Integrated USB 3.0, advanced management features, reduced power consumption, and a new software package from Lucidlogix separate the Z77 Express motherboards from the Z68 chipset that preceded it. Were these capabilities worth waiting for?
Comprising its Ivy Bridge-based processors and Panther Point (Z77 Express) chipset components, Intel’s Maho Bay platform is one of the firm's worst-kept secrets. So much has been leaked ahead of today’s launch that the best any publisher can do is to validate known or suspected information.

Of course, we've been privy to the same information scattered about the Web for months now, including internal documents that say Intel’s Z77 Express is basically an updated and die-shrunken Z68 Express. Among the updates applied, an integrated USB 3.0 controller has perhaps the biggest impact on manufacturing costs and motherboard design. Four internally-accessible USB 3.0 ports can easily replace two of the third-party controllers found on most Z68 products.
Between the die shrink and integration of USB 3.0, we're even hoping for a modest drop in power consumption, most easily quantifiable in businesses with large groups of PCs to manage. And speaking of management, upgrades from Intel’s Management Engine 7.0 and Rapid Storage Technology 10.5 to versions 8.0 and 11.0, respectively, add features for remote system and data management.

Getting past the parts that make performance enthusiasts yawn, one big advantage for many Z77 motherboards comes not from Intel but Lucidlogix. Packed exclusively with new boards, the firm’s Virtu MVP software promises improved gaming performance for any graphics card. That probably sounds a little far-fetched to most enthusiasts, so we’re taking the extra time to examine it.
- Z77 Express: USB 3.0 And Enhanced Manageability
- MVP Is Much More Than Virtu
- Test Settings And Benchmarks
- Benchmark Results: Z77 Versus Z68 In 3D Games
- Benchmark Results: Z77 Versus Z68 In Applications
- Power, Heat, And Efficiency
- Overclocking
- HyperFormance, Virtual Vsync, And 3DMark
- HyperFormance And Virtual Vsync In Games
- Z77 Is Only Half Of The Story
poppycock, even high end cards can't even come close to saturateing a 8x slot
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFMzRZqFh-w get learned yo
Could you guys provide a video showing the differences between a run with the MVP and without? With V-Sync on also.
Nice review, BTW. Thanks for it 8)
Cheers!
IB and z77 VS. IB and z68?
Made me do a double take!
Don't expect them to tell you, they're still under Intel's NDA.
No, the Z77 and all Panther Point chipest are indeed 8x lanes of PCIe 2.0, so Thomas's article is correct. Don't confuse GPU PCIe lanes with Chipset PCIe lanes. However, Thomas knows that I too 'wish' the LGA 1155 was PCIe 3.0 clean, it sure would help with other chipset 'sharing' issues (bottlenecks).
What's up with that? Do the z77's require the Ivy Bridge CPU to take full advantage? Sounds like possible driver and/or most likely BIOS issues as others have pointed out elsewhere on page 2 of the z77 Motherboard Discussion thread.
poppycock, even high end cards can't even come close to saturateing a 8x slot
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFMzRZqFh-w get learned yo
Makes no sense NOT to have PCIe 3.0. Makes all the new cards useless on all but the boards with third party PCIe 3.0 controllers???
In a few months, I'm sure most of these bugs will be ironed out.
They got a 9177 on the z77 from gigabyte... with a 680...the standard 680 P score is 9458.
You guys topped out in that same bench with a 580 at 8728!
The normal 3dmark 11 P score with a 580 is 6619 (commensurate with the score for no VVS)
That HyperFormance and Virtual Vsync are really helping! At least in 3dmark LOL! Cant wait to see what score you get with a 680 combined with HF and VVS!
still...i would rather have 2 pcie lanes at 16X just in case i want to install two nvidia gtx 590 in sli...get the point?....why settle for something less when you can have the cake and eat it too