Conclusion
There's RGB lighting, a minor uptick in supported memory speeds, and, most interesting of all, the ability to 3D-print a logo of your choosing.Asus has an incredible number of motherboards based on Intel's LGA1151 Skylake platform. Overlapping ranges, price points and features can make it difficult to know which one is best for you, but if you want something out of the ordinary then you need look no further than the Z170 Pro Gaming/Aura.
Ostensibly based on the popular board from last year, Asus has upgraded it in a few key areas. There's RGB lighting, a minor uptick in supported memory speeds, and, most interesting of all, the ability to 3D-print a logo of your choosing.
Should these extras tickle your fancy, the £30-£50 premium can be justified. This is a well-designed board and represents the bedrock of premium Z170 support from Asus. If you're in its wheelhouse and took a fancy to last year's version, the 2016 reboot is better in every way.
The Good The Bad Attractive lighting
3D-printed logo is cool
Solid BIOS
Overclocks well
No front USB 3.1 connector
HEXUS.where2buy*
The Asus Z170 Pro Gaming/Aura is available to purchase from Scan Computers.
HEXUS.right2reply
At HEXUS, we invite the companies whose products we test to comment on our articles. If any company representatives for the products reviewed choose to respond, we'll publish their commentary here verbatim.
*UK-based HEXUS community members are eligible for free delivery and priority customer service through the SCAN.care@HEXUS forum.