CONCLUSION
BIOSTAR is seemingly intent on capturing the more budget-conscious enthusiasts who aren’t crazy about features and just want a neat-looking board that works. The BIOSTAR HI-FI Z97Z7 manages to take the Z97 chipset and decently utilize its wide feature set and dress it up well enough to cater to the majority of folks who don’t bother with flashy products. Let’s break it down further for our final verdict:
Performance. The BIOSTAR Hi-Fi Z97Z7’s performance isn’t anything top of the line but it isn’t any slouch either and doesn’t do anything to really weigh down the performance of the processor. Overclocking brings a good bit more to the table but tweaking further takes some effort though.
Build Quality. BIOSTAR gets a good portion of its popularity for their apparent quality issues but the BIOSTAR HI-FI Z97Z7 is just one of the signs that the company is improving its quality with its products. The layout is good and there’s enough of modern features to maximize the latest chipset from Intel.
Functionality. As mentioned before, the board utilizes many of the Z97 chipset’s features like SATA Express, M.2 slot,  USB3.0, etc. All of which are functional and for anyone looking for such features at an affordable package, the Hi-Fi Z97Z7 lends itself nicely to those that require such features.
Bundle. The Hi-Fi Z97Z7 doesn’t include much except for the basics so an average here.
Value. This is pretty much where it all boils down to: price. At $119 the BIOSTAR HI-FI Z97Z7 sits comfortably at a very affordable price point. In this segment, there’s not much Z97 boards going around and those that do are limited in some ways. The Hi-Fi Z97Z7 is a well-rounded board with plenty of enthusiast features so its quite an attractive option if you’re a power user on a tight budget.
While the value is indeed attractive, one of the issues we’ve seen is availability in local retailers. If you can’t find it in your local store though, BIOSTAR has them up in their eBay channel which lets you order directly from the company.
Overall, the BIOSTAR HI-FI Z97Z7 is another step forward into improving the company’s high-end line. Sure some may complain that not all the components selected are high-end including the fact that for a Hi-Fi branded solution, it only carries a rather aging ALC892 audio solution with a touch of amplification doing a bit of boosting for the board to serve its series highlight. Other than that though, its the price that really sets this board apart and once again, we would like to point out that if looks and extras aren’t the deciding factor for your next Z97 purchase, the BIOSTAR HI-FI Z97Z7 with its modern features, elegant looks is surely a good choice.
BIOSTAR backs the HI-FI Z97Z7 with a 3-year warranty. We give the BIOSTAR Hi-Fi Z97Z7Â our B2G Value Award!
1 Comment
Biostar Z97X Gaming please :3