Introduction

When you build a high-performance race car, you want a lightweight chassis everything bolts to. So when we build high-performance PCs, how come the same doesn't apply? Most high-end rigs are stuffed into huge cases with a ton of cooling, but if you want that smaller, light-weight box that offers all the same things, the ASRock Z170M OC Formula is easily my motherboard of choice. Recently released onto the streets, this memory overclocking monster claims to push DIMMs to up to 4500 MHz and beyond, which is way higher than any other board I have sitting on my shelf right now. That "M" in the name means it's the mATX version of ASRock's highly-rated OC Formula series, and of course, it's built for Skylake CPUs with Intel's Z170 chipset.

You don't really expect a mATX board to be fully featured, but with the ASRock Z170M OC Formula, you do get all the features you're looking for to push the limits of what your other gear is capable of, including all the overclocking features you'd expect, blazing-fast M.2 support, great audio, and no less than eight SATA ports. Getting everything present and tying it all together is a PCB with no less than 10 layers, and let's not forget that ultra-fast USB 3.1 port in the back panel. ASRock's Nick Shih has given us his latest highly-tuned, ready-to-OC-your-socks-off motherboard; let's take a look at the ASRock Z170M OC Formula.

Specifications

Packaging

ASRock's OC Formula series definitely has its own look to its packaging, making it easily recognizable if you happen to shop at a local store. The front has huge "OC" lettering on it to let you know what this board is for, while the back goes into detail on exactly what it offers.


Opening the box will reveal the bundled accessories up top, while below is the board itself, nicely secured in some foam that should help keep the board safe and secure until it reaches your hands. If you buy from an online retailer, how well a product is packaged is something you really shouldn't overlook.


The included goodies are few, but to the point. A full list of what is included is below:

• User's manual, quick install guide
• 1 x Support DVD
• 2 x SATA 6Gb/s cables
• 1 x ASRock flexible SLI bridge cable
• 1 x Backplate
• 1 x Screw for M.2 socket