Getting ready for the next upgrade ? The BIOSTAR TZ77XE4 is ready for the next generation 22nm Ivy Bridge processor from Intel. Check out the unboxing video here and stay tuned for our review at OCWorkbench soon.

BIOSTAR TA970XE Motherboard

“The whole power of the AMD AM3+ Platform”

BIOSTAR Group, the world renowned manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, industrial computing systems and peripherals, announces the new generation of TA970XE series motherboards for AMD AM3+ CPUs. Their capabilities are very close to the top TA990FXE and offer overclockers and gamers considerable power and flexible settings for a reasonable price.

The TA970XE board sports the ATX form-factor (305 x 225 mm) on a powerful AMD 970 chipset with the SB950 Southbridge. It provides stable and high performance with any Socket AM3+ CPUs of the Phenom II X6, Phenom II X4, Phenom II X3, Phenom II X2, Athlon II X4, Athlon II X3, Athlon II X2 and Sempron Series including the most powerful 6-core and 8-core AMD FX, AMD Phenom II and AMD Athlon II CPUs with the TDP up to 140W. The TA970XE board features the latest UEFI BIOS which, in particular, directly supports HDDs over 2TB.

The TA970XE board has four DDR3 DIMMs and supports up to 32GB dual-channel DDR3 800/1066/1333/1600/1866 MHz and experimental overclocking memory modules clocked up to 2000MHz. Two PCI-E x16 2.0 slots deliver full-featured support for the most powerful configurations of discrete cards in the ATI CrossFire X mode.

The TA970XE easily supports up to five latest speedy storage devices of the SATA3 6Gbit/s interface and supports SATA RAID 0,1,5,10 arrays. Besides, the board has one eSATA, two USB 3.0 (ASMedia ASM1042 chip), eight USB 2.0, one FireWire IEEE 1394a (VIA VT6315N chip) ports, a 10/100/1000Mbit/s LAN controller (Realtek RTL8111E chip) and 8-channel HD audio codec (VIA VT1828S chip). Additional peripherals can be connected to two PCI and two PCI-E x1 2.0 slots.

The TA970XE board reflects usage of the most up to date production lines with the very strict quality control. The board uses a 5-phase voltage regulation and high-quality solid capacitors.

The board features all BIOSTAR proprietary technologies including the BIOSTAR G.P.U (Green Power Utility) for power optimization at a low load, the exclusive overclocking Rapid Switch utility for quick restart, the Rapid Debug for hardware debugging with a LED light, the BIOS Flasher and the BIOS RELIFE for BIOS update or recovery from a USB drive and the BIO-Remote 2 for remote control of home media system components control from Android or Apple mobile devices. Overclockers will be pleased to see the T-overclocker utilities for the Windows which will let them do fine system tuning.

The newcomer is the unique Clean Tone 2 technology developed by the engineers from BIOSTAR which helps you deliver the finest sound with minimal distortions in the high-frequency range. As there are independent capacitors for each line the Clean-Tone 2 allows reaching an excellent NSR around 98dB which ideally fits a modern system based on the Windows 7 OS.

BIOSTAR TPOWER X79 motherboard review
Bluetooth 19 March 2012

If you are out for utmost performance of your PC system, you will definitely want to go for the high end series processors namely the Sandy Bridge-E series. To pair up with this new processor, the Intel X79 chipset mainboard featuring the Socket LGA2011 is required. Today, we take a look at BIOSTAR’s offering – TPOWER X79 motherboard.

The TPOWER X79  uses a 9 Phase Power Design to supercharge your system, giving extreme users unparalleled overclocking ability and the lowest temperatures to reach maximum performance levels. All capacitors are placed with 100% solid capacitors for stability and durability.  In addition, the board uses 8 layer PCB design for maximum stability and life cycle. For enhance stability, it incorporates 2 oz copper  for both Power and Ground layers for energy efficiency and enhanced stability for overclocking. In addition, this is probably the first board I see Dual 8-pin EPS 12v+ connectors offer maximum power resources for your daily computing on a desktop board.

The BIOSTAR TPOWER X79 features the Intel X79 Express chipset for 2nd generation Core i7 processor and it supports 256bit Quad channel DDR3-2133. For Biostar TPower X79, the board supports DDR3-2400 through overclocking.

3D View of the motherboard

On the motherboard, there are 3 full length PCIe 3.0 slots which is capable of support 4 way CrossFireX allows up to 4 GPUs to be used in a single computer to improve graphics performance or 3 way SLI. As for expansion, the board supports:

•ASMedia ASM1042 USB 3.0 controller
•6 x USB 3.0 Port
•1 x USB 3.0 Header
•2 x USB 2.0 Port
•2 x USB 2.0 Header

•GbE – Realtek RTL8111E – 10/100/1000 Controller

•Realtek ALC898 8 Channel Blu-ray Audio

•4 x SATA3 6Gb/s Connector
•3 x SATA2 3Gb/s Connector
•1 x eSATA2 3Gb/s Connector

As for audio, the board supports THX truStudio PRO audio giving you best audio experience for music video and games. If you intend to use it as a  multimedia centre, the BIO-Remote2 can be used on Android or Apple handsets to remotely control your PC.

On the next page, we take a look at the board layout.

Biostar introduces two ivy bridge boards based on Intel Z75 chipset – TZ75A and TZ75B

Although most manufacturers are promoting their high end Z77 chipset mainboards, the budget conscious users will also want to take a look at the Z75 chipset mainboard suitable for pairing up with the upcoming Ivy Bridge processors. Both boards have very similar specifications except the following.

TZ75A uses Realtek ALC892 8 ch HD audio whereas TZ75B comes with 6 channel Blu Ray audio.

TZ75A is larger with a dimension of 30.5cm x 24.4cm while TZ75B dimension is 29.5cm x 23 cm.

TZ75A supports Rapid Switch while TZ75B supports Rapid Switch2.

BIOSTAR TA75A

•Support the Intel 3rd and 2nd generation Core i7 and Core i5 processors in the 1155 package
•Intel Z75 single chip architecture
•Support 4-DIMM DDR3-2133(OC)/1866(OC)/1600/1333 up to 32G maximum capacity
•Support SATA 6Gb/s 2X speed than current SATA 3G
•Support USB 3.0
•100% X.D.C solid capacitor
•BIOSTAR G.P.U (Green Power Utility) Technology for Energy Saving
•BIOSTAR Toverclocker utility
•8 Phase power

BIOSTAR TZ75B

•Support the Intel 3rd and 2nd generation Core i7 and Core i5 processors in the 1155 package
•Intel Z75 single chip architecture
•Support 4-DIMM DDR3-2133(OC)/1866(OC)/1600/1333 up to 32G maximum capacity
•Support SATA 6Gb/s 2X speed than current SATA 3G
•Support USB 3.0
•100% X.D.C solid capacitor
•BIOSTAR G.P.U (Green Power Utility) Technology for Energy Saving
•BIOSTAR Toverclocker utility
•6 Phase power

BIOSTAR Motherboard Caught Attention at CeBIT 2012

Hannover, Germany, March 2012 – During CeBIT 2012, the BIOSTAR GROUP, major manufacturer of motherboards, VGA cards, industrial computer systems and other peripherals, is introducing their all new motherboard line-up for Intel Ivy-Bridge and Sandy-Bridge-E processors.

“CeBIT is undoubtedly the most important trade show for us to meet with customers and partners in order to introduce our latest products and technological innovations. This year we are setting new standards in the industry by showcasing high-performance and function-packed solutions. CeBIT 2012 is bound to become a great success for BIOSTAR“.

Focus at this year’s show is the brand-new Z77-chipset based series of motherboards, for third generation Intel-Core-processors (Ivy Bridge). The BIOSTAR-Z77 lineup consists of 5 motherboard models. While the TZ77XE4, TZ77XE3, TZ77A, and TZ77B come as ATX form factor models, the TZ77MXE is designed as MicroATX platform.

Another highlight is the TPOWER X79 motherboard, built around the Intel X79 Express chipset for high-performance Sandy-Bridge-E processors. This LGA-2011-Socket motherboard is equipped with three PCI-Express x16 slots, supporting AMD’s CrossFireX as well as Nvidia’s SLI multi-graphics technologies for most powerful graphics performance.

For AMD enthusiasts, BIOSTAR has the TA990FXE flagship motherboard with the advanced AMD 990FX chipset in combination with the SB950 Southbridge on display. The AM3+ socket on this BIOSTAR-Motherboard also supports AMD 6-core as well as 8-core FX-processors.

Furthermore BIOSTAR is showing an array of Intel Z75 and B75 chipset based motherboard at this year’s CeBIT.

ASUS SABERTOOTH Z77 Intel Z77 chipset motherboard
bluetooth 7 Mar 2012

Today, ASUS introduces it’s latest Intel Z77 series motherboards. The Z77 chipset series of motherboards supercedes the Intel Z68 chipset which support the Intel LGA 1155 Socket type processors. In fact, the major changes would be the native USB 3.0 and PCIe 3.0 support.

The Intel Z77 Express chipset supports 3rd generation 22nm and 2nd generation core i7/i5/i3 LGA1155 socket type processors. It supports the Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0. As for memory, it is a dual channel memory architecture. The board itself suppots 4 Dimm with a max of 32GB of DDR3-1866/1600/1333/1066MHz. XMP profiles are also supported.

The Z77 supports 2 SATA 6Gbps ports (brown) with RADI 0,1,5,10 while 4 SATA 3Gb/s ports (black) wuth RAID 0,1,5,10. The board supports Intel SRT and Intel Rapid Start Technology.

As for expansion, the board comes with 2 PCIe 3.0 x16 slot (single at x16, dual at x8/x8), 1 PCIe 2.0 x16, 3 PCIe 2.0 x1. The three graphics card slots supports NVIDIA Quad SLI and AMD Quad CrossFireX. The board also supports LucidLogix Virtu MVP Technology.

In addition, ASUS SABERTOOTH Z77 uses ASmedia 1061 SAtA controler to support an addition 2 SATA 6Gbps port (grey and 2 eeSATA 6GB/s ports (red). The Audio is power by Realtek ALC 892 while the GbE is powered by Intel 82579V controller.

As we mentioned before, the Z77 supports native USB 3.0. On this board, the Z77 supports 4 ports, 2 at mid board and 2 at back panel. Both supports Boost UASP mode. There are two additional USB 3.0 supported by ASmedia 1042 chipset, they are 2 of them labelled with blue at the back panel. In additional, the Z77 chipset support 10 USB 2.0 (6 at mid board and 4 at back (black)).

Similar to previous TUF boards, the SABERTOOTH Z77 uses the TUF Thermal Armour that covers the entire board with dual turbo fans directing cool air to critical parts and dissipating heat faster for better stability. TUF compoenents that are certified by Military standard are used on board for heavy duty, stability use. There are also multiple sensors on board which provides information to Thermal Radar. Fan Overtime keeps dfans running after shutdown for extra heat removal while Fan off disables cooling if temperatures are low, reducing power consumption.

The SABERTOOTH Z77 is backed with a 5 years warranty which is not available on other boards.

See next page for unboxing video and detail pictures of the board

CeBIT 2012- G.SKILL displays the extreme dual channel DDR3 memory kits compatible with the latest Z77 motherboards.

March 6th 2012. G.SKILL, the worldwide leading high performance memory designer, has showcased the extreme dual channel memory kits, DDR3 2133MHz 32GB (4x8GB), compatible with the latest Z77 motherboards at CeBIT 2012.

Working closely with leading motherboard manufacturers, G.Skill is ready to provide PC enthusiasts the best dual channel memory for the upcoming Z77 motherboards. On the MSI Z77A-GD65 and ASRock Z77 Extreme6 motherboards, G.Skill has demonstrated the 32GB super size memory kits at DDR3 2133MHz ultra high speed with Intel Core i7 2600K processors.

“It’s just a warm-up. We are working on some faster memory kits and they will be released soon. It’s going to be an exciting time” said Paul Chen, senior R&D manager at G.Skill.

Gigabyte customers in Singapore has something to shout about. CDL Trading, the Singapore distributor of Gigabyte motherboards launches “Singapore 4 Year Warranty Campaign”

To qualify, the purchase must be made between the promotion period: 2012/2/20-2012/5/20.

Users who purchase MB models of All Solid Capacitors between 2012/2/20-2012/5/20 and register on event website, will qualify for 4 year warrenty service.

End User has to log in to http://e-service.gigabyte.com/4Year-SG.  After successful registration, system will send out confirmation email; users need to print out as proof when RMA the board.

All Solid Capacitor models included in the promotion are :
G1 ASSASSIN 2
GA-P61A-D3
GA-990FXA-D3
GA-X79-UD7
GA-H61M-USB3-B3
GA-970A-D3
GA-X79-UD5
GA-H61MA-D2V
GA-A75-D3H
GA-X79-UD3
GA-H61M-S2P-B3
GA-A75M-D2H
GA-Z68XP-UD3
GA-H61N-USB3
GA-A75M-S2V
GA-Z68A-D3H-B3
GA-G41MT-S2PT
GA-A55M-S2H
GA-Z68P-DS3
GA-Z68MA-D2H-B3

ASUS F1A75-V Pro
bluetooth 22 Feb 2012

The AMD Fusion platform has been released for some time. Not every board is made the same. This is definitely true for the ASUS F1A75-V Pro which excels in its design for this Socket FM1 board.

Based on the AMD A75 FCH (hudson D3) chipset supports the AMD Socket FM1 A series/E series APUs. These APUs comes with an DX11 integrated graphics core Radeon HD 6550 series that provides resoultion of up to 1920×1200@60Hz for HDMI, DVI or RGB. On DisplayPort it can support up to 2560×1600@60Hz.

The chipset A75 FCH supports 6 SATA 6Gbps ports with RAID 0,1,10, JBOD. It also supports 4 USB 3.0 and 10 USB 2.0 ports.

The F1A75 V-Pro comes with 2 PCIe 2.0 x16 (x16,x4 – CrossFireX), 2 PCIe 2.0×1 and 3 PCI slots. It has Realtek 8111E GbE, Realtek ALC 892  8 channel audio. In addition to the support by the chipset, the on board ASMedia PCIe SATA controller supports 1 SATA 6bps and 1 eSATA 6bps connector. There is also another ASMedia USB 3.0 controller which supports 2 USB 3.0 connectors (blue connectors at the back of the board).

On top of the standard features available from the chipset. The board’s ASMedia USB 3.0 supports a faster USB 3.0 UASP mode, it delivers a 170% performance compared to other USB 3.0 solutions.

The board features Dual Intelligent Processor 2 with DIGI+ VRM – the TPU (TurboV Processing Unit) and EPU (Energy Processing Unit). The DIGI+ VRM allows power phase performance and system voltages adjustments to maximise overall performance and overclocking potential while the EPU to server power signal and eliminating digital to analog conversion lag.

The board also supporst auto tuning and ASUS TurboV for real time OC tuning.

Other features of this board include a GUI based UEFI BIOS, AI Suite II, MEMOK and Anti Surge Protection.

The APU we are going to use is the A8-3850. This APU is 32nm DX11 3D graphics capable. It also supports OpenGL 4.1 and OpenCL 1.1 standards. It has 4 Core 4 threads and the embedded video is a Radeon HD6550D class video capable of doing 4000 marks in 3DMark Vantage Performance test.

MSI Z68 (G3) / H61 (G3) mainboard supports Intel next generation ivy bridge 22nm processors with BIOS update. So, if you own one of these boards, you can just update the BIOS and run your new processor on the existing Z68 or H61 board listed below.

Source

Our forum member spyboy puts the MSI Big Bang Xpower II to the LN2 test. He used the Intel Core i7 3960X stepping 7 and managed to run it under LN2 at 5.5GHz. Temperature is at -55 Deg Celsius and CPU Vcore at 1.58v.

Details

BIOSTAR TZ77XE4 Motherboards on the Latest Intel Z77 Chipset
Everything for the Best and Stable Performance

February, 2012, Taipei Taiwan – BIOSTAR, the world’s famous manufacturer of mainboards, graphics cards, industrial computing systems and computer peripherals, proudly announces the BIOSTAR TZ77XE4 motherboards in conjuction with CeBIT 2012. BIOSTAR TZ77XE4 has many “first” as TZ77XE4 series boards houses a great deal of first time innovative technologies not found even on premium desktop solutions.

The TZ77XE4 boards are based on the latest Intel Z77 chipset, which for the first time incorporates tri-gate transistors manufactured using the 22-nm fab process which, for the first time, delivers a native support for the high-speed USB 3.0 interface and fast SSD caching with the Intel Smart Response Technology (SRT). Fully compatible with the second-generation Intel Core CPUs (Sandy Bridge), the new boards for the first time support the third generation Intel Core CPUs codenamed Ivy Bridge, also manufactured with the 3D-transistors using the 22-nm fab process and designed for the popular LGA 1155 socket.

The new Intel Core CPUs deliver an unprecedented performance level with moderate power consumption, and the integrated graphics core for the first time supports a lot of unique display technologies including the DirectX 11 and the integrated HDMI 3D Visual interface for stereo content of various 3D formats.

For the first time, the TZ77XE4 boards feature the universal Display Port interface as a standard function. This is an integrated solution for serial packet data transfer to display with the same principle used in other serial interfaces like Ethernet, USB and PCI Express. The boards also support other traditional video interfaces like HDMI and DVI with the HDCP technology. Thanks to the support of three x16 lines of the latest PCI-E 3.0 interface for the first time integrated into the processor, with the performance up to 8 Gtexel/s, which is twice higher than the PCI-E 2.0, the boards let you use any multi-core discrete graphics like the NVIDIA SLI or the AMD CrossfireX with high performance in demanding 3D applications. Additional peripherals are supported with two PCI and one PCI-E x1 ports.

For the first time in the consumer desktop systems, the TZ77XE4 boards demonstrate support up to 32GB of dual-channel DDR3 RAM, including overclocking DDR3-2400 modules. Besides, the boards support up to four SATA2 drives and up to four SATA 3.0 drives with astonishing performance up to 600 MB/s (up to 4.8 Gbit/s of uncoded data) which can be arranged in the RAID 0,1,5 or 10 arrays. The boards support up to eight USB 2.0 and four USB 3.0 ports. The speedy GbE LAN interface delivers a high speed for local and external network resources.
For the first time the BIOSTAR boards for the third-gen Intel Core CPUs fully realized the new BIOS, with the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI BIOS), which delivers high flexibility and easy setup for basic settings thanks to the intuitive graphics interface.

The high-quality sound is realized with the latest integrated 8+2-channel HD codec and the THX TruStudio Pro technology specially developed by Creative and THX for delivering acoustic impressions usually associated with live music, movies or studio sound. Besides, for the first time the new boards feature the Puro Tone – 110dB technology which delivers high authenticity of multi-channel sound with extremely effective noise reduction, with the SNR of 110 dB.

With the launch of the TZ77XE4 BIOSTAR demonstrates the successive development of its technologies meant to increase performance, stability and service life of products. The new boards feature reliable solid-state capacitors, and the power supply circuits for the first time use a 13-phase regulating system which is critical for overclockable systems.

The Virtu Universal MVP software suite, introduced for the first time and based on the virtualized Lucid Virtu GPU software, delivers fast processing of video and media content with the Hyperformance function with the minimal load on all critical system components.

The universal T-overclocker Windows utility, which is popular with overclockers, includes several powerful tools for fine system tuning and controlling CPU performance, memory, fan speeds etc. The BIOSTAR G.P.U (Green Power Utility) considerably cuts down power consumption in case of light CPU load. The boards support the BIO-Remote2 technology for remote control of multimedia PC functions with Android and Apple gadgets.

Corbell and MSI showcase latest X79 Big Bang-XPower II at annual Roadshow held at GV-Vivocity

Last Friday, MSI and it’s local distributor Corbell Technologies showcased their latest flagship X79 board the Big Bang-XPower II board and AMD Radeon 7970 cards at their annual road show at GV-Vivocity.

The Big Bang-XPowerII is a Intel LGA2011 board for the Sandy Bridge-E processor. Powered by the Intel X79 chipset, itt features a 7 PCIe lanes in total with 4 PCI Express gen3 x16 slots, PCI_E1 supports up to PCIE x16 speed, PCI_E5 supports up to PCIE x16 speed when PCI_E3 is empty, or supports x8 speed when PCI_E3 is occupied, PCI_E3 & PCI_E7 support up to PCIE x8 speed, 3 PCI Express gen2 x16 slots and PCI_E2, PCU_E4 & PCI_E6 support up to PCIE x1 speed. It supports both  Quad SLI or QUad CrossFire.

It has 8 DIMM slots supporting up to 8 DIMMs of DDR3-1066 to DDR3-2400 (OC) with a max of 128MB of RAM.

Not only that, it has 4 SATA II ports (X79), 2 SATA III ports (X79) and 4 SATA III by ASMedia chipset. There are also 5 USB 3.0 ports, 4 rear and 1 front supported by NEC D720200 chipsets.Audio is supported by Realtek ALC892, LAN by Intel 82579V and 82574L. 1394 is supported by VIA VT6315N chipset.

Similar to the X79-GD45 we reviewed before, this board uses military class components. DrMOS II, SFC, Hi-c CAP and Solid CAP are just some of the features of this board that ensure longer lifespan and stability.

Other features of this board include PCI Gen 3 support that has up to 32GB/s of bandwidth , 2X more than PCIe 2.0. When matched with PCIe 3.0 graphics card, it is able to take advantage of the extra bandwidth for better performance.

Other featuers include ClickBIOS II, OC GenieII, Gaming Device port, Super Charger, Active Phase Switching (power saving), Winki 3 (linux based OS during bootup), Instant OC, V Check points, Direct OC etc.

In the demo system, the board is paired up with 4 NVIDIA card running in Quad SLI mode.

Core i7-3960X
MSI BigBang XPower II
G.Skill RigjawsZ 2133C9 4GBx4
MSI N580GTX TFII/OC in 4 way SLI
Thortech Thunderbolt Plus 1200W gold PSU
Xigmatek Colosseum Heatsink

ASUS Launches ROG Rampage IV GENE X79 mATX Gaming Board

The power of Intel® Socket LGA 2011/X79 Express Chipset CPUs joins game-optimized sound, better online performance, and digital power

Singapore (January 16, 2012) ― Rampage IV GENE continues the legacy of Republic of Gamers motherboards by delivering gamers with enhanced performance that places a premium on fidelity and speed. SupremeFX III™ EMI-shielded audio guarantees better in-game sound, Intel® Ethernet LAN and ROG GameFirst technology boost online multiplayer performance, while ROG Extreme Engine Digi+ II digital voltage regulation promotes improved overclocking. The board further uses Black Metallic capacitors and NexFET™ Power Block MOSFETs for added durability and heat resistance. Unlike budget micro ATX boards, it supports 2-way NVIDIA® SLI™ and AMD CrossFireX™.

SupremeFX III™ audio

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) remains a detriment to quality sound, causing distortion and loss unless properly mitigated. Rampage IV GENE uses a custom PCB “red line” layout which physically isolates SupremeFX III™ hardware from the rest of the motherboard to eliminate interference and generate clearer, more precise, and deeper audio. Better sound helps competitive gamers with improved positioning and spatial awareness, in addition to promoting greater immersion. SupremeFX III™ comes with its own steel shield, a 1500uF capacitor for stable audio power delivery, plus gold-plated audio jacks. The setup has been tested to 110dB SNR, ensuring lossless performance. EAX® Advanced HD 5.0, Creative® Alchemy, and THX® TruStudio™ PRO are all fully supported. Rampage IV GENE comes bundled with a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi MB2 suite, providing the finest game audio of any micro ATX board, with realistic sound effect reproduction, lifelike music, and theater-grade movie sound.

Lag-resistant online gaming and multi-GPU support

Intel® Ethernet reduces CPU utilization by as much as 35% when processing online activity compared to systems using standard LAN, which combats latency and boosts packet transmission. Better network performance presents an edge for gamers, with the overwhelming importance of global online multiplayer gaming requiring faster connections for a smooth and competitive experience. ROG-exclusive GameFirst contributes to achieving this goal, working as a connection supervisor to prioritize bandwidth availability and ensure games receive sufficient resources, even when downloading occurs in the background. To further accommodate gamers, Rampage IV GENE supports PCI Express 3.0 and 2-way SLI™/CrossFireX™ for increased future proofing and flexibility.

Greater overclocking through improved endurance and stability

Rampage IV GENE ships with the exclusive ROG Extreme Engine Digi+ II design, consisting of digital voltage regulators for refined tuning and higher power efficiency. Gamers can adjust voltages in more precise increments, which aids in overclocking. Supporting this, Black Metallic capacitors and NexFET™ Power Block MOSFETs easily surpass the capabilities of generic parts. They resist heat better, last up to five times longer, and can take up to 20% higher temperatures than generic components, culminating in a highly durable and long lasting board that reduces the likelihood of instability even when running high intensity applications.

First X79 board officially certified by the USB-IF

In addition to its many advantages, the Rampage IV GENE has also secured the honor of being the first Intel® X79-based motherboard formally authorized and certified USB 3.0-ready by the USB Implementers Forum. Certification speaks of the extensive testing and compatibility assurance ASUS puts into every board from early development to shipping. Always committed to advancing technology and giving consumers the best performance possible, ASUS has gone further and self-developed USB 3.0 Boost to accelerate data speeds beyond reference requirements. The multi-mode design of USB 3.0 Boost increases device connectivity for both the traditional BOT protocol and the newer UASP, and its inclusion on ROG boards offers gamers even better value than before.

Complete range of X79 gaming boards

The release of Rampage IV GENE follows the previous launch of Rampage IV Extreme and Rampage IV Formula Intel® Socket LGA 2011/X79 Express Chipset-based models. The three maintain ROG leadership in the gaming and overclocking motherboard segments, providing consumers with superior performance and the finest quality in a vibrant PC gaming scene where technical excellence is critical.

– GIGABYTE Unveils Next Gen Motherboard Digital Power Engine at CES 2012 –

– Demonstrates New GIGABYTE 3D Power Design, 3D BIOS, and Other Exclusive Future Motherboard Technologies –

Las Vegas, USA, January, 10th 2012 – GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards, today announced its participation at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas where it is debuting a number of new and exciting motherboard technologies that will be central to it’s motherboard design in 2012 and beyond. International media and customers will get a sneak peak ofGIGABYTE’s new technologies at their suite in The Venetian Hotel,Las Vegas, from January 10-13.

3D Power: Frequency, Voltage and Phase Control

GIGABYTE is showing forthcoming 7 series motherboards featuring the very latest in CPU power delivery with GIGABYTE’s unique Digital Power Engine called 3D Power. Offering digital control over all the main onboard power zones, this new digital PWM design allows users to manipulate and monitor the power provided to 2nd Gen Intel® Core™ and Next Gen processors for the LGA 1155 socket.

“We are very excited about the new technologies that will feature on our 7 series motherboards, and are confident that our customers will find them, together with the performance and feature improvements on Intel’s future platform, extremely appealing,” commented Henry Kao, Vice President of GIGABYTE Motherboard Business Unit. “Product development and debugging for the new features is progressing really well, and we expect to have a full range of products available globally by launch day.”

GIGABYTE 3D BIOS (Dual UEFI)

Visitors to CES 2012 will be able to see the 2nd iteration of GIGABYTE’s revolutionary 3D BIOS that is based on GIGABYTE UEFI DualBIOS™

technology. 3D BIOS offers two distinct modes of interaction in a BIOS environment, 3D Mode and Advanced Mode, that re-draw the traditional

BIOS user experience with a far more intuitive and graphical interface.

G1.Sniper 3 Debuts with Dual LAN

The G1.Killer gaming motherboard series continues to evolve with two new GIGABYTE 7 series models planned for launch later this year. The

G1.Sniper 3 motherboard features onboard Creative gaming audio together with a dual LAN configuration of Intel®Gigabit and Killer™ Game

Networking controllers. Visitors toLas Vegas will also be among the first to see the G1.Sniper M3, a gaming motherboard with signature G1.Killer

DNA in a compact Micro-ATX form factor.

GIGABYTE G1.Sniper 3 (ATX) and G1.Sniper M3 (Micro ATX) Gaming Motherboards

Powering the Personal Cloud: Bluetooth 4.0/Wi-Fi PCIe Card

Selected GIGABYTE motherboards will come with an exclusive PCIe expansion card that offers support for the latest Bluetooth 4.0 (Smart Ready) and Wi-Fi connectivity standards. With the growing availability of affordable or free remote PC operation software, such asSplashtop and VLC Remote, GIGABYTE believes that now is the time to explore and enjoy the home cloud: a personal cloud within the secure environment of a home network where the performance and functionality of desktop PCs can be utilized and controlled by portable cloud devices. With this in mind GIGABYTE has introduced their CloudStation utility that will help future GIGABYTE Apps to communicate, share resources and control desktop PC systems.

Onboard mSATA Support

Most ATX form factor GIGABYTE 7 series motherboards will enjoy an onboard mSATA connector that, together with GIGABYTE’s EZ Smart Response technology, will allow users to simply and cost effectively enjoy better responsiveness from their PCs. mSATA solid state drives have been made popular by the rapid growth of tablet PCs, and provide a cheaper solution for smart chaching because they are available in smaller capacities than traditional SSDs.

Small Business Solutions

GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-UD3H Motherboard with Onboard mSATA Connector

Setting its sights on the small business market, GIGABYTE will demonstrate the B75M-D3H motherboard that represents a new product range featuring the ability to monitor and manage PC health, installed software, data

backup, energy saving and connectivity. This allows system integrators to add value to their products by

offering these services to small businesses. Key features and selling points for these models will be

manageability, affordability and GIGABYTE’s Ultra Durable design quality.

A few weeks ago, we attended an event by Promise technology, showing off it’s Thunderbolt NAS devices. As Apple is the only company that builds Thunderbolt capable notebooks, PC which is based on Intel processors and chipsets do not have motherboards which cater to this new transmission standard. According to Digitimes, Intel has recently notified its partners that the company will fully release its Thunderbolt technology in April of 2012 with several first-tier PC players already preparing to launch Thunderbolt-supported motherboards, notebooks and desktop PCs, according to sources from PC players.

Most board makers are still using third party USB 3.0 solutions while the Apple has it adopted into its products such as monitor, MacBook Pro, iMac, MacBook Air and MacBook Mini, it has strongly boosted demand. With the price of Thunderbolt technology dropping in 2H 2012, it is expected that board makers and notebook makers will adopt this technology onto to PC platform.

Currently Sony is expected to adopt Thunderbolt technology into its product lines with players such as Asustek Computer also expected to adopt the technology into their high-end notebook products. Gigabyte Technology, which has been aggressively adopting new transmission technology into its product line, is also expected to launch Thunderbolt-featured motherboard by April 2012 to compete against other brands.

Here is a link to the Promise SmartStor products which feature the Thunderbolt technology.

First X79 Motherboard CertifiedIntel® XMP with DDR3 2400MHz Memory

ASUS P9X79 DELUXE awarded Extreme MemoryProfile classification for exemplary RAM optimization, reliability, andproven overclocking potential

Singapore (December 13, 2011) ― following the successful launch of a complete range of ASUS X79-based motherboards, the brand has scoredanother accolade in the form of its first Intel® Extreme Memory Profile(XMP) certified Socket LGA 2011 board, the P9X79 DELUXE, which features2400MHz RAM. The ROG Rampage IV Extreme also hosts the current X79 RAMspeed record at 2700MHz, made possible thanks to exhaustive development andtesting, as well as focused investment in exclusive power delivery andoverclocking technologies.

Intel® Extreme Memory Profile initiative

To promote better-performing memory designs that cater to the needs ofhigh-end gaming applications and other areas where overclocking may be desirable, Intel® and partners ASUS and Kingston® have beenactively encouraging the implementation of XMP standards. These require motherboards support higher memory voltages, more flexible timing andtuning options, plus improved clock speeds and the highest efficiency indesign. The P9X79 DELUXE is the first X79 board certified XMP to offerusers 2400MHz memory, opening up new performance avenues with confidence and improved stability. As an official Intel® program, XMP mandatesmotherboard evaluation and certification, offering consumers further assurance that a board enables greater reliability, safe and stableoverclocking, and increased performance. Certification indicates designst hat go beyond basic reference specifications, and in the case of the P9X79DELUXE, maintains the ASUS belief that consumers should always have the best possible hardware, without compromise. XMP certification for the P9X79DELUXE was attained using Kingston® HyperX quad-channel memory kits, aresult of the long-standing relationship ASUS has with major memory makers.

“Kingston is very excited that the ASUS P9X79 DELUXE is the firstX79 board certified XMP by Intel, which was achieved using Kingston HyperXquad-channel kits. We are very happy to partner with Intel and ASUS againto bring this new high performance solution to market”, said Ann Bai,Kingston DRAM Memory Sales Director ― APAC Region, when speaking on theP9X79 DELUXE.

More information on the Intel® XMP program can be found at thislink:

http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/gaming/gaming-computers/core-i7-extreme-memory-suppliers-1111-datasheet.html

Rampage IV Extreme achieves new memory speed records at2700MHz

With its support for faster memory speeds and more stable overclocking,the Rampage IV Extreme has also played an important role in demonstratinghow far RAM speeds can be pushed on the Intel® X79 platform. It hasrecently served as the core of a system that clocked 2700MHz DDR3,configured with 16GB of G.Skill Ripjaws Z DDR3-2400 (4GB x4) at 1.65V. ASUSengineers also used 64GB of G.Skill Ripjaws Z DDR3-2133 (8GB x at 1.5Von the P9X79 DELUXE, reaching RAM speeds of 2133MHz, showing its highlystable overclocking potential when running the full amount of memory. Asthe development cycle of any ASUS motherboard involves meticulous testingwith hundreds of memory modules from all major RAM producers, consumers canrely on the highest compatibility in the industry when using ASUS boards.Pre-launch testing also includes rigorous overclocking trials, ensuringthat each model can sustain performance well beyond reference levels.

Built for ultimate flexibility and better performance with an 8-DIMMdesign

ASUS P9X79 Series motherboards and the Rampage IV Extreme offer the verybest of flexible and control-focused Intel® X79 implementation. Theyarrive loaded with the enabling features consumers expect for high output2nd generation Intel® Core™ i7 processors, and offer an8-DIMM design that supports up to 64GB of quad-channel DDR3 memory. Thisallows users to choose the module size that best suits their budget andneeds, for example eight 4GB kits, as the design offers much greater roomfor different options. However, the main enabler of overclocking is themeticulously designed and implemented total board layout, which usesexclusive ASUS New DIGI+ Power Control all-digital voltage regulationarchitecture for both the CPU and DRAM. It opens up added flexibility andgreater efficiency, driving a much-improved overclocking posture. The P9X79DELUXE becoming the first XMP-certified X79 motherboard with 2400MHz RAMindicates the ASUS focus on unmatched overclocking and tuning optionscontinues to reap many rewards for consumers and the industry as awhole.

MSI X79A-GD45 Intel X79 Mainboard Review
Bluetooth 2 Dec 2011

The MSI X79A-GD45 is the first 4 models of Intel X79 Express chipset mainboard released by MSI in NOV 2011 just in time for the launch of the new Intel LGA2011 processor.

Today, we take a look at the MSI X79A-GD45. The board spots 3 full length Gen 3 PCIe x 16 slots with  PCI_E1 & PCI_E4 support up to PCIE x16 speed and PCI_E6 supports up to PCIE x8 speed. It supports both CrossFire X and SLI. There is another 4 PCIe x1 slots. It supports four unbuffered DIMM of 1.5 Volt DDR3 1066/1333/1600/1800*/2133*/2400* (OC) DRAM, 64GB Max.

There a 6 SATA ports on the board which

• SATAII controller integrated in Intel® X79 chipset
- Up to 3Gb/s transfer speed.
- Supports four SATAII ports (SATA3~6) by X79

• SATAIII controller integrated in Intel® X79 chipset
- Up to 6Gb/s transfer speed.
- Supports two SATAIII ports (SATA1~2) by X79
- SATA1~6 ports support Intel Rapid Storage Technology enterprise (AHCI / RAID 0/1/5/10) by Intel X79

There are 2 USB 3.0 chipset by NEC supporting the internet and rear I/O USB 3.0 ports.

Audio wise, it uses Realtek ALC892 8ch audio chip, It also comes with Realtek 8111E GbE and 1394 by VIA VT6315N.

Specifications are usually quite similar but the features and components used differs from one to another.

The MSI X79A-GD45 uses Military Class III components.In addition to the use of Hi-c CAP, SFC, and Solid CAP, MSI now incorporates DrMOS II, the next-generation DrMOS that provides an integrated Double Thermal Protection to maximize the lifespan of components. All Military Class III components have passed MIL-STD-810G certification, making MSI’s Military Class III components synonymous with premium quality and ultimate stability.

Instead of the boring UEFI BIOS, MSI introduces ClickBIOS II, providing a consistent interface between BIOS and in WIndows with touch screen support.

MSI incorporates a  gold-plated layer in the 2-in-1 PS2 and optimized USB ports to 30um to meet the demand of professional gamers. Besides enhancing mouse sensitivity in games, these improved interfaces deliver a longer lifespan and better stability of connectors and total solution for e-sports mouse control in UEFI BIOS.

Other features include SuperCharger, M-Flash, APS (active phase switching), Winki 3, Liveupdate 5, USB Safeguard, Instant OC, 3TB+ Infinity.

The package also comes with a Overclocking Guide which is very useful even for long time overclockers. It is a must read for everyone.

On the next page, we take a look at the mainboard layout followed by the BIOS.

3D view of MSI X79A-GD45 Intel X79 Express Sandy Bridge-E motherboard

When it comes to AMD CPU vs Intel CPU, fan boys will sure be siding their favourite. In our review of the Gigabyte X79-UD7, we compared the Intel Core i7 3960X against the Core i5 2500K.

In addition, we would like to know how the new 6 core processor Core i7 3960X will fare against the Phenom II X6 1100 which sells for only 1/4 of the price of the 3960X.

Would it be worth paying 4X the price for the processor for just that performance ? Read our review with benchmarks and judge for yourself.

Read review here.