Intel's Z77 Express chipset
adds native USB 3.0 and a set of software tools Intel calls Platform Responsiveness Technologies to what is
essentially and updated and respun Intel Z68 core. Both the Intel Z77
'Panther Point' and Intel Z68 'Couger Point' chipsets are built on the 65nm
process and support 32nm 2nd Gen. 'Sandy Bridge' and 22nm 3rd Gen. 'Ivy Bridge'
Intel Core i3/i5/7 socket LGA1155 processors. The next chipset, the Intel Z87
which is expected in June 2013 will be moving to the LGA1150 socket... so it
looks like the streak of upgradeability we previously enjoyed has been cut short.
The Intel Z77
serves up onboard video outputs, CPU/Mem/IGP overclocking, Intel Smart Response Technology, Intel
QuickSync media transcoding acceleration and SLI/Crossfire. Intel 3rd Gen. Core i3/i5/i7 'Ivy Bridge" processors add DX11 IGP into the mix and PCI Express
3.0 support for discrete videocards. The IVB CPUs also bump memory support from DDR3-1333
to DDR3-1600. In the past integrated graphics and memory were handled by
the Northbridge chipset, but now the exact platform capabilities depend in equal part
on the CPU you choose.
|
The
Intel Z77 Express Chipset block diagram
|
The Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD4H motherboard is PCI Express
3.0 compliant and brings with it an incremental upgrade to 8 GT/s, or
16GB/s bi-directional bandwidth for each PCI Express x16 videocard slot. The
previous PCI Express 2.0 standard delivered 5 GT/s, or 8GB/s bi-directional bandwidth to
each x16 videocard slot. As with previous Intel chipsets, the Intel Z77 PCH
communicates with the socket LGA1155 CPU over a DMI2.0 link at 20Gb/s and via
the Intel Flexible Display Interface (FDI). Sandy Bridge CPUs host eight PCI
Express 2.0 lanes running at 5Gb/s. Ivy Bridge CPUs host sixteen PCI Express 3.0
lanes (or 2x8 or 1x8, 1x4 and 1x4 Thunderbolt).
| Intel Chipset
Comparisons |
|
Intel X79 Express
|
Intel Z77 Express |
Intel Z68 Express |
| CPU |
LGA 2011
2nd Gen. Core i7 / Extreme |
LGA 1155
Core i3/i5/i7 3rd/2nd Gen |
LGA 1155
Core i3/i5/i7 2nd Gen. |
| Chipset Code Name |
Patsburg (65nm) |
Panther Point (65nm) |
Couger Point (65nm) |
| Bus Interface / Speed |
DMI 2.0, 20Gb/s |
DMI 2.0, 20Gb/s &
Intel FDI |
DMI 2.0, 20Gb/s &
Intel FDI |
| Memory Support |
DDR3-1600, quad
channel |
DDR3-1600, dual
channel |
DDR3-1333, dual
channel |
| Maximum Memory
Capacity |
64GB (64-bit) |
32GB (64-bit) |
32GB (64-bit) |
| Integrated Graphics /
Intel FDI |
- |
Yes |
Yes |
| Integrated Graphics
Ports |
- |
HDMI, DVI, DP, VGA
(3-way monitor with IvyBridge CPU) |
HDMI, DVI, DP, VGA
(dual monitor) |
PCI Express 2.0 Lanes
(chipset) |
8 |
8 |
8 |
| Intel Rapid Storage
Technology (RST) |
RST enterprise 3 |
iRST 11 |
RST 10 |
| Intel Smart Response
Technology (SRT) |
- |
Yes |
Yes |
| SATA 6Gb/s | SATA 3Gb/s
| IDE Ports |
2/4/0 |
2/4/0 |
2/4/0 |
| RAID |
0, 1, 5, 10 |
0, 1, 5, 10 |
0, 1, 5, 10 |
| Intelgrated LAN |
10/100/1000 MAC |
10/100/1000 MAC |
10/100/1000 MAC |
| USB 3.0 Ports |
- |
4 |
- |
| USB 2.0 Ports |
14 |
10 |
14 |
| Intel High Definition
Audio |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Other |
Intel Identity
Protection Technology (IPT) |
Intel Rapid Start, Intel
Smart Connect |
- | | |
Intel Platform
Responsiveness Technologies
Intel Smart Response
Technology brings about "like-SSD
responsiveness" to operating systems and applications installed to mechanical SATA hard drives. It
works by storing frequently accessed hard drive I/O data blocks to a small
capacity, dedicated 'caching SSD' that Windows 7 can read from very quickly. See
PCSTATS in-depth review of Intel SRT for the complete details. Intel Rapid Start Tech. leverages SSD caching hardware (if present) to decrease the time
Windows requires to come out of hibernation. If your office PC is set to
hibernate when you're away, this tool allows the PC resume in about as much time
as it takes to recover from sleep mode/standby. Intel Smart Connect
essentially tells the PC to come out of sleep state at predefined time intervals
and check for updates. At the moment it only works with a few social networking
and email programs, so it seems to be oriented towards Windows 8 on mobile devices where battery life and data
coherence are more relevant. Lucidlogic VirtuMVP is another new addition to the
Intel Z77's feature stables, we'll cover that in full on the next page of this
review.
LucidLogix VirtuMVP
LucidLogix VirtuMVP is a software driver Intel validated
for the Intel Z77 platform which enables on-the-fly switching between discreet
graphics cards and Sandy Bridge / Ivy Bridge's integrated graphics core. It does
this by virtualizing one GPU or the other. If the monitor is connected to the GA-Z77X-UD4H's onboard
video outputs, VirtuMVP virtualizes the discreet videocard (i-Mode) when 3D
games are launched. Conversely, if the monitor is connected to a discrete
videocard, VirtuMVP virtualizes the IGP when required (d-Mode).
VirtuMVP allows the integrated graphics core to
accelerate video transcoding tasks via Intel QuickSync and seamlessly switch to
purpose bred discreet videocards when 3D gaming.
On top of the core features, VirtuMVP
adds Hyperformance and Virtual Vsync which aim to improve 3D performance. Hyperformance increases frame rates by eliminating
redundant rendering tasks and "predicting potential synchronization issues in
the graphics delivery pipeline". VirtualVsync reduces screen tearing. VirtuMVP is simple to set up and can be
tasked to kick in for specified applications. Moving along, it's time for the
360-degree look at the Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD4H motherboard!
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