Layout
With the release of Intels Z87 chipset ASUS's design team chose to
bring quite some change to the design of their classic series motherboards. ASUS
was brave enough to ditch their highly successful black/blue color scheme and
replace it a color scheme kept in black, gold and yellow. Meanwhile ASUS again
reworked the design of their classic series motherboard make it more calm by
removing yellow from the equation. They've also changed the tone of the gold
color they're using a champagne-ish color.
Regarding the layout ASUS has been able to squeeze an astonishing number of features onto a standard ATX motherboard. Obviously ASUS is compliant with Intels guidelines regarding clearance around the CPU socket. There even is some margin between the CPU socket and the DIMM slots. Apart from that the build quality of the board is excellent and in this regard there is nothing to complain about.
The ASUS
Z97-Pro Wi-Fi ac features a fully
digital 12+2 phase power design. The CPU gets twelve phases and the memory gets a
stable current supply from two individual phase. Apart from that there are
high-quality, Japanese solid state capacitors, which have been specified 5000
hours.
Totally you'll find four DIMM-slots on the
Z97-Pro Wi-Fi ac. Officially supported are DDR3
3200(O.C.) / 3100(O.C.) / 3000(O.C.) / 2933(O.C.) / 2800(O.C.) / 2666(O.C.) / 2600(O.C.) / 2500(O.C.) / 2400(O.C.) / 2200(O.C.) / 2133(O.C.) / 2000(O.C.) / 1866(O.C.) / 1800(O.C.) / 1600 / 1333 MHz. There is enough space between the DIMM-slots and the CPU socket which
means that you wont encounter compatibility problems with big coolers even when you choose to install RAM with big heatspreaders.
Also supported are Xtreme Memory Profiles (XMP) in version 1.3.
On the Z97-Pro Wi-Fi ac the PCH is being cooled by a
passive cooling block. A closer look at the area where the VRM is, shows
there are two additional, passive heatsinks. Design as well as build quality are
excellent, which is typical for ASUS' Z97 series motherboards.