Asus p8z68 v lx chipset. Review of three LGA1155 boards from ASUSTeK based on Intel Z68 Express logic. Review of Asus P8Z68 Deluxe board
Review of Asus P8Z68 Deluxe board
The box in which the Asus P8Z68 Deluxe motherboard is supplied is of standard dimensions and has a traditional design. On the front side of the package: the name of the board and logos of supported features and technologies, and on the back: an image of the board, a list of technical characteristics and a short story about some of the features. The only thing, besides the “Deluxe” prefix, that gives away the high status of the board is the ability to fold back the top cover, which is attached with Velcro, and view the board through a large transparent window without removing it from the package.The complete list of accessories included with the board is as follows:
six SATA cables with metal latches, half of them with L-shaped connectors, and the rest with straight cables, two pairs specifically designed for connecting SATA 6 GB/s devices (distinguished by white inserts on the connectors);
additional module with two USB ports 3.0 for installation in a three-inch bay system unit;
user guide;
In this list I would like to especially note a very useful accessory - an additional module with two USB 3.0 ports for installation in a three-inch bay of the system unit. Cases with the ability to display USB 3.0 ports on the front, top or side panels are appearing more and more every day, but this component included in the board kit will allow you to provide USB 3.0 support even for the existing one, although not the newest, but still convenient and otherwise satisfactory. characteristics of the system unit.
Regarding design motherboard Asus P8Z68 Deluxe, then it may seem familiar to you. It’s not surprising, since the board is very similar to the Asus P8P67 Deluxe board we’ve already tested. Some differences can only be noticed in the processor power converter, which is understandable, since it was necessary to provide additional power for the graphics core integrated into the processor, but otherwise there is no difference between the boards.
The processor socket supports all modern LGA1155 CPUs, four slots for memory modules can accommodate a total volume of 32 GB, and provide dual-channel access for memory operating at frequencies from 800 to 2400 MHz. In addition to the two SATA 6 GB/s ports and four SATA 3 GB/s ports that the chipset provides, there are two more SATA 6 GB/s ports, implemented using the Marvell 88SE9128 controller, and thanks to the JMicron JMB362 controller on back panel There are two eSATA 3 GB/s ports, and one of them is Power eSATA, that is, it is capable of supplying energy to the connected device. The board is equipped with two PCI connectors, two PCI Express 2.0 x1 and three PCI Express 2.0 x16, in connection with which it is necessary to say about the purpose of the additional PLX PEX 8608 controller.
The ability to divide the sixteen free PCI Express 2.0 lanes available in the processor into two groups of eight lines was initially built into the logic set, and therefore the presence of two connectors for video cards on the boards is not at all surprising, but quite natural. Difficulties arise when the manufacturer places a third PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot on the board. There are no free lines for it in the processor anymore, you have to use the capabilities of the chipset, but they are needed to connect other connectors and controllers. Therefore, usually only one PCI Express 2.0 x1 lane remains for the third connector, maximum four, but in this case you have to sacrifice something. In the technical specifications, manufacturers list in fine print a set of features that will have to be abandoned if a third video card connector is used. Typically these are additional SATA or eSATA controllers, USB 3.0, IEEE1394 (FireWire), PCI or PCI-E x1 ports. In our case, thanks to the eight PCI Express 2.0 lanes provided by the PLX PEX 8608 controller, all three video card connectors and all other connectors and controllers can operate simultaneously, without shutdowns.
We have already mentioned some additional controllers used on the board. We will list the rest when studying the list of rear panel elements:
PS/2 connector for connecting a keyboard or mouse;
eight USB 2.0 ports, and four more can be connected to two internal connectors on the board;
two USB port 3.0 (blue connectors), implemented on the basis of the Renesas (NEC) D720200F1 controller, the second same controller provides two more internal USB 3.0 ports;
coaxial and optical S/PDIF, as well as six analog audio connectors, which are provided by the eight-channel Realtek ALC889 codec;
Bluetooth v2.1 + EDR module;
IEEE1394 (FireWire) port, implemented on the basis of the VIA 6315N controller, the second port can be found as a connector on the board;
Power eSATA 3 GB/s (green) and eSATA 3 GB/s ports, made possible by the JMicron JMB362 controller;
"Clear CMOS" button;
two connectors local network(network adapters are built on gigabit Intel WG82579V and Realtek RTL8111E controllers).
The Asus P8Z68 Deluxe motherboard belongs to the upper price range. The board is equipped with a large number of additional controllers, capabilities and technologies. The use of a weak graphics core integrated into processors does not fit into the concept of a powerful and comprehensively developed motherboard, so the absence of video outputs on the rear panel is quite natural and easily explained. The board is initially aimed at using a discrete video card, or even several cards combined in ATI CrossFire or NVIDIA SLI modes. At the same time, it remains possible to make full use of the rear panel by placing a large number of connectors on it. However, it must be emphasized that due to the lack of video outputs, the board has not lost the ability to use the capabilities of the integrated graphics; thanks to LucidLogix Virtu technology, you can enable Intel Quick Sync technology, designed for fast encoding and decoding of video content.
On the Asus P8Z68 Deluxe board we can find many features that are already familiar to us from other ASUSTeK boards. For example, the illuminated power and reboot buttons are complemented by the “MemOK!” button, which ensures a confident start even if there are memory problems. There are convenient wide latches on the connectors for video cards “Q-Slot” and slots for memory modules with latches on only one side “Q-DIMM”. The Q-Led LED system will tell you at what stage the download was interrupted, and the POST code indicator will indicate the exact reason. The TPU (TurboV Processing Unit) switch will allow you to automatically overclock the processor, and the EPU (Energy Processing Unit) switch will enable more optimal operating modes in terms of energy efficiency.
The following illustration schematically demonstrates the total capabilities of the board:
Review of Asus P8Z68-V Pro board
The packaging of the Asus P8Z68-V Pro motherboard differs from the box in which the older model is packaged, mainly only in the absence of a hinged lid. Otherwise, everything is the same: colors, design principles, logos, an image of the board itself on the back side and a short story about the features there.
The contents have been slightly reduced - there are two fewer SATA cables, the ability to output additional USB 3.0 ports to the front panel has been replaced by an additional bracket with USB 3.0 ports for the rear panel of the system unit. The complete list of accessories included with the board is as follows:
flexible bridge for combining two video cards in SLI mode;
additional bracket for the rear panel with two USB 3.0 ports;
plug for the rear panel (I/O Shield);
“Asus Q-Connector” adapter kit, including modules to simplify the connection of buttons and indicators on the front panel of the system unit and USB connector 2.0;
user guide;
DVD with software and drivers;
“Powered by ASUS” sticker on the system unit.
The Asus P8Z68-V Pro motherboard is not a simplified version of the older model; it uses its own design. However, many similarities can be found between the boards.
Let's focus on the differences. The cooling system has become simpler, without losing any efficiency - the additional central radiator has disappeared, but all heated elements of the board are equipped with radiators. The number and range of Serial ATA ports remains the same, but two additional ports SATA 6 GB/s is now provided by the Marvell 88SE9172 controller. The JMicron JMB362 controller remains, but it now has only one eSATA 3 GB/s port on the rear panel; a little later we will find out why this happened. There are no visible changes in the slots for expansion cards; the board is equipped with two PCI slots, two PCI Express 2.0 x1 and three PCI Express 2.0 x16. Support for ATI CrossFire and NVIDIA SLI technologies has remained, and the formula for how video card connectors work has not changed, but now, if we use the third PCI Express 2.0 x16 connector, which is capable of ensuring the card operates at PCI-E x4 speed, we will have to abandon the use of two connectors PCI Express 2.0 x1, from additional USB 3.0 ports and from eSATA. By the way, instead of traditional Renesas (NEC) controllers, USB 3.0 support on the board is provided by a pair of ASMedia ASM1042 controllers.
When you look at the back panel of the board, the reason for refusing to connect some ports to it becomes clear - video outputs have appeared, which take up a lot of space. The complete list of elements on the rear panel of the board is as follows:
Bluetooth v2.1 + EDR module;
Because of the video outputs, we had to abandon the output of IEEE1394 (FireWire) ports on the rear panel, but support remains and is provided by the same VIA 6315N controller; two internal connectors can be found on the board. There is no POST code indicator, but the convenient “Q-Led” LED system will help determine the cause of problems at startup. The CMOS reset button has disappeared, but the “MemOK!” button remains. and illuminated power and reset buttons. In place are convenient wide latches on the connectors for video cards “Q-Slot”, connectors for memory modules with latches on only one side “Q-DIMM”, TPU (TurboV Processing Unit) and EPU (Energy Processing Unit) switches. The number of fan connectors has even increased from five to six.
A schematic list of the main features of the board is presented in the following illustration:
Review of Asus P8Z68-V board
Well-known design principles greet us when we look at the box with the Asus P8Z68-V board.
Having lost the “Pro” prefix, which distinguishes it from the average model, the board has lost little in its configuration - we do not find only an additional bracket with USB 3.0 ports. In all other respects, the set of accessories remained unchanged:
four SATA cables with metal latches, two of them with L-shaped connectors, and the rest with straight cables, one pair is specifically designed for connecting SATA 6 GB/s devices (distinguished by white inserts on the connectors);
flexible bridge for combining two video cards in SLI mode;
plug for the rear panel (I/O Shield);
a set of “Asus Q-Connector” adapters, including modules to simplify the connection of buttons and indicators on the front panel of the system unit and the USB 2.0 connector;
user guide;
DVD with software and drivers;
“Powered by ASUS” sticker on the system unit.
As for the Asus P8Z68-V board itself, it is based on the design of the mid-range model with some very minor simplifications.
On the upper half of the board we will not find any differences at all from the average model; as for the lower part of the board, you can notice that the additional controller that adds a pair of SATA 6 GB/s ports has disappeared, the board has lost support for IEEE1394 (FireWire) and a reset button. That's all, and all other possibilities are fully preserved.
As for the rear panel, there are no differences from the average model with the “Pro” prefix. The complete list of elements on the rear panel of the board is as follows:
six USB 2.0 ports, and six more can be connected to three internal connectors on the board;
Bluetooth v2.1 + EDR module;
eSATA 3 GB/s port, thanks to the JMicron JMB362 controller;
optical S/PDIF, as well as six analog audio connectors, which are provided by the eight-channel Realtek ALC892 codec;
video outputs D-Sub, DVI and HDMI;
two USB 3.0 ports (blue connectors), implemented on the basis of the ASMedia ASM1042 controller, the second same controller provides two more internal USB 3.0 ports;
LAN connector ( network adapter built on a gigabit Intel WG82579 controller).
Thus, if two USB 3.0 ports on the rear panel are enough for you, and two additional ones are not necessary, if you do not need to use IEEE1394 (FireWire) ports, if you are quite satisfied with having two SATA 6 GB/s ports and four SATA 3 GB /s, which provides a set of logic, and you can do without a reset button on the board, then you should choose Asus P8Z68-V, since the capabilities of the same board with the “Pro” prefix are redundant for you. A nice reward for giving up several functions you already don’t need will be the difference in price between the boards.
The board's capabilities are shown schematically in the following illustration:
Comparative characteristics of boards
All major specifications The boards in question can be easily found on the manufacturer’s website, but for ease of comparison we have compiled them into a single table.
BIOS Features
All motherboards reviewed have virtually the same BIOS capabilities. Some differences are due only to the presence or absence of certain additional controllers, so we will study the capabilities of the boards using the example of the older Asus P8Z68 Deluxe model, which is equipped with a full set of parameters.By default, when entering the BIOS, we are greeted with the “EZ Mode” mode, which mainly performs informational functions, since it allows you to configure almost nothing. You can select only one of three power saving modes and set the order in which boot devices are polled by simply dragging them with the mouse.
In the settings, you can make the “Advanced Mode” mode the starting mode, in which case the familiar “Main” section will appear before our eyes.
The bulk of the options necessary for overclocking are concentrated in the “Ai Tweaker” section. The new Asus EFI BIOS only looks unusual, but in its structure and set of parameters we can easily guess the previous, well-known BIOS capabilities of Asus boards. However, one cannot help but notice a large number of new options, mainly related to power and energy consumption, that have appeared thanks to the new digital system power supply "DIGI+".
Some parameters are traditionally placed in separate subsections so as not to overly clutter the main one. In particular, changing memory timings has been placed on a separate page.
Parameters related to processor power management are also included in a separate subsection. By the way, only Asus and Gigabyte boards automatically adjust to the values specified by the user during overclocking and increase the permitted limits of processor power consumption. On other boards, the limits have to be changed manually.
The capabilities of the subsections of the “Advanced” section are also well known to us and are clear by their names. We can only note that recently SATA drives on Asus boards operate in AHCI mode by default.
In the “CPU Configuration” subsection we learn basic information about the processor and manage some processor technologies.
The “Monitor” section reports the current values of temperatures, voltages and fan speeds. For processor and case fans, you can select preset rotation speed control modes from the standard set: “Standard”, “Silent” or “Turbo”, or select the appropriate parameters in manual mode. Only fans marked “PWR” cannot be adjusted.
In the “Boot” section we select the parameters that will be applied when the system starts.
Next, we will explore the capabilities of the subsections of the “Tools” section.
The built-in utility for updating firmware “EZ Flash 2” is one of the most convenient and functional programs of this kind. However, with the transition to EFI BIOS it has changed slightly for the worse, in particular, now Current version The firmware is saved by default in the root partition of the connected drive.
Like on boards from many other manufacturers, we can now see the information embedded in the SPD of memory modules.
Asus motherboards allow you to save and quickly load eight complete BIOS settings profiles. Each profile can be given a short name that reminds you of its content.
The “Drive Xpert” subsection allows you to configure the operating mode of drives connected to the additional Marvell 88SE9128 controller. This section is missing from Board BIOS Asus P8Z68-V Pro, since the Marvell 88SE9172 controller is used, which does not support combining disks into RAID arrays, and the Asus P8Z68-V board does not have an additional Marvell controller at all.
The last one is the “Exit” section, where you can apply the changes made, load default values, or return back to the simplified “EZ Mode”.
The new Asus EFI BIOS is a great example of how you can expand the capabilities of an old BIOS without losing the same usability. In some ways, the disadvantage is the main advantage - the very large number of parameters available for changing can at first overwhelm and lead to confusion. However, in the default mode, generally optimal values are set and you can not change anything, but get a properly working system.
Test system configuration
All experiments were carried out on a test system including the following set of components:
Motherboards:
Asus P8Z68 Deluxe rev.1.00 (LGA1155, Intel Z68 Express, BIOS version 0706);
Asus P8Z68-V Pro rev.1.01 (LGA1155, Intel Z68 Express, BIOS version 0651);
Asus P8Z68-V rev.1.01 (LGA1155, Intel Z68 Express, BIOS version 0651);
Processor - Intel Core i5-2500K (3.3 GHz, Sandy Bridge, LGA1155);
Memory - 2 x 2048 MB DDR3 SDRAM Patriot Extreme Performance Viper II Sector 5 Series PC3-16000, PVV34G2000LLKB, (2000 MHz, 8-8-8-24, supply voltage 1.65 V);
Video card - MSI N570GTX-M2D12D5/OC ( NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570, GF110, 40 nm, 786/4200 MHz, 320-bit GDDR5 1280 MB);
Disk subsystem - Kingston SSD Now V+ Series (SNVP325-S2, 128 GB);
Cooling system - Scythe Mugen 2 Revision B (SCMG-2100) and an additional 80x80 mm fan for airflow around the socket during overclocking;
Thermal paste - ARCTIC MX-2;
Power supply - CoolerMaster RealPower M850 (RS-850-ESBA);
The case is an open test bench based on the Antec Skeleton case.
The operating system was Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64 bit (Microsoft Windows, Version 6.1, Build 7601: Service Pack 1), driver set for Intel Chipset Software Installation Utility 9.2.0.1030, video card driver - NVIDIA GeForce Driver 280.26.
Features of operation and overclocking
In this section of the review, we usually talk about the problems that we had to overcome when assembling test systems, about errors and shortcomings, if any were found, and then we move on to the results of overclocking the processor and memory. This time I propose to slightly change the usual scheme. Difficulties during assembly arose only with the older board; we already talked about them in the review of the Asus P8P67 Deluxe board, since its design is similar. One of the screws that secures the additional central radiator interferes with the installation of the reinforcement plate of the Scythe Mugen 2 cooler. However, this is a minor problem. Since the central radiator itself does not cool anything, but is only used as an additional heat dissipation area, it does not need a strong clamp, it just needs to be secured, for which one screw is enough. Thus, the only difficulty during assembly was successfully overcome; as for any comments on the operation of the boards in nominal mode, we did not have any. All boards worked flawlessly; no special settings were required, except for adjusting the fan speed. However, I would like to talk about one aspect regarding the older Asus P8Z68 Deluxe board.Leafing through the manual for the board, I noticed that the specifications indicate the presence of an additional Marvell 88SE9128 controller with the “HyperDuo” function. It’s a little strange that there was no mention of this feature in the technical specifications of the board on the website. Even search with using Google I didn’t find a single mention of this technology on the Asus website, but there was a lot of information on the Internet. It turned out that last year Marvell conducted experiments on combining HDD and SSD, similar to what was later announced for Intel Z68 chipsets Express technologies Intel Smart Response, then this concept was called “HyperHDD”. And already at the beginning of this year, the Marvell 88SE9130 controller was introduced, which made it possible to combine a slow HDD with a fast SSD to speed up the disk subsystem by caching frequently used files, and the final name of this technology is “HyperDuo”. There are two options for combining drives - “Safe Mode” and “Capacity Mode”. The first option works in the same way as Intel Smart Response technology - frequently used files are mirrored from a slow HDD to a fast SSD, which, when reused, gives a significant increase in speed. The second option is a little less reliable, but it allows you to store a larger amount of data, which is divided between the HDD and SSD, that is, we do not lose the available space due to data duplication.
This is all very interesting, but it is not clear what it has to do with us, since the technology was announced for the specialized Marvell 88SE9130 controller and is expected to work on newer controllers, while the Asus P8Z68 Deluxe board has the old Marvell 88SE9128? Apparently, to support the HyperDuo technology, it is enough to update the controller firmware. So our Marvell 88SE9128 (I specifically removed the radiator and clarified the markings) appears to the system as Marvell 88SE9130. Please note the Device ID parameter in the following illustration.
I must say that I was extremely impressed. Marvell 88SE9128 controllers are very widespread, found on dozens of different motherboards from different manufacturers. As a result, if there is such a controller on the board using the HyperDuo technology, it will be possible to bypass the artificial limitations of the similar Intel Smart Response technology, which only works on boards based on Intel Z68 Express logic. Merging drives using HyperDuo was extremely easy. When the board starts, we enter the controller BIOS, mark both drives, and then select desired mode from the list.
We chose the “Safe Mode” because in this case there is no data loss, in addition, we planned to compare the results obtained with the performance of Intel Smart Response technology, which we recently tested in our review of the Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3-iSSD motherboard. The loading and first start of the operating system were successful, after which we had to wait for quite a long time while the data from the HDD was copied to the SSD. However, when rebooting, " blue screen death", which haunted us until we abandoned the use of HyperDuo technology. Each new attempt to download operating system ended with a “blue screen of death”, deleting disk consolidation in the controller BIOS led to a freeze, rewriting the MBR (Master) did not help Boot Record) to the SSD and completely delete all partitions from it. At the same time, the system booted properly from a single HDD, but as soon as the SSD was connected, the monitor screen was filled with a hated blue. In the end, I guessed to connect only one SSD to the controller, and only in this case was it possible to eliminate the disk consolidation in the controller’s BIOS, after which it became possible to load the operating system.
Despite the unsuccessful start, we have not yet given up our intention to test the operation of the HyperDuo technology. Marvell has special utility MRU (Marvell RAID Utility), also known as MSU (Marvell Storage Utility) can be downloaded from the Asus website. Using this utility, combining disks is no more difficult than in the controller BIOS, even easier.
Seeing connected to HDD controller and SSD, the utility itself suggests combining them using the “HyperDuo” technology, so we can only agree, and then wait until the data from the HDD is copied to the SSD. Unfortunately, the long waiting period ended with the now familiar “blue screen of death” and at this disappointing moment we stopped trying to get the HyperDuo technology to work. It’s probably not without reason that mentions of it remained only in the board manuals; it seems that in its current form its performance is insufficient for widespread use. Try it, you might have better luck.
If we talk about overclocking, the Asus P8Z68 Deluxe motherboard does not disappoint at all. She easily overclocked the processor to the maximum frequency for our sample, 4.7 GHz, while ensuring memory operation at a frequency of 1867 MHz.
However, this is the older model, the most technologically equipped, so good overclocking results for it are not surprising. It was all the more pleasant to see that the middle model Asus P8Z68-V Pro was in no way behind the older one.
The Asus P8Z68-V Pro and Asus P8Z68-V boards are very similar, based on the same version of the design, but the younger one was unable to ensure memory performance at high frequencies and had to be reduced, which was partially compensated by setting more aggressive timings. But when it comes to overclocking the processor, the board is not at all behind its older sisters.
We always overclock the system so that it can be used in long-term mode, and we do not make the task easier for ourselves by disabling any motherboard capabilities, for example, additional controllers. And, whenever possible, we try to preserve the operation of processor energy-saving technologies. In this case, on all boards, energy-saving technologies worked, reducing the voltage supplied to the processor and its multiplication factor when there was no load, as demonstrated by the following animated screenshot.
Performance Comparison
We traditionally compare motherboards in terms of speed in two modes: when the system operates under nominal conditions and when the processor and memory are overclocked. The first mode is interesting from the point of view that it allows you to find out how well motherboards work by default. It is known that a significant part of users do not fine-tune the system; they only set the optimal parameters in the BIOS and do not change anything else. So we carry out the test, almost without interfering with the default values set by the boards. For comparison, we used data obtained during tests of the Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3-iSSD motherboard. The results shown by the boards are sorted in descending order.In Cinebench 11.5, we run CPU tests five times and average the results.
The Fritz Chess Benchmark utility has been used in tests for a very long time and has proven itself to be excellent. It produces highly repeatable results, and performance scales well depending on the number of computational threads used.
In the x264 HD Benchmark 4.0, a small video clip is encoded in two passes and the entire process is repeated four times. The average results of the second pass are presented in the diagram.
Performance measurement in Adobe Photoshop We're running our own test, a creative reworking of the Retouch Artists Photoshop Speed Test, which involves typical processing of four 10-megapixel images taken with a digital camera.
In the data archiving test, a one-gigabyte file is compressed using LZMA2 algorithms, while other compression parameters are left at default values.
As with the compression test, the faster the calculation of 16 million digits of pi is completed, the better. This is the only test where the number of processor cores does not play any role; the load is single-threaded.
Comprehensive performance tests are both good and bad in that they are comprehensive, but software Futuremark companies have gained prominence and are widely used for comparisons. To evaluate the weighted average performance of the platform, the PCMark 7 test measures the speed of typical real-world algorithms that are widely used by users in their daily activities. The diagram shows the average result of passing the test cycle three times.
The 3DMark 11 test evaluates, first of all, the speed of the graphics subsystem. The following chart shows the average result of running the 3DMark 11 test cycle three times in Performance mode with default settings.
Since the video card in our reviews is not overclocked, the following diagram uses only the results of the 3DMark 11 - Physics Score processor tests. This characteristic is the result of a special physical test that simulates the behavior of a complex gaming system with a large number of objects.
Using the built-in FC2 Benchmark Tool, we run the Ranch Small card ten times at a resolution of 1920x1080 with high quality settings and using DirectX 10.
Resident Evil 5 also has a built-in benchmark for measuring performance. Its peculiarity is that it makes excellent use of the capabilities of multi-core processors. Tests are carried out in DirectX 10 mode, at a resolution of 1920x1080 with high quality settings, the results of five passes are averaged.
As you'd expect, there's virtually no difference in performance between sister boards, with the boards running at roughly the same speed in most applications. Now let's carry out the same tests when overclocking the processor and memory. The difference in operating parameters of systems during overclocking is reflected in the table:
And again, there is not a big difference in the speed of the boards, however, a certain lag between the Asus P8Z68-V and the Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3-iSSD can be seen in the 7-Zip and 3DMark 11 Physics Score tests. This is quite natural, since the memory on these boards operated at a lower frequency. The difference is small, but noticeable, so you shouldn't exaggerate the importance of high memory frequency, but you shouldn't neglect it either.
Energy consumption measurements
Energy consumption was measured using an Extech Power Analyzer 380803. The device is turned on in front of the computer's power supply, that is, it measures the consumption of the entire system “from the outlet,” with the exception of the monitor, but including losses in the power supply itself. When measuring consumption at rest, the system is inactive, we wait for the complete cessation of post-start activity and the absence of access to the hard drive. The load on the processor is created using the "LinX" program. For greater clarity, diagrams of the growth of energy consumption were constructed when the systems were operating in nominal mode and during overclocking, depending on the increase in the level of load on the processor when changing the number of computational threads of the “LinX” utility. In the diagrams, the boards are arranged in alphabetical order.
As during the performance tests, the difference in power consumption of the motherboards is not too large, but one cannot help but notice that the consumption of Asus motherboards is slightly higher than average. When overclocking, energy-saving technologies stop working on an MSI board, but despite this, the power consumption of Asus boards is comparable to it, and sometimes even higher. This is perhaps the only disappointing thing we noticed while testing Asus motherboards.
Afterword
Now that we have already managed to get acquainted with a variety of boards for LGA1155 processors, on different logic sets, different manufacturers, we can already say with confidence that ASUSTeK motherboards are some of the best. The boards are well packaged, sufficiently equipped, competently and conveniently designed, and of high quality. They have a convenient and rich EFI BIOS parameters, the boards meet modern requirements, support advanced technologies, and the wide range of Asus boards allows you to choose exactly the model that best suits your needs and requirements. It cannot be said that ASUSTeK motherboards are better than their competitors in every way, but in terms of the totality of their characteristics, they confidently occupy a leading position, there is no doubt about it.Other materials on this topic
Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3-iSSD - motherboard with SSD on board
Review of Socket FM1 board Gigabyte GA-A75-UD4H and overclocking AMD Llano
Gigabyte G1.Sniper and GA-X58A-OC - LGA1366 boards for gamers and overclockers
This ASUS board was not only one of the first models on the Intel Z68 chipset released to the market, but also the first one to come into our laboratory, being a “full-fledged” representative of the chipset. Let us remind you that we got acquainted with the Z68 and its new Smart Response technology thanks to the Gigabyte Z68X-UD4-B3 board, but it did not provide support for integrated video processors from Intel. Today we will look at a model that has everything in order, and which, moreover, will give us the opportunity to get acquainted with the second new technology of the Z68 (although not implemented directly through the chipset) - Lucid Virtu.
Virtu technology allows you to combine the operation of the video built into the processor and an external video card when connected to alone monitor one cable. To simplify, the video card can be used for “heavy” games, and the integrated graphics can be used for more utilitarian purposes, of which the most significant, perhaps, is ultra-high-speed video transcoding. Honestly, like all previous projects of LucidLogix, this one looks great from an engineering and research point of view, but in practice it is practically useless and is needed only for “status”. However, licensing Virtu for use on a specific board costs money (similar to the modern implementation of SLI), so we will not see it everywhere, but where we see it, the fact of its use will stick out to the fore. In any case, the technology deserves separate consideration and testing, which we will present to you in the near future.
As for the board itself, it occupies an intermediate position in the line of “normal” ASUS models based on this chipset (not including the top Maximus IV boards) - between the P8Z68 Deluxe and “just” P8Z68-V. By its suffix (Pro), you can immediately understand that this is an entry-level model rather than even a mid-level one. However, the current level motherboards(especially on the top chipset, which is the Z68) is so high that the typical home user hardly needs models more expensive than Pro/EVO (in the case of the ASUS nomenclature): today's heroine, among other things, provides 4 USB 3.0 ports, 4 SATA600 ports, has a module Bluetooth, supports SLI/CrossFire/Virtu. How much more?
Features of the board
When looking at the board, the only thing surprising is the large number of large controller chips and three PCI Express x16 slots - and this, let us remember, is almost on the junior model in the line. If we ignore the status of the fee, then the picture, in general, is quite typical and familiar. Like all modern ASUS motherboards, this model It has a characteristic dim coloring of slots, connectors, textolite and radiators, several onboard buttons and switches. The layout is definitely convenient: low heatsinks, “side-laid” SATA connectors, a system for fastening memory modules in the slots that does not require folding the latches towards the video card - all this allows you to easily install any cards and expansion modules, connect cables, change the processor with a cooler.
The set of expansion slots is also familiar - with the same caveat that such a set is more typical for mid- and high-end boards. The first two PCI Express x16 slots are connected to the processor and can operate simultaneously in PCI-E 2.0 x8 mode, or one video card installed in the first slot will receive the full bandwidth of the PCI-E 2.0 x16 interface. The third slot is connected to the chipset, and here games like “take the last chair” inevitably begin: there are not enough chipset interfaces for all controllers and slots, so you have to choose a more ingenious combination that is more suitable for a particular case. By reasonable default (“Auto”), the slot operates in x1 mode, while the most likely candidate for overlap is disabled - the second PCIEx1 slot (adjacent to the first PCIEx16). In BIOS Setup, you can also select a mode with a completely unintuitive name “x1” - in this case, the third PCIEx16 and the second PCIEx1 will work, and the USB 3.0 controller, which manages the output of ports to the front panel of the computer, will be disabled. Or, if you really need a “wide” slot to install a serious expansion card, you can enable “x4” mode, which will provide this speed to the third PCIEx16 slot, but at the expense of disabling both PCIEx1 slots, the eSATA controller and the USB 3.0 controller for the front panel ports.
A confusing scheme that can confuse more than just beginners, and in general we do not approve of such solutions (Gigabyte especially likes them). But if you're not afraid to look at the owner's manual to find out possible options and ways to switch between them, such flexibility of the board is a plus. The second advantage associated with expansion slots is support for all kinds of SLI and CrossFire modes, as well as the already mentioned Lucid Virtu.
The board is very modern in the sense of supporting outdated interfaces - they simply do not exist. Neither IDE/FDD on the PCB, nor (God forbid!) COM/LPT anywhere, nor, finally, PS/2 on the rear panel. Well, 10 years after the PC’2001 specification and 9 years after the release of Abit Max boards, this can hardly cause awe. The only “old stuff” that the owner of a P8Z68 is allowed to do is a pair of PCI slots (although the chipset no longer supports them, so an additional controller is required).
The processor power on all modern ASUS boards is provided by a circuit with a digital PWM controller “Digi+ VRM” (it is unofficially known that this is a relabeled Chil controller - in this case, apparently, CHL8328). The controller is 8-channel, 6 channels (with doublers) go to power the core, another 2 (also with doublers) go to power the built-in video accelerator. Each “virtual” channel that powers the graphics accelerator uses a pair of field-effect transistors, and the “virtual” channels for powering the core have 4. The used PWM controller implements a number of proprietary technologies - for example, load balancing across channels to ensure uniform heating of the components of the power converter (T.Probe), as well as very fine tuning of the controller’s operating modes, performed with the greatest convenience using the Digi+ VRM module in the proprietary AI Suite II utility. And this is not counting other familiar functions of modern power converters, such as reducing the number of active channels during idle time, as well as the advantages of digital PWM controllers, including switching speed (which determines, among other things, the amount of deviation of the output voltage from the nominal value).
The power supply for the System Agent unit (with a memory controller) and the power supply for the memory modules on the board will be handled by separate two-channel controllers; each channel uses a pair of field controllers. In addition, it is probably unnecessary to mention that in all circuits on the board only polymer capacitors made in Japan (Fujitsu, now Nichicon) with an increased service life are used, field effect transistors with low open channel resistance (R DS(ON)), chokes with ferrite core. In short, the power supply scheme of this model with the Pro suffix does not correspond to budget solutions. (However, approaching from the other side, we can say that ASUS considers it necessary to introduce converters of this class even into the most inexpensive models. On the third hand, however, the price of this board is also not budget-friendly.)
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One of the useful and pleasant consequences of the large number of channels in the power converter (whether they are “real” or “virtual”) is the lower heating of these components, since the current flows through more field-effect transistors, chokes, etc. But of course, since the board seriously designed for overclocking processors (including, in this case, video built into the processor), the voltage converter for the processor is not left without cooling. We used well-known aluminum radiators of a bizarre shape, moderately massive, that is, they are not pure decoration. The same can be said about the heatsink on the chipset: despite the simplicity of its profile, this flat piece of aluminum is quite capable of dissipating the measly 6 W TDP of the chipset without bringing its temperature to critical values and without creating interference for installing long expansion cards and connecting cables . Finally, the field-effect transistors in the processor power circuit on the back side of the board are also covered with an aluminum plate, which is also the basis for attaching the “upper” heatsink with metal screws.
The P8Z68-V Pro also boasts a number of distinctive little things that are characteristic of expensive motherboards - in fact, among the attributes of such models, in this case the only thing missing is a POST indicator that displays information about problems during loading in the form of an error code on a segment display. However, there is still a simplified version of the diagnostic module: if there are problems with the processor, memory, video card and boot device, the corresponding LED on the PCB lights up. Onboard buttons not only provide relatively useless system on/off and reboot, but also allow you to use proprietary MemOK! - when you press the corresponding button, the board automatically tries to change the frequency and memory timings (first of all, by setting them to a compatible SPD mode), and if necessary, even raises the supply voltage. As a result, the system is almost guaranteed to start after installing new memory modules that are partially incompatible with the current BIOS Setup settings, and you will not have to reset CMOS to do this.
For gourmet overclockers, it is possible to manually enable/disable the operation of EPU technologies (which controls energy saving modes, including disabling “extra” channels of the power converter when idle) and TPU ( auto mode overclocking) using two switches. (Of course, it is more convenient to do this using proprietary utilities for Windows.) Perhaps the only thing missing is a button to reset CMOS - here this operation will have to be performed by moving the jumper. Note that there are as many as 6 connectors for connecting fans on the board, and 3 of them are 4-pin, 5 have speed monitoring, 4 have manual and automatic control rotation speed.
BIOS
The board implements (as, of course, one would expect) the same (U)EFI BIOS, the capabilities and configuration interface of which we examined in detail in the review of ASUS P8P67 Deluxe. We didn’t see anything fundamentally new in this case, although, of course, in the setup program there were items for overclocking and monitoring the built-in video accelerator and, say, switching specific operating modes of expansion slots. Let us repeat that the implementation of the graphical interface of the setup program by ASUS is one of the best (among those manufacturers who even bothered with such a solution), so there are no complaints about the BIOS, although it is obvious that this cannot be a significant advantage - simply, everything you need can be done long ago do with more convenient programs under Windows.
Equipment and proprietary utilities
Unlike the kit of the “luxury” model, there was nothing really interesting in the box, although a bracket with 2 USB 3.0 ports may well come in handy. Unfortunately, it will only allow you to bring the ports to the back panel of the computer, in conjunction with those located there in standard block connectors - so for output to the front panel of the case (if your case does not provide “native” USB 3.0 ports), you will have to buy a module in a 3-inch bay. The kit includes 4 SATA cables (including the so-called “SATA 6Gb/s”, no different from ordinary ones), a disk with drivers and proprietary software, a couple of manual books, a plug for the rear panel of the board connectors, an SLI bridge and a set for more convenient connection of cables from the front panel of the case to the connector on the PCB.
About proprietary utilities We also wrote about ASUS last time, so we refer you to the review of ASUS P8P67 Deluxe to evaluate the appearance of the modern AI Suite and to the review of ASUS P7P55D Deluxe and P7P55D EVO for information about the utility modules of this package.
Functionality
Compared to P67 boards (or H67/Z68 without video outputs), a lot of space in the connector block is spent on video output - hence the savings on unnecessary little things, like the already mentioned PS/2 and the button for clearing CMOS. However, even in the absence of these little things, everything necessary did not fit on the back: there are so many important and useful controllers on the board that something has to be sacrificed. In this case, we see 6 USB 2.0 ports and 2 more USB 3.0 ports, a power socket, three different video outputs (excluding the supported, but expensive and little needed DisplayPort), standard audio connectors + optical S/PDIF-Out, eSATA port (no power /USB) and the antenna output of the Bluetooth module. Quite a lot, you will agree, but even so (and without quibbling about the fact that I would like more of this and that) the board has a unique feature: it implements FireWire support, but there was not enough space for a single connector of this interface on the rear panel, so that they will have to be brought out to the bar (or to the front panel of the case).
Probably, in this situation it is pointless to express any wishes - everything you need is there, but the rest simply does not fit. Let us remind you that the video outputs of the integrated Intel video work independently to connect two monitors with any combination of available interfaces. Of course, the built-in video continues to work even after installing an external video card (or several video cards), and in this case you can even “combine” their work when outputting to one monitor using one cable using Lucid Virtu technology.
The board was provided for testing by the manufacturer
12/02/2011 | master | (35)
1 - Appearance and functionality 2 - UEFI capabilities. Additional software 3 - Overclocking. Testing. Conclusions Display on one page
Not long ago we reviewed the ASUS P8P67 Pro motherboard, which is based on the Intel P67 Express system logic set. The board demonstrated a successful combination of expansion capabilities and good overclocking potential, and only an outdated chipset revision and low performance prevented it from winning the award. At the same time, it is enough high price may scare away a potential buyer who wants to receive a quality product, but does not have an excess Money. Particularly advantageous in the latter case is the possibility of temporarily using the built-in Intel HD Graphics and then purchasing a powerful discrete video card. Of all the chipsets offered for the LGA1155 platform, only the Intel Z68 Express is optimally suited for these purposes, since it combines the ability to display images from the built-in graphics core and overclocking Sandy Bridge K-series processors. Of course, in the case of a limited budget, the price of the motherboard will play one of the key roles, so inexpensive models such as ASUS P8Z68-V LX, the main technical characteristics of which are shown in the table, are of greatest interest.
| Model | |
| Chipset | Intel Z68 Express |
| CPU socket | Socket LGA1155 |
| Processors | Core i7, Core i5, Core i3 (LGA1155) |
| Memory | 4 DIMM DDR3 SDRAM 1066/1333/1600/1866(O.C.)/2133(O.C.)/2200(O.C.), 32 GB maximum |
| PCI-E slots | 1 PCI Express 2.0 x16 1 PCI Express 2.0 x16@x4 2 PCI Express 2.0 x1 |
| PCI slots | 3 (ASMedia ASM1083) |
| Built-in video core (in processor) | Intel HD Graphics |
| Video connectors | DVI-I, HDMI, DisplayPort |
| Number of connected fans | 4 (2x 4pin and 2x 3pin) |
| PS/2 ports | 1 |
| USB ports | 2x 3.0 (ASMedia ASM1042) 12x 2.0 (4 connectors on the rear panel) |
| ATA-133 | - |
| Serial ATA | 2 x SATA 6 Gb/s (Intel Z68 Express) 4 x SATA 3 Gb/s (Intel Z68 Express) |
| eSATA | - |
| RAID | 0, 1, 5, 10 (Intel Z68 Express) |
| Built-in sound | Realtek ALC887 (7.1, HDA) |
| S/PDIF | Optic |
| Built-in network | Realtek 8111E (Gigabit Ethernet) |
| Wireless network | - |
| FireWire | - |
| LPT | - |
| COM | 1 (internal) |
| BIOS/UEFI | AMI UEFI |
| Form factor | ATX |
| Dimensions, mm | 305 x 229 |
| Additional features | ASUS TurboV, GPU Boost, MemOK! |
As you can see, ASUS specifications The P8Z68-V LX are at the typical level for inexpensive models. Let us add that thanks to the use of the ATX form factor, the motherboard has a large number of ports for installing expansion cards. We will introduce you to the design features in the corresponding section, but for now we will look at the delivery package and proprietary features.
Contents of delivery
As befits inexpensive products, the ASUS P8Z68-V LX motherboard comes in a modest cardboard box, the dimensions of which barely exceed the dimensions of the product itself. To be honest, it is not clear how the delivery package also fits in there, although the answer turned out to be quite trivial, but we will voice it a little later. The packaging design is made in the style characteristic of all ASUS motherboards latest generation. The front side can tell about the name of the model, distinctive features and the availability of proprietary technologies.
Among the features provided by the Intel Z68 Express chipset are support for LucidLogix Virtu technology and Intel Smart Response. The first technology is already well known to us; it allows flexible use of the resources of built-in and discrete video cards. The second is designed to increase the performance of the disk subsystem by using a separate SSD drive to cache frequently used data. ASUS proprietary technologies include the presence of EPU and TPU hardware controllers, which are responsible for energy saving and overclocking, respectively, as well as GUI UEFI BIOS firmware. In addition, ASUS P8Z68-V LX supports the GPU Boost function, which, as the name suggests, is designed to overclock the graphics core built into Intel Sandy Bridge processors.
Reverse side, except for schematic illustration and brief characteristics motherboard, contains an extended description of key proprietary technologies.
The ASUS P8Z68-V LX package includes:
- plug for the rear panel of I/O Shield;
- two SATA 6 Gb/s cables;
- DVD with drivers and software;
- detailed user manual.
The set of accessories is very modest, if not “poor”! A couple of additional SATA cables and a set of branded Q-Connectors certainly wouldn't hurt.
Design
The ASUS P8Z68-V LX motherboard is made in the ATX form factor, but the dimensions printed circuit board are 305 x 229 mm, which is 15 mm narrower than the standard. This means that the right edge of the board has no mounting points, so care must be taken when handling the memory modules and the ATX24 power cable.
The location of the connectors is close to the classic one, the free placement of components on the RSV guarantees convenience when assembling the system unit yourself. The board is based on the Intel Z68 Express system logic set, which, as we have already said, combines full support for Intel Sandy Bridge K series with the ability to use an integrated Intel HD Graphics video card. Thanks to LucidLogix Virtu technology, you can automatically switch between the built-in video core and discrete accelerators depending on the nature and severity of the load, as well as use Clear Video HD hardware video processing technologies and Quick Sync media encoding acceleration technologies.
The capabilities of the chipset allow you to install any Intel Celeron, Pentium and Core i3/i5/i7 processors in the LGA1155 version on the board, and four slots for random access memory designed for SDRAM support DDR3 with a total capacity of up to 32 GB. The operating frequency of RAM modules is supported up to 2200 MHz inclusive. Despite the stated support for AMD CrossFireX, ASUS P8Z68-V LX has only one full PCI-Express 2.0 x16 slot, while the second connector has only four PCI-E 2.0 lanes. This scheme is unlikely to be suitable for organizing a full-fledged AMD CrossFireX, but it is quite suitable for installing controllers that require interface bandwidth. Three PCI slots are provided for installing expansion cards, which are implemented on the basis of the ASMedia ASM1083 bridge adapter. There are also two PCI-E 2.0 x1 ports that share bandwidth with the PCI-E 2.0 x16@x4 slot. This means that when using at least one of the PCI-E 2.0 x1 slots, the second PCI-E 2.0 x16 port automatically switches to x16@x2 mode.
The disk subsystem is implemented solely through the capabilities of the system logic: two SATA 6 Gbit/s ports and four SATA 3 Gbit/s ports. Intel Smart Response technology and the ability to create RAID arrays of levels 0, 1, 5 and 10 are supported. There are no additional SATA channels, as well as eSATA and ATA-133 ports. Note that all Intel Z68 Express chipsets are initially free of the error that caused failures of the storage subsystem in early revisions of system logic sets for LGA1155.
To connect peripherals, ASUS P8Z68-V LX offers 12 USB 2.0 ports and a pair USB connectors 3.0. To support the last two, there is an additional ASMedia ASM1042 chip. Note that the board has reserved space for installing another high-speed serial bus controller of the third revision, but it is not used in this model. Local network support is implemented on the basis of a completely reliable NIC Realtek 8111E, which supports speeds up to 1000 Mbit/s inclusive. There is nothing unusual in the organization of the audio subsystem, which uses the eight-channel Realtek ALC887 HD audio codec. There is an optical S/PDIF output for digital audio output.
The rear panel configuration of ASUS P8Z68-V LX is determined by the board's support for integrated graphics:
- PS/2 combo port;
- four USB 2.0 connectors and a pair of USB 3.0;
- RJ-45 network port;
- video outputs: D-SUB, DVI-D, HDMI;
- six analog audio ports;
- optical S/PDIF output.
Note that simultaneous use of DVI-D and HDMI is impossible, but this limitation is due to the features of the graphics core integrated into Sandy Bridge, and not the motherboard.
The power subsystem of ASUS P8Z68-V LX combines features typical of inexpensive models with features that are more often found in high-end motherboards. Thus, the motherboard is equipped with an additional eight-pin EPS12V connector, and the VRM is made according to a six-channel circuit, where four phases generate voltages for the computing cores, and the remaining two for the Uncore logic. At the same time, the power elements do not have heatsinks, which can lead to their overheating when overclocking processors with a significant increase in voltage. The converter circuit is controlled by an EPU ASP1000RM PWM controller, the true manufacturer of which we have not been able to establish.
The ASUS P8Z68-V LX cooling system is represented by a single flat radiator on the Intel Z68 Express chip. In this case, the use of such a simple design is absolutely justified, because the heat dissipation of the chipset does not exceed 6 watts.
To connect fans, the board is equipped with four connectors, two of which support control of the speed of rotation of the impellers via pulse-width modulation (PWM). Among the additional features designed to facilitate the overclocking process on the ASUS P8Z68-V LX, we note the MemOK! button located next to the ATX24 connector, and the TPU microswitch, which is hidden at the bottom of the board, near the third PCI port. The first is designed to safely start the system in the event of setting ineffective RAM parameters, and the second activates the automatic overclocking function.
In our opinion, the design of the ASUS P8Z68-V LX motherboard is very successful, and the use of high-quality components has long become a standard and does not require separate comments. The arrangement of slots and connectors ensures ease of assembly, and a fairly powerful power supply subsystem promises some overclocking potential. The only thing we would like to see is radiators on the VRM power elements central processor, the presence of which has the most positive effect on the stability of operation in high-speed mode.
UEFI Setup
Like most modern motherboards, ASUS P8Z68-V LX uses Unified EFI as firmware. There is no point in listing all the advantages that the use of the new interface provides, so let’s immediately move on to considering the proprietary UEFI BIOS that the participant in today’s testing is equipped with. ASUS developers have thoroughly reworked the standard AMI microcode, adding EZ Mode and many other useful features. Features of ASUS motherboard firmware for LGA1155 processors were discussed in detail during the P8P67 Pro review, so we will only focus on the main points.
Immediately after entering the firmware menu, we find ourselves in EZ Mode, which displays the date, time, readings of hardware monitoring sensors, and you can also select a boot device and set a performance profile.
We have already said that if EZ Mode had the ability to set the date and time, many users could completely limit themselves to using this mode. At the same time, all settings related to overclocking are hidden in the Advanced Mode menu. In the Main tab, the user has the opportunity to set the system clock, select the menu display language and set security parameters.
The Ai Tweaker menu contains all the basic motherboard overclocking options, such as changing the base frequency, controlling the CPU multiplier and RAM settings. Here you can also activate Internal PLL Overvoltage, set the operating mode of Intel Turbo Boost technology and activate automatic overclocking of OC Tuner. Separately, it should be noted the peculiar functioning of Turbo Boost technology in Auto mode, when it works with the By All Cores setting by default. In this case, the frequency of all processor cores of our Core i5-2500K was synchronously increased by 400 MHz. Pay attention to the EPU Power Saving Mode option, turning it on activates the power saving mode.
The DRAM Tuning Control tab allows you to configure the main and many additional latencies of RAM modules, and in the CPU Power Manager submenu you can set the operating parameters of the power subsystem of Intel Sandy Bridge processors.
The voltage control capabilities of the ASUS P8Z68-V LX motherboard are much more modest than those of its older sister, the Pro series, which is quite logical, given the market positioning of the latter. The firmware of the participant in today's testing allows you to change only four main system voltages. Control of the Load-line Calibration function is also available, although you can control the value feedback, unlike the older model, it is not possible.
The list and limits of changes in supply voltages are presented in the table:
| Parameter | Range of changes, V | Step, B |
| CPU Voltage | -0,315...+0,635 | 0,005 |
| DRAM Voltage | 1.185—2.135 V | 0,005 |
| VCCIO Voltage | 0.735-1.685 V | 0,005 |
| PCH Voltage | 0.735-1.685 V | 0,005 |
The set is small, and these capabilities are quite enough for moderate overclocking. However, practical research into the potential will put everything in its place.
The Advanced menu includes options for managing the disk subsystem, USB ports, peripheral controllers, and built-in chipset functions.
Here, in the CPU Configuration tab, you can configure multiplication factors for computing cores, activate processor technologies and additional options energy saving.
Another important sub-item is System Agent Configuration, which focuses on managing the video subsystem and LucidLogix Virtu technology.
The last section of the firmware that is worthy of mention is Monitor. Here, in addition to two temperatures and four fan speeds, the values of four supply voltages are displayed. In addition, the user can set automatic or manual modes control the rotation speed of two of the four cooler impellers.
To conclude our review of the UEFI BIOS ASUS P8Z68-V LX, we note the presence of built-in utilities for updating the ASUS EZ Flash 2 Utility firmware and managing user profiles ASUS settings O.C. Profile.
Thus, the functionality of the ASUS P8Z68-V LX microcode is not much different from older models, although there are certain simplifications in terms of overclocking capabilities, especially in power management. Otherwise, this is the same convenient and functional UEFI BIOS that we are used to seeing on ASUS boards.
Bundled software
The ASUS P8Z68-V LX motherboard is equipped with a disk with many useful programs, among which the most interesting is AI Suite II, which combines several software modules designed for overclocking, system monitoring and fan control. In addition, it is possible to display system monitoring readings and save them to a log file, as well as automatic update firmware microcode from ASUS servers.
The ASUS TurboV EVO subroutine allows you to control basic overclocking parameters directly from the MS Windows environment. You can change the base frequency, four voltages, as well as separate control of the multipliers of the computing cores.
Here you can also use the Auto Tuning performance enhancement mode, which uses mechanisms similar to activating Auto OC from the firmware menu or turning on the TPU microswitch on the RSV.
Next useful utility- ASUS FAN Expert, which, as the name suggests, is responsible for adjusting the rotation speed of fan impellers connected to four-pin connectors.
For each fan, the operating mode is set depending on the readings of the temperature sensors. The configuration flexibility offered by FAN Expert is much greater than the capabilities of the Monitor section of the UEFI BIOS firmware.
The ASUS Probe II module is responsible for hardware monitoring of the main components of the motherboard. In addition to displaying the readings, limit parameter values are set, upon reaching which you can set an audible alarm or even turn off the PC.
The last subroutine that deserves attention is ASUS Update, which is designed to work with the motherboard firmware microcode. User can create backup copy, write EEPROM from a file or download a firmware update from the Internet. The program works absolutely stably, although many will prefer to use the ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility built into the UEFI BIOS as a more reliable method.
This is not the first time we have seen the AI Suite II software package; its functionality and stability do not cause any particular complaints and can serve as an instructive example for the creation of similar software products. The only thing we can complain about is the inability to control the frequency and delays of the RAM, which greatly limits the ability to fine-tune performance from the MS Windows environment.
Overclocking
To be honest, we did not expect any special miracles of overclocking potential from the ASUS P8Z68-V LX, but the board managed to pleasantly surprise us. The safety margin for the base frequency turned out to be even greater than that of the older model ASUS P8P67 Pro, and amounted to exactly 107 MHz.
Of course, this is completely insufficient for full overclocking, but, together with an increase in the multiplier by four points, such an increase can give a clock frequency increase of 428 MHz! This applies to “regular” Intel Sandy Bridge, but our Core i5-2500K has an unlocked multiplier, which we took advantage of. Alas, engineering samples of Sandy Bridge, and we have exactly such a processor, do not react in any way to the activation of Internal PLL Overvoltage, so you can safely forget about frequencies of 5 GHz and higher. However, this did not stop us from raising the clock frequency of our Core i5-2500K when using the ASUS P8Z68-V LX to 4800 MHz. To do this, all that was required was to set the appropriate multiplier value in the CPU Configuration section and add +0.2 V to the Vcore voltage. In this mode, the system passed stress testing in the LinX program without the slightest problem, while energy-saving technologies continued to function, lowering the frequency and voltage on the computing cores.
The study of overclocking potential was completed by an experiment with automatic determination of optimal performance parameters. Activating the Auto OC feature increased the BCLK to 103 MHz while simultaneously increasing the multiplier on the processor cores to 42, resulting in a 4327 MHz clock speed. At the same time, the Vcore voltage was 1.328 V, and the RAM modules operated at a frequency of 1648 MHz with delays of 9-9-9-24-1T.
Note that exactly the same automatic overclocking results were achieved on the ASUS P8P67 Pro, which suggests the use of some preset profiles. In any case, this mode will provide a noticeable increase in performance, so it can be recommended for use for beginners or users who do not regret learning the wisdom of overclocking.
Thus, the overclocking potential of the ASUS P8Z68-V LX motherboard made a good impression. Of course, the board is unlikely to be suitable for extreme overclocking, but for moderate overclocking it can be a very good option.
Test stand
We compared the performance of the ASUS P8Z68-V LX motherboard with the ASUS P8P67 Pro. Both test participants worked as part of the following configuration:
- processor: Intel Core i5-2500K (3.3 GHz);
- cooler: Zalman CNPS10X Flex;
- memory: Silicon Power SP004GBLYU160S2B (2x2GB, PC3-12800, CL9-9-9-24);
- video card: MSI N480GTX Lightning (GeForce GTX 480);
- hard drive: Samsung HD502HJ (500 GB, 7200 rpm, 16 MB);
- power supply: Seasonic X-650 (650 W).
- ASUS P8Z68-V LX - UEFI 7003 dated 11/15/2011;
- ASUS P8P67 Pro - UEFI 2001 from 09/20/2011.
The performance testing methodology remains the same: we repeat each test at least three times, after which we calculate the average. If one of the results is very different from the other two, the tests are repeated until a result close to the normal distribution is obtained. The list of test software is as follows:
- AIDA64 2.00.1700 (Cache & Memory benchmark);
- Futuremark PCMark 07;
- Futuremark 3DMark 11;
- Far Cry 2;
- Colin McRae: DiRT 3;
- Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. 2 benchmark.
Synthetic RAM bandwidth tests provide insight into the latency and performance of low-level read, write, and copy operations in RAM.
The semi-synthetic test Futuremark 3DMark 11 allows you to evaluate the performance of the graphics subsystem in applications that use the DirectX 11 API and realistic calculations. physical model.
When using the Performance profile, the integral performance indicator of both test participants is almost the same. Only in the physical model calculation subtest, where the computing resources of the central processor are actively used, is there a slight advantage of the ASUS P8Z68-V LX, which, however, does not provide any preferences when calculating the overall score.
The last group of tests is of considerable interest to the vast majority of users. As you may have guessed, we will talk about modern 3D games. To minimize the influence of the video card on the test results, all performance measurements were performed at a resolution of 1680x1050 with full-screen anti-aliasing disabled and high quality settings.
In the racing simulator Colin McRae: DiRT 3 and the first-person shooter Far Cry 2, it is impossible to determine the test leader, at the same time game Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. 2, which actively uses the resources of the central processor, the advantage of the ASUS P8Z68-V LX is obvious, which allows us to talk about the latter's higher-quality firmware microcode.
conclusions
It’s not very often that products with such good value rich set of consumer characteristics and moderate retail prices. And the ASUS P8Z68-V LX motherboard is one of them. The model is practically devoid of redundant functionality, but at the same time it offers everything you need to build a productive PC. Yes, the board does not support AMD CrossFireX and NVIDIA SLI configurations, does not have many additional controllers, fancy cooling systems, and its delivery package cannot be called anything other than poor. On the other hand, ASUS P8Z68-V LX demonstrates an excellent level of performance, offers a large number of slots for installing expansion cards, has a fairly powerful power subsystem, a convenient and functional UEFI BIOS, and even demonstrates decent overclocking potential. Don't forget that support for integrated graphics makes it possible to save up money for a powerful video card. To remain absolutely calm, we would prefer to see at least some heatsinks on the power elements of the VRM of the central processor.
Testing equipment was provided by the following companies:
- ASUS - ASUS P8Z68-V LX and ASUS P8P67 Pro motherboards;
- Eletek - Zalman CNPS10X Flex cooler;
- Intel - Intel Core i5-2500K processor;
- MSI - MSI N480GTX Lightning video card;
- Silicon Power - Silicon Power SP004GBLYU160S2B memory kit;
- Syntex - Seasonic X-650 power supply.
Even before the official announcement of the Z68 system logic set from Intel, motherboard manufacturers, for the most part, were ready to present their products immediately after the public became familiar with the new product. Of course, motherboards from serious manufacturers like ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte should have been in the forefront. This is how it happened, in principle, but not all of them fully coped with the task. For example, the Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD5-B3 motherboard, despite the presence of a Z68 chip, for some reason lost all video outputs and, as a result, the video core built into the processor, and this deprived potential owners of these boards of a number of advantages, such as Intel Quick Sync technology. I wonder how ASUS handled the implementation of the capabilities of the Z68 chipset? Today we tested the ASUS P8Z68-V Pro motherboard in our test laboratory, and we will share with you our impressions of working with this product.
To begin with, here is a table with a set of basic technical characteristics of ASUS P8Z68-V Pro
| Technical ASUS specifications P8Z68-V Pro | |
|---|---|
| Chipset | Intel Z68 |
| CPU socket | LGA 1155 |
| Supported processors | Intel Core i7/Core i5/Core i3 |
| Memory support | 4 x DDR3 DIMMs supporting up to 32 GB (dual channel) XMP support Memory operating frequencies: DDR3 2200 (O.C.)/2133 (O.C.)/1866(O.C.)/1600/1333/1066 MHz |
| Expansion slots | 2 x PCI-E x16 (1x16 PCI Express 2.0 or 2x8 lanes) 1 x PCI-E x16 (x4 or x1 PCI Express 2.0 lane) 2 x PCI-E x1 2 x PCI |
| Multi-GPU technology | ATI Quad-GPU CrossFireX or NVIDIA Quad-GPU SLI in x8+x8 PCI Express 2.0 mode |
| Disk subsystem | The Intel Z68 chipset has implemented: 2 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s 4 x SATA 3.0 Gb/s with the ability to organize SATA RAID 0, 1, 5 and 10 with support for Intel Smart Response Technology The PCI-E SATA Marvell 88SE9172 6 Gb/s controller has implemented: 2 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s The JMicron JMB362 SATA chip implemented: 1 x eSATA 3.0 Gb/s |
| Sound subsystem | Realtek ALC892, 8-channel High-Definition Audio |
| LAN support | Intel 82579 Gigabit Network Controller |
| IEEE1394 | VIA 6308P controller supports two IEEE1394 ports |
| Nutrition | 24-pin power connector ATX 8-pin power connector ATX12V |
| Form factor | ATX |
| Dimensions, mm | 305x244 |
The packaging of the ASUS P8Z68-V Pro motherboard is not very different from the boxes of other similar products from this manufacturer. A strict and carefully executed design allows you to see the main thing - the features of the product. On the front and back of the box, the manufacturer described all the main technical characteristics of the P8Z68-V Pro, as well as proprietary overclocking technologies, power saving, and so on.
The P8Z68-V Pro package cannot be called rich, but everything you need is present:
- User manual;
- Driver disk;
- CrossFireX bridge;
- Q-Connector and USB modules for convenient connection of elements of the front panel of the case;
- Plug for the rear panel of the case;
- USB strip on the rear panel of the case;
- Set of SATA cables.
After the first glance at the ASUS P8Z68-V Pro motherboard, we can say that this is a high-quality, well-made product. Upon closer examination, this impression does not change. The textolite is covered with black varnish, the expansion slots, like the cooling system, are painted in several shades of blue, black and white, making the board look very impressive. It must be said that ASUS P8Z68-V Pro has much in common with other representatives of the series based on Intel Cougar Point chips. Indeed, there is no point in developing a PCB design from scratch, since the innovations implemented in the Intel Z68 are unprincipled, as we wrote about in our first review dedicated to this chipset. Nevertheless, some changes are still present, we will talk about them in more detail.
Next to the board’s 24-pin power connector there are EPU, TPU switches and a button to activate the MemOK! technology, which, in the event of partial incompatibility of the memory modules installed on the board, allows you to automatically select the settings of the memory subsystem and launch it. The board allows installation of up to 32 GB of DDR-3 RAM; for this you need to install four modules of 8 GB each. If you install a pair of modules, the blue slots must be used for their correct operation.
Not far from the memory connectors there is a connector for connecting a “pigtail” with USB 3.0 ports. This “pigtail” is included in the kit, and it is installed on the rear panel of the case.
To connect internal SATA devices, the board has eight corresponding connectors. Six ports are implemented using Intel Z68 (4 SATA 3.0 Gb/s and 2 SATA 6 Gb/s), the other two are handled by the Marvell PCI-E 88SE9172 SATA 6 Gb/s controller.
In total, four SATA 3.0 Gb/s and four SATA 6 Gb/s ports are available for connecting internal devices with a SATA interface. Note that the board does not have a Floppy connector or IDE connectors, which most users will definitely like.
For ease of use of the ASUS P8Z68-V Pro on an open stand, there are power and reset buttons at the bottom of the board. If suddenly the standard set of USB connectors on the board’s terminal panel is not enough, you can use additional internal connectors, of which there are three available. You can connect either USB plugs to them on the rear panel or connectors located on the front panel of the case. In addition, there are two sockets for connecting FireWire ports.
The ASUS P8Z68-V Pro board is equipped with three PCI-E x16 slots, but only one, the first, operates at full speed. The second PCI-E x16 slot operates in x1 mode by default, but when combining a pair of video cards into an ATI CrossFireX/NVIDIA SLI bundle, the second PCI-E x16 slot operates in x8 mode, and the first slot switches to the same mode. The third PCI-E x16 slot operates in x4 mode.
Since the Intel Z68 chip is deprived of the ability to work with PCI ports, ASUS engineers used the corresponding PCI Express to PCI adapter bridge - ASMedia ASM1083.
The terminal panel houses a decent number of connectors.
- 1 x Bluetooth module;
- 1 x DVI;
- 1 x D-Sub;
- 1 x HDMI;
- 1 x eSATA 3Gb/s;
- 1 x LAN (RJ45);
- 2 x USB 3.0;
- 6 x USB 2.0;
- 1 x optical S/PDIF output;
- 6 x audio jacks.
If you plan to use integrated graphics, connection issues modern devices There will be no image output, since almost all the necessary connectors are present. Switching between DVI and HDMI ports of integrated video is carried out using the ASMedia ASM1442 chip. Also pleasing is the presence of an eSATA connector, which, by the way, is implemented using the JMicron JMB362 controller. Realtek ALC892 is responsible for the sound.
Dismantling the P8Z68-V Pro cooling system did not cause any problems. The design of radiators is as simple as possible. All of them are attached to the board using a pair of screws or plastic latches. Contact with the elements of the power system, as well as with the Intel Z68 chip, is carried out using thermal pads and a thermal pad, respectively.
The processor power supply system is made according to a 16-phase circuit. Four additional phases are required for the operation of the graphics core integrated into the CPU. The presence of additional phases did not affect the ease of installation of cooling systems: even massive coolers fit without problems. By the way, ASUS engineers have increased the number of fan connectors, now there are six. The processor cooler has not one, but two power connectors - convenient.
USB 3.0 operation is provided by ASMedia ASM1042
Intel 82579 Network Controller
FireWire ports work thanks to the VIA VT6308P controller
This is where we end visual inspection, let's move on to considering the features of the BIOS. As always, we will focus only on the sections that are important, in our opinion.
The board's overclocking capabilities are quite wide. BIOS allows you to fine tuning frequencies and voltages on the CPU, integrated GPU, and memory modules. Note that overclockers BIOS settings P8Z68-V Pro are almost completely identical to those of motherboards based on Intel P67 Express, for example P8P67.
Upgrading the memory system is also available in full. The user can not only adjust the clock frequency, but also experiment with timings and subtimings, the number of settings for which is quite large.
Like P67-based motherboards, the ASUS P8Z68-V Pro motherboard allows you to customize the behavior of the processor in Turbo Boost mode or after overclocking.
The monitoring section makes it possible to monitor the operating voltages of the main components of the system, as well as monitor the rotation speed of all fans connected to the board and control them.
A rather interesting feature of the ASUS P8Z68-V Pro BIOS is the ability to view SPD RAM modules.
Of course, it's not going anywhere ASUS utility EZ Flash 2, which allows you to flash the BIOS from hard drive or flash drive.
Finally, the last section that we would like to draw our attention to is System Agent Configuration. A number of new options have become available here. First, you can choose the initialization order graphics adapters, as well as activate the Multi-GPU configuration with the participation of the video core integrated into the processor.
⇡ Testing. Lucid VIRTU technology
| Test bench configuration | |
|---|---|
| Motherboard | ASUS P8Z68-V Pro, BIOS version 0501 |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-2600K |
| CPU cooling system | Thermalright Silver Arrow |
| RAM | 2 x 2048 MB DDR-3 SuperTalent |
| Video card | ASUS GeForce GTX 580 1536 MB |
| HDD | Seagate 750 GB |
| power unit | IKONIK Vulcan 1200 W |
| Frame | Cooler Master test bench 1.0 |
| operating system | Windows 7 Ultimate x64 |
In our previous review of the Intel Z68, we talked about the new technologies that Intel has implemented in this chipset. In particular, we have already mentioned Intel Smart Response technology, as well as Lucid VIRTU technology. We talked about the implementation of the first one, but we’ll talk about Lucid VIRTU now.
As you know, all central processors based on the second generation Core microarchitecture for LGA1155, including the older Core i7-2600K, contain a graphics core. The capabilities of such graphics are enough not only to speed up the Aero interface in Windows 7, but even to comfortably play some modern games (at low quality settings, of course). Moreover, the new Intel graphics have a built-in hardware video encoder/decoder (MPEG2, H.264, VC-1), which is called Quick Sync.
When using integrated graphics, all its capabilities are, of course, fully available, but if you install an external video card, the ability to simultaneously use the functions of the graphics accelerator built into the CPU disappears. This is where Lucid VIRTU technology comes to the rescue, which allows you to use the built-in Intel HD Graphics 2000/3000 adapter together with a discrete video card.
It is worth noting that the Lucid VIRTU technology itself is completely software. Motherboards with Z68 chips do not have any additional chips manufactured by Lucid, however, the software component relies on the hardware capabilities of the Intel Z68 chipset, since this logic set supports Multi-GPU configurations, including in conjunction with the graphics core built into the processor.
There are only two operating modes of Lucid VIRTU: i-Mode and d-Mode.
i-Mode. A monitor or any other image output device is connected to the video output of the Intel HD Graphics 2000/3000 graphics accelerator built into the processor. At the same time, the discrete accelerator becomes secondary in the system. When the load is light, that is, the user performs standard office work or plays simple browser games, the system uses the integrated graphics. But for complex games, in the settings of the Lucid VIRTU control panel, you can create appropriate profiles that will activate discrete graphics for rendering. In this case, the image will also be output through the connectors on the motherboard, since it will be written to the frame buffer of the integrated graphics. As a side effect, you can observe a drop in performance in games due to serious overhead costs associated with transferring information between the discrete card and the frame buffer of the integrated device.
Theoretically, with i-Mode active, the system should consume less power by disabling external graphics during simple tasks not related to game rendering. In practice, it turns out that during idle time the discrete adapter does not turn off completely and still contributes to the overall picture of energy consumption. As a result, the effectiveness of i-Mode is highly questionable. In addition, when using i-Mode some games refused to launch.
| Energy consumption, W | Without VIRTU | d-Mode | i-Mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rest mode | 75 | 75 | 76 |
| Playing Far Cry 2 (Ultra Detail, 2560x1440, 4xAA/16xAF) | 281 | 271 | 234 |
| Video playback (H.264 codec) | 128 | 120 | 67 |
| Video encoding (H.264 codec) | 160 | 91 | 85 |
This table shows our measurements of energy consumption while operating the system in different modes. Please note that the difference in system power consumption when playing Far Cry 2 in favor of i-Mode is not justified from a performance point of view. The fact is that when this mode was enabled, in percentage terms the performance was lower by an amount comparable to the reduction in power consumption.
d-Mode. The monitor is connected to a discrete graphics card, which takes care of all 3D rendering functions, but Intel Quick Sync technology remains available for use when encoding and decoding video in those programs where appropriate support exists. This mode seems to be the most relevant, since there are minimal problems with the quality and speed of applications, and the video encoding speed, as you will see, increases significantly, of course, if the application supports Intel Quick Sync.
It must be said that in d-Mode we did not notice any noticeable drop in performance in games, and therefore we will not demonstrate the results obtained in the form of graphs.
⇡ Overclocking. Performance testing
Overclocking functions on the ASUS P8Z68-V Pro motherboard are implemented quite well, just like in motherboards based on Intel P67. Increasing the base frequency is still difficult, and in our case it did not exceed 105 MHz. To demonstrate the performance gain from overclocking the CPU, we overclocked our experimental Core i7 2600K to 4500 MHz, and the RAM chips worked after overclocking at a frequency of 1866 MHz and timings of 9-9-9-27.
We tested the effectiveness of Intel Quick Sync technology using the Cyberlink MediaEspresso 7 program. The film “Death and Glory in Changde” (720x304, duration 1 hour 32 minutes) was chosen as the testing object. Video encoding was first carried out by the processor, then Intel Quick Sync technology was turned on, and the process was repeated again. The quality settings corresponded to the MediaEspresso profile for Nokia phones.
| Encoding time | Testing without overclocking (Ci7 2600K, GTX 580, 4GB DDR-3 1600 9-9-9-24-1T) | Overclocked testing (Ci7 2600K @ 4500 MHz, GTX 580, 4GB DDR-3 @ 2133 10-10-10-27-1T) |
|---|---|---|
| MediaEspresso 7 (Intel GPU) | 5 min 24 s | 4 min 28 s |
| MediaEspresso 7 (CPU) | 7 min 53 s | 6 min 06 s |
Test results show that the process of encoding a video stream using the CPU takes approximately 40% longer than when using Intel Quick Sync technology. I must say, the results of her work are impressive. What’s especially pleasing is the fact that all those who own Z68-based boards can use this advantage (the only exception is, perhaps, those who have purchased boards like this Gigabyte creation).
As we have already noted, to achieve greater performance in heavy-duty gaming applications, overclocking a video card will mean much more than overclocking the CPU and RAM, of course, if these components do not limit the performance of your accelerator. Otherwise, the increase in productivity occurs in proportion to the growth clock frequencies CPU and memory, which, however, is not surprising.
⇡ Conclusions
The ASUS P8Z68-V Pro motherboard is a solid, high-quality product that implements all the functionality that Intel has built into its new Z68 series chipsets. The board is equipped with a wide range of expansion slots and is not without a whole bunch of overclocking functions, the implementation of which is at the level of P8P67 series boards, and, admittedly, this level is quite high. Ordinary users who are not alien to the desire to overclock and who at the same time want to get all the modern “tricks” should like the new product from ASUS.
It is based on the Intel P67 Express system logic set. The board demonstrated a successful combination of expansion capabilities and good overclocking potential, and only an outdated chipset revision and low performance prevented it from winning the award. At the same time, a fairly high price may scare off a potential buyer who wants to receive a quality product, but does not have excess funds. Particularly advantageous in the latter case is the possibility of temporarily using the built-in Intel HD Graphics and then purchasing a powerful discrete video card. Of all the chipsets offered for the LGA1155 platform, only the Intel Z68 Express is optimally suited for these purposes, since it combines the ability to display images from the built-in graphics core and overclocking Sandy Bridge K-series processors. Of course, in the case of a limited budget, the price of the motherboard will play one of the key roles, so inexpensive models such as ASUS P8Z68-V LX, the main technical characteristics of which are shown in the table, are of greatest interest.
| Model | |
| Chipset | Intel Z68 Express |
| CPU socket | Socket LGA1155 |
| Processors | Core i7, Core i5, Core i3 (LGA1155) |
| Memory | 4 DIMM DDR3 SDRAM 1066/1333/1600/1866(O.C.)/2133(O.C.)/2200(O.C.), 32 GB maximum |
| PCI-E slots | 1 PCI Express 2.0 x16 1 PCI Express 2.0 x16@x4 2 PCI Express 2.0 x1 |
| PCI slots | 3 (ASMedia ASM1083) |
| Built-in video core (in processor) | Intel HD Graphics |
| Video connectors | DVI-I, HDMI, DisplayPort |
| Number of connected fans | 4 (2x 4pin and 2x 3pin) |
| PS/2 ports | 1 |
| USB ports | 2x 3.0 (ASMedia ASM1042) 12x 2.0 (4 connectors on the rear panel) |
| ATA-133 | - |
| Serial ATA | 2 x SATA 6 Gb/s (Intel Z68 Express) 4 x SATA 3 Gb/s (Intel Z68 Express) |
| eSATA | - |
| RAID | 0, 1, 5, 10 (Intel Z68 Express) |
| Built-in sound | Realtek ALC887 (7.1, HDA) |
| S/PDIF | Optic |
| Built-in network | Realtek 8111E (Gigabit Ethernet) |
| Wireless network | - |
| FireWire | - |
| LPT | - |
| COM | 1 (internal) |
| BIOS/UEFI | AMI UEFI |
| Form factor | ATX |
| Dimensions, mm | 305 x 229 |
| Additional features | ASUS TurboV, GPU Boost, MemOK! |
As you can see, the specifications of the ASUS P8Z68-V LX are at a level typical for inexpensive models. Let us add that thanks to the use of the ATX form factor, the motherboard has a large number of ports for installing expansion cards. We will introduce you to the design features in the corresponding section, but for now we will look at the delivery package and proprietary features.
Contents of delivery
As befits inexpensive products, the ASUS P8Z68-V LX motherboard comes in a modest cardboard box, the dimensions of which barely exceed the dimensions of the product itself. To be honest, it is not clear how the delivery package also fits in there, although the answer turned out to be quite trivial, but we will voice it a little later. The packaging design is made in the style characteristic of all latest generation ASUS motherboards. The front side can tell about the model name, distinctive features and the presence of proprietary technologies.
Among the features provided by the Intel Z68 Express chipset are support for LucidLogix Virtu technology and Intel Smart Response. The first technology is already well known to us; it allows flexible use of the resources of built-in and discrete video cards. The second is designed to increase the performance of the disk subsystem by using a separate SSD drive to cache frequently used data. ASUS proprietary technologies include the presence of EPU and TPU hardware controllers, responsible for energy saving and overclocking, respectively, as well as a graphical interface for the UEFI BIOS firmware. In addition, ASUS P8Z68-V LX supports the GPU Boost function, which, as the name suggests, is designed to overclock the graphics core built into Intel Sandy Bridge processors.
The reverse side, in addition to a schematic image and brief characteristics of the motherboard, contains an expanded description of key proprietary technologies.
The ASUS P8Z68-V LX package includes:
- plug for the rear panel of I/O Shield;
- two SATA 6 Gb/s cables;
- DVD with drivers and software;
- detailed user manual.
The set of accessories is very modest, if not “poor”! A couple of additional SATA cables and a set of branded Q-Connectors certainly wouldn't hurt.
Design
The ASUS P8Z68-V LX motherboard is made in the ATX form factor, but the dimensions of the printed circuit board are 305 x 229 mm, which is 15 mm narrower than the standard. This means that the right edge of the board has no mounting points, so care must be taken when handling the memory modules and the ATX24 power cable.
The location of the connectors is close to the classic one, the free placement of components on the RSV guarantees convenience when assembling the system unit yourself. The board is based on the Intel Z68 Express system logic set, which, as we have already said, combines full support for Intel Sandy Bridge K series with the ability to use an integrated Intel HD Graphics video card. Thanks to LucidLogix Virtu technology, you can automatically switch between the built-in video core and discrete accelerators depending on the nature and severity of the load, as well as use Clear Video HD hardware video processing technologies and Quick Sync media encoding acceleration technologies.
The chipset's capabilities allow you to install any Intel Celeron, Pentium and Core i3/i5/i7 LGA1155 processors on the board, and four RAM slots are designed to support SDRAM DDR3 with a total capacity of up to 32 GB. The operating frequency of RAM modules is supported up to 2200 MHz inclusive. Despite the stated support for AMD CrossFireX, ASUS P8Z68-V LX has only one full PCI-Express 2.0 x16 slot, while the second connector has only four PCI-E 2.0 lanes. This scheme is unlikely to be suitable for organizing a full-fledged AMD CrossFireX, but it is quite suitable for installing controllers that require interface bandwidth. Three PCI slots are provided for installing expansion cards, which are implemented on the basis of the ASMedia ASM1083 bridge adapter. There are also two PCI-E 2.0 x1 ports that share bandwidth with the PCI-E 2.0 x16@x4 slot. This means that when using at least one of the PCI-E 2.0 x1 slots, the second PCI-E 2.0 x16 port automatically switches to x16@x2 mode.
The disk subsystem is implemented solely through the capabilities of the system logic: two SATA 6 Gbit/s ports and four SATA 3 Gbit/s ports. Intel Smart Response technology and the ability to create RAID arrays of levels 0, 1, 5 and 10 are supported. There are no additional SATA channels, as well as eSATA and ATA-133 ports. Note that all Intel Z68 Express chipsets are initially free of the error that caused failures of the storage subsystem in early revisions of system logic sets for LGA1155.
To connect peripherals, ASUS P8Z68-V LX offers 12 USB 2.0 ports and a pair of USB 3.0 connectors. To support the last two, there is an additional ASMedia ASM1042 chip. Note that the board has reserved space for installing another high-speed serial bus controller of the third revision, but it is not used in this model. Local network support is implemented on the basis of a completely reliable NIC Realtek 8111E, which supports speeds up to 1000 Mbit/s inclusive. There is nothing unusual in the organization of the audio subsystem, which uses the eight-channel Realtek ALC887 HD audio codec. There is an optical S/PDIF output for digital audio output.
The rear panel configuration of ASUS P8Z68-V LX is determined by the board's support for integrated graphics:
- PS/2 combo port;
- four USB 2.0 connectors and a pair of USB 3.0;
- RJ-45 network port;
- video outputs: D-SUB, DVI-D, HDMI;
- six analog audio ports;
- optical S/PDIF output.
Note that simultaneous use of DVI-D and HDMI is impossible, but this limitation is due to the features of the graphics core integrated into Sandy Bridge, and not the motherboard.
The power subsystem of ASUS P8Z68-V LX combines features typical of inexpensive models with features that are more often found in high-end motherboards. Thus, the motherboard is equipped with an additional eight-pin EPS12V connector, and the VRM is made according to a six-channel circuit, where four phases generate voltages for the computing cores, and the remaining two for the Uncore logic. At the same time, the power elements do not have heatsinks, which can lead to their overheating when overclocking processors with a significant increase in voltage. The converter circuit is controlled by an EPU ASP1000RM PWM controller, the true manufacturer of which we have not been able to establish.
The ASUS P8Z68-V LX cooling system is represented by a single flat radiator on the Intel Z68 Express chip. In this case, the use of such a simple design is absolutely justified, because the heat dissipation of the chipset does not exceed 6 watts.
To connect fans, the board is equipped with four connectors, two of which support control of the speed of rotation of the impellers via pulse-width modulation (PWM). Among the additional features designed to facilitate the overclocking process on the ASUS P8Z68-V LX, we note the MemOK! button located next to the ATX24 connector, and the TPU microswitch, which is hidden at the bottom of the board, near the third PCI port. The first is designed to safely start the system in the event of setting ineffective RAM parameters, and the second activates the automatic overclocking function.
In our opinion, the design of the ASUS P8Z68-V LX motherboard is very successful, and the use of high-quality components has long become a standard and does not require separate comments. The arrangement of slots and connectors ensures ease of assembly, and a fairly powerful power supply subsystem promises some overclocking potential. The only thing we would like to see is radiators on the power elements of the VRM of the central processor, the presence of which has a very positive effect on the stability of operation in high-speed mode.
