MSI Z97 Gaming 5 Motherboard Review: Five is Alive
by Ian Cutress on October 6, 2014 10:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
- Intel
- MSI
- Z97
Gaming Benchmarks
F1 2013
First up is F1 2013 by Codemasters. I am a big Formula 1 fan in my spare time, and nothing makes me happier than carving up the field in a Caterham, waving to the Red Bulls as I drive by (because I play on easy and take shortcuts). F1 2013 uses the EGO Engine, and like other Codemasters games ends up being very playable on old hardware quite easily. In order to beef up the benchmark a bit, we devised the following scenario for the benchmark mode: one lap of Spa-Francorchamps in the heavy wet, the benchmark follows Jenson Button in the McLaren who starts on the grid in 22nd place, with the field made up of 11 Williams cars, 5 Marussia and 5 Caterham in that order. This puts emphasis on the CPU to handle the AI in the wet, and allows for a good amount of overtaking during the automated benchmark. We test at 1920x1080 on Ultra graphical settings.
Bioshock Infinite
Bioshock Infinite was Zero Punctuation’s Game of the Year for 2013, uses the Unreal Engine 3, and is designed to scale with both cores and graphical prowess. We test the benchmark using the Adrenaline benchmark tool and the Xtreme (1920x1080, Maximum) performance setting, noting down the average frame rates and the minimum frame rates.
Tomb Raider
The next benchmark in our test is Tomb Raider. Tomb Raider is an AMD optimized game, lauded for its use of TressFX creating dynamic hair to increase the immersion in game. Tomb Raider uses a modified version of the Crystal Engine, and enjoys raw horsepower. We test the benchmark using the Adrenaline benchmark tool and the Xtreme (1920x1080, Maximum) performance setting, noting down the average frame rates and the minimum frame rates.
Sleeping Dogs
Sleeping Dogs is a benchmarking wet dream – a highly complex benchmark that can bring the toughest setup and high resolutions down into single figures. Having an extreme SSAO setting can do that, but at the right settings Sleeping Dogs is highly playable and enjoyable. We run the basic benchmark program laid out in the Adrenaline benchmark tool, and the Xtreme (1920x1080, Maximum) performance setting, noting down the average frame rates and the minimum frame rates.
Battlefield 4
The EA/DICE series that has taken countless hours of my life away is back for another iteration, using the Frostbite 3 engine. AMD is also piling its resources into BF4 with the new Mantle API for developers, designed to cut the time required for the CPU to dispatch commands to the graphical sub-system. For our test we use the in-game benchmarking tools and record the frame time for the first ~70 seconds of the Tashgar single player mission, which is an on-rails generation of and rendering of objects and textures. We test at 1920x1080 at Ultra settings.
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spidey81 - Monday, October 6, 2014 - link
Not sure what you're conclusion is. However, I just recently purchased this board and a 4690K. I chose this board based on the lack of extraneous components and aesthetics. I don't need SATA express. I can see myself using M.2 in the future though. It has enough SATA ports, but not too many and no extra SATA controller. I've had several boards over the past few years with eSATA and used it ONCE merely to test the functionality. The big selling point for me is the all black pcb and expansion/RAM slots. I personally water cool and look to possibly throw water blocks on the mosfets and chipset. (I know, doesn't need it. But it's more for the looks than anything.) It overclocks nice, has a good bios layout (another selling point for me), looks great, and didn't break the bank. Also, for modders out there, the red parts to the mosfet heatsinks are removable with two screws per side. Easy to remove and paint to match a color theme, if that's important to you.dishayu - Monday, October 6, 2014 - link
You summed up my thoughts pretty much. I bought this board + 4960K about 3 months ago, has been serving me well.mrcintr - Wednesday, October 8, 2014 - link
any BIOS issues with the 4690k? looking to purchase the same CPU mobo combospidey81 - Thursday, October 9, 2014 - link
Haven't seen any. It had the first bios release out of the box and picked up the 4690K without a problem. Of course I then proceeded to update it.DigitalFreak - Monday, October 6, 2014 - link
You lost me at "Killer E2205 network port".bebimbap - Monday, October 6, 2014 - link
@DigitalFreak I feel the same way too. I thought intel nic was integrated into the chipset, If they offered Killer AND intel I might use the killer as a backup incase the intel one burned out instead of having to replace the entire motherboard, this has happened to me twice....- to repeat, since the intel nic is integrated into the chipset, and if another nic (atheros killer) is added at buyer's expense, why not add two nic ports? or just not add the atheros if cost is truly an issue.
chubbypanda - Monday, October 6, 2014 - link
Only MAC part of GbE is implemented in PCH, meaning that adding separate PHY Intel chip is necessary (it's possible this is more expensive solution than Killer E2205).asmian - Monday, October 6, 2014 - link
+1. No Intel no sale.redwolfe98 - Tuesday, October 7, 2014 - link
i agree with you guys.. i will not buy a motherboard that uses a "killer" network card.. the software for the "killer" network card conflicts with my "avira" antivirus program.. someone needs to inform MSI, gigabyte and asrock that no one wants the "killer" network card..gw74 - Monday, October 6, 2014 - link
why would someone buy a DDR3 motherboard when DDR4 motherboards are a thing?