X79 Motherboard Roundup: ASRock, ASUS, Gigabyte
Introduction and the X79 Chipset
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The CPU definitely pulls its weight in the X79 platform; it can handle up to 12 threads on 6 cores and supports 40 total PCIe lanes, quad channel memory (which results in 8 DIMM slots on most boards), and native 3- and 4-way graphics.
There is no integrated graphics, however, and Intel still hasn’t included native support for USB 3.0 (though that's coming so we hear with next generation 7-Series chipsets for the midrange) If you were a fan of Intel Smart Response (which allows you to use an SSD as a speedy cache drive), tough luck--it’s nowhere to be found here. However, for overclockers, the X79 platform offers plenty of enticing options, beyond just unlocked CPU multipliers and memory ratios.
The X79 chipset also offers Intel's RST (Rapid Storage Technology) which offers high performance RAID storage functionality, integrated HD audio, an additional 8 PCI-E 2.0 lanes, 14 USB 2.0 ports, 2 SATA 6Gb/s and 4 SATA 3Gb/s ports, and 3Gbps eSATA connectivity.
Let's dive into the specifics of our motherboard contenders, shall we?
There is no integrated graphics, however, and Intel still hasn’t included native support for USB 3.0 (though that's coming so we hear with next generation 7-Series chipsets for the midrange) If you were a fan of Intel Smart Response (which allows you to use an SSD as a speedy cache drive), tough luck--it’s nowhere to be found here. However, for overclockers, the X79 platform offers plenty of enticing options, beyond just unlocked CPU multipliers and memory ratios.
The X79 chipset also offers Intel's RST (Rapid Storage Technology) which offers high performance RAID storage functionality, integrated HD audio, an additional 8 PCI-E 2.0 lanes, 14 USB 2.0 ports, 2 SATA 6Gb/s and 4 SATA 3Gb/s ports, and 3Gbps eSATA connectivity.
Let's dive into the specifics of our motherboard contenders, shall we?
