Our flagship motherboard comparison announcement was answered with an interesting selection of models, along with a bunch of “not ready yet” responses. Today we examine a few samples from companies bold enough to step up to the plate during launch week.
Value seekers are definitely appreciating the fact that Intel launched its most advanced desktop CPU technology in the mainstream space first. Meanwhile, enthusiasts with more exacting platform needs can breathe a sigh of relief now that X79 Express supports the same architecture at the high-end. If you haven't yet read about it, check out Intel Core i7-3960X Review: Sandy Bridge-E And X79 Express.
Perhaps we should replace the word “high” with “extreme,” however, since the cheapest LGA 2011-based CPU currently sells for about $600 bucks. It only stands, then, that exorbitant CPU prices would give way to expensive platforms. Fortunately, the connectivity enabled by Sandy Bridge-E and X79 Express is also more expansive than anything ever seen before from Intel.

A CPU-based quad-channel memory controller and 40 CPU-based third-gen PCIe lanes with built-in four-way SLI/CrossFireX support make X79 platforms stand above their Z68 siblings in the desktop segment, and we believe that anyone with the money for either a $600 or $1000 processor will also have the cash to spend on the best possible platform to support it. And yet, our announcement that the first X79 motherboard round-up would focus on flagship models to match Intel's introduction was met with a collective “What?!” by most manufacturers.
How could we expect the best products so soon after launch? With a little more time, a lot of vendors expected they could deliver a true masterpiece. But we were just as baffled by their responses, since most companies we talked to earlier in the year started X79-based motherboard development efforts last spring.
Most companies let us know that their flagship models were not finished, and that claim stood even after we announced a one-week grace period for late submissions. Imagine our surprise when several of those supposedly unfinished motherboards landed on Newegg before their manufacturers were willing to let them compete! What we ended up with was an interesting collection of premium (albeit non-flagship) models with high-end feature sets that help justify decidedly enthusiast-oriented prices.

| X79 Express Motherboard Features | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASRock X79 Extreme9 | Asus P9X79 Deluxe | Asus P9X79 WS | Gigabyte G1.Assassin2 | Gigabyte X79-UD5 | |||||
| PCB Revision | 1.04 | 1.03 | 1.03 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||||
| Chipset | Intel X79 Express | Intel X79 Express | Intel X79 Express | Intel X79 Express | Intel X79 Express | ||||
| Voltage Regulator | 16 Phases | 20 Phases | 10 Phases | Nine Phases | 14 Phases | ||||
| BIOS | P1.40 (11/17/2011) | 0802 (11/15/2011) | 0603 (11/14/2011) | F4 (11/02/2011) | F3 (11/01/2011) | ||||
| 100.0 MHz BCLK | 100.0 MHz (+0.00%) | 100.1 (+0.10%) | 100.0 MHz (+0.00%) | 100.0 MHz (+0.00%) | 100.0 MHz (+0.00%) | ||||
| Internal Interfaces | |||||||||
| PCIe 3.0 x16 | 5 (x16/x0/x16/x0/x8 or x8/x8/x8/x8/x8) | 4 (x16/x8/x0/x16 or x16/x8/x8/x8) | 6 (x16/x0/x4/x16/x4/x0 or x8/x8/x4/x8/x4/x8) | 3 (x16/x8/x16) | 3 (x16/x8/x16) | ||||
| PCIe 2.0 x16 | None | None | None | None | None | ||||
| PCIe x1/x4 | 1/0 | 2/0 | 0/0 | 2/0 | 2/0 | ||||
| Legacy PCI | None | None | None | 1 | 1 | ||||
| USB 2.0 | 2 (4-ports) | 4 (8-ports) | 2 (4-ports) +1 (1-port) | 3 (6-ports) | 3 (6-ports) | ||||
| USB 3.0 | 2 (4-ports) | 1 (2-ports) | 1 (2-ports) | 1 (2-ports) | 1 (2-ports) | ||||
| IEEE-1394 | 1 | None | 1 | None | 1 | ||||
| Serial Port | 1 | None | 1 | None | None | ||||
| Parallel Port | None | None | None | None | None | ||||
| SATA 6.0 Gb/s | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | ||||
| SATA 3.0 Gb/s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||||
| 4-Pin Fan | 2 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | ||||
| 3-Pin Fan | 4 | None | None | None | 2 | ||||
| FP-Audio | 1 (On Riser) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| S/PDIF I/O | Output Only | Output Only | Output Only | Output Only | Output Only | ||||
| Power Button | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | ||||
| Reset Button | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | ||||
| CLR_CMOS Button | No | Yes | No | No | No | ||||
| Diagnostics Panel | Numeric | Numeric | Numeric | None | None | ||||
| I/O Panel Connectors | |||||||||
| P/S 2 | 1 | None | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| USB 3.0 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||||
| USB 2.0 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 8 (2 shared w/eSATA) | 8 (1 shared w/eSATA) | ||||
| IEEE-1394 | 1 | None | 1 | None | 1 | ||||
| Network | 1 (+1 On Riser) | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| eSATA | 2 | 2 | None | 2 (USB-Powered) | 2 (USB-Powered) | ||||
| CLR_CMOS Button | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Digital Audio Out | Optical/Coaxial Riser | Optical | Optical | Optical | Optical | ||||
| Digital Audio In | None | None | None | None | None | ||||
| Analog Audio | 4 (On Riser) | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | ||||
| Other Devices | None | Bluetooth/Wifi Module USB BIOS Flashback | USB BIOS Flashback | Bluetooth/Wifi Card Dual BIOS Switch O/C Button | Bluetooth/Wifi Card Dual BIOS Switch O/C Button | ||||
| 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 | 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 | 0, 1, 5, 10 | 0, 1, 5, 10 | ||||
| Add-In SATA | 88SE9220 PCIe 2 x SATA 6Gb/s 3 x 88SE9172 PCIe 4 x SATA 6Gb/s 2 x eSATA 6Gb/s | 88SE9128 PCIe 2 x SATA 6Gb/s ASM1061 PCIe 2 x eSATA 6Gb/s | 88SE9128 PCIe 2 x SATA 6Gb/s | 2 x 88SE9172 PCIe 2 x SATA 6Gb/s 2 x eSATA 6Gb/s | 3 x 88SE9172 PCIe 4 x SATA 6Gb/s 2 x eSATA 6Gb/s | ||||
| USB 3.0 | 2 x TUSB7340 PCIe | 3 x ASM1042 PCIe 1 x VL810 4-Port Hub | 2 x ASM1042 PCIe | 2 x FL1009-2Q0 PCIe | 2 x FL1009-2Q0 PCIe | ||||
| IEEE-1394 | VT6315N PCIe 2 x 400 Mb/s | None | VT6315N PCIe 2 x 400 Mb/s | None | VT6308P PCI 2 x 400 Mb/s | ||||
| Gigabit Ethernet | |||||||||
| Primary LAN | BCM57781 PCIe | WG82579V PHY | WG82579V PHY | Killer E2100 PCIe | WG82579V PHY | ||||
| Secondary LAN | BCM57781 PCIe | RTL8111E PCIe | WG82574L PCIe | None | None | ||||
| Audio | |||||||||
| HD Audio Codec | Core3D PCIe DSP | ALC898 | ALC898 | X-Fi CA20K2 PCIe | ALC898 | ||||
| DDL/DTS Connect | Not Specified | DTS Connect | DTS Connect | DDL | Not Specified | ||||
| Warranty | |||||||||
| 3-Years Limited (all brands) | |||||||||
- Sandy Bridge-E And X79: The Best Intel Has To Offer
- ASRock X79 Extreme9
- X79 Extreme9 Firmware
- Asus P9X79 Deluxe
- Asus P9X79 WS
- Asus’ UEFI
- Gigabyte G1.Assassin2
- Gigabyte GA-X79-UD5
- Gigabyte’s UEFI
- Test Settings
- Benchmark Results: 3D Games
- Benchmark Results: Audio And Video Encoding
- Benchmark Results: Productivity
- Power, Heat, And Efficiency
- X79 Overclocking
- Which High-End X79 Motherboard Is Best?
You might want re check the facts.
Thanks.
How could that happen? ASRock has repeatedly removed previous BIOS versions from its website and labeled the replacement as the initial release.
This review was published after many hours of collaboration with ASRock, and some of the problems with this specific CPU are further detailed in the overclocking section. ASRock acknowledged the problem exists with a portion of the C1 CPU supply and has begun issuing patched BIOS to fix the multiplier issue, according to ASRock engineer William Yu.
Not to mention that they didnt say they couldnt hit 4.4ghz, they just stated they didnt get that high without going beyond 1.35v
Kinda wish we got to see a MAX overclock for air before temps got out of control =P
But then you get various coolers involved... yada yada... but PLEASE anyway
I had to comment on something. I can't really comment on the hardware as its so enthusiast and SB-E is well beyond my needs. I can't comment too much on the bios because I still barely understand mine, but I am seeing the trend that it might be best to stick with what you know, or risk having to translate the various names/definitions of settings across different products. I'm not that smart nor that patient. I liked the comment on the 6.00...lol... %! I never would have thought. I think that just deciphered half of my bios options, thanks. /wink
Just sayin'
Question does tht little fan on the motherboard get loud? If it does that would be a deal breaker for me
On a side note I would love to see how these boards look assembled
I am running 4.4GHz on 1.2V Revision C1 ASRock Extreme4 Bios 1.50. At 1.4V i can run 5.0Ghz but i don't have good enough cooler so i reverted back to 4.4.
I was wondering the same thing. I was about to purchase the rampage iv extreme then I saw this story. I was hoping to see it compaired with these boards. But, maybe it's in a league of its own.
It uses the same chipset and Asus doesn't differentiate integrated components on a per board testing basis. It will almost assuredly perform at the same level the other boards do, it just has a brand name unscaled cost and different tweak software.
In general, the entire x79 platform seems poorly executed to me. For having over twice the transistor count of a Sandy Bridge chip, the E line does not have performance to match that much of a die size increase, coupled with the base TDP being as high as it is, I would expect many more cores or much higher clocks out of them, especially considering they don't waste die space on integrated graphics.
That and the motherboards to go with the platform are all extremely overpriced. It is understandable that a new socket type has a lot of manufacturing overhead, and 4 channel RAM is magnitudes more complicated circuitry than dual channel, and having the PCI lanes support almost three times the bandwidth and channels is costly. But it isn't triple the price of a reasonable z68 motherboard costly.
The CPU is worse; for a total buy-in of $920+ (adds the cost of an i7-3930K) you can build a very nice system indeed, as the $1K SBM articles clearly show.
In today's economic climate, X79 may make sense for only a very few people. I'm not one of them, and while there's certainly no harm in reading about it, I doubt many regular Tom's readers are either.
Suckers!! haha
Which makes me wonder. If a 2600K can normally hit 4.8GHz on modest air cooling, and an i7 3960X is going to typically max out at around 4.4GHz with the same Vcore and cooling.... that's a 10% higher clock speed on the 2600K. The 3960X should perform about 20% faster at the same speed.... meaning... the difference is going to be what? 10% in favor of the 3960X.
So, 10% more performance for about 3 times the cost.
For anything but professional workstations, it seems that X79 doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
Next year i'm getting a new LGA 2011 mobo and an "old" 2600K and spare some cash for a better GPU.
Greedy bastards...