We were initially stoked by how much better Intel’s current-generation processors are than their predecessors, combining quantifiable per-clock performance gains with lower power consumption, higher clock speeds, and vastly superior overclocking capability.
And yet, perhaps the most significant addition to the company's second-gen Core processors, Quick Sync-accelerated video transcoding, was limited to very inflexible H67 Express-based platforms. The P67 chipset allowed us to taste the new processor’s awesome overclocking, while its inability to access the architecture's integrated graphics core left a bad taste in our mouth.
Intel changes all of that with the release of Z68 Express, the uninhibited chipset that now sits atop Intel's mainstream-performance lineup. Now we even have the motherboards to prove it.
If you aren't yet familiar with the new platform, check out our coverage of the chipset itself in The Intel Z68 Express Review: A Real Enthusiast Chipset.
| P67 Motherboard Features | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ASRock Z68 Extreme4 | Asus P8Z68-V Pro | Gigabyte Z68X-UD3H-B3 | |
| PCB Revision | 1.01 | 1.01 | 0.2 |
| Chipset | Intel Z68 Express | Intel Z68 Express | Intel Z68 Express |
| Voltage Regulator | 12 Phases | 16 Phases | Seven Phases |
| BIOS | P1.10 (04/22/2011) | 8801 Beta (04/28/2011) | F2e (04/28/2011) |
| 100.0 MHz BCLK | 99.8 (-0.2%) | 100.3 (+0.03%) | 100.3 (+0.03%) |
| Clock Generator | Z68 Integrated | Z68 Integrated | Z68 Integrated |
| Internal Interfaces | |||
| PCIe x16 | 3 (x16/x0/x4 or x8/x8/x4) | 3 (x16/x0/x4 or x8/x8/x4) | 2 (x16/x0 or x8/x8) |
| PCIe x1/x4 | 2/0 | 2/0 | 2/0 |
| Legacy PCI | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| USB 2.0 | 3 (6-ports) | 3 (6-ports) | 4 (8-ports) |
| USB 3.0 | 1 (2-ports) | 1 (2-ports) | 1 (2-ports) |
| IEEE-1394 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Serial Port | 1 | None | 1 |
| Parallel Port | None | None | None |
| Floppy | Yes | No | No |
| Ultra-ATA 133 | None | None | None |
| SATA 3.0Gb/s | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| SATA 6.0Gb/s | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 4-Pin Fan | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 3-Pin Fan | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| FP-Audio | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CD-Audio | No | No | No |
| S/PDIF I/O | Output Only | Output Only | Output Only |
| Power Button | Yes | Yes | No |
| Reset Button | Yes | Yes | No |
| CLR_CMOS Button | Jumper Only | Jumper Only | Jumper Only |
| Diagnostics Panel | Numeric | Pass/Fail LEDs | Pass/Fail LEDs |
| I/O Panel Connectors | |||
| P/S 2 | 2 | None | 1 |
| USB 2.0 | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| USB 3.0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| IEEE-1394 | 1 | None | 1 |
| Network | Single | Single | Single |
| eSATA | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| CLR_CMOS Button | Yes | No | No |
| Digital Audio Out | Optical Only | Optical Only | Optical Only |
| Digital Audio In | None | None | None |
| Analog Audio | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Video Out | 1 Each: DVI, HDMI, VGA, DisplayPort | 1 Each: DVI, HDMI VGA | 1 Each: DVI, HDMI, VGA, DisplayPort |
| Other Devices | None | Bluetooth Transceiver | None |
| Mass Storage Controllers | |||
| Chipset SATA | 2 x SATA 6Gb/s 4 x SATA 3Gb/s | 2 x SATA 6Gb/s 4 x SATA 3Gb/s | 2 x SATA 6Gb/s 4 x SATA 3Gb/s |
| Chipset RAID Modes | 0, 1, 5, 10 | 0, 1, 5, 10 | 0, 1, 5, 10 |
| Add-In SATA | Marvell 9120 PCIe 2 x SATA 6Gb/s 1 x eSATA (shared) | Marvell 9172 PCIe 2 x SATA 6Gb/s 2 x eSATA 3Gb/s | Marvell 9172 PCIe |
| Add-In Ultra ATA | None | None | None |
| USB 3.0 | 2 x Etron EJ168A PCIe | 2 x ASM1042 PCIe | 2x Etron EJ168A PCIe |
| IEEE-1394 | VT6315N PCIe 2 x 400 Mb/s | VT6308P PCI 2 x 400 Mb/s | VT6308P PCI 2 x 400 Mb/s |
| Gigabit Ethernet | |||
| Primary LAN | Broadcom BCM57781 PCIe | WG82579V PHY | RTL8111E PCIe |
| Secondary LAN | None | None | None |
| HD Audio | |||
| HD Audio Codec | ALC892 | ALC892 | ALC889 |
| DDL/DTS Connect | None | None | None |
