There’s plenty of room between the CPU socket and the top PCIe x16 slot, too. The VRM heatsinks may threaten to take a chunk out of your knuckles, but they’re only about an inch tall, so they shouldn’t interfere with larger aftermarket coolers. The heatsinks already crowd the area around one of the retention holes, and their little claws represent another obstacle that must be negotiated when installing the CPU cooler. As much as I appreciate the continuity, the socket area isn’t the best place for pointy bits of metal. MSI carries the dragon theme over to the VRM heatsinks, which are designed to resemble claws. There aren’t too many of those, which keeps the aesthetic pretty subdued overall. Once the Z97 Gaming 7 is stuffed inside a case, all you’re likely to see is the glow of its LEDs. The VRM heatsinks have a bloodier tone, while PCH cooler exudes more of a Ferrari vibe.Īnd there’s a dragon. Unfortunately, the color matching is a little off. The splashes of color on the heatsinks are the only real deviations from the darkness. The matte PCB surface is especially nice, and the landscape is largely free of excessive lettering and other silk-screened graphics. This is really a blacked-out board with subtle hints of red here and there. The Z97 Gaming 7 also has the requisite black-and-red color scheme that’s become the de facto standard for gaming boards. And don’t forget all the trappings associated with the Z97 chipset, like support for future Broadwell CPUs and PCIe SSDs.
Sound blaster cinema 3 utility what is it Pc#
This $184.99 offering is a little more upscale without going overboard it’s equipped with three PCIe x16 slots hanging off the CPU, Sound Blaster-infused audio, slick fan speed controls, and a collection of little touches that are sure to please seasoned PC builders. One of the most interesting is the Z97 Gaming 7. It just welcomed a bunch of new members based on Intel’s 9 Series chipset, including eight that use the enthusiast-oriented Z97 variant. MSI’s gaming motherboard family has grown to span multiple price points, CPU sockets, and form factors. Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.
Sound blaster cinema 3 utility what is it software#
They usually have different audio and networking components, plus bundled software and other extras, but they’re otherwise similar to ostensibly non-gaming models. Gaming-specific boards typically involve subtle tweaks to the tried-and-true enthusiast formula. If you’re unfamiliar with this particular sub-genre, here’s the lowdown. The company rolled out a deep lineup of so-called gaming boards last year, democratizing a style that had been largely limited to high-end offerings with premium prices. Motherboard makers have been increasingly eager to cash in on that trend, and MSI may be most aggressive among them. Despite the overall downturn in the PC industry, all indications suggest the gaming segment of the market is growing.