The Z270-WS LGA1151 ATX Motherboard from Asus is designed for professionals dealing with designing, modeling, rendering, and processing-intensive applications. It's built on the Intel Z270 chipset with an LGA 1151 socket for 6th and 7th generation Core i7, i5, i3, and Pentium processors. There are four memory slots that support up to 64GB of 3866 MHz overclocked DDR4 RAM, six SATA III ports, two M.2 slots, and two U.2 ports. Using an appropriate drive, you can get speeds of up to 32 Gb/s using the M.2 and U.2 interfaces. While it's equipped with HDMI and DisplayPort outputs, this motherboard has four PCIe 3.0 x16 slots for graphics cards and a single PCIe x4 slot for other PCIe-based hardware. Other notable features include dual Intel Gigabit LAN and Realtek ALC S1220A 8-channel HD audio.
4-Way NVIDIA SLI & AMD CrossFireX
The Z270-WS motherboard is designed with four PCIe 3.0 x16 slots, ideal for graphics cards that professionals need for designing, modeling, processing-intensive simulation, 3D-rendering, and even gaming.
Asus 5-Way Optimization
With one click, Asus 5-Way Optimization dynamically optimizes essential aspects of the system, providing overclocking and cooling profiles that are tailored for performance.
- TurboV Processing Unit (TPU) - Offers the ability to fine-tune voltages, monitor system stats, and adjust overclock parameters for optimal performance
- EPU - Automatically optimizes power consumption and maximizes savings with Away mode
- Fan Xpert 4 - Grants comprehensive control over fans and all-in-one (AIO) liquid coolers
- Digi+ - Delivers real-time control over voltage droop, switching frequency, and power-efficiency settings, allowing you to fine-tune CPU voltage regulation
- Turbo App - Allows you to define CPU overclocking, apply fan profiles, prioritize network data and optimize audio settings
Asus Pro Clock Technology
Asus Pro Clock technology is a custom solution that can overclock the base-clock frequencies of 7th generation Intel processors by up to 425 MHz with reduced boot time and increased stability.
DDR4 Overclocking
Asus T-Topology minimizes crosstalk between custom trace paths for more overclocking headroom and stability, allowing memory speeds of 3866 MHz with all slots populated
Storage
With two M.2 and U.2 slots, this motherboard supports 3-way native PCIe RAID for increased performance. When not in RAID, each interface can support speeds of up to 32 Gb/s with an appropriate drive.
Dual Intel Gigabit LAN
Dual Intel Gigabit LAN ports provide you with increased bandwidth for faster speeds, automated load balancing, and instant failover.
Intel Optane Memory Ready
Intel Optane memory modules can increase system responsiveness. Install the drive into an empty M.2 slot for reduced boot and load times.
Thunderbolt 3
The Z270-WS can be outfitted with a ThunderboltEX 3 card for additional connectivity. Thunderbolt 3 is a hardware interface that utilizes the reversible USB Type-C connector. Doubling the speed of its predecessor, Thunderbolt 3 features a maximum throughput of 40 Gb/s when used with compatible devices. The connector also transmits data via USB 3.1 at up to 10 Gb/s, and dual-bandwidth DisplayPort 1.2 allows you to connect up to two 4K displays simultaneously. Additionally, you can daisy chain up to six devices from a single Thunderbolt 3 port.
Audio
This motherboard is built with the Realtek S1220A audio codec to deliver a clear and immersive listening experience. Asus Crystal Sound 3 incorporates multiple hardware enhancements for better audio. Moreover, DTS Headphone:X offers virtual 3D surround-sound for all types of headphones.
- Power Pre-Regulator - Reduces power-input noise for consistent performance
- Audio Shielding - Prevents multi-lateral interference for clear audio
- Separate Audio Tracks - Left and right tracks are built on different layers of PCB for consistent, equal quality
- De-Pop Circuit - Reduces start-up popping noise to all audio outputs
- Audio Amplifier - Provides high-quality sound for headphones and speakers
- EMI Protection - Prevents electrical noise from interfering with audio quality
- Premium Audio Capacitors - Helps to provide warm, natural, and clear sound
Additional Features
- Macro and keyboard shortcut support with an onboard microprocessor
- Asus metal-reinforced PCIe SafeSlot
- Asus Q-DIMM, Q-Slot, Q-Connector, Q-Shield, Q-LED, and Q-Code