Question about PCB thickness ASRock Z97-EXTREME6

[SeanMac]

Hi guys,

I'm considering purchasing the ASRock Z97-EXTREME6 motherboard. I'd like to know how many layers does this PCB have ?

The only thing holding me back from buying it is i have heard the pcb thickness of these boards is only 2 layers and they are prone to warping.

If someone could answer this one i'd appreciate your time and input.

Kind regards

[parsec]

Re: Question about PCB thickness ASRock Z97-EXTREME6

Hi guys,

I'm considering purchasing the ASRock Z97-EXTREME6 motherboard. I'd like to know how many layers does this PCB have ?

The only thing holding me back from buying it is i have heard the pcb thickness of these boards is only 2 layers and they are prone to warping.

If someone could answer this one i'd appreciate your time and input.

Kind regards

First let me say the following is not directed at you personally, SeanMac.

Imagine a "two layer", Intel Haswell CPU compatible, Z97 chipset board. That is such a ridiculous claim I can't believe it, and demonstrates the utter ignorance of the source about PC mother boards and electronics in general.

A two layer PC mother board of the complexity of the ASRock Z97 Extreme 6 could not exist, unless it had wiring to make up for the missing layers, which is impossible to do.

Does the source of that claim even know what a printed circuit board layer is? The simplest circuit board possible is two layers, one layer of conductive copper, and one non-conducting substrate fiberglass and epoxy layer. Any modern PC mother board could not be designed or function with a two layer board.

So an emphatic no, the ASRock Z97 Extreme 6 is not a two layer board. I'd be interested in seeing proof of the two layer claim, but only to show it does not exist.

Moving on, if warping of a board due to extreme thinness is your only concern, then the number of layers a board has does not necessarily guarantee it will not bend or warp. There are many factors that determine the stiffness of a board, including the number of, thickness, and type of material used for the substrate layers, and the number of and thickness of the copper layers. I've seen two layer boards that were thicker than multiple layer boards. Old fashioned two layer Bakelite circuit boards 1/8" thick could be snapped in two with your fingers. Try that with epoxy filled fiberglass.

The trend in mother board thickness is they are thinner now, due to the substrate material being stronger than earlier types. Being thinner does not mean something will be automatically weaker, or thicker is always stronger. Is one cm balsa wood stronger than one mm epoxy filled fiberglass, or carbon fiber?

ASRock does not have a spec for the number of layers the Z97 Extreme 6 board has, that is not a common spec provided by manufactures. The ASRock Z97 OC Formula has eight layers, not to make it stronger but because it needs that many layers to function. IMO, the Z97 Extreme 6 board probably has eight layers. Looking at pictures, the Z97 Extreme 6 board appears slightly thicker than the Z97 OC Formula, but it is difficult to tell.

So as I see so often in PC hardware discussion, things are over-simplified to the degree that what is left provides little to no worthwhile information. That is, simply the greater the number of layers, the better a board will be. Of course, it helps if you really know how many layers a PC mother board has.

[SeanMac]

Re: Question about PCB thickness ASRock Z97-EXTREME6

First let me say the following is not directed at you personally, SeanMac.

Imagine a "two layer", Intel Haswell CPU compatible, Z97 chipset board. That is such a ridiculous claim I can't believe it, and demonstrates the utter ignorance of the source about PC mother boards and electronics in general.

A two layer PC mother board of the complexity of the ASRock Z97 Extreme 6 could not exist, unless it had wiring to make up for the missing layers, which is impossible to do.

Does the source of that claim even know what a printed circuit board layer is? The simplest circuit board possible is two layers, one layer of conductive copper, and one non-conducting substrate fiberglass and epoxy layer. Any modern PC mother board could not be designed or function with a two layer board.

So an emphatic no, the ASRock Z97 Extreme 6 is not a two layer board. I'd be interested in seeing proof of the two layer claim, but only to show it does not exist.

Moving on, if warping of a board due to extreme thinness is your only concern, then the number of layers a board has does not necessarily guarantee it will not bend or warp. There are many factors that determine the stiffness of a board, including the number of, thickness, and type of material used for the substrate layers, and the number of and thickness of the copper layers. I've seen two layer boards that were thicker than multiple layer boards. Old fashioned two layer Bakelite circuit boards 1/8" thick could be snapped in two with your fingers. Try that with epoxy filled fiberglass.

The trend in mother board thickness is they are thinner now, due to the substrate material being stronger than earlier types. Being thinner does not mean something will be automatically weaker, or thicker is always stronger. Is one cm balsa wood stronger than one mm epoxy filled fiberglass, or carbon fiber?

ASRock does not have a spec for the number of layers the Z97 Extreme 6 board has, that is not a common spec provided by manufactures. The ASRock Z97 OC Formula has eight layers, not to make it stronger but because it needs that many layers to function. IMO, the Z97 Extreme 6 board probably has eight layers. Looking at pictures, the Z97 Extreme 6 board appears slightly thicker than the Z97 OC Formula, but it is difficult to tell.

So as I see so often in PC hardware discussion, things are over-simplified to the degree that what is left provides little to no worthwhile information. That is, simply the greater the number of layers, the better a board will be. Of course, it helps if you really know how many layers a PC mother board has.

Hi Parsec,

Thanks for that information ! Much appreciated. I've read quite a few reviews of various Asrock motherboards and this one did trouble me a little:-

HARDOCP - Introduction - ASRock Fatal1ty Z97 Killer LGA 1150 Motherboard Review

The conclusions given in the review are not that great in regards to build quality.
I guess the only way to find out is to buy an Asrock board and experience it myself.

All the best

[parsec]

Re: Question about PCB thickness ASRock Z97-EXTREME6

I skimmed that review, of the ASRock Z97 Fatal1ty Killer, and all I kept thinking was, what are they talking about?

I own an ASRock Z97 Extreme 6, and it sure isn't anything like the board described in the review. The ASRock Z97 Fatal1ty Killer may be thin and prone to warping as stated in the review, but the Z97 Extreme 6 is not like that at all. I certainly did not get "stabbed" by the edges of the board when I took it out of the box.

IMO, and experience, the Z97 Extreme 6 board is nothing like the description in that review. I could question many things about the review that are strange IMO, but I won't go into detail. In the end they give the board an Editors Choice Enthusiast Gold award, which is also strange if it is so bad.

I think you'll like the Z97 Extreme 6 board, it is not a cheaply made board. Believe me, if it was I would tell you.

[- wardog -]

Re: Question about PCB thickness ASRock Z97-EXTREME6

Ha! If someone writing a review has to ***** about being stabbed by ANY part of a MB they should, IMHO, retire their keyboard and cease writing.

I'm not even gonna go read it. ... Help. I've been assaulted by a MB and I can't get up! .......... ROTFLMAO

[parsec]

Re: Question about PCB thickness ASRock Z97-EXTREME6

Ha! If someone writing a review has to ***** about being stabbed by ANY part of a MB they should, IMHO, retire their keyboard and cease writing.

I'm not even gonna go read it. ... Help. I've been assaulted by a MB and I can't get up! .......... ROTFLMAO

OMG, I'm doing that right now!!

Great joke wardog, I wish I thought of that!!

[- wardog -]

Re: Question about PCB thickness ASRock Z97-EXTREME6

I mean really.

Don't know about the rest of you reading this but I surely don't man-handle a MB enough to bleed.

Lord. What's next in reviewers eyes? "They didn't go the long mile and burnish the leads sticking out from the underside and my cat used it as a brush, leaving behind a furball."