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Wednesday, 07 December 2011 06:00

Ultimate X79? Five $320+ LGA 2011 Motherboards, Reviewed

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Our flagship motherboard comparison announcement was answered with an interesting selection of models, along with a bunch of “not ready yet” responses. Today we examine a few samples from companies bold enough to step up to the plate during launch week.

Value seekers are definitely appreciating the fact that Intel launched its most advanced desktop CPU technology in the mainstream space first. Meanwhile, enthusiasts with more exacting platform needs can breathe a sigh of relief now that X79 Express supports the same architecture at the high-end. If you haven't yet read about it, check out Intel Core i7-3960X Review: Sandy Bridge-E And X79 Express.

Perhaps we should replace the word “high” with “extreme,” however, since the cheapest LGA 2011-based CPU currently sells for about $600 bucks. It only stands, then, that exorbitant CPU prices would give way to expensive platforms. Fortunately, the connectivity enabled by Sandy Bridge-E and X79 Express is also more expansive than anything ever seen before from Intel.

Ultimate X79? Five $320+ LGA 2011 Motherboards, Reviewed

A CPU-based quad-channel memory controller and 40 CPU-based third-gen PCIe lanes with built-in four-way SLI/CrossFireX support make X79 platforms stand above their Z68 siblings in the desktop segment, and we believe that anyone with the money for either a $600 or $1000 processor will also have the cash to spend on the best possible platform to support it. And yet, our announcement that the first X79 motherboard round-up would focus on flagship models to match Intel's introduction was met with a collective “What?!” by most manufacturers.

How could we expect the best products so soon after launch? With a little more time, a lot of vendors expected they could deliver a true masterpiece. But we were just as baffled by their responses, since most companies we talked to earlier in the year started X79-based motherboard development efforts last spring.

Most companies let us know that their flagship models were not finished, and that claim stood even after we announced a one-week grace period for late submissions. Imagine our surprise when several of those supposedly unfinished motherboards landed on Newegg before their manufacturers were willing to let them compete! What we ended up with was an interesting collection of premium (albeit non-flagship) models with high-end feature sets that help justify decidedly enthusiast-oriented prices.

Ultimate X79? Five $320+ LGA 2011 Motherboards, Reviewed

X79 Express Motherboard Features
 ASRock
X79 Extreme9
Asus
P9X79 Deluxe
Asus
P9X79 WS
Gigabyte
G1.Assassin2
Gigabyte
X79-UD5
PCB Revision1.041.031.031.01.0
ChipsetIntel X79 ExpressIntel X79 ExpressIntel X79 ExpressIntel X79 ExpressIntel X79 Express
Voltage Regulator16 Phases20 Phases10 PhasesNine Phases14 Phases
BIOSP1.40 (11/17/2011)0802 (11/15/2011)0603 (11/14/2011)F4 (11/02/2011)F3 (11/01/2011)
100.0 MHz BCLK100.0 MHz (+0.00%)100.1 (+0.10%)100.0 MHz (+0.00%)100.0 MHz (+0.00%)100.0 MHz (+0.00%)
Internal Interfaces
PCIe 3.0 x165 (x16/x0/x16/x0/x8 or x8/x8/x8/x8/x8)4 (x16/x8/x0/x16 or x16/x8/x8/x8)6 (x16/x0/x4/x16/x4/x0 or x8/x8/x4/x8/x84/x8)3 (x16/x8/x16)3 (x16/x8/x16)
PCIe 2.0 x16NoneNoneNoneNoneNone
PCIe x1/x41/02/00/02/02/0
Legacy PCINoneNoneNone11
USB 2.02 (4-ports)4 (8-ports)2 (4-ports) +1 (1-port)3 (6-ports)3 (6-ports)
USB 3.02 (4-ports)1 (2-ports)1 (2-ports)1 (2-ports)1 (2-ports)
IEEE-13941None1None1
Serial Port1None1NoneNone
Parallel PortNoneNoneNoneNoneNone
SATA 6.0 Gb/s64446
SATA 3.0 Gb/s44444
4-Pin Fan26653
3-Pin Fan4NoneNoneNone2
FP-Audio1 (On Riser)1111
S/PDIF I/OOutput OnlyOutput OnlyOutput OnlyOutput OnlyOutput Only
Power ButtonYesYesYesNoYes
Reset ButtonYesYesYesNoYes
CLR_CMOS ButtonNoYesNoNoNo
Diagnostics PanelNumericNumericNumericNoneNone
I/O Panel Connectors
P/S 21None211
USB 3.046222
USB 2.06488 (2 shared w/eSATA)8 (1 shared w/eSATA)
IEEE-13941None1None1
Network1 (+1 On Riser)2211
eSATA22None2 (USB-Powered)2 (USB-Powered)
CLR_CMOS ButtonYesNoNoYesYes
Digital Audio OutOptical/Coaxial RiserOpticalOpticalOpticalOptical
Digital Audio InNoneNoneNoneNoneNone
Analog Audio4 (On Riser)6655
Other DevicesNoneBluetooth/Wifi Module
USB BIOS Flashback
USB BIOS FlashbackBluetooth/Wifi Card
Dual BIOS Switch
O/C Button
Bluetooth/Wifi Card
Dual BIOS Switch
O/C Button
Mass Storage Controllers
Chipset SATA2 x SATA 6Gb/s
4 x SATA 3Gb/s
2 x SATA 6Gb/s
4 x SATA 3Gb/s
2 x SATA 6Gb/s
4 x SATA 3Gb/s
2 x SATA 6Gb/s
4 x SATA 3Gb/s
2 x SATA 6Gb/s
4 x SATA 3Gb/s
Chipset RAID Modes0, 1, 5, 100, 1, 5, 100, 1, 5, 100, 1, 5, 100, 1, 5, 10
Add-In SATA88SE9220 PCIe
2 x SATA 6Gb/s
3 x 88SE9172 PCIe
4 x SATA 6Gb/s
2 x eSATA 6Gb/s
88SE9128 PCIe
2 x SATA 6Gb/s
ASM1061 PCIe
2 x eSATA 6Gb/s
88SE9128 PCIe
2 x SATA 6Gb/s
2 x 88SE9172 PCIe
2 x SATA 6Gb/s
2 x eSATA 6Gb/s
3 x 88SE9172 PCIe
4 x SATA 6Gb/s
2 x eSATA 6Gb/s
USB 3.02 x TUSB7340 PCIe3 x ASM1042 PCIe
1 x VL810 4-Port Hub
2 x ASM1042 PCIe2 x FL1009-2Q0 PCIe2 x FL1009-2Q0 PCIe
IEEE-1394VT6315N PCIe
2 x 400 Mb/s
NoneVT6315N PCIe
2 x 400 Mb/s
NoneVT6308P PCI
2 x 400 Mb/s
Gigabit Ethernet
Primary LANBCM57781 PCIeWG82579V PHYWG82579V PHYKiller E2100 PCIeWG82579V PHY
Secondary LANBCM57781 PCIeRTL8111E PCIeWG82574L PCIeNoneNone
Audio
HD Audio CodecCore3D PCIe DSPALC898ALC898X-Fi CA20K2 PCIeALC898
DDL/DTS ConnectNot SpecifiedDTS ConnectDTS ConnectDDLNot Specified
Warranty
3-Years Limited (all brands)

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