Intel's first Z68 board is mATX?

[TheLostSwede]

A couple of pictures of what might be Intel's first Z68, although hidden under a Mitac sticker was spotted at the launch event in Taiwan. Note the switches for the PCI Express slots and the HDMI port on the rear.



http://semiaccurate.com/2011/01/07/f...68-board-wild/

[jeremyshaw]

WTFsause PCIe lane layout...

[ghost_recon88]

Now we are talking Hurry up with the mini-ITX models!

[[XC] Synthetickiller]

PCIe slots = GREATNESS!

As long as you plug in your USB & whatever other headers you need, you're set AND it gives you 1 free PCIe 1x slot for sound or wireless. There's so many 5 slot cases that it won't be hard to do 3 total cards in a set up like this.

The layout is good, including 8 sata.

Is this the first intel board with onboard power/reset buttons and error number screen?

I hope other companies adopt this layout for at least 1 board and switch the 16x/1x slots for 4 slot cases.

[jeremyshaw]

huh... I guess I've dealt with too many Lanboxes to really think that way.


and lol@the two leaning caps near the ATX 24pin :p

[JkS]

Isn't the 2nd PCI-E placement a bit bad as you can't fit a dual slot gfx card in there if you have a tiny case (which is one of the reasons one buys mATX)?

[antiacid]

what annoys me with those mini itx boards is the lack of proper sata port count. I want 4, not 2! Even the 4x boards end up being botched implementations of 2x and so you need to buy a raid card in a mini itx setup for a 4 disk raid5...wtf?!

[Warranty_Void]

what annoys me with those mini itx boards is the lack of proper sata port count. I want 4, not 2! Even the 4x boards end up being botched implementations of 2x and so you need to buy a raid card in a mini itx setup for a 4 disk raid5...wtf?!

Its got 8 sata ports

[Bobsama]

LOL @ 4th mounting hole being covered by FAILsticker. Anyways, my thought for this is Intel was really thinking of a 2-slot GPU (ie: HD6950), a RAID card or extra-display adapter (ie: HD5670 or successor), and then room for a WiFi or sound card in the top slot...

Oh, and there's 8 SATA ports, not 2.

[zalbard]

Generally good layout (except for the RAM that could be placed further away from the CPU socket), nasty colour scheme. Hopefully it's a very early sample, though.

[Chri$ch]

@ zalbard

i think the final board will get a black / blue color scheme like the DP67BG

this look like an early sample.

[zalbard]

Yep, thanks! Thought so!

[Boogerlad]

Other than the capacitors, pcb colour, and the push pins, this looks like a nice board.

[PatRaceTin]

Z68 chipset mobo is socket 1155 that use with SandyBridge "E" which can Overclock via BCLK ??????

[[XC] Synthetickiller]

Isn't the 2nd PCI-E placement a bit bad as you can't fit a dual slot gfx card in there if you have a tiny case (which is one of the reasons one buys mATX)?

There's a lot of cases that have 5 pci brackets. We'll see more in the future IMO.

[Hondacity]

wow that is a badass classic green pcb...

heatsinks are awesome...

dual 8segment display...

i love this board

[DeltZ]

looks awesome. 2nd PCI ex slot allows for another slot above to remain operational and not blocked by dual slot. Also possibility (case allowing) for direct intake outside the case. If you wanted all slots usable - use second x16 for larger double slot cooler with external intake. Use single slot SLI in first x16. sound card and what ever in the others.
8 sata is cool.
oh and i love those diagonal orientated things by the CPU :P

[highoctane]

I'm all for more matx boards with more than one 16x slot, I don't personally run more than one video card but I need a 2nd pci-e slot for 4x-8x raid adapters.

[570091D]

needs two things, first: all solid caps, second: black pcb. the cpu power circuitry looks fantastic and the connection options are perfect. but if i'm going to use this in a case with a window, black pcb and solid caps please.

[JohnZS]

I do not understand, I thought we were going to see a 1366 based board here?
This looks like a replacement for the P55 mATX?

[Nikolasz]

I got Intel board at home dual boot with 2 hard drives, with win98se and winxp sp3 for old programing chips tools and software
bi 440zx intel board with 466 mhz cpu on it, it still kicks ass good.

[TheLostSwede]

I do not understand, I thought we were going to see a 1366 based board here?
This looks like a replacement for the P55 mATX?

Z68 is for LGA-1155, X68 should be the one for LGA-1356, but who knows, maybe Intel is changing its naming scheme?

[prava]

Z68 is for LGA-1155, X68 should be the one for LGA-1356, but who knows, maybe Intel is changing its naming scheme?

X68?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿ 1356?¿?¿?¿

As far as I know there is nothing of both things in any roadmap. LGA2011 is coming in Q3-Q4 but thats about it, no other socket is coming....and I don't think intel will release any other bridge for any other platform.

[sxs112]

x68?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿ 1356?¿?¿?¿

as far as i know there is nothing of both things in any roadmap. Lga2011 is coming in q3-q4 but thats about it, no other socket is coming....and i don't think intel will release any other bridge for any other platform.

z68 = 1155
x78 = 2011

[bamtan2]

awesome. this is me waiting for z68 boards.