Gaming next, the real world tests and Battlefield 4 results first.
We got some very odd and repeated performance from the ASRock Z170 Extreme4 with Battlefield 4, a game with a very optimised video engine. We are scratching our collective heads with this one, as it’s also the same game build and driver version we tested the EVGA Z170 Stinger on. We retested several times, we have no initial explanation. We have assumed the release BIOS may have had a PCIe configuration setting anomaly or the release drivers may have been buggy and didn’t like the game. Either way, it’s a lot slower.
Unusually, Crysis 3 has come along to redress the graphics performance with pretty much an equal performance output across both motherboards, go figure BF4?
Conclusion
We’ll get right to it; We are a little disappointed with the ASRock Z170 Extreme4 motherboard in the performance stakes. The rest of the motherboard is very good for looks, features, presentation and connectivity. We just cannot get past the odd graphics and storage performance.
With that said, BIOS and driver updates will come out for this motherboard and may stop a good product being throttled by bad or inconsistent performance. It is also very cheap, a welcome relief from the Asus way of pricing everything. It is worth consideration, but be careful with this one, it’s a first generation Chipset motherboard, and the EVGA Z170 Stinger may have just nailed it first time of asking.
ASRock Z170 Extreme4 Motherboard Review
Package - 7.5
Performance - 6.5
Price - 8
Consumer Experience - 8
7.5
We are a little disappointed with the ASRock Z170 Extreme4 motherboard in the performance stakes. The rest of the motherboard is very good for looks, features, presentation and connectivity. We just cannot get past the odd graphics and storage performance.
