Product Comparison: ASUS ROG STRIX Z270E vs ASUS ROG Maximus IX Hero
General Specifications
Brand
ASUS
ASUS
Model
ROG STRIX Z270E
ROG Maximus IX Hero
Origin
China
China
About the Product
Experience next-level performance and personalization options with the ROG STRIX Z270E GAMING, supporting 7th generation Intel Core processors. Unlock full calibration and customization with 5-Way Optimization, Aura Sync RGB lighting and 3D printing mounts. Dual M.2, onboard AC Wifi and front panel USB 3.1 deliver maximum connectivity speeds.
The ROG Maximus IX Hero strikes the perfect balance for gamers and enthusiasts alike with features they need, performance they crave, and easy-to-use interfaces that put complete control at their fingertips. Dynamic AURA Sync lighting and support for 3D printed accessories enable more personalization across your build than ever before.
Key Specs
Form Factor
ATX
ATX
Socket
Intel® Socket 1151
Intel® Socket 1151
Chipset
Intel® Z270
Intel® Z270
Supported Processors
7th/6th Generation Core™ i7 Processor, 7th/6th Core™ i5 Processor, 7th/6th Core™ i3 Processor, 7th/6th Pentium® Processor, 7th/6th Celeron® Processor
7th/6th Generation Core™ i7 Processor, 7th/6th Core™ i5 Processor, 7th/6th Core™ i3 Processor, 7th/6th Pentium® Processor, 7th/6th Celeron® Processor
Memory Slot Type
288 pin
288 pin
What customers say about "Key Specs"
ASUS ROG STRIX Z270E GAMING LGA1151 DDR4 DP HDMI DVI M.2 ATX Motherboard with onboard AC Wifi and USB 3.1
- If you use an M.2 PCIe SSD in the M.2_2 socket be sure to go into BIOS (the advanced mode BIOS, under the "advanced" tab of that BIOS, under onboard device configuration) and make sure that socket is set to X4 rather than X2. X4 ups the speed at the cost of disabling SATA ports 5&6
- A very awesome, rock solid board. I bought this for gaming and gaming. It is great choice for someone looking for a gaming board with tweaking options. It has two NVMe places and plenty Sata 3 connections.
- Just be careful that choose the right Motherboard Z270 or Z370 for your Cpu.. Intel changed the Socket so i7-8700k will only work on the Z370. Also make sure if you go with Water cooling that you Disable the Cpu warning in the Bios.
- Z270 so the latest i7 Intel chip. It allows two video cards connected by SLI. As I said. I love the MB. It will help me learn and grow and have a lot of fun!!
- Good VRM implementation. Great on board audio performance. Very detailed and intuitive BIOS interface
- Flukey! Could only use m.2 drive - no other hard drive recognized by UEFI bios! When current SATA driver for Windows 7 64-bit applied, result was BSOD. Several coolers did not fit lga1151 socket as well.
- Just got my board today and found bent pin/pins in my CPU socket. Other parts looked fine by inspection.
ASUS ROG Maximus IX Hero LGA1151 DDR4 DP HDMI M.2 USB 3.1 ATX Motherboard
- Great Mobo! Working well on my VR rig, the only down side I had was the specs were wrong- the manual that comes with the model I got, Maximus IX HERO, says that both M.2 ports support 2280 devices.
- I put a i7-7700K 4.2Ghz Kabby Lake CPU in the slot, and fired her up! AWESOME! The performance is mind blowing, especially with Win 10's Direct X 12! You will definitely be happy with this board!
- The software for the fan speeds worked so well that I ended up hooking all the fans to the motherboard instead of using the case's special system.
- I have this running my delidded i7-7700k at 5.0GHz on all cores with an NZXT Kraken x62, 32Gb of TridentZ RGB (3000), and a Strix GTX 1070 OC. The RGB is all synced with Asus Aura, including my Phanteks P400 TG, and it looks amazing. 100% happy with this purchase.
- What a MB. I havent found one negative yet. Have it paired with i7-7700k processor , outstanding gaming, can wait for adding in VR. I am ready for it and all testing I can find shows my system is well above what is needed.
- I've used Asus motherboards for my last 3 PCs. This time I ran into issues where everything runs fine but when it's shutdown long enough it would not boot and post code never changed from 00. It took a lot of testing, changed ram sticks, even changed the motherboard but no success.
Size & Weight
Height
12 in.
12 in.
Width
9.6 in.
9.6 in.
Depth
1 in.
1 in.
Weight
3.04 lbs.
2.92 lbs.
Memory
Memory Type
DDR4
DDR4
Maximum Speed
3866 MHz
4133 MHz
Number Of Memory Slots
4
4
Max. Memory Supported
64 GB
64 GB
What customers say about "Memory"
ASUS ROG STRIX Z270E GAMING LGA1151 DDR4 DP HDMI DVI M.2 ATX Motherboard with onboard AC Wifi and USB 3.1
- It has two M.2 sockets. once would lay down under the main cover. The other mounts perpendicular to the MB in the bottom right corner.
- Hands down, one of the best motherboards I have ever owned. Easy to setup, built in features for cooling and lighting, and a excellent BIOS. This is a great motherboard if you are building a rig. I run the Intel i7 KabyLake processor on this with Corsair LED memory.
- Installed the CPU and heatsink, and fired it up. The board demanded memory, so I installed just one DIMM. Then it demanded a boot device, so I installed my M.2 drive. Each of the boot lights lit in order and then: BEEP! <3 Fastest build I've ever done; fastest Windows install too!
- paired with the i7-7700K and 32GB of G.Skill DDR4 3000 memory modules, this motherboard didn't disappoint. Running the i7-7700K @ 4.950GHz with 1.260v.
- That being said, this board rocks. Speeds are great (SATA 6Gb/s and USB 3). Easy set up (use the enclosed driver disk BEFORE allowing Windows 10 64 bit v. 1709 to do driver updates of MS drivers. Nice layout, sturdy pcie slots, memory insertion is a snap. I'm very pleased with this motherboard.
- The only real problem I had was memory compatibility. As this time of writing, the latest BIOS is 0607 which is just the first release version + optane update.
- Out of the box WIFI driver can be problematic (windows 10). VRM design is good but not great as their last gen, Z170 impact ITX
ASUS ROG Maximus IX Hero LGA1151 DDR4 DP HDMI M.2 USB 3.1 ATX Motherboard
- I was able to overclock my 7700K to 5.2 GHz with only 1.33 volts with my Trident Z RGB RAM overclocked to 3733 MHz with timings of 14-14-14-34 @1.35 volts.
- Up and running after spending a couple days guessing the poorly documented tower cables that were identified partially. I started with one simple OS drive and am adding a couple drives at a time. Bios discovered my Cpu,memory and os drive easily.
- This is a great motherboard. Easy to setup and the options are easy and effective. Also like the extra usb ports available which most don't have. The reset bios boton is the back and inside make its easy when you need it.
- Definitely an amazing motherboard. I have an i7 7700k attached and 16gb ddr4 along with my gtx1080 it really does put in work.
- Couldn't be happier with my choice, performs like a champ. Only sub par about this board is lack of usb ports from other asus boards I've had, very cheap and easy fix with an internal usb strip.
- Had to return a defective motherboard. RAM slots A1 A2 were not working PERIOD. Apparently this is a common issue, so I returned it
Connectivity
PCI-E
2 x PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16 (x16 or dual x8), 1 x PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16 (x4 mode), 4 x PCIe 3.0/2.0 x1
2 x PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16 (x16 or dual x8), 1 x PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16 (x4 mode), 3 x PCIe 3.0/2.0 x1
HDMI
1
1
USB
6 x USB 3.0 port(s) (4 at back panel, (Blue), 2 at mid-board), 6 x USB 2.0 port(s), 1 x USB 3.1 front panel connector port(s), 2 x USB 3.1 port(s) (Type-A + Type-C, Support 3A power output)
1 x USB 3.1 front panel connector port(s), 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 port(s) (2 at back panel, , Type-A + USB Type-CTM), 6 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 port(s) (4 at back panel, blue, 2 at mid-board), 6 x USB 2.0 port(s) (4 at back panel, black, 2 at mid-board)
SATA
6
6
Other Interfaces
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wireless LAN (2.4/5GHz), Bluetooth V4.1, 1 x PS/2 keyboard/mouse combo port(s), 1 x DVI-D, 1 x DisplayPort, 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A + Type-C, 4 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 ((Blue)), 1 x Optical S/PDIF out, 5 x Audio jack(s), 1 x ASUS Wi-Fi GO!, 1 x AAFP connector, 2 x RGB Header(s), 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 connector(s) support(s) additional 2 USB 3.1 Gen 1 port(s), 3 x USB 2.0 connector(s) support(s) additional 6 USB 2.0 port(s), 1 x M.2 Socket 3 with M Key, type 2242/2260/2280 storage devices support (PCIE mode only), 1 x M.2 Socket 3 with M Key, type 2242/2260/2280/22110 storage devices support (SATA mode & X4 PCIE mode), 1 x CPU Fan connector(s), 1 x CPU OPT Fan connector(s), 2 x Chassis Fan connector(s), 1 x 24-pin EATX Power connector(s), 1 x 8-pin ATX 12V Power connector(s), 1 x Front panel connector(s), 1 x System panel(s) (Chassis intrusion header is inbuilt), 1 x 5-pin EXT_FAN(Extension Fan) connect, 1 x Thermal sensor connector(s), 1 x CPU OV, 1 x Clear CMOS jumper(s), 1 x ROG extension (ROG_EXT) header(s), 1 x 14-1 pin TPM connector, 1 x COM port header, 1 x High AMP Fan header (4-pin), 1 x T_Sensor Connector, 1 x AIO PUMP Header, 3 x 3D Mount screw port(s), 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 front panel connector
1 x DisplayPort, 1 x LAN (RJ45) port(s), 1 x Optical S/PDIF out, 1 x Clear CMOS button(s), 1 x USB BIOS Flashback Button(s), 2 x RGB Header(s), 1 x M.2 Socket 3 with M key, type 2242/2260/2280 storage devices support (SATA & PCIE 3.0 x 4 mode), 1 x M.2 Socket 3 with M key, type 2242/2260/2280/22110 storage devices support (PCIE 3.0 x 4 mode), 1 x TPM connector(s), 1 x CPU Fan connector(s), 1 x CPU OPT Fan connector(s), 3 x Chassis Fan connector(s) (3 x 4 -pin), 1 x H_AMP fan connector, 1 x W_PUMP+ connector, 1 x AIO_PUMP connector, 1 x Thunderbolt header(s), 1 x Front panel audio connector(s) (AAFP), 1 x MemOK! button(s), 1 x Thermal sensor connector(s), 1 x Reset button(s), 1 x LN2 Mode switch(es)
What customers say about "Connectivity"
ASUS ROG STRIX Z270E GAMING LGA1151 DDR4 DP HDMI DVI M.2 ATX Motherboard with onboard AC Wifi and USB 3.1
- I absolutely love the onboard wifi and Bluetooth. This was the distinguisher for me for the Code vs the Hero. I wanted wifi and Bluetooth. The antennae has a magnetic base, so it is very easy to use.
- I noticed was that everything (fan headers, usb headers, etc.) was easy to get to. The next thing I noticed was that when I fired it up for the first time everything worked - which is always nice.
- Up and running after spending a couple days guessing the poorly documented tower cables that were identified partially. I started with one simple OS drive and am adding a couple drives at a time. Bios discovered my Cpu,memory and os drive easily.
- Bought this to replace yet another Gigabyte MB that nearly toasted the other components. Worked out of the box, reinstalled the Core i7 6th gen processor, memory, CLC, and the video card. Easy to do firmware upgrades.
- Some of the connectors are behind the cover, so not as easy to access
- The front case USB 3.0 connector had some pins that were a bit crooked. I ended up bending a pin. Luckily I had a good tool set and slowly and carefully bent it back and made it work.
ASUS ROG Maximus IX Hero LGA1151 DDR4 DP HDMI M.2 USB 3.1 ATX Motherboard
- The board itself is nice. I was easily able to overclock my RAM, adjust fan speeds, overclock my i7 7700k to 4.5GHz, all from the BIOS. I love the 8 USB ports on the back (4x 2.0/ 4x 3.0).
- If your looking at this motherboard, then your most likely a gamer that builds their own rigs... so I'm sure you know the specs. I paired this with the ASUS GeForce GTX 1060 6GB ROG STRIX OC Edition GPU. It has AURA RGB as well, and pairs nicely with this motherboard.
- The sound quality is also amazingly good for on-board sound. It honestly sounds better than my external DAC/amp which is a Schiit Fulla 2 that's worth $100.
- I love Asus for GPU and MOBO's... I have 16 GB rams 3000Mhz ASUS Strix 1080 Intel 7700K Samsung SSD Everything runs smooth and solid.
- I am having to edit my review to lower it a bit. The front audio does not work correctly. I have all the most recent BIOS/drivers etc, and have used multiple hardware devices. I simply can't get the correct audio to come from the front audio inputs.
- I have never had a problem with any of Asus' motherboards and this one continues that. The only thing I wish this board included was another internal USB 2.0 connector as it only has 1.
Features
Native Audio
SupremeFX
ROG SupremeFX 8-Channel High Definition Audio CODEC
Additional Accessories Included
User's manual, ASUS Q-Shield, 4 x SATA 6Gb/s cable(s), 1 x M.2 Screw Package, 1 x CPU installation tool, 1 x Supporting DVD, 1 x ASUS 2T2R dual band Wi-Fi moving antennas (Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac compliant), 1 x SLI HB BRIDGE(2-WAY-M), 1 x ROG Strix stickers, 1 x 10-in-1 ROG cable label, 1 x Extension Cable for RGB strips (80 cm), 1 x 3D printing mount package, 1 x ROG coaster(s)
User's manual, I/O Shield, 4 x SATA 6Gb/s cable(s), 1 x M.2 Screw Package, 1 x CPU installation tool, 1 x Supporting DVD, 1 x SLI HB BRIDGE(2-WAY-M), 1 x ROG big sticker, 1 x Q-connector(s) (2 in 1), 1 x 10-in-1 ROG cable label, 1 x 3D printing mount package, 1 x ROG coasters
Extras
OC Design - ASUS PRO Clock Technology, 5-Way Optimization by Dual Intelligent Processors 5, TPU, Gamer's Guardian:, ASUS Exclusive Features, ASUS EZ DIY, ASUS Q-Design, Gaming Aesthetics, Digi+VRM, Turbo APP, M.2 Onboard
ROG RAMCache II, ROG CPU-Z, ROG CloneDrive, MemOK! Button, Overwolf, ReTry Button, Safe Boot Button, Start Button, Reset Button, LN2 Mode, GameFirst IV, ROG Aura, Extreme Engine Digi+, Mem TweakIt, KeyBot II, UEFI BIOS features, ROG RAMDisk, Loadline Calibration, ASUS Dual Intelligent Processors 5-Way Optimization by Dual Intelligent Processors 5, TPU, Gamer's Guardian:, ASUS EZ DIY, ASUS Q-Design
What customers say about "Features"
ASUS ROG STRIX Z270E GAMING LGA1151 DDR4 DP HDMI DVI M.2 ATX Motherboard with onboard AC Wifi and USB 3.1
- I absolutely love this MB. It has nearly everything. I am new to building PCs and this was great to start, with lots of room to grow.
- In the upper right corner, the MB has a two digit code that tells you what is going on. It helped me during start up. I had plugged in my water cooled cpu cooler into the wrong plug... the code showed on the MB and it stated something was wrong when I started up, before I could get to the bios
- It supports a full blown water cooling system, control and temperature. I did not use this, just a water cooled CPU cooler, that does not use this.
- Very nice looking board with a tasteful color scheme. Overclocks my 7700K 5.2GHz easily at 1.392V. The on-board audio is alright I guess, a step down to a $30 Creative sound card in my old system.
- The board itself is gorgeous! I personally like the shifting colors, it's a very nice effect with my NZXT s340 White Steel Case. I look forward to all the case mods I can do with this board.
- very good board only problem I had was when installing hyper 212 evo cooler. if tightened a little too much one memory bank will not register so if your having an issue with one of your dimm slots try loosening your cpu cooler after many frustrating hours that was my issue all along.
- DVD for installation software and driver - its 2017 and you would wonder why manufacturers still prefer DVDs? especially for mini ITX motherboards where the target audience are SFF builders, they would not have imagined a DVD drive even in their dreams to consider it on their system
ASUS ROG Maximus IX Hero LGA1151 DDR4 DP HDMI M.2 USB 3.1 ATX Motherboard
- I'm not big on overclocking. Well the Dual Intelligent Processors 5 program on this thing blew me away. I didn't even have to relearn how to overclock (it has been 5 years - I forget these things). If you fire up that program and pick 5-way optimization it will do everything for you.
- In terms of functionality, this thing is a beast. The VRM heatsinks are massive and makes the board feel very premium with that extra weight.
- The BIOS is very user friendly and has descriptions for every option in it and the options in this BIOS are absolutely crazy, it's like they never end.
- For the price you can't go wrong with this entry level ROG motherboard. It performs like a top of the line board and looks amazing while having tons of functionality and customization. 10/10 good job Asus.
- I've been using this MOBO for about a month! I loved it. it has good finished and quality. The Aura is nice with the lights. It's up to date with all the modern features on demand: M.2 SSD, USB 3.1 etc... I know that there are others good brand out there, but I just so happy with this purchase.
- My only complaint thus far are those stupid RGB lights. I turned them off permanently because they'll stay on even though the computer is off. If you want a nice board for OC, get this.
Power
Power Connectors
1 x 24-pin EATX Power connector(s)
1 x 24-pin EATX 1 x 8-pin ATX 12V 1 x 4-pin ATX 12V
What customers say about "Power"
ASUS ROG STRIX Z270E GAMING LGA1151 DDR4 DP HDMI DVI M.2 ATX Motherboard with onboard AC Wifi and USB 3.1
- The lights make this a cool looking MB especially if you couple in RGB memory. I put in an Intel Kaby Lake 7700K and instructions made installation a snap.
- I hooked the MoBo up to my wifes desktop power supply(an evga 750W) still same results. Hooked up my psu to her desktop and it fired right up. So no issues there(Mine is a "Beast 700w" or somehting like that)
- The build power/ reset buttons makes it easy for first time builders, it is super easy and they look nice.
- It has a dedicated base-clock chip & Digi+ power control to really push the BCLK frequency, micro-fine alloy chokes, and Texas Instruments NexFet MOSFET's which are twice as efficient as standard MOSFETS, as well as anti-static & surge protection built in all around.
- I assembled it, turned on my power supply. Immediately, I had pretty lights. I had an orange LED on the board indicating it was getting power. I hit the power switch and the rest of my parts lit up. (OMG, so pretty!) But there was no beep.
- I did not have much idea to assemble the PC myself. Be careful when purchasing this board, this requires minimum 350 watt PSU and since its mini itx form factor, its not a good idea to buy a high watt PSU which are mostly big.
ASUS ROG Maximus IX Hero LGA1151 DDR4 DP HDMI M.2 USB 3.1 ATX Motherboard
- The RGB lighting is beautiful and compliments the black and gray monotone color scheme of the board very well.
- I'm not using water but still getting decent OC performance on everything except at the highest settings, and that's understandable. Flawless install, one expected BIOS upgrade made simple by the built-in utility, and you're off and running.
- Hands down the best Z270 board. Zero issues in 2 months. Only gripe would be the RGB color range is not as great as the LED strips I installed. Not a major problem at all. Lots of USB connections versus the Prime and Strix line of ASUS boards. Great hinksink for the VRM.
- The main gripe was the RGB lighting. I only had an option to disable it or turn it on. Nothing in the bios for turning it off while the PC was off. When powering it on, they should have started working then.
Warranty / Certifications
Manufacturer Warranty
3 year(s)
3 year(s)
Certifications
FCC, CE
FCC, CE
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