Kaby Lake Motherboards at $140: MSI Z270 SLI Plus vs. ASRock Z270 Killer SLI

Conclusion

Both of the MSI Z270 SLI Plus and the ASRock Z270 Killer SLI are targeted towards the same market segment, that of entry and mainstream gamers. The approach that each manufacturer takes, however, is slightly different and each motherboard will appeal to a different group of users.

ASRock is placing a lot of effort on aesthetics, with the Z270 Killer SLI featuring onboard RGB lighting plus a header for RGB LED strips. The motherboard itself also sports a unique paint job, with a white huge “K” breaking the simplicity of the glossy black paint. MSI’s Z270 SLI Plus also has a header for RGB LED strips but the onboard LEDs are white, while the entire motherboard is black, with silver accents provided by the steel slot brace supports and on the heatsinks. The MSI Z270 SLI Plus is by no means bad looking but it definitely is not as flashy as the ASRock Z270 Killer SLI.

In terms of CPU and gaming performance, both of these motherboards are virtually equal. Any and all performance differences are minuscule and well within the small statistical error margin. When it comes to overall system performance however, the MSI Z270 SLI Plus is significantly superior on the controller front, with the much better audio codec delivering a better sound experience and the presence of the USB 3.1 controller significantly boosting file transfer times. ASRock does have an advantage in both the power consumption (due to the better quality of the power delivery) and the presence of the optical SPDIF out port, but users who do are indifferent about those are much more likely to be enticed by the better controllers found on MSI’s offering. The ASRock Z270 Killer SLI also has an onboard Thunderbolt header that could entice a small portion of users. On the other hand, the MSI Z270 SLI Plus can support a 22110 M.2 device and it has a third PCI-E ×16 slot, allowing more flexible storage device options. Other small differences include MSI using steel braces on the dual-side lock DIMM slots and a 10-phase VRM in comparison to the simple single-side DIMM slots and the 8-phase VRM of the ASRock Z270 Killer SLI, which arguably increases the overall quality of the design a little.

As far as similarities go, both motherboards have two PCI-E 3.0 ×4 M.2 slots and using SATA M.2 devices in these slots will always disable a SATA port on either board. The onboard network controller of both boards is the popular Intel I219-V and both have a COM port header. The MSI Z270 SLI Plus also has a parallel port header, quite possibly because the designer thought that some gamer might want to use a really old joystick for some retro gaming.

Considering that the CPU and gaming performance of both motherboards is the same, as is their current retail price tag, the MSI Z270 SLI Plus initially appears to be a reasonable choice. It has a much better audio codec, an USB 3.1 controller, can support 22110 M.2 devices, and has an extra PCI-E ×16 slot. However, it lacks Thunderbolt support and optical SPDIF out port, features that can instantly drive some users towards the ASRock Z270 Killer SLI. There is also the matter of aesthetics and beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so the RGB lighting and unique paint job of the ASRock Z270 Killer SLI can actually be more important to some users than USB 3.1 support and top-grade audio. Neither motherboard will disappoint with its performance but, considering their features, the MSI Z270 SLI Plus appears to have a better market potential at the moment of this review.