Asus P8z68-v Pro

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The most important features offered by PRO-V P8Z68 is undoubtedly its new chipset, the Z68 has a design of a single chip fully compatible with Intel socket 1155 and the second generation Core 2 i7/i5/i3. The Z68 offers improved performance by using point to point which allows for greater bandwidth. It has 2 SATA ports 6Gb/sy 4 SATA 3Gb / s, we cannot forget to mention that the Z68 supports iGPU function to use the integrated graphics processor. Just have a look below on the featured highlight of motherboard.

Featured Highlight

• Dual Intelligent Processors 2 with DIGI+ VRM Digital Power Design
• UEFI BIOS (EZ Mode) - Flexible & Easy BIOS Interface
• LucidLogix Virtu (Universal Switchable Graphics) - Auto Switching between Integrated Graphics and NVIDIA/AMD Cards
• Intel Smart Response Technology - SSD Speed with HDD Capacity
• BT GO! (Bluetooth) - Diverse BT Enjoyment, New Technology Lifestyle
• GPU Boost - Push the Limits with iGPU Level Up!
• Quad USB 3.0/SATA 6Gb/s Support - Double Access, Double Convenience
• Quad-GPU SLI and Quad-GPU CrossFireX Support!
• Exclusive ASUS motherboards, the UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) is the first system BIOS which can be controlled by mouse. Users can navigate the BIOS to UEFI smoothly as they do in an operating system.

What is new in Z68

The Z68 series keeps a sixth-generation chipset for Intel so basically find the performance of the P67, with a good arrangement for complex graphics settings, where other technologies such as SATA 6Gbps and a good supply of lines for the PCI Express integrators to integrate other important technologies not supported by the chipset such as the USB 3.0. The Z68 includes the benefits of the lower ranges, integrates a high-end chipset and supplemented with some extra features. Hybrid technologies that allow us to enjoy some ways we already are in the market but on other platforms such as laptops, or technologies that we use with other storage media such as the hybrid.

This is also seasoned with better support for bus-level overclocking is impossible in the previous chipset. Enhancements are minimal improvements do not think a user of a P67 really going to convince. Improvements if they can be interesting for some integrators and giving their teams a greater potential while minimizing the maintenance of certain settings that would be a hassle for some users.

Sandy Bride Support

With today's introduction of the Z68 Express chipset, Intel in some way before the first "real" chipset for Sandy Bridge processors. Apart from the difficulties with the first revision of the P67 chipset certainly had a lot of users and thus a small problem that some important features of a chip set of the users of the other chip set was withheld. With the Z68 Intel fills this "gap" and thus the core processors of the second generation should now be even more interesting for newcomers up a notch. The Z68 combines the performance-enhancing features of the P67 chipset, which are particularly important for overclockers, with the possible uses of the integrated graphics solution in the CPU, which for example has to offer in the area of video transcoding and some acceleration.

On the basic structure has changed from the Z68 to its "predecessors" nothing substantial, the graph below corresponds almost exactly to what is obtained by simple addition of P67 and H67. In addition to the combined features of H67 and P67 chipsets, Intel has the Z68 have given some more changes.

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Intel Smart Response Technology

This technology introduced by Intel in the chipset can take advantage of the benefits of a SSD drive to accelerate a master mechanic where we will install the operating system and other programs. The SSD will make a complete picture, as far as their ability to reach, of the first sectors of the mechanical disk cache by the principal. This technology and business solutions we could enjoy as Silverstone HDDBoost basically works the same way. It's an interesting way to not complicate your life, not complicate it or some users who do not want to have two drives, SSD and mechanical, and having to walk deciding to install at each site. Personally for an advanced user makes no improvement, on the contrary, but it certainly facilitates the work and its effectiveness at work daily and enjoy the PC is more than noticeable.

In addition to the combined features of H67 and P67 chipsets, Intel has the Z68 have given some more changes. The "Intel Smart Response Technology" Intel wants to systems with conventional hard disk will be improved. Make the approach, a hard disk has a smaller flash memory as cache to the side is not new. Intel Smart Response Technology enhances overall system performance. Use an SSD installed (min 18.6GB capacity) and a cache of frequently accessed data. Leverages the combination of performance and response to hard drive capacity being 4 times faster than a conventional hard disk system.

There are two modes of working of this technology:

Enhanced Mode: In Enhanced mode works the SSD as a write-through cache, where the data on SSD and hard drive are written in parallel, risk of data loss during power interruptions minimized. The write performance is then dependent on the speed of the hard disk.

Maximized mode: In the Maximized mode, however, where the SSD write-back cache works as, performance is significantly higher reaches, but the risk of data loss in case of unforeseen events is greater. According to Intel, the risks should be just as high as when using the normal write buffer of Windows or the hard disk.

Hybrid Graphics – Virtu

Intel does not provide real support for these technologies and do not provide any software, application or utility for it. What if it makes the Z68 is the ability to make these hybrid systems we see in portable systems as the plates Z68 among its features are the graphical outputs we see in other series chipsets support apart from dedicated connectivity and Crossfire systems SLI of two or more GPUs. This makes the Z68 an ideal system for these applications, although my personal opinion is that not even make much sense unless provided at the software level.

Current graphics systems, the dedicated, have from very low consumption, with levels of performance we have enjoyed as never before, as high consumption in the higher end models but in sleep modes or Low consumption perfectly scaled to fit the needs of the moment. A chip of this kind, for machines of medium and high, have no such requirements on a software tinkering. Yet we have tested the system Virtu GPU that supports ASUS in our test board to understand its functioning and whether it represents a tangible improvement. While ASUS will also support Nvidia's Synergy system, which is about to recur, and no doubt, at least because of the experience of the brand Optimus portable system seems to be much better if only for graphics support of this brand .

Additional Support on Z68

DIGI + VRM : VRM, or voltage regulator modules, are considered among the most critical design components to the motherboard. Provide the voltage demanded by the CPU, VRM power detected in the CPU and must provide the energy needed accordingly. ASUS DIGI + VRM is an innovative technology leader in the industry that fully integrates the Intel specifications VRD12 native level, greatly increasing the power to go beyond the limits of analog designs.

The ultimate Turbo Processor : TPU chip provides precise control and advanced control voltage through the automatic tuning, the GPU Boost TurboV functions. Auto Tuning offers an easy to use to automatically optimize the system for rapid but stable clock speeds, while TurboV allows unlimited freedom to adjust CPU frequency and reasons for optimizing performance in different situations.

EPU : PC Control real-time energy saving through a simple switch or AiSuite. Get the total optimization of energy throughout the system with automatic loadings and moderating energy wisely. This also reduces fan noise and extends the longevity of components!

GPU BOOST : BOOST GPU GPU speeds for extreme graphics performance. The user-friendly interface facilitates the flexible adjustment of frequency. Highly stable level offers updates for each application system.

BT GO! : Bluetooth connectivity enables intelligent Bluetooth devices with no additional adapters. ASUS BT GO! 7 comes with special features that offer a significant advance in the evolution of Bluetooth, including folder synchronization, transfer of BT, BT Turbo remote BT network music player and Personnel Manager.

USB 3.0 : Double USB access, dual convenience. ASUS USB 3.0 provides strategic access to both front and rear - 4 USB 3.0 ports in total. Experience with this plug & play connectivity at speeds up to 10 times faster than USB 2.0. The P8Z68 PRO-V provides greater comfort with high-speed connectivity.

Extra SATA 6Gb / s : Additional ports, speed and accessibility for the Intel Z68. Natively supports the new generation of Serial ATA (SATA), delivering up to 6Gb / s data transfers. ASUS provides extra SATA 6Gb / s with improved scalability, faster data retrieval and double the bandwidth of the current bus systems.

Conclusion

With the Z68 chipset can now all opportunities not Sandy Bridge use the platform. Besides the pure GPU provides graphics output in Sandy Bridge integrated finally, other features, to support such a huge process for transcoding of videos. With the "Smart Response Technology" will feature an Intel Z68 with a that of conventional hard disks as a system drive to speed up the operation, in which a small cache used to be smarter than SSD. What are the new Z68 when and how the ASUS P8Z68-V Pro-Z68 is the first motherboard in the test suggests, is to be found on the following pages.

The Z68 is a chipset that offers great improvements, there is a definite change and improvements that integrates pose no real improvement but a couple of functions that some would be asking as integrators to offer SSD systems combined with mechanical disks were transparent user and that would involve minimal maintenance while offering a more efficient solution to the customer. This combined with the use of graphics processor systems can lead to really attractive but I think anything close to what a high performance system where no doubt the choice is not a hybrid system, but knowing how to manage on one hand the use of One or more SSDs with high-cost capacity that provide mechanical disks.