ASUS announces the ASUS H97-PRO GAMER, the new non-ROG gaming board that for whatever reason exists. Early this year, ASUS quietly announced a budget version of its gaming line-up that did not fit in the premium Republic of Gamers line. Dubbed the PRO GAMER line, these series of motherboards featured mainstream chipsets souped-up with a couple of ROG features but weren’t all decked-out to fit in the ROG line-up.
First in the series was the B85-GAMER PRO, now with the release of the ASUS H97-PRO GAMER the company has refined some of the feature set to include those unique to the ROG line but not overlap the feature set to cannibalize the market of the newly-introduced budget ROG Ranger and Hero classes.
ASUS has come up with some software innovations for its new ROG budget classes and these has made their way to the H97-PRO GAMER. The ASUS H97-PRO GAMER vs. existing ROG models is pretty much a toss up on what you want, with the ASUS H97-PRO GAMER bearing the typical improved LAN, audio and storage that most gaming boards boast.
Pricing has yet to be announced for the ASUS H97-PRO GAMER.
Read more on the official press release below or see the official product page for the ASUS H97-PRO GAMER.
ASUS today announced H97-Pro Gamer, a new ATX motherboard that speeds up gamers’ fun with 10 Gbit/s M.2 and SATA Express connectivity, Intel Gigabit Ethernet and exclusive GameFirst ll networking technology. H97-Pro Gamer additionally benefits from exclusive SupremeFX for unrivalled in-game audio and exclusive Sonic Radar ll technology to lend players a stealthy advantage in first-person-shooter (FPS) games.
The new motherboard also includes ASUS Gamer’s Guardian, a collection of components hand-chosen for exceptional safety, durability and performance to protect gamers’ backs.
Faster gaming networking
H97-Pro Gamer’s networking is powered by Intel Gigabit Ethernet. This has the advantage of communicating directly with Intel processors to offer exceptionally-high Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP) throughput, lowering overall processing demands and improving efficiency – releasing more power for games and gameplay. Using independent network-assessment tools, ASUS engineers calculated that Intel Gigabit Ethernet deals with the UDP data packets that are vital for responsive gaming up to two times (2X) faster than competing gaming-LAN technologies.
H97-Pro Gamer also has GameFirst II, an ASUS-exclusive traffic-shaping technology that reduces lag even further by prioritizing game-related data. Tests by ASUS engineers show that latency is greatly reduced – ping times are up to eight times (8X) faster with GameFirst II enabled. The EZ Mode lets users take advantage of low-latency gaming, with no need for expert knowledge.
Quicker gaming storage
H97-Pro Gamer has the fastest storage connectivity in the shape of SATA Express and M.2. SATA Express provides data-transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbit/s from two PCI Express 2.0 lanes, ready for the next generation of super-fast SSDs and enabling H97-Pro Gamer players to speed up their game storage.
The new motherboard also has a built-in M.2 socket with two native PCI Express 2.0 lanes for data-transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbit/s, so H97-Pro Gamer owners can choose their preferred method to speed up both storage and gameplay.
Superior gaming audio
H97-Pro Gamer players enjoy SupremeFX technology for near-lossless audio with a remarkable signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 115dB that enhances every sound detail. The advanced audio chipset is isolated from electromagnetic interference (EMI) by a protective shield, preserving the integrity of the audio signals. Exclusive ‘red-line shielding’ horizontally separates SupremeFX audio components from the rest of the motherboard. This unique combination effectively eliminates analog interference to ensure flawless sound quality. Premium ELNA audio capacitors are added to the mix to deliver a warmer, natural sound to complete the audio experience.
SupremeFX also has a built-in amplifier that drives high-quality headphones – all the way up to 300ohm impedance – for sound quality that’s as great as a dedicated sound card.
H97-Pro Gamer also includes Sonic Radar II, an ASUS-exclusive technology that displays a stealthy overlay showing the precise direction and origin of in-game sounds. This helps players to hone their enemy-pinpointing skills and giving them the edge in FPS games.
Exceptional durability
H97-Pro Gamer is engineered with high-quality, highly-durable components for exceptional real-world protection. We call these components ASUS Gamer’s Guardian.
Gamer’s Guardian includes onboard resettable fuses that protect the connection ports and DRAM against overcurrent and short-circuit damage, while exceptionally high-quality, Japanese-made 10K black-metallic capacitors offer greater temperature endurance and improved lifespans.
Gamer’s Guardian ESD Guards on the USB ports, audio connectors and Ethernet (LAN) port ensure that H97-Pro Gamer is actively protected against sudden electrostatic discharge (ESD). The result is that the components last much longer.
H97-Pro Gamer also has the ASUS-exclusive DIGI+ voltage-regulator module (VRM) to enhance performance, increase efficiency and ensure reliability, and a stainless-steel back input/output (I/O) panel that’s chromium-plated and corrosion-resistant to last up to three times (3X) longer than traditional panels.
