ASUS Z97M-PLUS Intel Z97 Socket H3 (LGA 1150) Micro ATX motherboard

Intel Z97, Socket 1150, 4 x DIMM, PCI/PCIe, SATA 6Gb/s, M.2 Socket 3, Gigabit LAN, 8-Ch HD Audio, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, PS/2, DVI-D, D-Sub, HDMI, UEFI AMI BIOS, mATX High-value Z97 micro-ATX delivers enduring 5X Protection, high-clarity Crystal Sound 2 and M.2 for enhanced performance and potent entertainment

- Proven quality - 5X Protection. 1000+ compatible devices. 7000+ validation hours.
- Crystal Sound 2 and Intel Gigabit Ethernet — a game-winning combo!
- Speed up your system with lightning-fast 10Gb/s M.2.
- Fan Xpert 3 - Advanced fan controls for ultimate cooling and quietness.
- Media-acclaimed UEFI BIOS with new EZ Tuning Wizard.
- ASUS HomeCloud - A digital PC hub perfect for sharing and home theater.

Strict compatibility and validation

We are the world's biggest motherboard manufacturer, and renowned our design thinking that revolves around users – just like you. Our engineers employ exacting standards to guarantee quality throughout the product's life, choosing the finest components for real-world protection. Our motherboards are proven to be compatible with more than 1,000 components and devices, and undergo a minimum of 7,000 hours of strict validation. That gives you the peace of mind of knowing that ASUS motherboards are fit for all environments and applications. To build your PC with the best foundations, build it with an ASUS motherboard.

ASUS 5X Protection
Hardware safeguards to ensure long-term durability

Our be-the-best ethos underscores the choice of every single component that goes into your ASUS motherboard. We focus relentlessly on quality to ensure long-term system reliability and performance.

Precise digital power control with ASUS DIGI+ VRM

Voltage regulator modules (VRMs) are among the most essential motherboard components. A good VRM intelligently delivers CPU power based on actual needs at any given time. ASUS was first with digital power design featuring faster sensing and response to deliver precise CPU power on demand. This great accuracy reduces energy waste and of course improves system stability thanks to more consistent delivery.

Enhanced DRAM overcurrent protection

Onboard resettable fuses prevent overcurrent and short-circuit damage. This extends beyond I/O ports to DRAM to safeguard the lifespan of both your system and connected device.

5K-hr solid-state capacitors that last 2.5X longer

Solid-state capacitors are able to withstand extreme temperatures of up to 105°C for as long as 5,000 hours — that's two-and-a-half (2.5X) times longer than traditional capacitors. This exceptional durability means superb real-world endurance to more typical PC operating temperatures, ensuring that ASUS motherboards continue working longer.

Stainless-steel back I/O that lasts 3X longer

ASUS motherboard back I/O panels are made from strong and corrosion-resistant stainless steel, which is bonded with a thin layer of chromium oxide to enhance anti-corrosive properties. Passing 72-hour spray salt endurance tests, ASUS stainless steel back I/O panels have a lifespan that's three times (3X) longer compared to ordinary panels.

ESD Guards for protection from electrostatic discharge

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can happen suddenly, and its damaging effects are easily underestimated. ASUS ESD Guards are tested to very high standards, capable of up to +/- 10kV for air discharge and +/-6kV for contact discharge. We employ an active protective circuit design to guard your system against electrostatic interference and damage, providing greater component longevity.

Proven compatibility

Having the freedom to pick and choose the parts that go into your machine is at the heart of PC DIY. Our extensive certification program focuses on providing the very best compatibility with the widest range of components and devices, giving you the freedom to build and upgrade without frustration. Compatible today and compatible far into the future – that's the ASUS way.

Tested - 1,000+ compatible CPUs, memory modules, graphics cards and more

Every 9 Series motherboard is compatible with thousands of devices. Our engineers fit and assess both server and consumer CPUs, hundreds of memory modules, dozens of graphics cards, loads of storage devices, power supplies, network devices, displays, optical drives, peripherals and many more. We do this to give you complete confidence in our products and their superb compatibility.

View our Qualified Vendor List (QVL) online

We're so confident in our 9 Series motherboards' superior compatibility that we publish our entire QVL for all to see — delivering you more choices for worry-free PC-building experiences. There are no gaps in our QVL: every compatible component is on the list for all to see. To check that a particular component or device is compatible with your motherboard, just reference the QVL for instant reassurance.

Designed — Great compatibility with ASUS products

When you choose an ASUS motherboard, it's likely you'll also go with ASUS for other components. ASUS designs products from the ground up so that graphics cards, sound cards and optical drives work flawlessly with your motherboard.

Top-to-bottom reliability

Our motherboards have superb endurance. We verify this by subjecting every board to over 7,000 hours of stringent tests. A barrage of burn-in, environmental, compatibility, software and safety tests confirm that our motherboards are exceptionally robust — with reliability that surpasses industry standards.

Extensive testing for extreme reliability, compatibility and safety

Each motherboard is subjected to extended reliability testing under heavy load conditions, from the transportation to daily operations, to make sure they are delivered to you in perfect condition. Trials include temperature and humidity, burn-in, power on/off, power consumption, insertion and thermal-shock testing among many others. Every certified-compatible component puts through an up to 24-hour aging test to ensure trouble-free operation every day – no matter what you fit or attach and no matter what you do!

Crystal Sound 2

Crystal Sound 2 makes short work of optimizing audio settings for the way you want to listen, be it gaming, chatting, watching movies or relaxing to your favorite music. Onboard physical shielding, professional engineered design and premium components, including Japanese-made audio capacitors and operational amplifiers (op-amps), result in sound output that has exceptional clarity and fidelity. Discover a whole new dimension of superior audio and get ready to rule!

Intel® Gigabit Ethernet —top gaming choice that goes faster with your CPU

Faster, smoother gaming – always. Intel® Gigabit Ethernet has the serious double advantage of communicating directly with CPUs and offering high TCP and UDP throughput. This significantly reduces the processor's workload, so there's more power for your game and your gameplay.

Up to 2X-faster UDP game-data performance

ASUS engineers used IxChariot, an independent network-assessment test tool, to determine just how much quicker Intel Gigabit Ethernet deals with the smaller (sub-256 byte) UDP data packets that are vital for responsive gaming. The results are in — and with Z97 your game-data packets flow up to two times (2X) faster than competing gaming-LAN technologies!

Work with up to 3 displays
Connect up to three independent monitors at once using video outputs such as DisplayPort, Mini DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI, or VGA. Choose your outputs and set displays to either mirror mode or collage mode.

4K/Ultra HD visual excellence
Native support for 4K/UHD (ultra-high-definition) resolutions of up to 4096 x 2160 via HDMI or DisplayPort —that's four times the pixel count of 1080p (1920 x 1080), offering incredible visual clarity, detail, and realism.

Media-acclaimed UEFI BIOS

The smoothest, slickest mouse-controlled graphical BIOS has been improved to make it even more appealing. Whether you're a PC novice or a seasoned overclocker, the EZ and Advanced Modes help you find your way, quickly and easily.

Advanced fan controls for ultimate cooling and
quietness with Fan Xpert 3

Fan Xpert 3 is an extremely advanced fan-management tool that puts 4-pin/3-pin CPU and case fan controls in one place. It scans each fan's characteristics and intelligently delivers custom settings for each fan based on the dedicated area temperatures. Make sure every fan achieves the best balance of cooling performance and low noise.

Fan Xpert 3 supports hardware-level PWM/DC combo mode for both the CPU and case fans. It even has the upgraded ability to reduce the CPU fan speed to below the default minimum, for extra-quiet and power saving operation during light loads.

RPM Fixed Mode

Designed for users who wish to reduce noise levels to near 0dB with highly specific fan speed control. It reacts to system loads for greater response.

Auto Tuning Mode

Scans fan parameters through exclusive automatic speed detection to provide custom settings for each fan with a single click. This achieves the best cooling for your components beyond just the mere number of fans in your case.

Informative fan controls

Delivers complete information that allows you to take advanced control over each fan.

170% faster transfer speeds with USB 3.0 Boost

ASUS USB 3.0 Boost technology supports UASP (USB Attached SCSI Protocol) USB 3.0 in Windows 8. With USB 3.0 Boost technology, a USB device's transmission speed is significantly increased up to 170%, adding to already fast USB 3.0 performance. ASUS software automatically accelerates data rates for compatible USB 3.0 peripherals without any user interaction.

Speed up your system with M.2

With two native PCI Express 2.0 bandwidth, M.2 supports up to 10Gbit/s data-transfer speeds. It is the perfect choice for an operating system drive, making your whole PC work that much faster. It supports Intel® Rapid Storage Technology to ensure even faster access to data, refresh applications automatically and awake from sleep in just seconds!

PC DIY has never been this easy

We understand how you use your PC. From assembly, system setting and monitoring, and to firmware and hardware updates — we're all about making your life easier. That's why we never stop developing new and exciting DIY opportunities to make PC DIY easy, fun and free from hassle!

Your PC, your world

ASUS HomeCloud creates a world without boundaries. It lets you access your PC remotely, stream multimedia content to wherever you want, and manage all your stuff from anywhere — no matter where it's stored. Use the built-in Wake on WAN feature to remotely wake and control your PC with a single smart device, anywhere and anytime. It even turns your hard drive into a private cloud, removing worries about storage limits. With HomeCloud, your PC becomes the gateway to your world.

Intel® LGA1150 4th, New 4th & 5th Generation Core™ i7/Core™ i5/Core™ i3/Pentium®/Celeron® Processors Ready

This motherboard supports Intel® 4th , New 4th and 5th Generation Core™ i7/i5/i3/Pentium®/Celeron® processors in the LGA1150 package, with iGPU, memory and PCI Express controllers integrated to support onboard graphics output with dedicated chipsets, 2-channel (4 DIMM) DDR3 memory and 16 PCI Express 3.0/2.0 lanes. This provides great graphics performance.
Intel® Z97 Express Chipset The Intel® Z97 Express Chipset is a single-chipset design that supports Intel® LGA1150 4th, New 4th & 5th Generation Core™ i7/Core™ i5/Core™ i3/Pentium®/Celeron® Processors. It provides improved performance by utilizing serial point-to-point links, allowing increased bandwidth and stability. Additionally, Z97 provides a maximum 6 USB 3.0 ports, 6 SATA 6Gbit/s ports and 10Gbit/s M.2 support for faster data retrieval. Moreover, the Intel® Z97 Express Chipset also supports iGPU functions, letting users enjoy the latest Intel integrated graphics performance.

Intel® Smart Response Technology SSD speed with HDD capacity

Uses an installed fast SSD (min18.6GB available capacity required) as a cache for frequently-accessed data. Key benefits include reduced load and wait times, and lower power consumption through the elimination of unnecessary hard drive spin. This technology combines SSD performance with hard drive capacity, operating up to 6X faster than a hard drive-only system.

Intel® Smart Connect Technology
Auto application refresh and shorter wait times

Your computer can receive web updates with fresh content for selected applications, even when the system is in sleep mode. This means less time waiting for applications to update and sync with the cloud, leading to a more efficient computing experience.

Intel® Rapid Start Technology
Instantly awaken your PC from sleep mode

Allows your computer to quickly resume from a low-power hibernate state in seconds. Saving your system memory to the designated SSD, it provides your computer a faster wake-up response time, while still keeping energy use low.