Z68 Express Roundup: Three Motherboards Do Battle Around $200

Asus P8Z68-V Pro

With a name like P8Z68-V Pro, one might expect Asus’ upper-mainstream model to be targeted at business users. A quick look at the features and design reveals that this model is better suited to the price-conscious enthusiast.

Asus loads the board up with a bevy of spec sheet-boosting features, including dual USB 3.0 controllers, separate SATA 6Gb/s and eSATA controllers, a Bluetooth interface, and Intel’s low-latency gigabit network PHY. Asus believes it's time for this class of customer to leave their PS/2 based clicky-keyboards and high-speed gaming mice behind. But strangely, we find support for last century’s CRT monitors.

Asus even adds two PCIe x1 slots and a four-lane x16-length slot, in addition to the two primary graphics card slots. But this is where the math goes wrong. While the top x16 slot is capable of providing full bandwidth to a single card or split bandwidth (x8/x8 mode) to two cards, other PCIe devices must share the Z68 chipset’s eight lanes without the benefit of a PCIe bridge.

Lacking the PLX bridge found on the company's more expensive products, it’s impossible to populate all of the P8Z68-V Pro’s interfaces simultaneously. The second PCIe x1 slot is, for example, shared with the front-panel USB 3.0 controller and the four-lane x16-length bottom slot. When one of the two slots is filled, electronic switches disable the other two interfaces. The features get even sparser when the bottom slot's x4-mode is enabled; doing so disables the first x1 slot and the eSATA controller.

Knowing that most performance-oriented builders won’t use the problematic bottom slot, Asus caters to them in other ways. Designed to add exceptional overclocking stability, the sixteen-phase voltage regulator is the first example of Asus’ attempt to satisfy budget-minded enthusiasts.

Other advanced features include the Asus Mem OK button to automatically lower memory frequency and/or timings when using dodgy RAM, the Asus TurboV automatic overclocking switch, and Asus’ EPU switch to activate power management for voltage regulator phase control.

The P7Z68-V Pro adds a flexible SLI bridge and a front-panel-to-slot-panel USB 3.0 adapter to the expected four SATA cables, I/O plate, installation CD, and manual.

Thomas Soderstrom
Thomas Soderstrom is a Senior Staff Editor at Tom's Hardware US. He tests and reviews cases, cooling, memory and motherboards.
  • user 18
    ASrock comes with 4 eSATA cables?
    Reply
  • Kisakuku
    The first UEFI screenshots for ASRock and Asus are switched.
    Reply
  • Crashman
    user 18ASrock comes with 4 eSATA cables?KisakukuThe first UEFI screenshots for ASRock and Asus are switched.Fixed, thanks!
    Reply
  • pirateboy
    mayankleoboy1a little something from MSI would have made this more interesting.
    +1
    Reply
  • evga_fan
    ->Thomas

    "Gigabyte’s Quick Boost application sets our processor at 200, 400, or 700 MHz beyond its rated frequency."

    Just so you know. Anyways, keep up the good work!

    Cheers
    Reply
  • crisan_tiberiu
    so, basicaly there is no difference in performance between theese boards as i can see.
    Reply
  • hmm .. was thinking of getting an Asus P8Z68-V Pro .. not so sure now knowing that the other boards offer the same performance and are both cheaper.
    Reply
  • Olle P
    One additional feature of the ASRock card that isn't mentioned is its set of holes matching a socket 775 cooler. That feature was the main reason I ordered one of these cards three days ago, since I won't have to spend money on a new CPU cooler.
    Reply
  • tommysch
    So a P67 is superior... interesting.
    Reply
  • crisan_tiberiu
    Olle POne additional feature of the ASRock card that isn't mentioned is its set of holes matching a socket 775 cooler. That feature was the main reason I ordered one of these cards three days ago, since I won't have to spend money on a new CPU cooler.
    ermm thats pro, since i have a socket 775 core 2 duo atm. Any other motherboards out there that suport this?? i would love to know

    Reply