EVGA Z370 FTW operation manual
EVGA Z370 FTW (134-KS-E377)
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User Guide
EVGA Z370 FTW
Specs and Initial Installation
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Table of Contents
Before You Begin… ................................................................................................. - 4 -
Parts NOT in the Kit ............................................................................................................. - 5 -
Intentions of the Kit .............................................................................................................. - 5 -
Motherboard Specifications .................................................................................................. - 6 -
Unpacking and Parts Descriptions ........................................................................... - 9 -
Intel® Z370 FTW Motherboard LED reference .................................................................. - 10 -
Intel® Z370 FTW Motherboard Component Legend .......................................................... - 12 -
PCIe Slot Breakdown ......................................................................................................... - 23 -
M.2 Slot Breakdown ........................................................................................................... - 23 -
Installing the CPU .............................................................................................................. - 24 -
Installing the CPU Cooling Device .................................................................................... - 25 -
Installing System Memory (DIMMs) ................................................................................. - 26 -
Installing the I/O Shield ...................................................................................................... - 27 -
Installing the Motherboard...................................................................................... - 27 -
Securing the Motherboard into a System Case ................................................................... - 28 -
Installing M.2 devices ......................................................................................................... - 30 -
Tested CPU ......................................................................................................................... - 33 -
Tested Memory ................................................................................................................... - 33 -
Tested M.2 Key-M ............................................................................................................. - 34 -
Tested M.2 Key-E............................................................................................................... - 34 -
Connecting Cables ................................ ................................ ................................ .............. - 35 -
Onboard Buttons ................................................................................................................. - 46 -
First Boot ................................................................................................................ - 47 -
M.2 SSD, PCIe SSD, and NVMe SSD Installation steps ................................................... - 49 -
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Internal RAID Controller ......................................................................................... - 51 -
Fan Header and PWM Setup ................................................................................. - 86 -
Setting Up SLI and PhysX...................................................................................... - 90 -
Realtek HD Audio Manager ............................................................................................... - 94 -
Installing Drivers and Software ............................................................................ - 117 -
Windows 10 Driver Installation ........................................................................................ - 117 -
Warranty and Overclocking .............................................................................................. - 118 -
Troubleshooting ................................................................................................... - 119 -
SSD / HDD is not detected ............................................................................................... - 119 -
System does not POST, and POST code indicator reads “C” ........................................... - 121 -
System does not POST, and POST code indicator reads “55” ......................................... - 122 -
System does not POST, and POST code indicator reads “d7” ......................................... - 122 -
Have a question not covered above, or want some online resources? .............................. - 123 -
POST Beep codes ............................................................................................................. - 124 -
POST Port Debug LED .................................................................................................... - 125 -
POST Codes ........................................................................................................ - 126 -
EVGA Glossary of Terms ................................................................................................ - 131 -
Compliance Information ....................................................................................... - 134 -
EVGA Z370 FTW (134-KS-E377)
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Before You Begin…
EVGA welcomes you to the next generation of Intel® performance: the Z370
FTW! The Z370 platform supports the latest Intel® 8th Generation Coffee
Lake-S processors. EVGA Z370 motherboards further refine highperformance by providing multiple storage options for the latest M.2 and PCIe
SSDs, and is Intel® Optane™ Memory Ready. The Z370 platform also features
support for everything you’ve come to expect from EVGA, including Dual-
Channel DDR4 memory up to 64GBs with maximum memory speeds of
4133MHz+ (OC), Gigabit-NIC support, USB 3.0 and USB 3.1 Type-A and
Type-C support, Intel® HD Graphics, an updated UEFI/BIOS GUI, PWM fan
control and a variety of SATA options to fit everyone’s needs. The Z370 FTW
is built with a 6-layer PCB, featuring a CPU socket with 150% higher Gold
content powered by an Advanced 11-phase Digital VRM, providing industryleading stability for all your applications.
Furthermore, this board is designed not only for overclockers, but also for
gamers with NVIDIA® 2-Way SLI + PhysX Support, without the need for PLX
chips; blazing-fast networking, featuring an Intel® i219 NIC; Dual M.2 Key-M
slots and much more!
Lastly, a motherboard is only as good as its BIOS, and the EVGA Z370 FTW
features an updated UEFI/BIOS GUI with a focus on overclocking and
functionality in a lean, straightforward package. You won’t need to be an expert
to configure your motherboard, but if you are, you’ll find features unavailable
anywhere else.
Combining the best of current technology with the latest innovations, EVGA is
further refining motherboard performance!
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Parts NOT in the Kit
This kit contains all the hardware necessary to install and connect your new
EVGA Z370 FTW Motherboard. However, it does NOT contain the following
items, which must be purchased separately in order to make the system fullyfunctional and install an Operating System:
Intel
®
Socket 1151 Processor
DDR4 System Memory
CPU Cooling Device
PCI Express Graphics Card
Power Supply
Hard Drive or SSD
Keyboard / Mouse
Monitor
(Optional) Optical Drive
EVGA assumes you have purchased all the necessary parts needed to allow for
proper system functionality. For a full list of supported CPUs on this
motherboard, please visit www.evga.com/support/motherboard
Intentions of the Kit
When replacing a different model motherboard in a PC case, you may need to
reinstall your operating system, even though the current HDD/SSD may
already have one installed. Keep in mind, however, you may sometimes also
need to reinstall your OS after a RMA even if your motherboard remains the
same due to issues that occurred prior to replacing the motherboard.
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Motherboard
Motherboard Specifications
Size:
ATX form-factor of 12 inches x 9.6 inches (305x243.8mm)
Microprocessor support:
Intel® Socket 1151 Processor
Operating Systems:
Supports Windows 10 64-Bit
Contains Intel
®
Z370 chipset
System Memory support:
Supports Dual channel DDR4 up to 4133MHz+ (OC).
Supports up to 64GB of DDR4 memory.
USB 2.0 Ports:
2x from Intel® Z370 PCH – 2x internal via 1 FP headers
Supports hot plug
Supports wake-up from S3 mode
Supports USB 2.0 protocol up to a 480 Mbps transmission rate
USB 3.0 Ports:
10x from Intel® Z370 PCH – 6x external, 4x internal via 2 FP headers
Supports transfer speeds up to 5Gbps
Backwards-compatible USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 support
USB 3.1 Ports:
2x from Intel® Z370 PCH – 2x external, 1x Type-C, 1x Type-A
Supports transfer speeds up to 10Gbps
Backwards-compatible USB 3.0, USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 support
*Type-C will require a Type-A adapter for backwards compatibility
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SATA Ports:
Intel® Z370 PCH Controller
6x SATA 3/6G (600 MB/s) data transfer rate
- Support for RAID0, RAID1, RAID5, AND RAID10
- Supports hot plug
Onboard LAN:
1x Intel® i219 Gigabit (10/100/1000) Ethernet
Onboard Audio:
Realtek Audio (ALC1220)
Supports 7.1 Channel HD Audio
Supports Optical Out
Power Functions:
Supports ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface)
Supports S0 (normal), S3 (suspend to RAM), S4 (Suspend to disk - depends
on OS), and S5 (soft - off)
PCI-Express Expansion Slots:
3x PCIe x16 slot 1x16/8, 1x8, 1x4
3x PCIe x1 slot
PCIe 3.0 Support:
Low power consumption and power management features
SLI and Crossfire Support:
2-Way SLI and Quad SLI (Dual-processor video cards are required to be
PCIe Gen3 NATIVE) + PhysX
2-Way Crossfire (Dual-processor video cards are required to be PCIe Gen3
NATIVE)
Additional Expansion Slots:
2x M.2 Key-M 80mm slot (Shared with SATA 0/1 for top M.2 and 4/5 for
bottom)
1x M.2 Key-E slot (Shared with PE3)
Integrated Video Out:
1x Display Port 1.2
1x HDMI 1.4
- Both driven by Intel® HD Video integrated in the CPU
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Fan Headers:
6x 4-pin PWM controlled headers
ALL FAN HEADERS HAVE A MAXIMUM POWER
LIMIT OF 1 AMP @ 12 VOLTS (12 WATTS)
EXCEDING THIS LIMIT WILL CAUSE
IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO THE BOARD.
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Unpacking and Parts Descriptions
The following accessories are included with the EVGA Z370 FTW
Motherboard:
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Intel® Z370 FTW Motherboard LED reference
The EVGA Z370 FTW Motherboard has several LEDs indicating power, connectivity,
and activity. Below is the location of the LEDs and their function.
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1. CPU 12v. Error LED
a. RED: Voltage failure. The LED will remain on when the motherboard
detects an initialization failure in the CPU 12v. power connector. (This
may be caused by a failure to connect an 8-pin ATX/EPS power
connector, a power supply failure, or a failure with the CPU 12v.
connector)
2. CPU Error LED
a. RED: CPU error (This may be caused by improper installation, failed
CPU, or damage to the socket).
3. Memory Error LED
a. RED: Memory initialization failed. (This may be caused by improper
memory module installation or failed memory.)
4. 5VSB
a. WHITE: Voltage detected (Does not mean PSU is outputting in-spec;
only that this specific voltage is detected)
5. PCIe LED for PE2. The LED will remain on when this PCIe slot detects an
initialization failure in PE2.
6. PCIe LED for PE4. The LED will remain on when this PCIe slot detects an
initialization failure in PE4.
7. POST Code Indicator
a. After bootup, this will display the CPU temperature.
b. During boot, this LED will cycle through many different hexadecimal
POST codes with a range of 00-FF to indicate which aspect of the Power
On Self Test (POST) is currently running.
i. For list of POST Codes, please see Page 126.
1. CPU 12v. Error LED 4. 5VSB 7. POST Code Indicator
2. CPU Error LED 5. PCIe LED for PE2
3. Memory Error LED 6. PCIe LED for PE4
LED Component Legend
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Intel® Z370 FTW Motherboard Component
Legend
The EVGA Z370 FTW Motherboard with the Intel® Z370 and PCH Chipset.
Figure 1 shows the motherboard and Figure 2 shows the back panel connectors.
FIGURE 1. Z370 FTW Motherboard Layout
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**For a FULL description of the above legend, please see Page 15.
1. CPU Socket 1151 10. M.2 Socket 1 Key-E 32mm 19. USB 2.0 Headers
2. Intel Z370 PCH (Southbridge) 11. PCI-E Slot x16/x8 20. Front Panel Audio Connector
3. PWM Fan Header (1 amp) 12. PCI-E Slot x8 21. S/PDIF Out
4. DDR4 Memory DIMM Slots 1-4 13. PCI-E Slot x16 (x4 Electrical) 22. Front Panel Connectors
5. 24-pin ATX power connector 14. PCI-E Slot x1 23. BIOS Chip Select
6. 8-pin EPS Connector 15. Power Button 24. CMOS Battery
7. Supplemental PCI-E 6-pin Power 16. Reset Button 25. PC Speaker
8. Intel Sata 6G Ports 17. Debug LED / CPU Temp 26. Rea r Panel Connectors (Figure 2)
9. M.2 Socket 3 Key-M 80mm 18. USB 3.0 Headers
Component Legend
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Figure 2. Chassis Rear Panel Connectors
1. BIOS / CMOS Reset 4. USB 3.1 Type-A 7. Intel i219 NIC
2. Display Port 1.2 5. USB 3.1 Type-C 8. Opti cal Out
3. HDMI 1.4 6. USB 3.0 9. Analog Audio Jacks
I/O Hub Legend
Analog Audio Port
Breakdown
2/2.1 (Channel) 4.0/4.1 (Channel) 5.1 (6 Channel) 7.1 (8 Channel)
Blue Line In Line In Line In
* Rear Speake rs Out
Front Spea kers Out /
Front Spea kers Out /
Front Spea kers + Sub
Front Spea kers + Sub
Pink Mic In Mic In Mic In
Mic In
Blac k Side Spea kers Out Side Spea kers Out Side Spea kers Out
Orange Cente r / Sub Out Cente r / Sub Out
Green
Front Spea kers Out
* On ly used in 7.1 an d i s changed via Realte k Softwa re from within Windo ws.
3.5mm Audio Jack Legend
Front Spea kers Out
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Component Legend Descriptions
1. CPU Socket 1151
This is the interface for the Central Processing Unit (CPU), and supports Core
i5, and Core i7 models compatible with the Intel® 1151 Socket and Coffee
Lake-S architecture.
2. Intel® Z370 PCH (Southbridge)
The Platform Controller Hub (PCH) handles the role that was previously held
by the South Bridge. The PCH has 4 PCIe Gen 3 lanes and allocates bandwidth
to smaller PCIe slots, M.2, USB, audio, etc. In simplified terms, the PCH works
as a hub for peripherals that are less bandwidth-intensive.
3. PWM Fan Headers
4-pin fan headers that control the fan speed based on a configurable curve or
static percentage. PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation) works by pulsing power to
the fan at a constant rate and sending the RPM signal to the fan’s controller via
a Sense cable, rather than adjusting fan speed by increasing and decreasing
voltage. This method is preferable because it eliminates voltage-based fan stall
points. Please see Page 86 for more in-depth PWM breakdown and PWM
controls within BIOS/UEFI.
These headers also support 12v. fans. However, fan speed is based on
decreasing voltage to the fan, starting at a default of 100%/12V. When using a
12v. fan, the minimum speed will vary depending on the motor because most
fan motors require a set amount of voltage before stalling.
4. DDR4 Memory Slots
The memory slots support up to four 288-pin DDR4 DIMMs in Dual-Channel
mode. Dual-Channel mode will be enabled only upon using two or four sticks
of supported memory, according to the installation guide above; using one or
three sticks of memory will lower the board to Single-Channel mode, which
may significantly lower performance. Some Quad-Channel kits *MAY* work;
however, the kit will continue to run in Dual-Channel mode due to the
limitations of the CPU’s memory controller. 64GB of RAM is supported in a
4x16GB configuration; 32GB modules are *NOT* officially supported. At the
time of this manual’s release, this motherboard officially supports up to
4133MHz+ speeds. These speeds cannot be guaranteed, however, because
Intel® only certifies the speed of the memory controller up to 2666MHz for
Coffee Lake-S.
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5. 24-pin ATX power connector
The main power for the motherboard is located on the right side of the board
and perpendicular to the PCB; this is also described as a “Vertical” connector
(See Page 36 for more specifics to the connector itself, and associated
wiring/pinouts). The 24-pin connector IS directional and the connector needs
the tab on the socket to line up with the release clip located on the 24-pin
connector from the power supply. This connector pulls the bulk of the power
for all components; other connectors, such as EPS, PCIe (video card AND
motherboard sides), have been added to reduce the load and increase longevity
due to wiring and trace limitations.
6. 8-pin EPS Connector
The EPS is dedicated power for the CPU (See Page 37 for more specifics to the
connector itself, and associated wiring/pinouts). Carefully choose the correct
power cable by consulting with the installation manual for your power supply.
This connector is designed to only work with an EPS or CPU cable. System
builders sometimes make the mistake of plugging in a PCIe 8-pin or 6+2-pin
connector, which will prevent the board from completing POST and possibly
short or damage the board. Although PCIe and EPS cables appear similar, they
are wired differently and attaching the wrong connector may cause damage to
the motherboard.
Alternatively, if no power cable is connected or detected, the system will not
POST and will hang at POST code “C.”
7. Supplemental PCIe 6-pin Power Connector
There is a 6-pin PCIe connector at the bottom of the motherboard (See Page 44
for more specifics to the connector itself, and associated wiring/pinouts). This
connector provides dedicated power to the PCIe x16 slots, augmenting the
power provided by the 24-pin and the GPU directly.
This is optional for a single card solution, but is recommended for SLI, CFX,
and dual-processor video cards.
8. Intel® SATA 6G Ports
The Intel® Z370 PCH has a 6-port SATA 3/6G controller (See Page 45 for
specifics on the connectors). This controller is backwards compatible with
SATA and SATA 2 devices, and supports SSDs, HDDs and various types of
optical devices (CDROM, DVDROM, BD-ROM, etc.). The controller also
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supports NCQ, TRIM, hot swap capability (provided the proper HDD/SSD
bays/racks are installed), and RAID levels 0/1/5/10.
9. M.2 Socket 3 Key-M 80mm
M.2 is an SSD standard, which uses up to four PCIe lanes and utilizes Gen3
speeds. Most popularly paired with NVMe SSDs, this standard offers
substantially faster transfer speeds and seek time than SATA interface
standards. All M.2 devices are designed to connect via a card-bus style
connector, secured by bolting into place, and powered by the connector – rather
than a dedicated data cable and power cable.
This socket will support Key-M devices of 80mm, 60mm, and 42mm length.
Conflict: Each Key-M shares lanes with SATA ports 0/1 or 4/5, respectively.
As a result, these devices are mutually exclusive and must be enabled/disabled
in the BIOS.
10. M.2 Socket 1 Key-E 32mm
M.2 Key-E sockets are generally used for WiFi and Bluetooth cards. Key-E and
Key-M connectors are different, meaning that devices are not interchangeable
between sockets.
Conflict: Key-E shares one PCIe lane with PCIe slot 3 (PE3). As a result, these
devices are mutually exclusive and must be enabled/disabled in the BIOS.
11. PCIe Slot x16/x8
PCIe x16/x8 slots are primarily for video cards. These full-length slots will
provide 8 or 16 lanes of bandwidth to a full-size card, and are backwardscompatible with x8, x4, and x1-length cards.
Coffee Lake-S Socket 1151 processors have 16 PCIe lanes available for routing.
The 16 PCIe lanes are pulled from the CPU and shared with the x16 PCIe slot 4
(PE4). Lanes automatically switch from x16/x0 to x8/x8 when the
motherboard detects a card in slot PE4.
12. PCIe Slot x8
PCIe x16/x8 slots are primarily for video cards. These full-length slots will
provide up to 8 lanes of bandwidth to a full-size card, and are backwards
compatible with x8, x4, and x1 length cards.
This slot is limited to a maximum of 8 lanes as it shares bandwidth with the
primary PCIe x16 slot 2 (PE2). This slot is primarily recommended for
secondary video cards, such as the 2nd card in a SLI configuration, or a PhysX
card.
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* Please see the description for Physical (length) vs Electrical (lanes) on Page 44.
13. PCIe Slot x16 (x4 Electrical)
PCIe x16/x4 Electrical is pulled from the PCH, rather than the CPU. This slot
would be used for PhysX in a SLI setup, or any other card that will work on a
single or x4 PCIe lane.
* Please see the description for Physical (length) vs Electrical (lanes) on Page 44.
14. PCIe Slot x1
PCIe x1 is the smallest form-factor PCIe card slot. They are all one lane and
are used for low-bandwidth products.
Conflict: PCIe slot 3 (PE3) shares 1 PCIe lane with the Key-E. As a result,
these devices are mutually exclusive and must be enabled/disabled in the BIOS.
15. Power Button
This is an onboard power button, and may be used in place of, or in
conjunction with, a front panel power button wired to the board.
Benching systems, or test benches before final assembly, are best served by
using the onboard power because it removes the need to wire a Power/Reset
button or cross posts with a screwdriver, which is a semi-common practice.
This button provides a safer and easier option than jumpering the Power posts.
16. Reset Button
This is an onboard system reset button, and may be used in place of, or in
conjunction with, a front panel system reset button wired to the board.
Benching systems, or test benches before final assembly, are best served by
using the onboard power because it removes the need to wire a Power/Reset
button or cross posts with a screwdriver, which is a semi-common practice.
This button provides a safer and easier option than jumpering the Power posts.
17. Debug LED / CPU Temp
This is a two-digit POST code reader, displaying in hexadecimal, which means
the characters available (when working as intended) are 0-9, A-F and has a cap
of 255 characters. The POST codes are listed in the troubleshooting section on
Page 126. After the system boots, it will display the temperature in Celsius.
This temperature is specifically for the CPU socket, which usually reads slightly
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higher than a given CPU core. To read this temperature in Fahrenheit, take the
value in Celsius, multiply by 9/5 (or 1.8) and add 32.
18. USB 3.0 Headers
The USB3.0 header is used to connect additional USB interface plugs to the
motherboard; these headers are most often used to connect the motherboard to
the chassis to enable the USB3.0 ports on the chassis. These will function
similarly to the USB3.0 ports found on the motherboard’s rear I/O hub, but
can also be used for the chassis’ front panel USB, auxiliary ports that mount in
the card slots, and certain devices that directly connect to the header.
USB 3.0 standard is 900ma @ 5V for unpowered devices. If your USB device
requires more power, it is recommended to attach a powered USB Hub.
USB 3.1 Type-A (found on the I/O Hub) shares the power limit of USB 3.0 at
900ma @ 5V. Whereas USB 3.1 Type-C (also found on the IO Hub) has a
power limit of 3000ma (3A) @ 5V.
19. USB 2.0 Headers
The USB2.0 header is used to connect additional USB interface plugs to the
motherboard; these headers are most often used to connect the motherboard to
the chassis to enable the USB2.0 ports on the chassis. These will function
similarly to the USB2.0 ports found on the motherboard’s hardwired I/O hub,
but these can also be used for the chassis’ front panel USB, auxiliary ports that
mount in the card slots, and certain devices that directly connect to the header.
USB 2.0 standard is 500ma @ 5V per port (header total is 1000ma) for
unpowered devices. If your USB device requires more power, it is
recommended to attach a powered USB Hub.
20. Front Panel Audio Connector
This motherboard header is used to plug in the audio cable included with most
PC chassis. This connector is required for audio recording and/or playback via
the audio connectors on the chassis. This header has a connector that looks
similar to the USB2.0 header and uses the standard “HD Audio” jack. Some
chassis may provide two headers: one labeled HD Audio, and one labeled
AC’97 – an AC’97 cable is not compatible with this header on the Z370 FTW.
21. S/PDIF Out
S/PDIF headers are used for audio pass-through to other devices, such as older
video cards, video capture cards, and other older generation devices. This port
is no longer widely used, but is still provided in case a legacy item requires the
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connector. Modern motherboards push most of the audio data through the
bus, and no longer require an external cable. NOTE: This is an S/PDIF Out
connector, and cannot operate to record data from an external device.
22. Front Panel Connectors
The Front Panel Connectors are the four main chassis connections. These
include the Power Switch, Power LED, Reset Switch, and HDD LED. The
Power and Reset switches are “Momentary Switches,” rather than “Latching
Switches,” which means the connection between two posts only needs a brief
moment to turn on the device, as opposed to requiring a constant connection.
For example, the Power and Reset switches can be triggered instantly with a
screwdriver by simultaneously touching the + and - posts.
The Power LED will power on with the system, indicating the system is on and
can blink in conjunction with CPU activity.
HDD LED will blink during access to the SATA ports; this is not activated for
M.2 SSDs.
23. BIOS Select Switch
This switch toggles between physical BIOS chips. The Z370 FTW features two
BIOS chips soldered to the PCB. Each chip holds only the settings and profiles
that have been saved to the BIOS chip while active. This allows you to swap
between two physically different BIOS chips. This also makes it substantially
easier to hotflash a BIOS if needed. If instructions are needed for hotflashing a
BIOS, please contact EVGA Customer Service (Page 123 for contact info).
24. CMOS Battery
The CMOS battery backup provides uninterruptable power to the BIOS/UEFI
to store all its settings; otherwise, each power on would act as if the BIOS was
just reset. These batteries typically last several years and rarely need to be
replaced.
25. PC Speaker
This is a small mono low-fidelity speaker, which is permanently attached to the
motherboard. Its primary use is for debugging purposes. A POST beep may
indicate a successful POST or various tones for USB initialization, while other
beeps may indicate an issue during the POST process. Please see Page 124 for
more details.
26. Rear Panel Connectors (Figure 2)
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This is the section referred to as the I/O Hub. This panel contains the
hardwired USB, Sound, and Ethernet connections. Please see Page 14 for a
component level breakdown.
* There are two numeric references for PCI-Express: one is mechanical (the actual slotlength footprint across the motherboard), while the second is electrical (the number of
PCIe lanes available to the slot from the CPU, PCH, or both).
PCI Express was designed with a universal architecture; you can install x1 cards, such as
sound cards or USB controllers, into an x16 slot. Many types of cards can use various
numbers of PCIe lanes; similarly, some applications might only use certain parts of a
card (e.g. compute apps), requiring only a single PCIe lane to accomplish its task without
affecting performance. This is why there are x16 mechanical slots with an x1 electrical
PCIe lane. Using the entire length of a PCIe slot is unnecessary, nor does it cause an
adverse effect to use a shorter form-factor bus card in a slot that physically can hold a
larger form-factor bus card.
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Card Slots
The Z370 FTW features three x16 PCIe slots, three x1 PCIe slot, two Socket 3 Key-
M M.2 80mm (backwards compatible with Key-M 60mm, and 42mm), and one
Socket 1 Key-E M.2.
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PCIe Slot Breakdown
PCIe Lane Distribution (All Socket 1151
processors are 16 lanes.)
PE1 – x1 (Gen3, x1 lanes from PCH)
PE2 – x16 (Gen3, x16 lanes from CPU, x8 shared with PE4)
PE3 – x1 (Gen3, x1 lanes from PCH, shared with M.2 Key-E)
PE4 – x16 (Gen3, x8 lanes from CPU, shares 8 of PE2’s 16 lanes)
PE5 – x1 (Gen3, x1 lanes from PCH)
PE6 – x16 (Gen3, x4 lanes from PCH)
M.2 Slot Breakdown
M.2 Lane Distribution
M.2 Key-M (80mm, Top) – x4 (Shares with SATA Port 0/1)
o M.2 Enable/Disable is set within the BIOS
M.2 Key-M (80mm, Bottom) – x4 (Shares with SATA Port 4/5)
o M.2 Enable/Disable is set within the BIOS
M.2 Key-E (32mm) – x1 (Shares with PE3)
o M.2 Enable/Disable is set within the BIOS
This motherboard does NOT have any lane replication via PLX; all lanes are
native and derived from CPU or PCH. This also allows for improved backwards
compatibility for Gen 2 devices.
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Preparing the Motherboard
Installing the CPU
Be very careful when handling the CPU. Hold the processor only by the edges and do
not touch the bottom of the processor.
Note: Use extreme caution when working with the
CPU to not damage any pins in the CPU
socket on the motherboard!
Use the following procedure to install the CPU
onto the motherboard:
1. Remove the plastic protective socket
cover by pulling it straight up. Be sure
not to damage any of the pins inside the
socket.
2. Unhook the socket lever by pushing
down and away from the socket.
3. Pull the socket lever back and the load
plate will lift.
4. Open the load plate and make sure not
to damage any of the pins inside the
socket.
Note: After removing the CPU socket cover, it is recommended to store it in case
you ever need to transport your motherboard. If you ever remove the CPU, it
is highly recommended to reinstall the socket cover.
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5. Align the notches on the CPU to the
notches in the socket.
6. Lower the processor straight down into
the socket.
Note: Make sure the CPU is fully seated
and level in the socket.
7. Lower the load plate so it is resting on
the CPU.
8. Carefully lock the lever back into place.
Installing the CPU Cooling Device
There are many different cooling devices that can be used with this
motherboard. Follow the instructions that come with your cooling assembly.
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Installing System Memory (DIMMs)
Your Z370 FTW has (4) 288-pin slots for
DDR4 memory. These slots support 4GB,
8GB and 16GB DDR4 DIMMs. There
must be at least one memory slot populated
for the board to boot and operate.
The Intel® Z370 chipset supports dualchannel DDR4 memory, a maximum of
64GB and up to 4133MHz+ (OC). You
must populate even-slots (2, 4) first. The
board will not boot if only odd-slots (1, 3)
are populated. See chart below:
Use the following
procedure to install
memory DIMMs.
Note that there is a
small gap near the
center of the DIMM
slots. This matches
the gap on a DDR4
DIMM to ensure the memory is installed properly, and to prevent the
incorrect installation of memory.
1. Unlock a DIMM slot by pressing the top-side module clips outward.
2. Align the memory module to the DIMM slot, and insert the module
perpendicular to the DIMM slot, pressing straight down to seat the
module. The plastic clips at top side of the DIMM slot automatically
lock the DIMM into the connector.
Note: The memory controller on most Coffee Lake-S CPUs runs at a default
frequency of 2666MHz. Achieving memory speeds above 2666MHz+ may
require manual setting of the memory timings, frequency and voltages and/or
overclocking of the CPU.
Refer to the memory manufacturer specifications for the recommended
memory timings. For overclocking support you can visit our forums:
http://forums.evga.com/
Slot 1 Slot 2 Slot 3 Slot 4
1 DIMM
X
2 DIMM
X X
3 DIMM
X X X
4 DIMM X X X X
RAM slot fill order
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Installing the I/O Shield
The motherboard kit comes with an I/O shield that is used to block internal
components from dust and foreign objects, while also promoting correct
airflow within the chassis.
Before installing the motherboard, install the I/O shield from the inside of the
chassis. Press the I/O shield into place and make sure it fits securely.
Installing the Motherboard
Proper motherboard installation depends on several factors: whether the Z370
FTW will replace an older motherboard or the beginning of a new PC, the type
of chassis that will house your PC components, and the amount of space you
will have to build your system once the motherboard is installed. You must first
determine if it would be easier to secure the motherboard to the chassis or if it
would be easier to install other components prior to this step. It is normally
easier to secure the motherboard first.
Note: Be sure that the CPU fan assembly has enough clearance for the system
case covers to lock into place and for expansion cards. Also, make sure the
CPU Fan assembly is aligned with the vents on the covers; this is to allow the
airflow to properly exhaust from the chassis. The CPU Fan assembly
orientation will depend on the system case being used.
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Securing the Motherboard into a System Case
Most system cases require installation of standoffs into the chassis to allow the
motherboard to be mounted to the chassis and prevent short circuits. If there are
any studs that do not align with a motherboard mounting hole, we recommended
that you remove that standoff to prevent the possibility of a short circuit.
Furthermore, ensure that all standoffs are fully tightened prior to mounting the
motherboard to the chassis. Please review the installation manual included with
your chassis for the proper installation of the motherboard standoffs.
1. Carefully place the motherboard onto the standoffs located inside the
chassis.
2. Align the mounting holes with the standoffs.
3. Align the connectors to the I/O shield and/or I/O cover.
4. Ensure that the fan assembly is aligned with the chassis vents according to
the fan assembly instruction.
5. Secure the motherboard with ten (10) screws (See next page for mount hole
location). Ensure that each screw is lined up with and fastened to its
corresponding standoff under the board. Double-check alignment to make
sure nothing gets cross-threaded.
Tip: If you have difficulty fastening some of the screws, especially near the
I/O hub, first try to loosely fasten all other screws on the motherboard, but
do not completely tighten the screws. This may help to hold the board in
place, allowing you to thread and fasten the remaining screws. Once all
screws are properly threaded, remember to go back and tighten the rest of
the screws.
6. See the picture below for a zoomed-in view of a hole to place over a
standoff, as well as the locations of standoff holes for the Z370 FTW.
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1. All safe locations to secure the board to a standoff are circled in white.
2. Keep in mind that when the screws are installed, but not fully
tightened, the motherboard should have 1-2mm of movement; this can
help when mounting cards or tight-fits with other components.
3. Once the board is properly aligned, be sure to fully-tighten the board to
the chassis before proceeding.
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Installing M.2 devices
Securing an M.2 device to the motherboard requires a few extra steps compared to other
current drive or slot-based connectors. M.2 devices used on this motherboard - Socket
3 (for SSDs) and Socket 1 (for WiFi/Bluetooth) – are installed and attached the same
way. Below are images from an installation of an SSD on a Socket 3 Key-M.
1. Remove the screw that comes pre-attached to the M.2’s retention standoff; this will
be used to keep the device in place.
2. Insert the M.2 device at a slight angle - approximately 45 degrees to the board. This
will allow the contacts (colloquially called “Gold Fingers”) to seat completely into the
slot. If the device is fully seated, you should be able to release it and the device will rest
at an angle of about 30 degrees on its own, as shown in the picture below.
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