Intel presents two new Extreme Series board based on Z68
Andy Ruffell / 13 years ago
Intel is releasing two new desktop motherboards under the Extreme Series, both based on the Z68 chipset and supporting the LGA1155 Core processors; the DZ68ZV and the DZ68BC.
The DZ68ZV uses the same PCB as the DP67BG only by replacing the P67 PCH with the Z68. No display connectivity offered here. Using an 8-phase active-swiching/load-balancing digital PWM power circuitry for the CPU, this board is also equipped a couple of overclocking features.
Expansion is achieved through two PCI-Express 2.0 x16, three PCIe x1 and two PCI. As for storage you get two SATA 6Gbps, four 3Gbps and one eSATA 3Gbps, although one of the advantages of this board is that it supports the Intel Smart Response Technology. Other features include an 8-channel HD audio, USB 3.0 and Intel Gigabit Ethernet connector.
The DZ68BC, on the other hand, is entirely new and design for the Z68 chipset, with the entire set of overclocking features as well as the Lucid Virtu bundled, it proudly harbors the Extreme title.
With the CPU powered by an 8-phase digital PWM VRM using an improved VRM cooling solution, the expansion is composed of two PCI-Express 2.0 x16, three PCI and two PCIe x1, while storage gets four SATA 6Gbps, four SATA 3Gbps and two eSATA.
Just like the ZV version, the BC is equipped with both 8-channel HD audio and Intel Gigabit Ethernet controller, although this one features display connectivity through DVI, D-Sub and HDMI, and the IO also features USB 3.0 as well as the possibility of FireWire.
The DZ68BC comes at around $225, pretty steep for a motherboard with these features, while the price and availability of the DZ68ZV are unsure.
More are on the way, but only the names are known as of now: the DZ68PL and the DZ68AF.
