai Tweaker section, but in its DIGI + Power Control subsection you need to enable the optimal mode for the CPU Power Phase Control and DRAM Power Phase Control parameters - this was the fifth stage. Under high processor load, ASUSTeK motherboards now disable Intel Turbo Boost technology and reset the processor frequency to the nominal. If the load is typical and not too heavy, then the drops are short-term, then we will see that they do not affect the system performance at all. However, under high load, the frequency will remain underestimated all the time and the drop in speed will be significant, and in order to fix this, in the "CPU Power Management" subsection, you must manually increase the allowable consumption limits. At the same time, you need to read the contextual tips on the rest of the parameters of the subsection, they relate to the power converter integrated into Haswell processors and some of them also allow you to reduce power consumption at rest. This was the sixth point.

In the BIOS of ASUSTeK motherboards, it takes so long to get to the parameters that play a very important role that control Intel's energy-saving technologies that it seems as if they are hidden for some reason on purpose. To find them, you need to go to the "Advanced" section, then go to the "CPU Configuration" subsection, and then go to a separate page "CPU Power Management Configuration". Initially, only the first three parameters are visible on the screen, since the "CPU C States" option is set to "Auto", and all subsequent options are hidden. If you change the value of this parameter to "Enabled", then you can find a considerable number of previously hidden options. Now most of them are already working, but in order to work properly energy saving technologies it remains to enable the "Package C State Support" parameter. Seven. At the end of this whole epic, in the APM subsection of the Advanced section, you need to enable the ErP Ready option to save energy when off.

In total, we need to go through eight main stages, many of which include several separate actions at once, and all this is only in order to ensure a normal, optimal and economical mode of operation of the system. To be honest, I would very much like the board to set all the necessary parameter values ​​automatically when the “Load Optimized Defaults” option is selected, without requiring a long, boring and tedious manual adjustment.

CPU overclocking features

First, let's see what automatic ways the Asus Gryphon Z87 motherboard offers us to improve performance. As with other boards from ASUSTeK, it is easy to use the Asus MultiCore Enhancement function, which at any load level will allow increasing the processor multiplication factor to the maximum value provided by Intel Turbo Boost technology only for a single-threaded load. Initially, the parameter is set to Auto, but it does not function, and to enable it, the Ai Overclock Tuner must be set to Manual or X.M.P.. To achieve more significant results, it is suggested to use the "OC Tuner" parameter. When "Ratio Only" is selected, overclocking is carried out by increasing the processor multiplier, and when "BCLK First" is selected, the base frequency is increased in addition to changing the multiplier. However, any automatic overclocking methods are not ideal on any motherboard, so we usually do not recommend using them. With a painstaking selection of the most optimal values ​​of the parameters affecting overclocking, we always get a much better result. Either the final values ​​will be higher, or comparable, but with lower power consumption and heat dissipation.

The most rational thing is to overclock the processor without increasing the voltage on it, but on an Asus board you cannot simply increase the processor multiplier and not change anything else. In this case, the voltage on processor cores will be automatically increased by the board, and the voltage converter integrated into the processor will immediately detect the increase and independently begin to raise the voltage even more under load. All this, most likely, will lead to overheating and certainly to a waste of energy and we will not be able to achieve any energy-efficient overclocking. To avoid the board automatically raising the voltage when the processor is overclocked, it is necessary to set the "CPU Core Voltage" parameter to manual mode, but do not touch anything else. In this case, the voltage is not increased by the board, and therefore is not overestimated by the converter integrated into the Haswell processors. Just in case, you can also disable the technology to counter voltage drop on the processor under load "CPU Load-Line Calibration" and the "Internal PLL Overvoltage" parameter. They may be needed only at very high overclocking, and at normal overclocking they are not needed.

Only overclocking without increasing voltage can be energy efficient. It will significantly increase productivity, speed up calculations, and at the same time, the total energy consumption, despite the increase in power consumption per unit of time, will even decrease, since due to the acceleration of calculations, the amount of electrical energy required to carry out the same amount of calculations will decrease. Only such acceleration will have a minimal effect on environmental pollution, will not have negative impact on ecology, which was convincingly proved long ago in the article “ Power consumption of overclocked processors". However, during the tests of motherboards we have a different task. It is necessary to ensure the maximum possible and the most varied load, check the boards when operating in various modes, which is why we do not use the optimal overclocking method, but the one that allows us to achieve the best results. For motherboard tests, the higher the frequency and voltage, the better, because the greater the load on the board. Only when working in extreme, close to the limit conditions, it is possible to identify problems more easily and quickly, to detect errors and deficiencies.

Previously, we always increased the voltage in the "Offset" mode, plus a similar adaptive or interpolation mode became available for LGA1150 processors, but for Haswell processors, both options turned out to be unacceptable. As you already know, when you add any, even the smallest value to the nominal voltage, the stabilizer integrated into these processors immediately notices the changes and when a load appears, the voltage starts to increase even more. All this naturally leads to an increase in heat generation, temperature, and as a result, this method of overclocking turns out to be inapplicable due to overheating. To avoid this negative effect, Haswell processors have to be overclocked at a constant, constant and fixed voltage. It is for this reason that during testing of motherboards we overclock the processor to 4.5 GHz while fixing the voltage on the cores at the level of 1.150 V while simultaneously using the parameters recorded in the "X.M.P." profile for memory modules.

Of course, during overclocking with fixing the voltage on the processor cores, energy-saving technologies partially stop working, the processor multiplier decreases at rest, but the voltage does not drop anymore and remains unnecessarily high. We have to reassure ourselves that this is not for long, only out of necessity and only for the duration of the tests, and, in addition, it usually has almost no effect on the power consumption of the system at rest.

By the way, earlier we published an article “ LGA1150 Haswell Processors - Normal Operation and Overclocking Methods". This material is intended to explain to new users of the LGA1150 platform the basic principles of selecting the optimal parameters for operating in the nominal mode and for overclocking Haswell processors on motherboards from various manufacturers. There you will find illustrated recommendations on how to enable Intel energy-saving technologies and increase the allowable limits for processor consumption, how to overclock them with increasing core voltage anyway.

Performance comparison

We traditionally compare motherboards in terms of speed in two modes: when the system is operating under nominal conditions, and also when overclocking the processor and memory. The first option is interesting from the point of view, which allows you to find out how well the motherboards work with the default parameters. It is known that a significant part of users are not engaged in fine-tuning the system, they only set the default values ​​of parameters in the BIOS, which are not optimal, but do not change anything else. So we checked, usually almost without interfering with the default settings set by the boards. Unfortunately, for the majority of LGA1150 motherboards this test option turned out to be overwhelming, since many models required some correction of values. As a result, we were forced to publish a long list of changes we made to the settings of certain models, and the very meaning of testing in this mode was lost. Instead of seeing what the motherboards perform with the default settings, we showed almost the same results of our correction.

In a new series of reviews of LGA1150 motherboards, we decided to return the information content to the tests with standard settings... We do not change anything else and we do not correct anything. What parameter values ​​the board sets with the default settings, with which it is tested, even if they differ significantly from the nominal. At the same time, you need to understand that it is very bad when some model is slower than all the others, but it is equally worthless if the board is faster than all competitors. In this case, this does not mean that it is better than others, but only means that the board does not comply with the normal operating mode. Only average, close to the majority results are acceptable and desirable, since it is well known that related models, when operated under equal conditions, demonstrate almost the same level of speed. In this regard, we even thought about abandoning the designation of the best results in the diagrams, but then we left the traditional sorting in descending order of performance, and the indicators of the Asus Gryphon Z87 are highlighted in color for clarity.

In the Cinebench 15 photorealistic 3D rendering speed test, we run the CPU tests five times and average the results.

The Fritz Chess Benchmark utility has been used in tests for a very long time and has proven itself to be excellent. It produces well-repeatable results, performance scales well depending on the number of computational threads used.

The x264 FHD Benchmark v1.0.1 (64bit) test allows you to evaluate the system performance in terms of video encoding speed in comparison with the results available in the database. The original version of the program with the encoder version r2106 allows using AVX processor instructions for encoding, but we replaced the executable libraries with version r2334 in order to be able to use the new AVX2 instructions that appeared in Haswell processors. The average results of five passes are shown in the diagram.

We measure performance in Adobe Photoshop CC using our own test, which is a creatively reworked Retouch Artists Photoshop Speed ​​Test that includes typical processing of four 24-megapixel images captured by a digital camera.

The cryptographic performance of the processors is measured by the built-in benchmark of the popular TrueCrypt utility, which uses AES-Twofish-Serpent triple encryption with a 500 MB buffer. It should be noted that this program not only is able to efficiently load any number of cores with work, but also supports a specialized set of AES instructions.

Computer game Metro: Last Light is very beautiful, but it depends heavily on the performance of the video card. We had to use the Medium Quality setting to maintain playability at 1920x1080. The diagram shows the results of passing the built-in test five times.

F1 2013 races are much less demanding on the computer's graphics subsystem. At 1920x1080, we set all the settings to their maximum, choosing the "Ultra High Quality" mode, and additionally enabled all available image enhancement features. The in-game test is run five times and the results are averaged.

In most tests, the Asus Maximus VI Hero motherboard is noticeably ahead of its rivals - this clearly indicates that the motherboard does not comply with the nominal operating mode of the system. From a review of this model we know that it arbitrarily overclocks the processor frequency by 200 MHz during multi-threaded loads. It is extremely important to note that when you enable the parameters that change the standard operating rules of Intel Turbo Boost technology in the BIOS of other models, you can get exactly the same results, and the capabilities of the K OC option on Gigabyte motherboards allow you to achieve even higher performance in individual tests ... It is very easy to start the same operating mode on other motherboards, if necessary, but disabling it on the ROG series models ran into serious difficulties, and therefore this motherboard behavior should be regarded as a particularly unpleasant drawback. As for the Asus Gryphon Z87, it is obvious that short-term drops in the processor frequency to the nominal did not affect its performance at all. Under typical loads, the board demonstrates normal speed, which is not much different from other related models that provide the nominal operating mode of the system.

Now let's see what results the systems will demonstrate when the processor and memory frequencies are increased. All motherboards achieved the same performance - the processor was overclocked to 4.5 GHz while fixing the voltage on the cores at 1.150 V, and the memory frequency was raised to 2133 MHz with 9-11-11-31-2N timings according to the “XMP ".

When overclocking the processor and raising the memory frequency, the performance of the motherboards turned out to be almost the same, which was to be expected. It is a pity that we did not see a similar situation when comparing motherboards with standard settings. Depending on the test application, the boards are periodically swapped, but the difference in speed is small. In this case, the performance of the Asus Gryphon Z87 does not differ from the others, since during overclocking we manually raised the permissible limits for the processor's consumption and its multiplier does not drop under load.

Energy consumption measurements

Energy consumption of systems during operation in nominal mode and during overclocking is measured using the Extech Power Analyzer 380803. The device is switched on in front of the computer's power supply, that is, it measures the consumption of the entire system "from the outlet", excluding the monitor, but including losses in the power supply itself. When measuring consumption at rest, the system is idle, we are waiting for the complete cessation of post-start activity and the absence of calls to the drive. The results in the diagrams are sorted as consumption increases, and the figures for the Asus Gryphon Z87 are highlighted in color for clarity. However, this could not have been done, since the board always occupies the leading positions, being at the top of the list, but, oddly enough, we will not always be pleased with this result.

Under no load, the small microATX board Asus Gryphon Z87 managed to outperform even the traditionally economical motherboard from Micro-Star, but the other two models are disappointing. Judging by the previous test results for full-size LGA1150 motherboards, the average consumption level for them is 45 W, but a pair of motherboards from ASUSTeK and Gigabyte with default settings spend much more than this value.

I must say that with all its shortcomings, Haswell processors have an undeniable advantage in the form of lower power consumption at rest compared to LGA1155 processors. Unfortunately, boards working with nominal settings do not allow us to see this, and therefore we have added one more additional diagram with the mode we named "Eco". This is the same normal operating mode that the motherboards provide with the default settings; we just manually changed the values ​​of all parameters related to Intel processor energy-saving technologies from “Auto” to “Enabled” in the BIOS.

The difference turned out to be significant, the results have improved, the consumption of most systems has significantly decreased, and the Asus microATX board is still in the lead, only now its closest competitor has changed. The Asus Maximus VI Hero has all the energy-saving technologies working properly, it lags behind quite a bit, but the consumption of the Micro-Star board has not changed at all. In fact, according to the readings of the device, the decrease in consumption was noticeable, but it turned out to be very insignificant and did not even reach 1 W. Thanks to review of this model we know what explains this strange result. The MSI Z87-GD65 GAMING board does not allow full inclusion of energy-saving technologies, which is why it is inferior to both models by ASUSTeK, but still surpasses the Gigabyte GA-Z87X-OC board, in which the reaction to the inclusion of power-saving modes turned out to be rather weak.

Just in case, we remind you that in test systems we install a discrete AMD Radeon HD 7970 video card, but if we refuse it and switch to using the graphics core integrated into the processors, then the total consumption of ordinary systems can drop even below 30 watts. The economy of Haswell processors alone is very impressive and looks tempting, but it's a pity that with the default settings, motherboards do not give us the opportunity to enjoy this advantage, manual correction of BIOS parameters is required.

In order to estimate the typical level of power consumption, we carried out measurements during system performance tests using the Fritz software. I must say that it almost does not matter which utility is used as a load. Almost any ordinary program capable of completely loading all four processor cores with work will show very close or even exactly the same results.

The only lagging board turned out to be the board from ASUSTeK, and again we understand the reasons. The Asus Maximus VI Hero board does not comply with the nominal operating mode of the processor, it overestimates its frequency, and therefore naturally loses the comparison with motherboards that provide standard settings.

To create the maximum load on the Haswell processor, we returned to the LinX utility, which is a graphical shell for the Intel Linpack benchmark, and the program modification we use uses AVX instructions for calculations. This program provides a load much higher than typical, but when using it, we do not additionally heat the processor with a stream of hot air or an open flame. If one program can load more work than usual and warm up the processor, then it is quite possible that another can. That is why we check the stability of the overclocked system, as well as create a load on the processor during energy consumption measurements using the LinX utility.

Motherboards from Gigabyte and Micro-Star demonstrate a normal level of power consumption just above 130 W, the Asus Maximus VI Hero continues to pay for abnormal processor operation and, as expected, turns out to be the most wasteful, but the efficiency of the Asus Gryphon Z87 is no longer pleasing. The difference is too great compared to other motherboards, it can no longer be explained by the compactness of the microATX model, as in the previous diagram. Unlike "ROG" series boards, regular models from ASUSTeK and "TUF" series boards drop the processor frequency under high load, and therefore are not able to provide the expected level of performance. As a result, it turns out that with the default settings, none of ASUSTeK LGA1150 boards can provide the normal operating mode of the system. And this allows itself, I would like to remind, a leading manufacturer of motherboards. It is extremely sad.

It should be added that for a total assessment of the level of energy consumed by the system, it is imperative to load the video card with work, and the final result will depend on its power. In power consumption tests, we use only the processor load, but if we measure the power consumption when the discrete AMD Radeon HD 7970 video card is running in games, then the total power consumption of a conventional system will significantly exceed 200 W, approaching 250 W when operating in nominal mode and exceeding this value during overclocking. ...

Now let's estimate the power consumption when overclocking systems and no load.

Even during overclocking, we always make the most of all processor energy-saving technologies, and therefore the arrangement remains the same as it was with the “Eco” settings when operating in the nominal mode. The power consumption of Asus and MSI boards has hardly increased, both models from ASUSTeK are ahead of the Micro-Star board due to its inability to enable the deepest power saving modes, but our previous reviews showed that many Gigabyte boards of the middle and senior class, there are obvious problems with voltage converters and with the operation of energy-saving technologies. Gigabyte GA-Z87X-OC is the first LGA1150 motherboard whose power consumption during overclocking turned out to be higher than in the nominal mode.

During overclocking and the appearance of a load, the power consumption of any overclocked system, not only Gigabyte, is already incomparably higher than in the nominal operating mode. Both an increase in frequency and an increase in voltages affect. Under high loads, the power consumption of boards from ASUSTeK and Micro-Star approaches, thanks to the small size and the absence of numerous additional controllers, the small Asus microATX board is still the leader, and the Gigabyte GA-Z87X-OC model remains the most power hungry.

Afterword

The Asus Gryphon Z87 motherboard is the first microATX model we've tested for LGA1150 processors, and in many ways it doesn't look like a regular motherboard of this size. There are not so many models of this format with three PCI Express x16 slots, it is unlikely that we will come across another one that has seven connectors for connecting fans, and all of them are adjustable. And there is certainly no other model on which an optional protective coating could be installed. Not a bad solution, by the way. Whoever needs it will buy an additional "Gryphon Armor Kit", and the rest will be able to save money. Contrary to our fears, the small motherboard did not cause any difficulties in assembling the system. Its design is well thought out, the capabilities for most users are quite sufficient, the overclocking ability and performance in typical tasks does not differ from the full-size models, and the power consumption level turned out to be the lowest and is comparable only to the most economical ATX motherboards.

Unfortunately, despite its non-standard behavior, the Asus Gryphon Z87 does not differ at all from the usual models from ASUSTeK. This is a typical Asus LGA1150 motherboard with a full set of shortcomings, from minor flaws at startup to reduced performance under high loads. There is not the slightest desire to recommend it for purchase, like any other LGA1150 motherboard from this company. We can only lament that none of the Asus motherboards we tested based on Intel Z87 logic could provide the nominal operating mode of the system with the default settings. Models of the ROG series increase the frequency of the processor, while the rest lower it under high loads - just an outrageous situation that is unforgivable even for a beginner, and in this case we are talking about a leading manufacturer of motherboards. In addition, we know many other disadvantages of ASUSTeK motherboards, but ignoring these models is not only difficult, but not always necessary. They also have a lot of advantages, and motherboards from other manufacturers also have their own characteristic problems. In particular, despite the shortcomings, you should definitely pay attention to the Asus Gryphon Z87 model. Many of the shortcomings we noticed can be eliminated, the rest will have to be reconciled, and it is a little reassuring that there are no critical ones among them that would, in principle, not allow using the board. But this model, like other motherboards of the "TUF" series, will please the owner with a five-year warranty period, which is a very weighty argument in its favor.

When buying a set of new components, a situation may arise that the processor is so new that the motherboard still "knows" it. In the past, updating the BIOS would have required an old processor or would have had to waste time going to a service center. But now with the emergence ASUS technologies The USB BIOS Flashback problem can be solved even easier.

USB BIOS Flashback is the easiest way to update BIOS on ASUS motherboards. To update, now you only need a USB-drive with a BIOS file recorded on it and a power supply. No processor, RAM or other components are needed anymore.

1. System requirements:

power unit; USB stick FAT16, FAT32 or NTFS (for Intel X79 only FAT16 and FAT32); ASUS motherboard based on Intel X79, Z77, H77, Q77, B75 chipsets (The list of ASUS motherboards that support USB BIOS Flashback technology is presented in table item 3).

2. Download and unzip the BIOS ROM file from the ASUS official website (www.asus.ru)

3. Rename the BIOS file as shown in the table and then save it to the USB drive in the root directory.

Model name	NameBIOS
P9X79 Deluxe	P9X79D.ROM
P9X79 Pro	P9X79PRO.ROM
P9X79	P9X79.ROM
Sabertooth X79	SABERX79.ROM
Rampage IV Extreme	R4E.ROM
Rampage IV Formula	R4F.ROM
Rampage IV Gene	R4G.ROM
P8Z77-V Deluxe	Z77VD.CAP
P8Z77-V Pro	Z77VP.CAP
P8Z77-V	Z77VB.CAP
P8Z77-V LE	P8Z77VLE.CAP
P8Z77-V LX	P8Z77VLX.CAP
P8Z77-V LK	P8Z77VLK.CAP
P8Z77-M Pro	P8Z77MP.CAP
P8Z77-M	P8Z77M.CAP
Sabertooth Z77	Z77ST.CAP
Maximus v gene	M5G.CAP
P8H77-V	P8H77V.CAP
P8H77-V LE	P8H77VLE.CAP
P8H77-M Pro	P8H77MP.CAP
P8H77-M	P8H77M.CAP
P8H77-M LE	P8H77MLE.CAP
P8B75-V	P8B75V.CAP
P8B75-M	P8B75.CAP
P8B75-M LE	P8B75LE.CAP
P8Q77-M	P8Q77.CAP
P8H77-I	P8H77I.CAP

4. Connect the 24-pin motherboard power connectors and the 8-pin processors.

5. Connect a USB storage device to the USB BIOS Flashback / ROG Connect connector (for Intel X79 boards this is a white USB 2.0 connector, for boards on other chipsets this is a USB 2.0 connector marked with color and the USB BIOS Flasback / ROG Connect inscription on the panel Q-Shield) and hold for 3 seconds until the indicator light starts.

6. Wait for the light indication of the USB BIOS Flashback / ROG Connect button to complete, which means that the update was successful.

1. Do not remove the USB drive, power off the motherboard, or press the CLR_CMOS reset button while updating the BIOS.

2. If the USB BIOS Flashback / ROG Connect button blinks for five seconds, the USB BIOS Flashback is not working correctly. This could be caused by improper device installation, file name error, or incompatible file format. Reboot your system and check if the file name and format are correct.

3. If you experience any boot problems after updating the BIOS, please contact your local ASUS Support Center for further assistance.

ASUS motherboards are the world's best selling and most award winning motherboards.

Hello friends! In today's article, we are with you update the BIOS of the ASUS motherboard... This is a serious matter and must be treated accordingly. The process of updating the BIOS of any motherboard, although very simple, but any mistake in it will cost you dearly - you will have to return the motherboard to life in service center, since you probably do not have a special programmer. At the beginning of the article, I will briefly remind you what BIOS is.

How to update BIOS on an ASUS motherboard

BIOS is the most important element of a computer - the firmware written on a microcircuit, which, in turn, is located on the motherboard.

BIOS - provides basic OS access to the hardware capabilities of the computer. In simple words, the BIOS explains to the operating system how to use this or that computer component.

Immediately after turning on the system unit, BIOSchecks all devices (POST procedure) and if any component is faulty, thena signal is heard through a special speaker by which a faulty device can be identified. Eif everything is fine, BIOS will start looking for the OS bootloader code on the connected drives and find it passes the baton to the operating system.

Now about the not very good. The BIOS update process itself lasts a couple of minutes, but if at this time, the electricity in your house will be cut off, and your computer is not connected to an uninterruptible power supply(UPS), then the firmware will malfunction and you simply will not turn on the computer. To restore, you will have to look for a special programmer ( BIOS recovery- the topic of a separate article).

I must say that manufacturers have foreseen the seriousness of the issue at the dawn of the production of motherboards. completely excluded the possibility of updating or flashing the BIOS, only recently, the BIOS began to be completed special program for your update. But still,BIOS update of any motherboard usually happens once in its life, and sometimes never at all.

The most important rule is if the work of a computer or laptop youquite satisfied, then nothing needs to be updated, but eif you still decideupdate BIOS, then there must be good reasons. Here is some of them.

Your BIOS does not have any new features. For example, no technology AHCI, but there is only an outdated IDE, but you bought a new interface hard drive SATA III (6 Gb / s) or solid-state in general SSD drive... Technology AHCI will allow your drive to use modern capabilities and the operating system on the new hard drive will run faster than in the IDE. Having visited the website of the manufacturer of your motherboard, you saw that a new update was released on BIOS, you also found out that after the update, your motherboard will supportAHCI! In this case, you can update the BIOS without hesitation.

One of my friends lost sound on the computer, reinstalling Windows and drivers did not help, he decided that the built-in sound card had burned out and bought a discrete one, so the system worked for 7 years, then the processor had to be replaced on this computer, this required updating the BIOS, after updating the built-in the sound card is working.

One more case. The client's computer was constantly rebooting and reinstalling the operating system did not help, they replaced everything in the system unit, they did not change only the motherboard and processor. Finally, we decided to install a new firmware on the BIOS and it helped!

In the "System Information" window that opens, we see the BIOS version - 2003

Now go to the official website of the manufacturer of our motherboard ASUSP8Z77-V PRO and choose "Drivers and utilities"

We select any operating system and open the "BIOS" item. We see that there is an update 2104 (a newer version than ours).

Click on the "Global" button and download the firmware.

Fresh firmware for BIOS (P8Z77-V-PRO-ASUS-2104.CAP) downloaded in the archive. We extract it from the archive and copy it to USB-f Leshka. The firmware weighs 12 MB.

The USB flash drive must be formatted in the FAT32 file system and, apart from updating to the BIOS, must contain nothing.

Reboot and enter BIOS.

In the initial BIOS window, we see the old firmware version 2003.

We press "Additionally" and we go to additional settings BIOS.

(Click on the screenshot with the left mouse to enlarge)

We enter the "Service" tab

Select the BIOS firmware utility - ASUS EZ Flash 2 or you may have ASUS EZ Flash 3.

In the ASUS EZ Flash 2 window we see our USB flash drive with firmware P8Z77-V-PRO-ASUS-2104.CAP.

We click on the file with the firmware with the left mouse button.

Click "OK"

Update BIOS?