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Today we are checking out one of the most expensive LGA1155 motherboards money can buy, as we give the Asus flagship Z68 motherboard the once over. Known as the Maximus IV Extreme-Z, this enthusiast type motherboard has it all from high-end features to unbeatable overclocking performance...
Launched at the beginning of the year, Intel's 32nm Sandy Bridge processors arrived alongside the new socket LGA1155 and two accompanying 6-series chipsets, the P67 and H67. Each platform presented a different value perspective: the pricier P67 supported Intel's unlocked "K" series enthusiast processors with advanced overclocking options, while the cheaper H67 had access to Sandy Bridge's built-in graphics.
Neither chipset offered both features, ultimately forcing users to assess their priorities. However this hasn't been a major deal for the average system builder because someone who wants to overclock heavily probably has a discrete graphics card, while someone who's using Sandy Bridge's integrated graphics chip likely wouldn't want to be bothered with overclocking -- note the word "likely." There exists a third, smaller group of individuals who want squeeze extra performance out of their processor and memory, but don't require the graphical muscle of a full-blown video card. To fill that void, Intel has released the Z68 chipset, which is somewhat of a hybrid of the P67 and H67: it allows you to overclock while simultaneously using the baked-in graphics engine. But there's more to it... Along with combining the functionality of its previous chipsets, Intel has infused the Z68 with some impressive new features that should make it more appealing to a broader demographic. By cramming more features into the Z68, the company has effectively created a new enthusiast-grade chipset, while the P67 has been demoted to somewhat of a mid-range offering. Intel's Smart Response Technology (SRT) is one of the more noteworthy additions as it boosts system performance by using a small solid state drive for caching purposes. SRT is to an extent similar to what the Seagate Momentus XT hybrid hard drives offer, except it's considerably more flexible. This is an attractive feature among hardware buffs, as full-fledged SSDs are still too expensive for widespread adoption. We'll be fully testing this capability on this review. Intel is also shipping the Z68 with LucidLogix Virtu GPU virtualization software, which offers power savings by allowing your system to toggle between a discrete video card or Sandy Bridge's built-in graphics engine for a specific task -- think of Nvidia's Optimus technology on the desktop. Since the release of the Z68 chipset motherboard manufacturer Asus has developed a number of impressive motherboards. The range consists of over a dozen motherboards with standouts being the Maximus IV Gene-Z, P8Z68 Deluxe and of course the Maximus IV Extreme-Z. The Maximus IV Extreme-Z has been designed to be the best Z68 based overclocking motherboard money can buy. It is also loaded with features that should make it an attractive option for gamers and enthusiasts alike. |
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Crisco |
Posted on: 09/07/2011 09:25 AM
OMG EPIC motherboard!!! I want one for some 5GHz action  |
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Razor |
Posted on: 09/07/2011 11:03 AM
Yep Gigabyte needs to dump that POS killer NIC thing its rubbish. The Maximus IV Extreme-Z ownz the new Sniper2 board. Thanks for the great review. I have been looking everywhere for a review on this board. |
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ProX |
Posted on: 09/07/2011 12:28 PM
The overclocking results are simply amazing. There are two other reviews on this board now and both reached 5GHz+ using a processor that previously only reached the 4.7 - 4.8GHz that you mentioned. Thanks for an excellent review, this is the best I have read so far! |