| BIOS Frequency and Voltage settings (for overclocking) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ASRock Z77 Extreme4 | Asus P8Z77-V LX | Biostar TZ77XE3 | |
| CPU Base Clock | 95-150 MHz (1 MHz) | 80-300 MHz (0.1 MHz) | 95-300 MHz (0.01 MHz) |
| CPU Multiplier | Up to 63x | Up to 63x | Up to 63x |
| DRAM Data Rates | 1066-2800 (200, 266.6 MHz) | 800-3200 (200, 266.6 MHz) | 1066-2800 (200, 266.6 MHz) |
| CPU Vcore | 0.60-1.70 V (5 mV) | 0.80-1.99 V (5 mV) | 1.00-1.79 V (10 mV) |
| VTT Voltage | 0.77-1.63 V (10 mV) | 1.05-1.70 V (12.5 mV) | |
| VCCSA Voltage | 0.93, 1.02, 1.11, 1.20 V | 0.74-1.69 V (5 mV) | 0.90-1.70 V (12.5 mV) |
| PCH Voltage | 0.78-1.65 V (9.3 mV) | 0.74-1.69 V (5 mV) | 1.05 V +0 to +15% (5%) |
| DRAM Voltage | 1.17-1.80 V (5 mV) | 1.19-2.14 V (5 mV) | 1.30-2.11 V (12 mV) |
| CAS Latency | 4-15 Cycles | 1-15 Cycles | 4-15 Cycles |
| tRCD | 3-15 Cycles | 1-15 Cycles | 3-15 Cycles |
| tRP | 3-15 Cycles | 1-15 Cycles | 3-15 Cycles |
| tRAS | 9-63 Cycles | 1-255 Cycles | 9-63 Cycles |
| BIOS Frequency and Voltage settings (for overclocking) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECS Z77H2-A2X Deluxe | Gigabyte Z77X-D3H | Intel DZ77SL-50K | MSI Z77A-G45 | |
| CPU Base Clock | 99-150 MHz (1 MHz) | 80-133.33 MHz (0.01 MHz) | 100-300 MHz (1 MHz) | 0-655 MHz (0.1 MHz) |
| CPU Multiplier | Up to 59x | Up to 63x | Up to 255x | Up to 63x |
| DRAM Data Rates | 1066-2800 (200, 266.6 MHz) | 800-3200 (200, 266.6 MHz) | 1066-2400 (266.6 MHz) | 800-2933 (200, 266.6 MHz) |
| CPU Vcore | 1.00-1.50 V (25 mV) | 0.80-1.90 V (5 mV) | 1.00-1.92 V (5 mV) | 0.81-1.52 V (5 mV) |
| VTT Voltage | +0 to +0.63 V (10 mV) | 0.80-1.70 V (5 mV) | 1.00-1.80 V (5 mV) | 0.95-1.55 V (10 mV) |
| VCCSA Voltage | +0 to +0.63 V (10 mV) | 0.72-1.40 V (5 mV) | 0.85-1.75 V (5 mV) | 0.87-1.51 V (10 mV) |
| PCH Voltage | +0 to +0.63 V (10 mV) | Not Adjustable | 1.00-1.50 V (12.5 mV) | 0.78-1.73 V (5.5 mV) |
| DRAM Voltage | +0 to +0.63 V (10 mV) | 1.10-2.10 V (5 mV) | 1.20-1.80 V (50 mV) | 1.11-2.47 V (7.25 mV) |
| CAS Latency | 4-15 Cycles | 5-15 Cycles | 2-255 Cycles | 5-15 Cycles |
| tRCD | 3-15 Cycles | 4-15 Cycles | 2-255 Cycles | 4-15 Cycles |
| tRP | 3-15 Cycles | 4-15 Cycles | 2-255 Cycles | 4-15 Cycles |
| tRAS | 9-63 Cycles | 5-63 Cycles | 5-65535 Cycles | 10-40 Cycles |
In spite of cooling differences, Asus’ hot-running P8Z77-V LX tops our CPU overclocking chart, while MSI’s cold-blooded Z77-G45 falls to the bottom.

Gigabyte’s Z77X-D3H takes the lead in base clock, accomplishing the highest reference frequency this processor has ever seen! This astonishing feat should be most significant to builders who can’t afford one of Intel’s unlocked K-series processors.

Intel uses 21.33x as its highest memory multiplier, and doing so leaves the DZ77SL-50K stuck with sub-2200 MT/s data rates. ASRock and Asus are on par, with MSI only slightly behind.

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Summary
- Seven Affordable Z77 Express-Based Motherboards Get Dissected
- ASRock Z77 Extreme4
- Z77 Extreme4 Applications
- Overclocking With ASRock Extreme Tuning Utility
- Z77 Extreme4 UEFI
- Asus P8Z77-V LX
- P8Z77-V LX Applications
- Overclocking With Asus TurboV
- P8Z77-V LX UEFI
- Biostar TZ77XE3
- TZ77XE3 Applications
- Overclocking With Biostar Toverclocker
- TZ77XE3 UEFI
- ECS Z77H2-A2X Deluxe
- Z77H2-A2X Deluxe Applications
- Overclocking With ECS eOC
- Z77H2-A2X Deluxe UEFI
- Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H
- Z77X-D3H Applications
- Overclocking With Easy Tune6
- Z77X-D3H UEFI
- Intel DZ77SL-50K
- DZ77SL-50K Applications
- Overclocking With Intel Extreme Tuning Utility
- DZ77SL-50K UEFI
- MSI Z77A-G45
- Z77A-G45 Applications
- Overclocking With MSI Control Center
- Z77A-G45 UEFI
- Benchmark Settings And Peripheral Compatibility Testing
- Benchmark Results: 3DMark 11
- Benchmark Results: PCMark And Sandra
- Power, Heat, And Efficiency
- Overclocking
- Three Sub-$160 Motherboards Rise To The Top
Ask a Category Expert
The things that actually get screwed-up are typically related to the clock generator, multiplier control, memory timings and power options.
Nice review.
You're kidding - Biostar. I guess this article is not about the 'Best Sub-$160 Z77' MOBO's but about the best manufacturers sent you. The cheapest MOBO I recommend for the SB/IB (K) is the ASUS P8Z77-V which pops your 'unique' budget cap depending where you shop; found it here for $159.99 - http://www.gadgetneeds.net/asus-p8z77-v-atx-intel-motherboard/
Interesting you didn't get an ASUS P8Z77-V LK ~$120 which offers SLI. The ASRock Z77 Extreme4 and Gigabyte Z77X-D3H for the price aren't bad.
There's NO WAY I'm recommending Biostar in the forum, folks and myself would thing I've lost my mind.
Would really like to see how the UD3X Atheros Ethernet controller fares against the Intel and broadcom ones.
Thank you!
This is what differentiates them performance wise.
Also, I love the True Studio Pro software, if you are running digital audio it really makes any idea of a dedicated sound card a thing of the past. Every computer I build now either has True Studio Pro with the mobo, or I purchase the MB2 software suite, it makes such a difference if using headphones or quality speakers, and much less buggy that Creative's sound cards and driver issues that we all know and love.