ASROCK Z270 Killer SLI/ac User manual

Version 1.0
Published November 2016
Copyright©2016 ASRock INC. All rights reserved.
Copyright Notice:
No part of this documentation may be reproduced, transcribed, transmitted, or
translated in any language, in any form or by any means, except duplication of
documentation by the purchaser for backup purpose, without written consent of
ASRock Inc.
Products and corporate names appearing in this documentation may or may not
be registered trademarks or copyrights of their respective companies, and are used
only for identication or explanation and to the owners’ benet, without intent to
infringe.
Disclaimer:
Specications and information contained in this documentation are furnished for
informational use only and subject to change without notice, and should not be
constructed as a commitment by ASRock. ASRock assumes no responsibility for
any errors or omissions that may appear in this documentation.
With respect to the contents of this documentation, ASRock does not provide
warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to
the implied warranties or conditions of merchantability or tness for a particular
purpose.
In no event shall ASRock, its directors, ocers, employees, or agents be liable for
any indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages (including damages for
loss of prots, loss of business, loss of data, interruption of business and the like),
even if ASRock has been advised of the possibility of such damages arising from any
defect or error in the documentation or product.
is device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that
may cause undesired operation.
CALIFORNIA, USA ONLY
e Lithium battery adopted on this motherboard contains Perchlorate, a toxic substance
controlled in Perchlorate Best Management Practices (BMP) regulations passed by the
California Legislature. When you discard the Lithium battery in California, USA, please
follow the related regulations in advance.
“Perchlorate Material-special handling may apply, see www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate”
ASRock Website: http://www.asrock.com

AUSTRALIA ONLY
Our goods come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian
Consumer Law. You are entitled to a replacement or refund for a major failure and
compensation for any other reasonably foreseeable loss or damage caused by our
goods. You are also entitled to have the goods repaired or replaced if the goods fail
to be of acceptable quality and the failure does not amount to a major failure. If
you require assistance please call ASRock Tel : [phone] ext.123 (Standard
International call charges apply)
e terms HDMI™ and HDMI High-Denition Multimedia Interface, and the HDMI
logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC in the United
States and other countries.

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1
Z270 Killer SLI/ac / Z270 Killer SLI
Motherboard Layout
Intel
Z270
DDR4_A2 (64 bit, 288-pin module)
DDR4_A1 (64 bit, 288-pin module)
DDR4_B2 (64 bit, 288-pin module)
DDR4_B1 (64 bit, 288-pin module)
ATX12V1
ATXPWR1
Top:
Central/Bass
Center:
REAR SPK
Top:
LINE IN
Center:
FRONT
Bottom:
Optical
SPDIF
Bottom:
MIC IN
HDLED RESET
PLED PWRBTN
PANEL1
1
1
SPK_PLED1
1
HD_AUDIO1
SATA_4_5
USB_1_2
1
CPU_FAN1
1
TPMS1
CHA_FAN3/W_PUMP
USB3_5_6
1
CLRMOS1
1
M2_WIFI1*
BIOS
ROM
RGB_LED1
1
PCIE1
M2_1
CTCTCT CT24 23 22 21
CHA_FAN2
CHA_FAN1
COM1
1
PCIE2
RoHS
Ultra M.2
PC Ie Ge n 3 x4
HDMI1
USB 3.0
T: USB1
B: USB2
PS2
Keyboard
/Mouse
DVI1
Top:
RJ-45
USB 3.0
T: USB3
B: USB4
USB 3. 0
T: USB3_TA_1
B: USB3_TC_1
PCIE3
PCIE5
PCIE6
PCIE4
CMOS
Battery
M2_2
CTCTCT CT24 23 22 21
SATA_2_3
SATA_0_1
USB_3_4
1
USB_5
1
T B2
1
T B1
1
CI1
1

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No. Description
1 ATX 12V Power Connector (ATX12V1)
2 2 x 288-pin DDR4 DIMM Slots (DDR4_A1, DDR4_B1)
3 2 x 288-pin DDR4 DIMM Slots (DDR4_A2, DDR4_B2)
4 CPU Fan Connector (CPU_FAN1)
5 ATX Power Connector (ATXPWR1)
6 USB 3.0 Header (USB3_5_6)
7 SATA3 Connectors (SATA_4_5)
8 SATA3 Connectors (SATA_2_3)
9 SATA3 Connectors (SATA_0_1)
10 System Panel Header (PANEL1)
11 Power LED and Speaker Header (SPK_PLED1)
12 Chassis Fan / Waterpump Fan Connector (CHA_FAN3/W_PUMP)
13 Chassis Fan Connector (CHA_FAN1)
14 USB 2.0 Header (USB_1_2)
15 USB 2.0 Header (USB_3_4)
16 Chassis Intrusion Header (CI1)
17 USB 2.0 Header (USB_5)
18 AURA RGB LED Header (RGB_LED)
19 Clear CMOS Jumper (CLRMOS1)
20 underbolt AIC Connector (TB2)
21 TPM Header (TPMS1)
22 COM Port Header (COM1)
23 Front Panel Audio Header (HD_AUDIO1)
24 underbolt AIC Connector (TB1)
25 Chassis Fan Connector (CHA_FAN2)
* e Wireless LAN is supported on Z270 Killer SLI/ac only.

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Z270 Killer SLI/ac / Z270 Killer SLI
I/O Panel
Z270 Killer SLI/ac
No. Description No. Description
1 PS/2 Mouse/Keyboard Port 9 Optical SPDIF Out Port
2 USB 3.0 Type-A Port (USB3_TA_1) 10 USB 3.0 Ports (USB3_3_4)
3 LAN RJ-45 Port* 11 USB 3.0 Type-C Port (USB3_TC_1)
4 Central / Bass (Orange) 12 DVI-D Port
5 Rear Speaker (Black) 13 Antenna Ports
6 Line In (Light Blue) 14 USB 3.0 Ports (USB3_1_2)
7 Front Speaker (Lime)** 15 HDMI Port
8 Microphone (Pink)
1
891013 111214
5
4
7
6
3
15
2

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Z270 Killer SLI
No. Description No. Description
1 PS/2 Mouse/Keyboard Port 8 Microphone (Pink)
2 USB 3.0 Type-A Port (USB3_TA_1) 9 Optical SPDIF Out Port
3 LAN RJ-45 Port* 10 USB 3.0 Ports (USB3_3_4)
4 Central / Bass (Orange) 11 USB 3.0 Type-C Port (USB3_TC_1)
5 Rear Speaker (Black) 12 DVI-D Port
6 Line In (Light Blue) 13 USB 3.0 Ports (USB3_1_2)
7 Front Speaker (Lime)** 14 HDMI Port
1
8910111213
5
4
7
6
3
14
2

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Z270 Killer SLI/ac / Z270 Killer SLI
* ere are two LEDs on each LAN port. Please refer to the table below for the LAN port LED indications.
Activity / Link LED Speed LED
Status Description Status Description
O No Link O 10Mbps connection
Blinking Data Activity Orange 100Mbps connection
On Link Green 1Gbps connection
** If you use a 2-channel speaker, please connect the speaker’s plug into “Front Speaker Jack”. See the table below
for connection details in accordance with the type of speaker you use.
Audio Output
Channels
Front Speaker
(No. 7)
Rear Speaker
(No. 5)
Central / Bass
(No. 4)
Line In
(No. 6)
2V -- -- --
4V V -- --
6V V V --
8V V V V
To enable Multi-Streaming, you need to connect a front panel audio cable to the
front panel audio header. Aer restarting your computer, you will nd the “Mixer”
tool on your system. Please select “Mixer ToolBox” , click “Enable playback
multi-streaming”, and click “ok”. Choose “2CH”, “4CH”, “6CH”, or “8CH” and then
you are allowed to select “Realtek HDA Primary output” to use the Rear Speaker,
Central/Bass, and Front Speaker, or select “Realtek HDA Audio 2nd output” to use
the front panel audio.
ACT/LINK LED
SPEED LED
LAN Port

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Chapter 1 Introduction
ank you for purchasing ASRock Z270 Killer SLI/ac / Z270 Killer SLI
motherboard, a reliable motherboard produced under ASRock’s consistently
stringent quality control. It delivers excellent performance with robust design
conforming to ASRock’s commitment to quality and endurance.
1.1 Package Contents
• ASRock Z270 Killer SLI/ac / Z270 Killer SLI Motherboard (ATX Form Factor)
• ASRock Z270 Killer SLI/ac / Z270 Killer SLI Quick Installation Guide
• ASRock Z270 Killer SLI/ac / Z270 Killer SLI Support CD
• 1 x I/O Panel Shield
• 2 x Serial ATA (SATA) Data Cables (Optional)
• 1 x ASRock SLI_HB_Bridge_2S Card (Optional)
• 2 x Screws for M.2 Sockets (Optional)
• 2 x ASRock WiFi 2.4/5 GHz Antennas (Optional) (for Z270 Killer SLI/ac only)
Because the motherboard specications and the BIOS soware might be updated, the
content of this documentation will be subject to change without notice. In case any
modications of this documentation occur, the updated version will be available on
ASRock’s website without further notice. If you require technical support related to
this motherboard, please visit our website for specic information about the model
you are using. You may nd the latest VGA cards and CPU support list on ASRock’s
website as well. ASRock website http://www.asrock.com.

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Z270 Killer SLI/ac / Z270 Killer SLI
1.2 Specications
Platform • ATX Form Factor
CPU • Supports 7th and 6th Generation Intel® CoreTM i7/i5/i3/
Pentium®/Celeron® Processors (Socket 1151)
• Digi Power design
• 8 Power Phase design
• Supports Intel® Turbo Boost 2.0 Technology
• Supports Intel® K-Series unlocked CPUs
• Supports ASRock BCLK Full-range Overclocking
Chipset • Intel® Z270
Memory • Dual Channel DDR4 Memory Technology
• 4 x DDR4 DIMM Slots
• Supports DDR4 3733+(OC)*/3600(OC)/3200(OC)/2933(OC)
/2800(OC)/2400**/2133 non-ECC, un-buered memory
* Please refer to Memory Support List on ASRock's website for
more information. (http://www.asrock.com/)
** 7th Gen Intel® CPU supports DDR4 up to 2400; 6th Gen Intel®
CPU supports DDR4 up to 2133.
• Supports ECC UDIMM memory modules (operate in non-
ECC mode)
• Max. capacity of system memory: 64GB
• Supports Intel® Extreme Memory Prole (XMP) 2.0
• 15μ Gold Contact in DIMM Slots
Expansion
Slot
• 2 x PCI Express 3.0 x16 Slots (PCIE2/PCIE4: single at x16
(PCIE2); dual at x8 (PCIE2) / x8 (PCIE4))*
* Supports NVMe SSD as boot disks
• 4 x PCI Express 3.0 x1 Slots (Flexible PCIe)
• Supports AMD Quad CrossFireXTM and CrossFireXTM
• Supports NVIDIA® Quad SLITM and SLITM
• 1 x Vertical M.2 Socket (Key E) with the bundled WiFi-
802.11ac module (on the rear I/O)
• 15μ Gold Contact in VGA PCIe Slot (PCIE2)

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Graphics • Intel® HD Graphics Built-in Visuals and the VGA outputs
can be supported only with processors which are GPU
integrated.
• Supports Intel® HD Graphics Built-in Visuals : Intel® Quick
Sync Video with AVC, MVC (S3D) and MPEG-2 Full
HW Encode1, Intel® InTruTM 3D, Intel® Clear Video HD
Technology, Intel® InsiderTM, Intel® HD Graphics
• Gen9 LP, DX11.3, DX12
• HWAEncode/Decode: VP8, HEVC 8b, VP9, HEVC 10b (For
7th Gen Intel® CPU)
• HWA Encode/Decode: VP8 , HEVC 8b; GPU/SWEncode/
Decode: VP9, HEVC 10b (For 6th Gen Intel® CPU)
• Max. shared memory 1024MB
* e size of maximum shared memory may vary from dierent
operating systems.
• Dual graphics output: Support DVI-D and HDMI ports by
independent display controllers
• Supports HDMI with max. resolution up to 4K x 2K
(4096x2160) @ 24Hz / (3840x2160) @ 30Hz
• Supports DVI-D with max. resolution up to 1920x1200 @
60Hz
• Supports Auto Lip Sync, Deep Color (12bpc), xvYCC and
HBR (High Bit Rate Audio) with HDMI Port (Compliant
HDMI monitor is required)
• Supports HDCP with DVI-D and HDMI Ports
• Supports Full HD 1080p Blu-ray (BD) playback with DVI-D
and HDMI Ports
Audio • 7.1 CH HD Audio with Content Protection (Realtek ALC892
Audio Codec)
• Premium Blu-ray Audio support
• Supports Surge Protection (ASRock Full Spike Protection)
• Nichicon Fine Gold Series Audio Caps

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Z270 Killer SLI/ac / Z270 Killer SLI
LAN • Gigabit LAN 10/100/1000 Mb/s
• Giga PHY Intel® I219V
• Supports Wake-On-LAN
• Supports Lightning/ESD Protection (ASRock Full Spike
Protection)
• Supports Energy Ecient Ethernet 802.3az
• Supports PXE
Wireless
LAN (for
Z270 Killer
SLI/ac
only)
• Intel® 802.11ac WiFi Module (Free Bundle)
• Supports IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
• Supports Dual-Band (2.4/5 GHz)
• Supports high speed wireless connections up to 433Mbps
• Supports Bluetooth 4.0 / 3.0 + High speed class II
Rear Panel
I/O
• 2 x Antenna Ports (for Z270 Killer SLI/ac only)
• 1 x PS/2 Mouse/Keyboard Port
• 1 x DVI-D Port
• 1 x HDMI Port
• 1 x Optical SPDIF Out Port
• 5 x USB 3.0 Type-A Ports (Supports ESD Protection (ASRock
Full Spike Protection))
• 1 x USB 3.0 Type-C Port (Supports ESD Protection (ASRock
Full Spike Protection))
• 1 x RJ-45 LAN Port with LED (ACT/LINK LED and SPEED
LED)
• HD Audio Jacks: Rear Speaker / Central / Bass / Line in /
Front Speaker / Microphone
Storage • 6 x SATA3 6.0 Gb/s Connectors, support RAID (RAID 0,
RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, Intel Rapid Storage Technology
15 and Intel Smart Response Technology), NCQ, AHCI and
Hot Plug*
* If M2_1 is occupied by a SATA-type M.2 device, SATA_5 will
be disabled.
* If M2_2 is occupied by a SATA-type M.2 device, SATA_0 will
be disabled.
• 2 x Ultra M.2 Sockets, support type 2230/2242/2260/2280
M.2 SATA3 6.0 Gb/s module and M.2 PCI Express module
up to Gen3 x4 (32 Gb/s)**

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** Supports Intel® OptaneTM Technology
** Supports NVMe SSD as boot disks
** Supports ASRock U.2 Kit
Connector • 1 x COM Port Header
• 1 x TPM Header
• 1 x Chassis Intrusion Header
• 1 x Power LED and Speaker Header
• 1 x AURA RGB LED Header
• 1 x CPU Fan Connector (4-pin)
* e CPU Fan Connector supports the CPU fan of maximum
1A (12W) fan power.
• 2 x Chassis Fan Connectors (4-pin) (Smart Fan Speed Con-
trol)
• 1 x Chassis Optional/Water Pump Fan Connector (4-pin)
(Smart Fan Speed Control)
* e Chassis Optional/Water Pump Fan supports the water
cooler fan of maximum 1.5A (18W) fan power.
* CHA_FAN2 can auto detect if 3-pin or 4-pin fan is in use.
• 1 x 24 pin ATX Power Connector
• 1 x 8 pin 12V Power Connector
• 1 x Front Panel Audio Connector
• 1 x underbolt AIC Connector (5-pin)
• 1 x underbolt AIC Connector (10-pin)
* Only one underbolt AIC Card is supported.
• 3 x USB 2.0 Headers (Support 5 USB 2.0 ports) (Supports
ESD Protection (ASRock Full Spike Protection))
• 1 x USB 3.0 Header (Supports 2 USB 3.0 ports) (Supports
ESD Protection (ASRock Full Spike Protection))
BIOS
Feature
• AMI UEFI Legal BIOS with multilingual GUI support
• ACPI 6.0 Compliant wake up events
• SMBIOS 2.7 Support
• CPU, GT_CPU, DRAM, VPP, PCH 1.0V, VCCIO, VCCST,
VCCSA, VCCPLL Voltage Multi-adjustment

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Z270 Killer SLI/ac / Z270 Killer SLI
Hardware
Monitor
• CPU / Chassis / Chassis Optional/Water Pump temperature
sensing
• CPU / Chassis / Chassis Optional/Water Pump Fan Tachom-
eter
• CPU / Chassis / Chassis Optional/Water Pump Quiet Fan
(Auto adjust chassis fan speed by CPU temperature)
• CPU / Chassis / Chassis Optional/Water Pump Fan multi-
speed control
• CASE OPEN detection
• Voltage monitoring: +12V, +5V, +3.3V, CPU Vcore, DRAM,
VPP, PCH 1.0V, VCCIO, VCCSA, VCCST
OS • Microso® Windows® 10 64-bit (For 7th Gen Intel® CPU)
• Microso® Windows® 10 64-bit / 8.1 64-bit / 7 32-bit / 7 64-
bit (For 6th Gen Intel® CPU)
* To install Windows® 7 OS, a modied installation disk with
xHCI drivers packed into the ISO le is required. Please refer to
page 169 for more detailed instructions.
* For the updated Windows® 10 driver, please visit ASRock’s
website for details: http://www.asrock.com
Certica-
tions
• FCC, CE, WHQL, RCM, BSMI
• ErP/EuP ready (ErP/EuP ready power supply is required)
Please realize that there is a certain risk involved with overclocking, including
adjusting the setting in the BIOS, applying Untied Overclocking Technology, or using
third-party overclocking tools. Overclocking may aect your system’s stability, or
even cause damage to the components and devices of your system. It should be done
at your own risk and expense. We are not responsible for possible damage caused by
overclocking.
* For detailed product information, please visit our website: http://www.asrock.com

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1.3 WiFi-802.11ac Module and ASRock WiFi 2.4/5 GHz
Antenna (for Z270 Killer SLI/ac only)
WiFi-802.11ac + BT Module
is motherboard comes with an exclusive WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac + BT v4.0
module (pre-installed on the rear I/O panel) that oers support for WiFi 802.11 a/b/
g/n/ac connectivity standards and Bluetooth v4.0. WiFi + BT module is an easy-to-
use wireless local area network (WLAN) adapter to support WiFi + BT. Bluetooth
v4.0 standard features Smart Ready technology that adds a whole new class of
functionality into the mobile devices. BT 4.0 also includes Low Energy Technology
and ensures extraordinary low power consumption for PCs.
* e transmission speed may vary according to the environment.
ASRock WiFi 2.4/5 GHz Antennas
(included in the package)
WiFi + BT Module
(pre-installed Intel® Dual Band
Wireless-AC 3160)

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Z270 Killer SLI/ac / Z270 Killer SLI
WiFi Antennas Installation Guide
Step 1
Prepare the WiFi 2.4/5 GHz Antennas that come
with the package.
Step 2
Connect the two WiFi 2.4/5 GHz Antennas to
the antenna connectors. Turn the antenna clock-
wise until it is securely connected.
Step 3
Set the WiFi 2.4/5 GHz Antenna as shown in the
illustration.
*You may need to adjust the direction of
the antenna for a stronger signal.

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is is an ATX form factor motherboard. Before you install the motherboard, study
the conguration of your chassis to ensure that the motherboard ts into it.
Pre-installation Precautions
Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard components
or change any motherboard settings.
• Make sure to unplug the power cord before installing or removing the motherboard
components. Failure to do so may cause physical injuries and damages to motherboard
components.
• In order to avoid damage from static electricity to the motherboard’s components,
NEVER place your motherboard directly on a carpet. Also remember to use a grounded
wrist strap or touch a safety grounded object before you handle the components.
• Hold components by the edges and do not touch the ICs.
• Whenever you uninstall any components, place them on a grounded anti-static pad or
in the bag that comes with the components.
• When placing screws to secure the motherboard to the chassis, please do not over-
tighten the screws! Doing so may damage the motherboard.
Chapter 2 Installation

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15
Z270 Killer SLI/ac / Z270 Killer SLI
2.1 Installing the CPU
1. Before you insert the 1151-Pin CPU into the socket, please check if the PnP cap
is on the socket, if the CPU surface is unclean, or if there are any bent pins in the
socket. Do not force to insert the CPU into the socket if above situation is found.
Otherwise, the CPU will be seriously damaged.
2. Unplug all power cables before installing the CPU.
1
2
A
B

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4
5
3

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17
Z270 Killer SLI/ac / Z270 Killer SLI
Please save and replace the cover if the processor is removed. e cover must be
placed if you wish to return the motherboard for aer service.

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2.2 Installing the CPU Fan and Heatsink
1 2
CPU_FAN