Plz Help Choose MSI Z68A-GD80 , ASRock & Asus Z68

[technoidgit]

This may not be a fair fight but this is where I'm at.

MSI Z68A-GD80 $239.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130597

ASUS P8Z68-V PRO $209.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131730

ASRock Z68 Extreme4 $189.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157250

I don't want a board without internal graphics, this is one of the main points I feel w/the z68. I pay the power bill and being able to have GPU off 100% when not gaming(working) is a big bonus. That is where I feel Gigabyte has hurt themselves w/many of their boards.

I know the MSI is just out but I read the review on Hardware Secrets and it looks nice. To me the MSI $ wise is close enough to other boards.
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/MSI-Z68A-GD80-B3-Motherboard/1279

I also will really never use a 3rd GPU(xfire) ase I saw a single 6990 yesterday(wow) and don't imagine I would ever need more than a couple 6970s or a 6990+6970. Because of this I may not need the MSI, nevermind losing all the ports if I use the 3rd PCI Express 2.0
So if you would please let me know what you think. I really want to try and order today or in 2 at the latest

 

[technoidgit]

a few of the reasons I like the MSI are the components, Voltage setup, OC options, and Dual Bios

Before reading the Hardware Secrets review I was pretty sure I was getting the Asus or damn close 2nd ASRock

 

[chesteracorgi]

I dont think that Qicksync or Virtu turn off the GPU when you are not gaming -- it switches between the graphics on the CPU and GPU when encoding (translating formats). In other words the GPU is always on, the system switches to use the more efficent GPU when it sees it gain an advantage in encoding.

I can attest to the quality of the ASRock P67 (at least so far). The big diference is that you will be getting 2 X 16 PCI on the MSI mobo where you can only get 2 X 8 PCI speed out of the ASRock and ASUS (1 X16 and 2X 8 for Xfire or SLI).

If you are going to be doing lost of video encoding the Z68 has the advantage over the P67. But if you are not going to do lots of encoding then a P67 may be a better buy.

I beleive that comparable models in the P67 series to the three you are considering go for $30-$40 less than the Z68.

 

[technoidgit]

I dont think that Qicksync or Virtu turn off the GPU when you are not gaming -- it switches between the graphics on the CPU and GPU when encoding (translating formats). In other words the GPU is always on, the system switches to use the more efficent GPU when it sees it gain an advantage in encoding.

I can attest to the quality of the ASRock P67 (at least so far). The big diference is that you will be getting 2 X 16 PCI on the MSI mobo where you can only get 2 X 8 PCI speed out of the ASRock and ASUS (1 X16 and 2X 8 for Xfire or SLI).

If you are going to be doing lost of video encoding the Z68 has the advantage over the P67. But if you are not going to do lots of encoding then a P67 may be a better buy.

I beleive that comparable models in the P67 series to the three you are considering go for $30-$40 less than the Z68.

The second technology that was added is a video connection between the CPU and the chipset, called FDI (Flexible Display Interface). Which allows use of the integrated video processor .
This is the quote from the MSI review, Now they could be wrong but they are usually pretty good

"The big reason for this change was that Intel licensed a software from Lucidlogix called Virtu, which allows the computer to dynamically switch video cards depending on what you are doing with your computer. In a typical scenario, this software will make the system use the CPU’s integrated video engine when you are not playing games, turning your add-on video card completely off, and then turning on your add-on video card and turning off the CPU integrated video when you run games. By keeping your video card completely turned off when you are not playing games, you can save a lot of energy. For this feature to be available on a given Z68 motherboard, the motherboard manufacturer must have licensed the Virtu software."

 

[Leaps-from-Shadows]

From the one review I read, it doesn't actually turn off the graphics card. It just idles while the integrated graphics are used. I think they verified it by removing the graphics card, and they saw a 20W or so decrease in system power usage.

And most graphics cards nowadays idle at 20W or so. Huge savings huh?

 

[AdrianPerry]

as well as three PCI Express x16 slots, but don't expect surprises for multi-GPU support, since the Z68 chipset is identical to the P67 in this respect - just a pair of discrete graphics cards are supported in x8/x8 configuration. Using three would boil down to an 8:8:4 PCI express lane configuration, and that's probably the biggest limitation of the motherboard to be honest.

-------

Quote taken from a review of the MSI - when using crossfire or SLI, its only x8. They might both be x16 lanes, when you have a GPU in one OR the other, but when both are populated (as they would be with SLI/Crossfire) you only get the standard x8 that most z68 and p67 motherboards offer.

 

[izhan22]

if you did not purchase the mother board
i have some thing for you which you cant resist
see for
msi z68a-gd80 b3 review

with more improved power saving on GPU and
also it has new tech of pcie 3.0

and MSI is the first company to introduce it
still untill now no one showed some thing like it

if you did not buy a motherboard ,its better to wait for something like this and get
it .i also care very much on power consumption

THOUGHT you would like to see this once
dont forget to search for the name i told and its reviews