Why Buy a Z270 Motherboard?

Whether you are building a new PC or upgrading an existing one, a Z270 motherboard offers dramatic performance improvements and a whole new level of overclocking potential. Designed for the latest Kaby Lake processors, these boards feature an optimized design and higher turbo frequencies. In addition, they support a 4000+ MHz memory kit, and Intel Optane technology.

While the cost of a Z270 motherboard can be prohibitive, it doesn't have to be. You can find models under $150 that provide all the features you'd need to build a complete system. These boards are also known for their simple yet powerful BIOS. Often, you can use this software to adjust the system's settings manually. In many cases, you can switch between fixed and offset voltages.

Most Z270 motherboards support dual-GPU configurations. This gives you the option to take advantage of the extra PCIe lanes. This allows you to attach additional PCIe devices such as m.2 slots, as well as Thunderbolt. You can even use the chipset's version 15 of Rapid Storage Technology for faster data transfer.

While you can choose to purchase a Z270-based motherboard, you might be better off purchasing a model that supports the newest Coffee Lake processors. The processors are still on the same 14nm manufacturing process, but they have better integrated graphics, and a more optimized design. They are also backward compatible with 6th Gen Skylake CPUs.

The ASRock Gaming K6 is a solid choice for a budget-priced motherboard. It features a 4-way SLI bridge and high overclocking potential. It also has good Cinebench and Far Cry Primal results.