A real enthusiast chipset deserves a real enthusiast motherboard. Today we're comparing four feature-packed platforms that most folks who call themselves hardcore (and informed enough to know what hardware meets their needs) can actually afford.
Tom’s Hardware editor Andrew Ku called Intel’s Z68 Express a “real enthusiast chipset” back in May, when it was revealed that this platform controller hub is the only one able to utilize all of the features packed into Intel’s Sandy Bridge processors. Multiplier-based processor overclocking and Quick Sync-optimized video transcoding were mutually exclusive on the P67 and H67 platforms. It took Z68 to make them both accessible on the same chipset. Intel also added a much-anticipated technology that turned small SSDs into caches for mechanical hard drives (though we still recommend loading your performance-sensitive apps onto a larger, dedicated SSD if that fits within your budget).
Power users could argue that Intel's X58 platform is the only one suitable for enthusiasts, since it features more than two times as many PCI Express 2.0 lanes than an LGA 1155-based processor. However, Sandy Bridge incorporates that connectivity onto the CPU itself, facilitating quicker access. Besides, some enthusiasts don’t need the extra lanes. Those same power users could also argue that X58's LGA 1366 interface is the only one able to accommodate six-core CPUs. But we've already seen a notebook version of Sandy Bridge best those Gulftown-based chips in applications that use four or fewer cores. Desktop-oriented Sandy Bridge processors are available at even higher clock rates, and the K-series parts facilitate some pretty impressive overclocking results, too.
So it turns out that Z68 is suitable to at least some (actually most) enthusiasts. But what sets enthusiast-class Z68 boards apart from their mainstream counterparts?

| Enthusiast Z68 Motherboard Features | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASRock Z68 Extreme7 | Asus P8Z68 Deluxe | Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD5 | MSI Z68A-GD80 | |
| PCB Revision | 1.03 | 1.00 | 1.0 | 3.0 |
| Chipset | Intel Z68 Express | Intel Z68 Express | Intel Z68 Express | Intel Z68 Express |
| Voltage Regulator | 10 Phases | 16 Phases | 21 Phases | 13 Phases |
| BIOS | P1.1 (08/25/2011) | 0706 (08/05/2011) | F4e (08/25/2011) | V17.2 (07/18/2011) |
| 100.0 MHz BCLK | 99.8 (-0.2%) | 100.0 (+0.0%) | 99.8 (-0.2%) | 99.8 (-0.2%) |
| Internal Interfaces | ||||
| PCIe 3.0 x16 | 1 (16 Lanes, Shared) | None | None | 2 (x16/x0 or x8/x8) |
| PCIe 2.0 x16 | 4 (x16/x16/x0/x4 or x16/x8/x8/x4) | 3 (x16/x0/x4 or x8/x8/x4) | 3 (x16/x0/x4 or x8/x8/x4) | 1 (x4, 3 Lanes, Shared) |
| PCIe x1/x4 | 1/0 | 2/0 | 2 (Shared w/x16-3) / 0 | 2/0 |
| Legacy PCI | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 (Shared w/x16-3) |
| USB 2.0 | 4 (8 ports) | 2 (4 ports) | 2 (4 ports) | 3 (6 ports) |
| USB 3.0 | 1 (2 ports) | 1 (2 ports) | 2 (4 ports) | 1 (2 ports) |
| IEEE-1394 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Serial Port | 1 | None | None | 1 (mini) |
| Parallel Port | None | None | None | None |
| SATA 6.0 Gb/s | 6 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| SATA 3.0 Gb/s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 4-Pin Fan | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 3-Pin Fan | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| FP-Audio | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| CD-Audio | None | None | None | None |
| S/PDIF I/O | Output Only | Output Only | Output Only | Output Only |
| Power Button | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reset Button | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CLR_CMOS Button | Yes | None | Yes | None |
| Diagnostics Panel | Numeric | Numeric | None | None |
| I/O Panel Connectors | ||||
| PS/2 | None | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| USB 3.0 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| USB 2.0 | 2 | 8 | 6 (2, shared w/eSATA) | 4 |
| IEEE-1394 | 1 | 1 | 2 (shared w/USB 2.0) | 1 |
| Network | Dual | Dual | Single | Dual |
| eSATA | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| CLR_CMOS Button | None | Yes | None | Yes |
| Digital Audio Out | Optical Only | Optical + Coaxial | Optical + Coaxial | Optical Only |
| Digital Audio In | None | None | None | None |
| Analog Audio | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Video Out | VGA, DVI, Displayport, HDMI | None | HDMI | DVI-I, HDMI |
| Other Devices | None | Bluetooth Transceiver | None | 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 | 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 |
| Add-In SATA | ASM1061 PCIe | 88SE9128 PCIe | 88SE9128 PCIe | 88SE9128 PCIe |
| USB 3.0 | 2 x AMS1042 PCIe | 2 x D720200F1 PCIe | D720200F1 PCIe 2 x VLI VL810 Hub | 2 x D720200F1 PCIe (Shared w/x16-3) |
| IEEE-1394 | VT6315N PCIe 2 x 400 Mb/s | VT6315N PCIe 2 x 400 Mb/s | TSB43AB23 PCI 3 x 400 Mb/s | VT6308P PCI 2 x 400 Mb/s (Shared w/x16-3) |
| Gigabit Ethernet | ||||
| Primary LAN | BCM57781 PCIe | WG82579V PHY | RTL8111E PCIe | RTL8111E PCIe |
| Secondary LAN | BCM57781 PCIe | RTL8111E PCIe | None | RTL8111E PCIe |
| Audio | ||||
| HD Audio Codec | ALC892 | ALC889 | ALC889 | ALC892 |
| DDL/DTS Connect | Not Specified | Not Specified | Not Specified | Not Specified |
Unlike some of the boards in our low-cost Z68 Express round-up, all of these enthusiast-class models are designed specifically for multi-card graphics configurations. MSI’s Z68A-GD80 is specifically intended to provide two installed cards the bandwidth benefits of PCIe 3.0 transfers, which will double the data rate once Intel’s next-generation LGA 1155 processors (based on the Ivy Bridge architecture) reach the market.
ASRock’s Z68 Extreme7 is even designed for three-way SLI, using the NF200 PCIe hub as a repeater (Nvidia Broadcast mode) to provide two of its cards with full x16 transfers.
Asus adds a Bluetooth transceiver, while Gigabyte doubles the number of available USB 3.0 connections. All four companies beef-up their voltage regulators for increased stability (especially when overclocking). Three of these boards include two network controllers, and Asus leans on Intel’s gigabit PHY in the hope of providing a more dependable connection.
But we can’t describe every detail of each motherboard on a single page, so let’s take a specific look at the details that make each of today’s motherboards special.
- Four Z68 Express-Based Motherboards For Enthusiasts
- ASRock Z68 Extreme7 Gen3
- Z68 Extreme7 Firmware
- Asus P8Z68 Deluxe
- P8Z68 Deluxe Firmware
- Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD5
- Z68XP-UD5 Firmware
- MSI Z68A-GD80 (B3)
- Z68A-GD80 Firmware
- Test Settings And Benchmarks
- Benchmark Results: Crysis And F1 2010
- Benchmark Results: Just Cause 2 And Metro 2033
- Benchmark Results: Audio And Video Encoding
- Benchmark Results: Productivity
- Power, Heat, And Efficiency
- Overclocking
- A Word On Warranties
- Whose Enthusiast-Class Z68 Board Is Best?
My AsRock AliveNF6G-VSTA in my warehouse full of dust, mites, cobweb still works.. Recently upgraded to 4GB RAM and GTS 450 1GB video card..
Gigabyte
MSI
Asus
Asrock
The answer to my first email question to Asus came a three full weeks later AFTER I had decided to return the board. AND the answer was an absolutely stupid response that did not address the real problem. Still wanting an answer to my question, I clarified the question and sent it back to Asus again. TWO weeks later I got ANOTHER asinine response from them. At that point I realized I was wasting my time.
I don't know how good AsRock's customer service is since I have not had a problem with the board.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/z68xp-ud3-dz68db,2980.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/z68xp-ud3-dz68db,2980.html
Crashman to the rescue again
Real enthusiasts, on the other hand don't use integrated graphics and already have a dedicated SSD. Enter P67 in the round-up and the winner would still be for almost 18 months running, the $255 Asus P67 WS Revolution.
Luay, real enthusiasts do use integrated graphics just they use it for Quick Sync only.
lol I have succesfully RMA'd many a part!!! Asus, Seagate, Sapphire, Asrock, you name it...
I am surprised at the gigabyte board. The power regulation seems too complicated to be useful, and the lack of UEFI seems strange and will hurt boot performance.
I could care less about using the 3rd pci 16x lane
If you've never gotten a warrenty back than you must have very bad luck. Most companies will happily send a replacement product. OCZ even works with oyu to ensure that you are satisfied with what you recieve back. Out of all the products I've sent in for warranties in the past 3 years, all 4 of them got a working product back. One I didn't bother to ship out because shipping was more than it was worth at the time.
I could care less about using the 3rd pci 16x lane
Agreed, Quads and Tri GPU's are just not worth the price at this stage.
Always had luck with Asus, Gigabyte and MSI boards.