ASRock Z170 OC Formula (Intel Z170) Motherboard Review
Steven's Motherboard Test System Specifications
- Motherboard: ASRock Z170 OC Formula
- CPU: Intel Core i7 6700K - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
- Cooler: Corsair H110i GT - Buy from Amazon
- Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB) 2666MHz - Buy from Amazon
- Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
- Storage - Boot Drive: Samsung 850 Pro 512GB - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
- Storage - SATA6G Drive: Corsair Force LS 240GB - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
- Storage - M.2 Drive: Kingston HyperX Predator 240GB PCIe x4 - Buy from Amazon
- Storage - USB Drive: Corsair Voyager GS 64GB - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
- Case: Corsair Obsidian 900D - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
- Power Supply: Corsair AX1200i - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
- OS: Microsoft Windows 8.1 Enterprise - Buy from Amazon
- BIOS: P1.3
- Drivers: Intel INF: 10.1.1.19, Intel ME: 11.1.1.1158, Intel USB 3.0 Adaptation Driver: 10.0.0.42, NVIDIA Graphics: 353.82, Realtek 6.0.1.7543, ASMedia USB 3.1: 1.13.26.1, Intel LAN: 20.2.3001
This is the new test bench, and it is designed to test every aspect of the motherboard and IO. I have designed it so that the motherboard sits in a case and is cooled by fans always on at a constant rate to keep the conditions similar for all tests. I have cut out part of the case behind the motherboard so I can get thermal images of the back of the PCB where the VRM heat spreads. System and CPU power measurements are now digitally logged.
I am also using a Netgear Nighthawk X4 AC2350 for our network (including wireless AC) tests. The latest M.2, SSD, and USB technologies are also being utilized to test the maximum potential of the motherboards that are being tested.
The motherboard's gold accents actually come through quite nice when the motherboard is installed in a case.
The motherboard's LEDs can all be shut off through the UEFI. There is an OC Formula logo between the second and third PCI-E 16x slots; it lights up showing off the eight layers of the PCB.
PRICING: You can find the ASRock Z170 OC Formula for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing, but can change at any time. Click the link below to see real-time pricing for the best deal:
United States: Find other tech and computer products like this over at Amazon's website.
United Kingdom: The ASRock Z170 OC Formula retails for £223 at Amazon UK.
Australia: Find other tech and computer products like this over at PLE Computer's website.
Canada: Find other tech and computer products like this over at Amazon Canada's website.
- Page 1 [Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing]
- Page 2 [Packaging and the Z170 OC Formula]
- Page 3 [ASRock Z170 OC Formula Circuit Analysis]
- Page 4 [ASRock Z170 OC Formula Circuit Analysis Continued]
- Page 5 [BIOS and Software]
- Page 6 [Test System Setup]
- Page 7 [Overclocking]
- Page 8 [CPU, Memory, and System Benchmarks]
- Page 9 [System IO Benchmarks]
- Page 10 [Thermal Imaging and Power Consumption]
- Page 11 [What's Hot, What's Not & Final Thoughts]
Recommended for You
- We at TweakTown openly invite the companies who provide us with review samples / who are mentioned or discussed to express their opinion of our content. If any company representative wishes to respond, we will publish the response here.
Related Tags
Latest News Posts
- PowerColor teases Radeon RX Vega Nano prototype
- AMD teases Ryzen 7 2800X, could be a 10C/20T beast at 4GHz+
- Xbox One could soon have 120Hz high refresh rate option
- Valve picks up Campo Santo, Firewatch developer
- Gearbox CEO addresses current Borderlands 3 rights rumors
Forum Activity
- FS 40 Pieces Samsung Galaxy S9+ (www.BizFests.com) 128GB $8,520
- Legacy Mode
- Possible Router Issues
- ADATA Premier Memory Cards
- Can't complete BIOS recovery
Press Releases
- Micron Launches Industry's First Enterprise SATA Solid State Drives Built on Leading 64-layer 3D NAND Technology
- Micron, Rambus, Northwest Logic and Avery Design to Deliver a Comprehensive GDDR6 Solution for Next-Generation Applications
- Toshiba Memory America Unveils UFS Devices Utilizing 64-Layer, 3D Flash Memory
- ASUS Announces GeForce GTX 1070 Ti Series Gaming Graphics Cards
- ASUS Announces ASUS Hangouts Meet Hardware Kit