Solid board with good looks. The last paragraph is on point and more than one person will most certainly pair this with a GALAX HOF card, some Dominator Platinums, and white LEDs throughout for a very clean, high-performance rig. Glad to see more options on the market, especially considering the recent trend of every manufacturer pumping out black/red boards.
Never fear, the plastic doesn't actually cover anything hot. It serves basically no purpose past dust protection and looking pretty, but it shouldn't cause any overheating.
Don't get me wrong, I love ASUS (I have a P8Z68-v PRO in my gaming desktop), but the "thermal armor" thing is totally pointless. It wouldn't stop me from buying a board, but it's entirely for looks.
I think the idea might be that the CPU cooler and GPU cooler's heat that gets into the case doesn't get to the motherboard? Or maybe it's just nonsensical bullshit, *shrug*
Actually, it still seems like a bad design especially if it's for dust protection. They put an UNFILTERED intake fan on the rear of the computer (right next to the exhaust fans, mind you) and pipe it underneath the plastic cover. If anything, you're going to inject dust up underneath the cover that's supposed to prevent dust.
The intake fan on the rear of the computer is actually filtered. There's a small removable filter included. As for dust getting stuck under the plastic cover, the BIOS includes fan controls to automatically reverse the flow of the board's fans periodically, preventing buildup. This combined with the bottom and front of the case having removable filters should provide for a great dust protection system.
Actually, I always thought that the cover was a good idea because the small air space between it and the motherboard would insure that all airflow being pulled through is in contact with the components which would cool better. Perhaps I'm thinking about it wrong though.
I've got a previous gen z87 sabertooth and can say that the plastic shroud is a royal pain when it comes time to swap fans or gpu. The shrouds make getting your fingers in or around components very difficult.
Not read this yet. I just wanted to comment to tell you my pushbullet channel worked. The anandtech RSS feed and pushes me any articles with the word "review" in the title.
I read everything on this site usually, but I like the reviews best of all!
I love the look of this and want it in my life, BUT, I hate fans on motherboards, they are always cheep and die young, or they are good, and scream. So i will not be buying this otherwise Awesome board.
To be honest black or white the color won't make much difference because it's made of plastic. If they are metal on the other hand it may be detectable, albeit not much, given thermal gradient of motherboard components aren't that high anyway.
Fans blowing air over the surface of components cools by convection and isn't impacted by color. You're going to get far more heat transfer in a traditional PC from convection than you are from radiation.
Yeah, I'd be really interested in how it looks with just the white board, especially since it seems the thermal armor is removable. I think that'd look extra cool in a white case.
Have the Z77 Sabertooth. Board fans still working fine and don't notice any extra noise from them. Albeit, I don't notice any benefit from them either, heat-wise - I'm sure they've stopped their fair share of dust.
I didn't mind paying the extra for appearance though, I liked that it hid the rest of the board. I found the build the same as others, armour didn't impede anything. Once I upgrade though, shall definitely be removing the armour to customise its look - too scared to do it at the moment as my mainstay PC.
I'm pretty dubious about the thermal armor, and its efficacy. I have the Sabertooth 55i and Sabertooth 990FX motherboards and have been quite happy with them. They work quite well in a wide temperature range without that plastic wrap.
I'm more than dubious about a modern motherboard that has two different on motherboard fans. I don't ever plan on owning another system that needs an active cooling solution for the stuff built into the motherboard (other than SoC systems.)
I'm hoping they'll do something like the mark 2 with the S coloring, because a white PCB looks super cool and they're promising it'll actually stay white. IIRC the 2 only misses out on an ethernet port and a significant fraction of the cost.
The back might be worth something. It it will serve as a function similar to those GPU backplates, preventing warping from heavy CPU coolers and perhaps triple slot GPUs as well. Gimmicky, but potentially useful in that regard.
As far as the front side, it's mostly pointless and maybe harmful (ex: the components may be cooler with the cover off). Dust I suppose, but if you have a DataVac, then this is pointless too. The only protection it might offer is if your screwdriver slips. It also will make removing GPUs a bit of a pain.
The rest of the board I think is underwhelming for the price. At $300, I expect very high end VRMs and a PLX chip.
I too would like to see a review on such a board. I'll take any review to have the best research before I make my decision on a purchase. AT used to write articles on o/c'ing and the best in value for the $$. AT is why I got into computers. It's still one of my top visited sites.
Had a x58 sabertooth (still regretting selling that), I never did care for the plastic covers that came out after the x58 and it would go against me purchasing another sabertooth if it had it.
......... Right. Another motherboard at three times the price for a bit of plastic cover - recommended by Anandtech. Couldn't we have a separate site for reviewing these things, such as www.targeted_for_teenagers_with_rich_parents_or_those_that_never_grew-up.bs ? Playing computer games is one - having such a MB is another......
No matter how hard mobo makers their flashy boards, the painfully obvious elephant in the room remains that most people are better off buying budget boards and use the money saved for anything else.
I like the overall white/snow camo theme. It reminds me of scenes on the planet Hoth in Star Wars...or scenes from the battles in the snow in the move Red Dawn (the original from 1984...not that crappy remake from 2012). In any event, I really don't think I'd like to own a white rig because there is no way you can tell when it needs dusting.
Spending ~ $300 on a motherboard alone seems pretty ridiculous to me and that doesn't even speak for the highly gimmicky plastic that covers everything.
I asked Asus quite a long time ago if there would be an X99 version - they said "no." So Asus blew it on this one, I went with another board by another manufacturer entirely. Shame, I had a white case all picked out and everything.
I'm not sure about all that hate for this board. Ask any manufacturer if they will doa white PCB mobo. Go ahead. They will say 'NO'. White PCB based products are much more expensive to manufacture so they don't do it. Now if the gamer asked for it instead of black then they would swap. But then, black would be Limited Edition and cost an arm and a leg:-)
The armor part is nicer than you think. I don't feel like I'm about to bend my PCI slots running a couple of heavy video cards and a cooling loop with 1/2 ID 3/4 OD lines. This mobo feels like it could handle 20 lbs of gear. If $150 is too much money, you need a better job:-) Gaming is not for the faint of heart.
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WithoutWeakness - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
Solid board with good looks. The last paragraph is on point and more than one person will most certainly pair this with a GALAX HOF card, some Dominator Platinums, and white LEDs throughout for a very clean, high-performance rig. Glad to see more options on the market, especially considering the recent trend of every manufacturer pumping out black/red boards.MrRez - Wednesday, November 26, 2014 - link
Here is my build using this board as the centre piece :)http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/257519-my-firs...
lilmoe - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
If a screw falls in there, you're "screwed".Yuriman - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
Plastic covers over hot components, requiring the use of small fans seems like a bad idea.Flunk - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
Never fear, the plastic doesn't actually cover anything hot. It serves basically no purpose past dust protection and looking pretty, but it shouldn't cause any overheating.Don't get me wrong, I love ASUS (I have a P8Z68-v PRO in my gaming desktop), but the "thermal armor" thing is totally pointless. It wouldn't stop me from buying a board, but it's entirely for looks.
Samus - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
it does look good, for those that care. me, well, I put a cover on my case and might look in there 2 years later...Wwhat - Thursday, November 27, 2014 - link
I think the idea might be that the CPU cooler and GPU cooler's heat that gets into the case doesn't get to the motherboard? Or maybe it's just nonsensical bullshit, *shrug*pocketdrummer - Friday, April 17, 2015 - link
Actually, it still seems like a bad design especially if it's for dust protection. They put an UNFILTERED intake fan on the rear of the computer (right next to the exhaust fans, mind you) and pipe it underneath the plastic cover. If anything, you're going to inject dust up underneath the cover that's supposed to prevent dust.This makes no sense.
Basically it looks cool. That's about it.
Tamarocker88 - Monday, July 13, 2015 - link
The intake fan on the rear of the computer is actually filtered. There's a small removable filter included. As for dust getting stuck under the plastic cover, the BIOS includes fan controls to automatically reverse the flow of the board's fans periodically, preventing buildup. This combined with the bottom and front of the case having removable filters should provide for a great dust protection system.ZeDestructor - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
I have the older Sabretooth Z77 right now. I installed, then removed the fans, and there was no meaningful change in temperatures.ZeDestructor - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
I also live in the Australian summer, with no aircon, so 40°C ambient is just fine as well.HanzNFranzen - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
Actually, I always thought that the cover was a good idea because the small air space between it and the motherboard would insure that all airflow being pulled through is in contact with the components which would cool better. Perhaps I'm thinking about it wrong though.monkeydelmagico - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
I've got a previous gen z87 sabertooth and can say that the plastic shroud is a royal pain when it comes time to swap fans or gpu. The shrouds make getting your fingers in or around components very difficult.Otherwise it's a great mobo.
LtPage1 - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
Looks like cheap, childish plastic to me.To each his own, I suppose.
Egbert Souse - Tuesday, November 11, 2014 - link
I agree...looks like it should include little plastic soldiers.twizzlebizzle22 - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
Not read this yet. I just wanted to comment to tell you my pushbullet channel worked. The anandtech RSS feed and pushes me any articles with the word "review" in the title.I read everything on this site usually, but I like the reviews best of all!
ezorb - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
I love the look of this and want it in my life, BUT, I hate fans on motherboards, they are always cheep and die young, or they are good, and scream. So i will not be buying this otherwise Awesome board.Jon Tseng - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
Hmmm... But weren't we taught in Physics class that white is a poor colour for radiating heat???Back to black!
AnnihilatorX - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
To be honest black or white the color won't make much difference because it's made of plastic. If they are metal on the other hand it may be detectable, albeit not much, given thermal gradient of motherboard components aren't that high anyway.WithoutWeakness - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
Fans blowing air over the surface of components cools by convection and isn't impacted by color. You're going to get far more heat transfer in a traditional PC from convection than you are from radiation.Pontius Dilate - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
I really would have liked to see pictures of the board with the armor removed. The white PCB sounds like it could be interesting by itself.xthetenth - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
Yeah, I'd be really interested in how it looks with just the white board, especially since it seems the thermal armor is removable. I think that'd look extra cool in a white case.futurepastnow - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
Cheap, stupid looking plastic and cheap, stupid looking fans, neither of which serve any purpose. Looks like a winner.JaredNihilist - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
Have the Z77 Sabertooth. Board fans still working fine and don't notice any extra noise from them. Albeit, I don't notice any benefit from them either, heat-wise - I'm sure they've stopped their fair share of dust.I didn't mind paying the extra for appearance though, I liked that it hid the rest of the board. I found the build the same as others, armour didn't impede anything. Once I upgrade though, shall definitely be removing the armour to customise its look - too scared to do it at the moment as my mainstay PC.
mexell - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
What a colossal waste of money. However, to each his (or her) own, I suppose.nekoken - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
I'm pretty dubious about the thermal armor, and its efficacy. I have the Sabertooth 55i and Sabertooth 990FX motherboards and have been quite happy with them. They work quite well in a wide temperature range without that plastic wrap.I'm more than dubious about a modern motherboard that has two different on motherboard fans. I don't ever plan on owning another system that needs an active cooling solution for the stuff built into the motherboard (other than SoC systems.)
xthetenth - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
Is there any word on whether they'll release one without the thermal armor?Miqunator - Tuesday, November 11, 2014 - link
There is the Z97 mark 2 board that doesn't have the armor, haven't bothered to compare the other features so not sure if you lose something else too.xthetenth - Tuesday, November 11, 2014 - link
I'm hoping they'll do something like the mark 2 with the S coloring, because a white PCB looks super cool and they're promising it'll actually stay white. IIRC the 2 only misses out on an ethernet port and a significant fraction of the cost.CrazyElf - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
The back might be worth something. It it will serve as a function similar to those GPU backplates, preventing warping from heavy CPU coolers and perhaps triple slot GPUs as well. Gimmicky, but potentially useful in that regard.As far as the front side, it's mostly pointless and maybe harmful (ex: the components may be cooler with the cover off). Dust I suppose, but if you have a DataVac, then this is pointless too. The only protection it might offer is if your screwdriver slips. It also will make removing GPUs a bit of a pain.
The rest of the board I think is underwhelming for the price. At $300, I expect very high end VRMs and a PLX chip.
Howard - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
I think it looks awesome.Hairs_ - Tuesday, November 11, 2014 - link
Apparently some b series boards can be used to overclock the anniversary edition Pentium.However anandtech are reviewing motherboards with a plastic cover which cost more than three times as much.
Relevance, it's for the birds...
bigboxes - Tuesday, November 11, 2014 - link
I too would like to see a review on such a board. I'll take any review to have the best research before I make my decision on a purchase. AT used to write articles on o/c'ing and the best in value for the $$. AT is why I got into computers. It's still one of my top visited sites.bsim500 - Tuesday, November 11, 2014 - link
That white plastic looks so ugly. Those tiny 40mm fans also have a tendency to develop a high-pitched whine after 3-6 months...redmist77 - Tuesday, November 11, 2014 - link
I would never buy a motherboard with one of those annoying little fans on it.dawp - Tuesday, November 11, 2014 - link
Had a x58 sabertooth (still regretting selling that), I never did care for the plastic covers that came out after the x58 and it would go against me purchasing another sabertooth if it had it.batteries4ever - Tuesday, November 11, 2014 - link
......... Right. Another motherboard at three times the price for a bit of plastic cover - recommended by Anandtech. Couldn't we have a separate site for reviewing these things, such as www.targeted_for_teenagers_with_rich_parents_or_those_that_never_grew-up.bs ?Playing computer games is one - having such a MB is another......
StrangerGuy - Tuesday, November 11, 2014 - link
No matter how hard mobo makers their flashy boards, the painfully obvious elephant in the room remains that most people are better off buying budget boards and use the money saved for anything else.ArKritz - Wednesday, November 12, 2014 - link
What, except for plastic bits, does this motherboard offer over the Sabretooth Mark 2?Nfarce - Thursday, November 13, 2014 - link
I like the overall white/snow camo theme. It reminds me of scenes on the planet Hoth in Star Wars...or scenes from the battles in the snow in the move Red Dawn (the original from 1984...not that crappy remake from 2012). In any event, I really don't think I'd like to own a white rig because there is no way you can tell when it needs dusting.Ammohunt - Friday, November 14, 2014 - link
Silly design. More impossible places to clean the dust out of.SkyBill40 - Wednesday, November 26, 2014 - link
Spending ~ $300 on a motherboard alone seems pretty ridiculous to me and that doesn't even speak for the highly gimmicky plastic that covers everything.As has been said, to each their own.
snarfies - Tuesday, December 2, 2014 - link
I asked Asus quite a long time ago if there would be an X99 version - they said "no." So Asus blew it on this one, I went with another board by another manufacturer entirely. Shame, I had a white case all picked out and everything.kelendar - Friday, February 27, 2015 - link
I'm not sure about all that hate for this board. Ask any manufacturer if they will doa white PCB mobo. Go ahead. They will say 'NO'. White PCB based products are much more expensive to manufacture so they don't do it. Now if the gamer asked for it instead of black then they would swap. But then, black would be Limited Edition and cost an arm and a leg:-)The armor part is nicer than you think. I don't feel like I'm about to bend my PCI slots running a couple of heavy video cards and a cooling loop with 1/2 ID 3/4 OD lines. This mobo feels like it could handle 20 lbs of gear. If $150 is too much money, you need a better job:-) Gaming is not for the faint of heart.
kelendar - Friday, February 27, 2015 - link
I meant $150 more than the budget boards.