Product Showcase Motherboard

Product Showcase

The Z97 Sabertooth is what I concider to be a mainstream to high-end class product. It has some nice features yet will rest in an affordable segment, lets have a look as ASUS resurrected the Sabertooth in a familiar form with the TUF thermal armor for better cooling, but also added a couple things. 
 

Included with the motherboard are the regulars including; manuals, driver CDs, SATA cables and a rear IO plate. 

• CPU support: 4th Gen Intel Core / Pentium / Celeron processors
• Chipset: Intel Z97 Express Chipset
• Gigabit Ethernet
• Storage: 4x SATA 6Gb/s, 2x ASMEDIA SATA 6 Gb/s, 1 Sata Express 10 Gb/s
• Connectivity: 2x PCI-E 3.0 x16, 1x PCI-E 2.0 x16, 3x PCI-E x1
• 2x USB 3.0 / 4x USB 2.0 rear IO
• 8-channel Audio ALC1150 Realtek

The Sabertooth has been updated to support the Intel Haswell 1150 socket with the refresh CPUs and has a Z97 chipset.  Included with the motherboard are the standards like SATA cables, manual, driver CD, IO rear backplate and then some more  gear like, extra fans, SLI connector and a kit with rubber inserts for DRAM slot covers, rear IO dust filter and PCIe slot covers (all to prevent dust). In addition, Sabertooth Z97 is equipped with an outer shell called Thermal Armor, two fans for cooling the chipset and the afore-mentioned plugs for protection against dust.

The I/O back panel reveals four USB 2.0 ports (black) with another four USB 3.0 ports. A Realtek ALC1150 high definition audio codec is the source for audio and we spot two 10/100/1000 fast Ethernet jacks (intelI218-V and one Realtek 8111GR). Missing is a single PS/2 combo port that can be used for either a keyboard or a mouse, present are optical SPDIF in/out port and six audio jacks.

Then monitor connectors wise:

• 1 x DisplayPort with max. resolution up to 4096x2160@24Hz, 24bpp/ 3840x1600@60Hz, 24bpp
• 1 x HDMI port  with max. resolution up to 4096x2160@24Hz, 24bpp/2560x1600@60Hz, 24bpp/ 1920x1080@60Hz, 36bps.

 Check that, 3 x PCIe 3.0 x16 slots.

• 2 x PCIe 3.0 x16 slots, (support x16, x8/x8,  modes)
• 1 x PCIe 2.0 x16 slots, (black slot - max support x4 mode)
• 3 x PCIe 2.0 x1 slots

The motherboard is following the previous design scheme of the Z77/Z87 and now Z97 Sabertooth is fairly close in looks, feel and design. The Z97 Sabertooth is of course the flagship within the TUF Series.  

The Z97 Sabertooth comes with both one 8 power connector located close to the edge of the motherboard.