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mSATA SSD slot for small capacity mSATA SSD to enable Intel Smart Response. Intel Smart Response can enhance system speed and this port is sharing with SATA2 5. Blue heat-sink provides bigger cooling zone by special cut. Besides gorgeous color, the light source will change the deep or light color. GIGABYTE changes Realtek chipset which is more compatible and faster update this time. LAN chip is Atheros GbE. In NoteBook or AP field, Atheros connection capability has very good reputation. Audio chip uses VIA VT2021. If you are studying audio card, you should be impressive at VIA Envy24. VIA merged audio chip company years ago. Envy24 172X is the most famous product in audio card. They have as cheap as 20USD, also some high end brands audio card which are 200~300USD. I hope VIA VT2021 can adopt Envy24 tradition. I will share the audio experience later. UEFI M.I.T. main page You can easily see the hardware status in the bottom. CPU Clock Ratio set to 48, which is 4800MHz. Enable X.M.P., the DDR3 set to 2133 as its spec. System Memory Multiplier adjust to 26 by DDR3 quality, which is DDR3 2600. Advanced CPU Page You can adjust individual CPU Core ratio. You also can choose how many cores to enable. I am used to disable C1E/C3C6 and EIST, power saving features, when I am OC. DDR3 Main Page. X.M.P. items and clock can be set in previous page. DDR3 2600 latency is CL12 13-13-32 2T OC Voltage Items CPU Vcore 0.800~1.900V CPU Vtt 0.800~1.680V My 3570K OC to 4.8GHz requiring 1.340V at CPU Vcore. DRAM Voltage 1.200~2.400V DDR3 2600 stable voltage is 1.660V

Do you remember the price of Intel previous popular chipset 865? The entry model was cost 120~130USD. After that, P35/P45/P55/P67 chipset entry MB price was even higher. The entry model was 160~180USD. Of course, the MB components and spec were getting better and more features. Many friends were complaining the high price and miss the chipset 865 time. Most customers are more prefer parity MB. At late stage of Z68, you can see some 100USD boards. In April, latest Ivy Bridge launched, Z77 boards are more parity. Z77 just launched, many MB makers all released ~100USD Z77 MB. These couple years, NoteBook, Pad and SmartPhone share the internet devices market. It pushes DeskTop very hard. The market competition and price are going lower. Z77 board price back to parity 865 dynasty which is good for users. CPU is Intel Core i5-3570K Clock is 3.4GHz, supports Turbo Boost 2.0 and max clock is 3.8GHz. Latest 22nm plus 3Dtransistors technology, physical 4 Cores, 4C4T. TDP 77W, L3 Cache is 6MB. It’s one of two Ivy Bridge K sku CPU. 3570K Backside i5-3570K price is mid-end Ivy Bridge CPU. If you don’t OC, you can choose cheaper i5-3450. This review is entry Z77. CPU using K series can improve the performance. MB is GIGABYTE Z77-D3H. The price is around 135USD. PCB is standard ATX, 30.5 X 24.4cm which is quite rare design in this price segment. Of course, there are some cheaper Z77 boards. However, they may cut some display ports or shrink the PCB. Does lower spec Z77 meet your requirement or budget? I suggest you better to study more before buying. Z77-D3H is blue PCB and white slots. Blue is my favorite colors. Overall, it’s good looking. If you prefer the black PCB board, there is Z77X-D3H for you which is 20USD more expensive. Lower-Left Corner 2 X PCI-E X16 supports 2-Way AMD CrossFireX When using Ivy Bridge CPU, the bandwidth is Gen3 X16 + X4 3 X PCI-E X1 2 X PCI LAN chip is Atheros GbE LAN Audio is VIA VT2021 supports 7.1 channels and High Definition Audio technology. Design in Taipei Lower-Right Corner 2 X White SATA by Z77 supports SATA3 4 X Blue SATA by Z77 supports SATA2 It supports hybrid RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and RAID 10. The max performance depends on installed SATA devices. 2 X 64 Mbit flash, Dual BIOS, TPM(Trusted Platform Module) connector Upper-Right Corner 4 X DIMM DDR3 support 1066/1333/1600/2400(OC). DDR3 max capacity is 32GB. It supports Extreme Memory Profile technology. Beneath is 24-PIN power connector and front USB 3.0 The PWM has 7 phases, 4-phase for CPU, 1 phase for VTT and 2-phase for GPU. As 22nm Ivy Bridge CPU TDP, 4-phase design is enough for air-cooling OC. IO 1 X PS2 KB/Mouse 1 X D-Sub / DVI-D / HDMI 4 X USB 2.0(Black) 4 X USB 3.0/2.0(Blue) 1 X RJ-45 LAN 1 X S/PDIF Optical output 5 X Audio Jacks

X79 Show Girl Thanks

msi GT70 GT60 Slider S20 Z77 MPower FOXCONN Intel Z77、Z75、H77、B75 MB AMD MB NANO PC ASUS ThunderboltEX

ECS Golden Board Z77H2-A2X ECS L070T5 G24 Cupid ECS Live Demo CORSAIR DOMINATOR PLATINUM / AX1200i DOMINATOR PLATINUM Live Demo DDR3 3001.8 CL12 14-14-35 2T AX1200i / CORSAIR LINK2 Demo CORSAIR SSD

GIGABYTE GA-X79S-UP5 WIFI GA-Z77X-UP5 Thunderbolt GIGABYTE H61 ITX MB IR3550 PowlRstage BIOSTAR Intel MB AMD MB Z77 MB Hi-Fi AMP

3 minutes - 100% Write / 100% Random 4KB Total I/Os per Second 85981.10 IOMETER 2008 test, you can see the first minute I/Os is extremely high. If the test keeps for 3 minutes, the I/Os becomes lower. However, it’s still higher than official sepc, max Random Read/Write 39K / 83K IOPS. Above-mentioned, SandForce controller has special algorithm for Sequential Write. It leads to the performance speeding. Internet said it designs for reducing writing numbers to increase SSD life. Anyway, only sequential write can achieve 500 MB/s. For random test, Write is only 180~280 MB/s. Besides this, Read or 4K is good performance level. SanDisk uses NAND Flash synchronize IC, the performance is not lower than Intel or Micron IC. SandForce controller has been in the market for a while. SanDisk SSD can have more competitive price. Second part is NoteBook test. I still use acer TimelineX 3830TG for performance test. I have been using this NB for several SSD reviews. The performance won’t be impact by SATA performance. If I get Ivy Bridge NoteBook in the future, I will move to latest Intel chipset one. 3830TG color is very eye catching. The upper cover is aluminum also. The body is also slim. Intel chipset is HM65. In NoteBook, it has better SATA3 transfer ability. SanDisk Extreme 240GB install at SATA3 as system drive. OS is Windows7 Ultimate 64bit, all drivers and Intel Smart Response Technology. HD Tune Pro 5.00 Black Size is special function of this software. Left side is default 64K and right side is 1MB. 64K - Read - Average 257.6 MB/s Access Time 0.177ms 1MB - Read - Average 492.4 MB/s Access Time 0.182ms File Benchmark Sequential Read - 51068 IOPS / Write - 78802 IOPS ATTO DISK Benchmark over 1024k test, max Read is 556.6 Mb/s and Write is 527.6 MB/s. CrystalDiskMark Seq Read - 435.0 MB/s Write - 233.1 MB/s <All 0xFF, 1Fill> Read - 466.0 MB/s Write - 472.5 MB/s <All 0x00, 0Fill> Read - 474.7 MB/s Write - 472.0 MB/s AS SSD Benchmark - 660 Seq Read - 492.39 MB/s Write - 229.45 MB/s 4K - 64Thrd Read - 214.37 MB/s Write - 179.59 MB/s NoteBook SATA transfer rate is around 10% lower than DeskTop, especially 4K Write. 3830TG SATA3 transfer rate is lower than PC, but it’s still acceptable. BootRacer Time to Logon 5~6 seconds Time to Desktop 14~15 seconds Previously, I use TOSHIBA MK6461GSY 640GB 7200, Time to Desktop was 42 seconds. SanDisk Extreme 240GB in Time to Desktop is 15 seconds. I use same NoteBook for both drives and install same drivers and software. SSD really can speed up NoteBook. SSD booting speed is 2.8 times faster than HDD. Of course, starting software is also much faster, especially you can feel for bigger files. These three years, SSD all drop price annually. It can encourage users and market to move to SSD. In 2010, 32GB was 120USD and 64GB was 220USD. Last year, 64GB was 120USD and 128GB was 220USD. This year, the market is starting to wriggle. Recently, 120/128GB and 240/256GB are starting to drop price in some regions. SanDisk Extreme 240GB price in Taiwan is 7800NTD, around 266USD. Using SandForce SF-2281 high speed controller and synchronize NAND Flash IC to own high performance. This cost performance can be the lowest price in same market position. SanDisk just comes into SSD market and go straight to low price and high performance product line. If they also provide good warranty and firmware upgrade, SanDisk can be a new brand with high C/P. This review is also in my blog WIND3C, Any comments are welcome.

HD Tune Pro 5.00 set Black Size as 1MB can have the best performance. 64K - Write - Average 282.9 MB/s Access Time 0.099ms 1MB - Write - Average 335.2 MB/s Access Time 0.177ms Read - Random Access & Extra tests Write - Random Access & Extra tests File Benchmark Sequential Read - 60431 IOPS / Write - 911977 IOPS ATTO DISK Benchmark over 512k test, max Read is 559.2 Mb/s and Write is 535.6 MB/s HD Tune Pro 5.00 revises File Benchmark to be more detail. There are more paramaters for reference. ATTO DISK Benchmark test result is over official Read 550 and Write 520 MB/s. CrystalDiskMark Seq Read - 524.6 MB/s Write - 298.3 MB/s <All 0xFF, 0Fill> Read - 530.0 MB/s Write - 525.7 MB/s <All 0x00, 1Fill> Read - 529.6 MB/s Write - 525.7 MB/s CrystalDiskMark default test is random, As right-hand picture, the Write performance is lower. This part is caused by SandForce controller structure. The performance will be lower as algorithm. Left side CrystalDiskMark test changes to two pure sequential mode. The Write is close to official spec. SandForce has special algorithm in Sequential Write. The speed starts from 280MB/s and ramp to 500 MB/s slowly. This is also a weakness of SandForce controller. AS SSD Benchmark - 824 Seq Read - 519.10 MB/s Write - 280.41 MB/s 4K - 64Thrd Read - 227.01 MB/s Write - 222.52 MB/s SandForce structure will be changed by SSD capacity. AS SSD Benchmark with 120GB is only 500, but it improves to 700~800 with 240GB. You can see 240GB Write Seq/4K-64Thrd is much better than 120GB. AS SSD Benchmark in personal experience, the ratio is more on 4K and 4K-64Thrd. In these 2 items, if the transfer rate is higher, the total will be higher as well. PCMark Vantage - HDD Score : 85720 CrystalMark Sequential Read 505.88 MB/s Sequential Write 501.55 MB/s IOMETER 2008 1 minute - 100% Read / 100% Random 4KB Total I/Os per Second 57420.61 3 minutes - 100% Read / 100% Random 4KB Total I/Os per Second 56000.22 1 minute - 100% Write / 100% Random 4KB Total I/Os per Second 91930.96

In my impression, SanDisk is well known brand in Taiwan for years. My first SanDisk product was CF card for digital SLR camera. After another, I also used or researched other brands CF and SD card. I think memory card is key field of SanDisk. SanDisk has wide range product lines of high spec. memory card. It’s also one of few brands to have SLC products. Previously, I saw some SanDisk SSD products from internet were SATA2 and mSATA. I felt they more focus on NoteBook and didn’t see any SATA3 high bandwidth product yet. However, in March, I started to see more news about SanDisk SATA3 SSD in internet and market. For current competitive SSD market, launching SSD this stage needs to own real strength and right position. First of all, let’s look at SanDisk Extreme SSD packing. It’s same design style with his memory card. The simple design uses black as main color to combine with red lines or characters. Contents Left side is SanDisk Extreme 240GB and sticker. Right side is multi-languages products manual. If they can bundle 2.5” to 3.5” adapter, that would be better. It’s 2.5” and the capacity is 240GB. In official spec, max Sequential Read/Write is 550/520 MB/s. Max random Read/ Write is 39K/83K IOPS. It’s the SATA3 SSD highest spec in the market so far. The model name is SDSSDX-240G-G25. This series has 120, 240 and 480GB. It’s glossy black metal shell. The texture of outlook is elegant. Controller chip is SandForce SF-2281. This chip has launched almost one year. Many major brands SSD are also using SF-2281. Backside sticker shows all safety certificate and information. The screws are under sticker which is different with general design. If you want to see controller and NAND Flash inside, you can search the pictures from internet. As warranty and hardware safety, I recommend you to keep it as original. Lower right is SATA3 and power connector. It’s same as SATA1 or SATA2. You need to check the packing or product spec to know if it’s SATA3 SSD. Screw holes are 2.5” standard. It supports NoteBook. Now, many PC Case also support 2.5” rack. 2.5” to 3.5” adaptor is not really necessary for PC users. SanDisk Extreme uses SandForce SF-2281 controller. It’s very popular SATA3 SSD controller. It uses anDisk 24nm Synchronize NAND Flash. The individual IC is 32GB. NAND Flash IC is very special. Normally, SandForce SF-2281 bundles with Intel or Micron IC. For the performance, let’s follow on the test result below. First, I use Intel DeskTop platform. It’s GIGABYTE latest Z77X-UD5H-WB WIFI. It supprts 3 PCI-E X16, 3 PCI-E X1 and 1 PCI. It’s good extensibility in ATX size. Z77 built-in GPU supports simultaneously three outputs. It’s also first time native support USB 3.0. Exclusive BT4.0 and Wi-Fi PCI-E card enhance connection between PC and mobile devices indoor. Intel Z77 is latest mid to high end chipset. It’s getting popular. Intel chipset always gets better I/O transfer rate. SATA3 SSD can have better performance on it. Test Configuration CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K MB: Z77X-UD5H-WB WIFI DRAM: CORSAIR DOMINATOR-GT CMT16GX3M4X2133C9 VGA: Intel HD Graphics 4000 HD: SanDisk Extreme 240GB / TOSHIBA 750GB POWER: CORSAIR AX650W Cooler: Intel Original Cooler OS: Windows7 Ultimate 64bit Single SanDisk Extreme 240GB install at white SATA3. I set it as non-OS drive without any data to test performance on Intel Z77 platform. HD Tune Pro 5.00 Black Size is special function of this software. Left side is default 64K and right side is 1MB. 64K - Read - Average 339.5 MB/s Access Time 0.134ms 1MB - Read - Average 516.0 MB/s Access Time 0.135ms

FINAL FANTASY XIV 1280 X 720 => 1756 The overclocking performance of Intel HD Graphics 4000 is increased by 4~21%, which is determined by the characteristics of 3D software. Compared with the last-generation HD Graphics 3000, the 3D performance is increased by over 60%, which is rather better. Moreover, it catches up with the CPU of the highest 3D display performance currently, namely Radeon HD6550D of AMD A8-3850 Given that it started to improve the built-in GPU technology of CPU last year, and provided competitive 3D performance, sometimes it is even better than the basic-level VGA. Certainly, the built-in GPU is difficult to work with middle and high-level 3D software, but the 3D performance keeps increase with each new generation platform. In the future, the built-in CPU will be applied more widely, so it is a piece of good news to the consumers. Temperature performance (Ambient temperature is 28 Celsius) When system standby - 34~41 Running LinX, CPU at full speed - 74~84 Given the same frequency, the temperature of Ivy Bridge is higher than that of Sandy Bridge, which is a defect for this new platform. The temperature performance of 3770K in 4.8GHz is similar to that of 2700K overclocking to 5GHz, and the performance of these two CPUs at this frequency is almost the same too. As the temperature is higher than the old platform, the CPU radiator will be one of the important factors in Ivy Bridge overclocking. Power consumption test When system standby - 67W Running LinX, CPU at full speed - 175W Compare the 103W / 239W of 2700K overclocking to 5GHz with 67W / 175W of 3770K overclocking to 4.8GHz. With the C1E Power-Saving Function turned off, 3770K is 36W lower at system standby and 64W lower at full speed. Intel adopts the latest 22nm processing in 3770K, it consumers less power than the last-generation Sandy Bridge when overclocking. With the advanced radiator of CORSAIR Hydro Series H100, authenticate CPU-Z of5.1GHz / DDR3 2666 with voltage increased. It can be seen currently that the Ivy Bridge with 4C8T running at full speed will get higher CPU temperature than before. If using the top-level air cooler or water cooler together with the 3770K of good property, it is personally estimated that the frequency that can pass all software test is around 4.8~4.9GHz. However, 3770K doesn’t have the limitation of 50 times for frequency multiplication like before, and the CPU can reach high frequency when it is not at full speed. For the extreme-overclocking users, it is easier for 3770K to reach high frequency than 2700K. For this part, it has both advantages and weaknesses. For most platforms, the maximum stable frequency reached by common radiation environment is very important. BIOSTAR TSERIES TZ77XE4 Advantages 1. The price is a little higher than the basic-level Z77, but the specification and material is similar to the middle-level Z77. 2. Japanese solid capacitor, built-in POWER/RESET buttons and simple debug LED. 3. Use UEFI interface with fast startup speed, rich options and large range of voltage, as well as excellent overclocking ability. 4. Provide two conventional PCIs, which is quite useful to the users with the related demands. 5. Built-in GPU has four types of export interfaces, MB power supply has 13 phases in total. Weaknesses 1. BIOSTAR has no distribution channel in Taiwan currently. 2. It is suggested using the advanced network card of Atheros or Intel. Performance ratio ★★★★★★★★★☆ 86/100 Material ratio ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 82/100 Specification ratio ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 82/100 Appearance ratio ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 77/100 Cost/Performance ratio ★★★★★★★★★☆ 86/100 Ivy Bridge’s structure firstly adopts the 3D transistor technology, so the temperature performance is not as good as that of the last generation. Moreover, the CPU, 3D performance of built-in GPU, maximum frequency of DDR3 and power consumption all show improved performance to some extent. Support native USB 3.0.Virtu Universal MVP, Intel Smart Connect / Rapid Start and other new technology specification. The price of Z77 under many MS manufacturers is not much higher than the base price of the last-generation Z68, lending a more competitive price. BIOSTAR TSERIES TZ77XE4 is sold at US$150(NT$4380) in U.S. market. It is just US$ 10~20 higher than the basic-level Z177 of the common ATX size. TZ77XE4, with its material, design and overclocking performance, gains quite good C/T performance. TZ77XE3 is sold at US$120 in U.S. market. In spite of the price of the basic-level Z77, its material and specification are the middle-level Z77. Besides pursuing overclocking performance, BIOSTAR often gets favorable balance in C/P value. If there will be the more advanced Z77 version that enhances the network card or audio card, it should be the better Z77 option for the users Windwithme will share the performance of Intel Core i5-3450 or 3570K later. The newest iPad hasn’t been sold in Taiwan till now, so the author asked a friend in Singapore to buy one for me. The author will share about the comparison between iPad 1 and iPad 3 in the future This review is also in my blog WIND3C, Any comments are welcome.

Intel Core i7-3770K overclocking performance CPU 100 X 48 => 4800MHz 1.290V DDR3 2400 CL10 11-11-27 1T 1.608V GPU HD 4000 1150MHz Hyper PI 32M X8 => 12m 02.920s CPUMARK 99 => 756 The performance scores of 3770KOC 4.8GHz in Hyper PI and CPUMARK 99 are almost equal to the performance around 2700K OC 4.9GHz after comparison Nuclearus Multi Core => 33339 Fritz Chess Benchmark => 37.82 /18153 The performance score obtained by Fritz Chess Benchmark falls in the level around 2700K 4.95GHz CrystalMark 2004R3 => 372168 CINEBENCH R11.5 CPU => 9.80 pts CPU(Single Core) => 2.04 pts 2700K OC 5GHz causes the CPU => 9.74 pts / CPU (Single Core) => 2.03 pts Among the CPU test items of CINEBENCH R11.5, 3770K OC 4.8GHz gets better performance in single thread and 4C8T FRYRENDER Running Time => 3m 55s x264 FHD Benchmark => 28.5 PCMark Vantage => 26118 From above test, the performance of Core i7-3770K when overclocking to 4.8GHz almost equals to the performance of the last-generation Core i7-2700K when overclocking to 4.9~5GHz. That is to say, given the same frequency and specification, the performance obtained by Ivy Bridge is 100~200MHz higher than that of Sandy Bridge. So we can consider the Ivy Bridge of as the upgrade of Sandy Bridge. The CPU processing is increased to 22nm, and the existent technologies are improved in the new version. The built-in GPU support with 3-export and Virtu Universal MVP are all new useful features. DRAM bandwidth test DDR3 2400.4 CL10 11-11-27 1T ADIA64 Memory Read - 24893 MB/s Sandra Memory Bandwidth - 28733 MB/s MaXXMEM Memory-Copy - 27807 MB/s DDR3 2600.4 CL11 12-12-27 2T ADIA64 Memory Read - 25433 MB/s Sandra Memory Bandwidth - 30558 MB/s MaXXMEM Memory-Copy - 28481 MB/s The structure of Sandy Bridge can adjust DDR3 2133 at maximum when the external frequency of CPU is the default value of 100MHz. If adopted with the external frequency of overclocking CPU, Sandy Bridge may reach around DDR 2300. It is the greatest advantage of Ivy Bridge’s structure, and the Memory Controller is much better than that of last generation. Given 3770K and 100MHz of CPU’s default external frequency, it can reach around DDR3 2400~2666. With powerful MB and DDR3, it will possibly reach DDR3 2800. The above two test figures are the bandwidth performance of DDR3 2400 1T and 2600 2T, showing that the DDR3 frequency is greatly improved. Intel HD Graphics 4000 performance test GPU frequency is 23 by default. When overclocking to 30(equal to 1500MHz), 3DMark Vantage => P5755 StreetFighter IV Benchmark 1280 X 720 => 116.13 FPS

The upper side of the audio chip has a metal cover with BIOSTAR Logo printed, which shines red when powered on. With the BIOSTAR radiation module shell and cutting design, the radiation module on the upper side is orange, which is the common color shown on the motorcycles in KYMCO Mega G5, Racing or SUZUKI NEX 8 Hours Champion. Below are the instructions for using Intel Core i7-3770K on BIOSTAR UEFI interface CPU information and the related technology page O.N.E calibration page The frequency multiplication of the CPU Ratio is 48, i.e. 3770K will be operated by 4800MHz To lock the external frequency of CPU as 100MHz, the following two options should be done Turn off Clock Spread Spectrum and start up Internal PLL Override Graphics Core Ratio Limit is the frequency of the built-in GPU in CPU The algorithm of 23 is 23 X 50 => 1150MHz. In the sample figure below, it adopts the default frequency of built-in HD 4000 for 3770K For DRAM frequency and parameter settings, generally, smaller value will obtain higher performance. Set it as DDR3 2400 CL10 11-11-27 1T, and adjust other detailed options to optimal setting values. The user can increase the frequency and adjust the parameters based on the DDR3 property, so as to achieve the effect of increasing DDR3 bandwidth. Voltage page There are four types of CPU VCore Mode, SPEC Volgate/Auto/Offset Mode/Fixed Mode CPU VCore Offset -0.200~+0.520V CPU VCore Fixed 1.000~1.790V For the purpose of overclocking, the major change here is the CPU voltage. In the sample figure, the CPU Vcore is fixed as 1.290V. Making slight adjustment based on the radiation ability and CPU property are the two major foundations for overclocking CPU. DRAM Voltage 1.300~2.112V Vcc S Voltage 0.900~1.605V When DDR3 is overclocked to 2400~2666, generally, it needs to increase the voltage to 1.6~1.65V or higher. The major function of Vcc S Voltage is to increase Stability when DDR3 overclocking is of high frequency. UEFI interface provide 5 sets of functions for file access. The users can store or read the data based on the default settings, which can save setting time. BIOSTAR doesn’t provide gorgeous screens for the UEFI interface but in plain color instead. The advantage is the fast startup speed, which is as fast as its own BIOS. It just takes a blink to enter the Windows7 screen. Some MB brands use too many programs or pictures in UEFI interface, causing slow startup speed. Whether it is shortcoming or advantage depends on the user’s preference. Regarding the enhancement of BIOSTAR’s UEFI, windwithme thinks it will be better if the Multilanguage is supported. Test platform CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K MB: BIOSTAR TZ77XE4 DRAM: CORSAIR DOMINATOR-GT CMT16GX3M4X2133C9 VGA: Intel HD Graphics 4000 HD: Intel 520 Series 120GB POWER: CORSAIR AX650W Cooler: CORSAIR Hydro Series H100 OS: Windows7 Ultimate 64bit

Intel released the latest DeskTop platform in April, also known as Ivy Bridge The CPU of last-generation Sandy Bridge is named with 2 series, while the chipset named with 6 series The CPU of Ivy Bridge is named with 3 series, and the chipset named with 7 series, both of which are leveled up. However, the structure of these two CPUs adopts the LGA 1155 slot, which gains better scalability than the product line before. Same to the previous market positioning of Intel, the Ivy Bridge platform mainly focuses on the middle and high level product line at the very beginning. Intel Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs are the first modules released. For the affordable Ivy Bridge CPU for Core i3, you must wait until June at least. The chipsets commonly sold on the market are the Z77 and H77, and the B75 is adopted by some basic-level MB in a few occasions. The most advanced chipset supported by Ivy Bridge is Z77, for which BIOSTAR also releases the brand new series, namely, TZ77XE4 and TZ77XE3. The design material for the new series is different from BIOSTAR’s other product lines. First is the external package of the product, in which the pattern design is different from the previous pure color series. Accessories Included: Product manual, IO board, SLI / CorssFire X bridge, SATA wires and driver The body of BIOSTAR TZ77XE4, DRAM, PCI and PCB slots are all colored black PCB is specially coated to increase the texture indirectly, which is also promoted by other manufacturers for some time. TZ77XE3 also adopts the same appearance design, but the specification is lower than XE4. Besides, BIOSTAR has other three Z77 products, which colors the black, red and white colors. The lower left section of the motherboard 1 X PCI-E X16 3.0 supports AMD CrossFireX/nVIDIA SLI technology at most, and the bandwidth is X8 + X8 2 X PCI-E X1 2 X PCI 1 X PCI-E X16 2.0, and the bandwidth is X4 Network chip adopts Realtek RTL8111E Audio chip Realtek ALC898 supports 8-channel Blu-ray Audio and THX TruStudio Pro technology at most The lower right section of the motherboard 2 X black SATA, provided by chipset Z77, with SATA3 specification 4 X black SATA，provided by chipset Z77, with SATA2 specification They can work together to build RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and RAID 10, and the highest performance depends on the SATA device installed. 2 X black SATA, provided by ASM1061 chipset, with SATA3 specification, supporting AHCI Power / Reset / clr CMOS buttons and debug LED, and the black section on upper side is the front USB 3.0 slot The upper right section of the motherboard 4 X DIMM DDR3, supporting 1066/1333/1600/1866(OC)/2133(OC)/2400(OC)/2600(OC) The maximum capacity supported by DDR3 is 32GB, supporting Extreme Memory Profile technology. The lower side is the 24-PIN power input. The power supply design has 13 phases in total, including 10 CPU VCORE phases + 1 VCC phase + 2 IGD phases IO 1 X PS/2 keyboard 1 X D-Sub / DVI-D / HDMI / DisplayPort 4 X USB 2.0(black) 2 X USB 3.0(blue) 1 X eSATA2 (red) 1 X RJ-45 Network hole 6 X Audio hole

CPU Full Speed by running LinX - 145W 3770K has great advantage in power consumption. It should be 22nm manufacturing credit. Entering to OS desktop is 15W lower than past high end platform. Full speed is 25~30W lower. This is one of Ivy Bridge advantages. Intel HD Graphics 4000 Performance Test GPU default in BIOS is 23, 1150MHz 3DMark Vantage => P4745 StreetFighter IV Benchmark 1280 X 720 => 98.93 FPS FINAL FANTASY XIV 1280 X 720 => 1698 Intel GPU - HD 3000 and HD 4000 comparison. CPU and GPU are both in default frequency. 3770K 3DMark Vantage is 4100 and 2770K is 2500分. StreetFighter IV Benchmark high resolution 1920 X 1080, 3770K is 50fps and 2700K is 31fps. New generation HD Graphics 4000 3D performance is about 60% higher than HD Graphics 3000. GIGABYTE Z77X-UD3H WiFi Pros 1. Z77 white design and boot screen are better than the past. 2. UEFI BIOS provides two BIOS interfaces. 3. Exclusive BT4.0 /Atheros WiFi card can provide wide connectivity to all mobile devices. 4. Built-in debug LED, 3 buttons and unique mSATA SSD slot. 5. Back IO panel provides USB 3.0 and build in personal preferred Atheros LAN and VIA audio chip. Cons 1. DDR3 2600 compatibility need to be improved. 2. UEFI GUI interface make booting speed is lower than traditional BIOS few seconds. Future Windows8 will fine tune UEFI. Performance ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 82/100 Components ★★★★★★★★★☆ 88/100 Specification ★★★★★★★★★☆ 86/100 Appearance ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 82/100 C/P Value ★★★★★★★★★☆ 88/100 Let’s look back to Core i7-3770K CPU again. Performance, temperature and power consumption performance are improved mostly, but the temperature is not as good as expectation. 22nm really lower the power consumption, and CPU performance is about 200MHz higher than SNB. IGP HD 4000 3D performance is 60% improved. It makes integrated GPU can support mid to low 3D software. This is the first time for CPU using 3D transistors technology. The temperature after OC is higher than 2700K. Let’s move to Z77 chipset. It has several advantages comparing to Z68. All MB brands launched rich Z77 product lines. Native USB 3.0, Intel Smart Connect / Quick Sync 2.0, Lucid Universal MVP and so on. The most concern point is price. Z77 price is close to Z68. Even some Z77 boards price is lower than Z68. Now, you can see the benefits of Z77 chipset. GIGABYTE Z77X-UD3H WiFi is mid-range of Z77 market, but the spec and components are complete. They implement many designs from X79 and Z68 to Z77X-UD3H. Especially, the BT4.0/WiFi card are distinguishing exclusive feature The price is a little higher than Z68X-UD3H, but the spec is much better. It makes Z77X-UD3H be a good choice in mid-end market. This review is also in my blog WIND3C, Any comments are welcome.

CPU 100.3 X 46 => 4601.24MHz(Disable Turbo Boost and C1E) DDR3 2401.2 CL10 11-11-27 1T(Enable XMP mode) Hyper PI 32M X8 => 12m 25.166s CPUMARK 99 => 725 Nuclearus Multi Core => 32856 Fritz Chess Benchmark => 36.22/17384 CrystalMark 2004R3 => 365211 CINEBENCH R11.5 CPU => 9.35 pts CPU(Single Core) => 1.96 pts FRYRENDER Running Time => 4m 01s x264 FHD Benchmark => 27.3 PCMark Vantage => 24906 After OC, 3770K single thread performance increases 17~18% and 4C8T full speed performance increases 17~19%. If we compare 3770K to 2700K, 4.6GHz 3770K performance is close to 4.8GHz 2700K. This is Ivy Bridge new structure strength. DRAM Bandwidth Test DDR3 2401.2 CL10 11-11-27 1T ADIA64 Memory Read - 23337 MB/s Sandra Memory Bandwidth - 27784 MB/s MaXXMEM Memory-Copy - 27482 MB/s As default CPU clock, LGA 1155 Sandy Bridge can achieve DDR3-2133 LGA 2011 Sandy Bridge-E can reach DDR3-2400. You can see the different max DDR3 frequency in same Sandy Bridge memroy controller. This time, LGA 1155 Ivy Bridge can achieve DDR3 2400~2666 up. Ivy Bridge memory controller makes the best standard of high frequency high performance. Temperature (Room Temp. is around 30˚C) Enter to OS Desktop - 34~40 CPU Full Speed by running LinX - 77~83 3770k temperature increases 6~12 when entering to OS desktop and 10~23 as full speed. If comparing to default and OC 4.6GHz, the increased temperature is in acceptable range. As 22nm manufacturing, the temperature is higher than SNB. It may cause by Intel first using 3D transistors technology. This new technology makes 22nm temperature is not lower. The temperature performance is a fly in the ointment. Power Consumption Enter to OS Desktop - 64W

Temperature (Room Temp. is around 30˚C) Enter to OS Desktop - 28~34 CPU Full Speed by running LinX - 60~67 As high room temperature, I use CORSAIR Hydro H60 with 12cm high speed fan. The temperature is not same as past experience. As CPU yield rate improving, it may relate to 3D transistors. Power Consumption Enter to OS Desktop - 34W CPU Full Speed by running LinX - 106W 3770K enters to OS desktop is 11W lower than 2700K, about 25% lower. Full speed is 3W more than 2700K, about 3% up. 3770K power consumption is lower as entering to OS desktop. For full speed, the power consumption is similar to SNB. OC Test Let’s check UEFI related interface first. CPU Clock Ratio set to 46, 4600MHz. Enable X.M.P. to set DDR3 to 2133 automatically. System Memory Multiplier set to 24, DDR3-2400 by DDR3 quality. Advanced CPU Options You can define individual CPU Core ratio or decide how many Core to enable. C1E is power saving technology which is contrary to Intel Turbo Boost. Intel Turbo Boost will rise CPU frequency by different loading. DDR3 2400 parameters are CL10 11-11-27 1T. Major three OC voltage range. CPU Vcore 0.800~1.900V DRAM Voltage 1.100~2.100V CPU Vtt 0.800~1.700V 3770K voltage is very low as OC to 4.6GHz. The CPU Vcore is 1.235V. PC Health Status GIGABYTE UEFI interface provides 6 languages. Normally, I spend 3 to 5 days to fine tune all voltage and OC set up. Ivy Bridge new platform takes me almost 2 weeks to find the balance between CPU and DDR3. Every CPU and DDR3 quality will impact the OC result. The cooling devices and room temperature will make difference as well. The value above is based on my personal equipments. 3770K OC CPU 4.6GHz / DDR3 2133 OC 2400.

mSATA SSD slot supports small capacity SSD. It can work with Intel Smart Response to enhance system performance. However, RAID 5 will be disabled. Heat-sink cutting and color are good texture. System Configuration CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K MB: GIGABYTE Z77X-UD3H WiFi DRAM: CORSAIR DOMINATOR-GT CMT16GX3M4X2133C9 VGA: Intel HD Graphics 4000 HD: Intel 520 Series 120GB POWER: CORSAIR AX650W Cooler: CORSAIR Hydro Series H60 OS: Windows7 Ultimate 64bit First of all, I test in CPU default mode. Default Setting CPU 100 X 35 => 3500MHz (Enable Turbo Boost and C1E) DDR3 2134.2 CL9 11-10-27 2T (Enable XMP mode) Hyper PI 32M X8 => 14m 10.826s CPUMARK 99 => 615 Nuclearus Multi Core => 28541 Fritz Chess Benchmark => 30.77/14770 CrystalMark 2004R3 => 318966 CINEBENCH R11.5 CPU => 7.86 pts CPU(Single Core) => 1.67 pts FRYRENDER Running Time => 4m 42s x264 FHD Benchmark => 23.1 PCMark Vantage => 23265 If we compare3nd Core i7-3770K and previous 2nd Core i7-2700K, 3770K single thread performance is 3~6% higher and 4C8T is 10~14% higher. The main difference is 22nm and 32nm. The frequency are both 3.5GHz and 3.9GHz by Turbo Boost. As my personal using experience, these 3 generations Core i CPU, each generation has 10~15% performance improved. DRAM Bandwidth Test DDR3 2134.2 CL9 11-10-27 2T ADIA64 Memory Read - 21358 MB/s Sandra Memory Bandwidth - 27475 MB/s MaXXMEM Memory-Copy - 23497 MB/s All new platforms DDR3 performance can divide into bandwidth and max frequency. For bandwidth, Ivy Bridge DDR3 is similar to Sandy Bridge. However, the max frequency is improved a lot which I will show you the detail later.

Since Intel launched Sandy Bridge in Jan 2011, it’s been a year. In April 2012, Intel released LGA115 socket, code name is Ivy Bridge. CPU manufacturing from 32nm 2nd Core I improves to 22nm 3nd Core I and some new technology. The most high end chipset is Z77 instead of Z68. Simultaneously, mid-end chipset is H77 to replace H67. Also B75 is for SMB. The price is higher than H61. Z77 position is same as Z68. It integrates all new features. It owns GPU output and CPU/GUP overclock options. It’s for high performance. Z77 is also native support USB3.0 plus native SATA3 which is same as Z68. Z77 complements the new generation I/O spec. However, it would be better to support more SATA3 Ports. This guide is test with Z77 mid-end range product - GIGABYTE Z77X-UD3H WiFi. GIGABYTE started this design from X79. White background looks better. Accessories The WiFi means this model bundles BT4.0 and WiFi PCI-E card. Lower-Right is two different USB devices. WiFi make PC location be more flexible. As more mobile devices be more popular, now your PC can link with smart phone or tablet through BT and WiFi. GIGABYTE Z77X-UD3H position is replacing Z68X-UD3H. Z77 UD3H plus WiFi is only 10USD more than Z68. However, it bundles exclusive PCI-E BT4.0/WiFi card to have better C/P. Main color is black and heat sink is blue. The harmonize colors are good. Intel Smart Response and Lucid Virtu GPU are still key functions of Z77. Lower-Left Corner 3 X PCI-E X16 support 2-Way AMD CrossFireX/nVIDIA SLI technology When using Ivy Bridge CPU, the bandwidth is Gen3 X16 + X8 + X4 3 X PCI-E X1 1 X PCI LAN chip is Atheros GbE LAN Audio chip is VIA VT2021 supporting 7.1 channel and High Definition Audio technology Design in Taipei Lower-Right Corner 2 x White SATA, by Z77, support SATA3 4 x Black SATA, by Z77, support SATA2 It supports hybrid RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and RAID 10. The max performance is decided by installed SATA devices. 2 x 64 Mbit flash, Dual BIOS double protection, Debug LED Upper-Right Corner 4 x DIMM DDR3 support 1333/1600/1866/2133/2666(OC). The max DDR3 capacity is 32GB. It supports Extreme Memory Profile. Next is 24-PIN power connector and front USB 3.0. Red Power button, black Reset and blue Clear CMOS buttons. The part below are 7 onboard voltage read points for accurate real-time voltage reading. IO 1 X PS2 Keyboard/Mouse 1 X D-Sub / DVI-D / HDMI / DisplayPort 1 X S/PDIF Optical Output 6 X USB 3.0/2.0(Blue) 2 X eSATA 6Gb/s(Red) 1 X RJ-45 LAN 6 X Audio Jacks

CPU Full Speed by running LinX - 145W 3770K has great advantage in power consumption. It should be 22nm manufacturing credit. Entering to OS desktop is 15W lower than past high end platform. Full speed is 25~30W lower. This is one of Ivy Bridge advantages. Intel HD Graphics 4000 Performance Test GPU default in BIOS is 23, 1150MHz 3DMark Vantage => P4745 StreetFighter IV Benchmark 1280 X 720 => 98.93 FPS FINAL FANTASY XIV 1280 X 720 => 1698 Intel GPU - HD 3000 and HD 4000 comparison. CPU and GPU are both in default frequency. 3770K 3DMark Vantage is 4100 and 2770K is 2500分. StreetFighter IV Benchmark high resolution 1920 X 1080, 3770K is 50fps and 2700K is 31fps. New generation HD Graphics 4000 3D performance is about 60% higher than HD Graphics 3000. GIGABYTE Z77X-UD3H WiFi Pros 1. Z77 white design and boot screen are better than the past. 2. UEFI BIOS provides two BIOS interfaces. 3. Exclusive BT4.0 /Atheros WiFi card can provide wide connectivity to all mobile devices. 4. Built-in debug LED, 3 buttons and unique mSATA SSD slot. 5. Back IO panel provides USB 3.0 and build in personal preferred Atheros LAN and VIA audio chip. Cons 1. DDR3 2600 compatibility need to be improved. 2. UEFI GUI interface make booting speed is lower than traditional BIOS few seconds. Future Windows8 will fine tune UEFI. Performance ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 82/100 Components ★★★★★★★★★☆ 88/100 Specification ★★★★★★★★★☆ 86/100 Appearance ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 82/100 C/P Value ★★★★★★★★★☆ 88/100 Let’s look back to Core i7-3770K CPU again. Performance, temperature and power consumption performance are improved mostly, but the temperature is not as good as expectation. 22nm really lower the power consumption, and CPU performance is about 200MHz higher than SNB. IGP HD 4000 3D performance is 60% improved. It makes integrated GPU can support mid to low 3D software. This is the first time for CPU using 3D transistors technology. The temperature after OC is higher than 2700K. Let’s move to Z77 chipset. It has several advantages comparing to Z68. All MB brands launched rich Z77 product lines. Native USB 3.0, Intel Smart Connect / Quick Sync 2.0, Lucid Universal MVP and so on. The most concern point is price. Z77 price is close to Z68. Even some Z77 boards price is lower than Z68. Now, you can see the benefits of Z77 chipset. GIGABYTE Z77X-UD3H WiFi is mid-range of Z77 market, but the spec and components are complete. They implement many designs from X79 and Z68 to Z77X-UD3H. Especially, the BT4.0/WiFi card are distinguishing exclusive feature The price is a little higher than Z68X-UD3H, but the spec is much better. It makes Z77X-UD3H be a good choice in mid-end market. This review is also in my blog WIND3C, Any comments are welcome.

CPU 100.3 X 46 => 4601.24MHz(Disable Turbo Boost and C1E) DDR3 2401.2 CL10 11-11-27 1T(Enable XMP mode) Hyper PI 32M X8 => 12m 25.166s CPUMARK 99 => 725 Nuclearus Multi Core => 32856 Fritz Chess Benchmark => 36.22/17384 CrystalMark 2004R3 => 365211 CINEBENCH R11.5 CPU => 9.35 pts CPU(Single Core) => 1.96 pts FRYRENDER Running Time => 4m 01s x264 FHD Benchmark => 27.3 PCMark Vantage => 24906 After OC, 3770K single thread performance increases 17~18% and 4C8T full speed performance increases 17~19%. If we compare 3770K to 2700K, 4.6GHz 3770K performance is close to 4.8GHz 2700K. This is Ivy Bridge new structure strength. DRAM Bandwidth Test DDR3 2401.2 CL10 11-11-27 1T ADIA64 Memory Read - 23337 MB/s Sandra Memory Bandwidth - 27784 MB/s MaXXMEM Memory-Copy - 27482 MB/s As default CPU clock, LGA 1155 Sandy Bridge can achieve DDR3-2133 LGA 2011 Sandy Bridge-E can reach DDR3-2400. You can see the different max DDR3 frequency in same Sandy Bridge memroy controller. This time, LGA 1155 Ivy Bridge can achieve DDR3 2400~2666 up. Ivy Bridge memory controller makes the best standard of high frequency high performance. Temperature (Room Temp. is around 30˚C) Enter to OS Desktop - 34~40 CPU Full Speed by running LinX - 77~83 3770k temperature increases 6~12 when entering to OS desktop and 10~23 as full speed. If comparing to default and OC 4.6GHz, the increased temperature is in acceptable range. As 22nm manufacturing, the temperature is higher than SNB. It may cause by Intel first using 3D transistors technology. This new technology makes 22nm temperature is not lower. The temperature performance is a fly in the ointment. Power Consumption Enter to OS Desktop - 64W

Temperature (Room Temp. is around 30˚C) Enter to OS Desktop - 28~34 CPU Full Speed by running LinX - 60~67 As high room temperature, I use CORSAIR Hydro H60 with 12cm high speed fan. The temperature is not same as past experience. As CPU yield rate improving, it may relate to 3D transistors. Power Consumption Enter to OS Desktop - 34W CPU Full Speed by running LinX - 106W 3770K enters to OS desktop is 11W lower than 2700K, about 25% lower. Full speed is 3W more than 2700K, about 3% up. 3770K power consumption is lower as entering to OS desktop. For full speed, the power consumption is similar to SNB. OC Test Let’s check UEFI related interface first. CPU Clock Ratio set to 46, 4600MHz. Enable X.M.P. to set DDR3 to 2133 automatically. System Memory Multiplier set to 24, DDR3-2400 by DDR3 quality. Advanced CPU Options You can define individual CPU Core ratio or decide how many Core to enable. C1E is power saving technology which is contrary to Intel Turbo Boost. Intel Turbo Boost will rise CPU frequency by different loading. DDR3 2400 parameters are CL10 11-11-27 1T. Major three OC voltage range. CPU Vcore 0.800~1.900V DRAM Voltage 1.100~2.100V CPU Vtt 0.800~1.700V 3770K voltage is very low as OC to 4.6GHz. The CPU Vcore is 1.235V. PC Health Status GIGABYTE UEFI interface provides 6 languages. Normally, I spend 3 to 5 days to fine tune all voltage and OC set up. Ivy Bridge new platform takes me almost 2 weeks to find the balance between CPU and DDR3. Every CPU and DDR3 quality will impact the OC result. The cooling devices and room temperature will make difference as well. The value above is based on my personal equipments. 3770K OC CPU 4.6GHz / DDR3 2133 OC 2400.

mSATA SSD slot supports small capacity SSD. It can work with Intel Smart Response to enhance system performance. However, RAID 5 will be disabled. Heat-sink cutting and color are good texture. System Configuration CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K MB: GIGABYTE Z77X-UD3H WiFi DRAM: CORSAIR DOMINATOR-GT CMT16GX3M4X2133C9 VGA: Intel HD Graphics 4000 HD: Intel 520 Series 120GB POWER: CORSAIR AX650W Cooler: CORSAIR Hydro Series H60 OS: Windows7 Ultimate 64bit First of all, I test in CPU default mode. Default Setting CPU 100 X 35 => 3500MHz (Enable Turbo Boost and C1E) DDR3 2134.2 CL9 11-10-27 2T (Enable XMP mode) Hyper PI 32M X8 => 14m 10.826s CPUMARK 99 => 615 Nuclearus Multi Core => 28541 Fritz Chess Benchmark => 30.77/14770 CrystalMark 2004R3 => 318966 CINEBENCH R11.5 CPU => 7.86 pts CPU(Single Core) => 1.67 pts FRYRENDER Running Time => 4m 42s x264 FHD Benchmark => 23.1 PCMark Vantage => 23265 If we compare3nd Core i7-3770K and previous 2nd Core i7-2700K, 3770K single thread performance is 3~6% higher and 4C8T is 10~14% higher. The main difference is 22nm and 32nm. The frequency are both 3.5GHz and 3.9GHz by Turbo Boost. As my personal using experience, these 3 generations Core i CPU, each generation has 10~15% performance improved. DRAM Bandwidth Test DDR3 2134.2 CL9 11-10-27 2T ADIA64 Memory Read - 21358 MB/s Sandra Memory Bandwidth - 27475 MB/s MaXXMEM Memory-Copy - 23497 MB/s All new platforms DDR3 performance can divide into bandwidth and max frequency. For bandwidth, Ivy Bridge DDR3 is similar to Sandy Bridge. However, the max frequency is improved a lot which I will show you the detail later.

Since Intel launched Sandy Bridge in Jan 2011, it’s been a year. In April 2012, Intel released LGA115 socket, code name is Ivy Bridge. CPU manufacturing from 32nm 2nd Core I improves to 22nm 3nd Core I and some new technology. The most high end chipset is Z77 instead of Z68. Simultaneously, mid-end chipset is H77 to replace H67. Also B75 is for SMB. The price is higher than H61. Z77 position is same as Z68. It integrates all new features. It owns GPU output and CPU/GUP overclock options. It’s for high performance. Z77 is also native support USB3.0 plus native SATA3 which is same as Z68. Z77 complements the new generation I/O spec. However, it would be better to support more SATA3 Ports. This guide is test with Z77 mid-end range product - GIGABYTE Z77X-UD3H WiFi. GIGABYTE started this design from X79. White background looks better. Accessories The WiFi means this model bundles BT4.0 and WiFi PCI-E card. Lower-Right is two different USB devices. WiFi make PC location be more flexible. As more mobile devices be more popular, now your PC can link with smart phone or tablet through BT and WiFi. GIGABYTE Z77X-UD3H position is replacing Z68X-UD3H. Z77 UD3H plus WiFi is only 10USD more than Z68. However, it bundles exclusive PCI-E BT4.0/WiFi card to have better C/P. Main color is black and heat sink is blue. The harmonize colors are good. Intel Smart Response and Lucid Virtu GPU are still key functions of Z77. Lower-Left Corner 3 X PCI-E X16 support 2-Way AMD CrossFireX/nVIDIA SLI technology When using Ivy Bridge CPU, the bandwidth is Gen3 X16 + X8 + X4 3 X PCI-E X1 1 X PCI LAN chip is Atheros GbE LAN Audio chip is VIA VT2021 supporting 7.1 channel and High Definition Audio technology Design in Taipei Lower-Right Corner 2 x White SATA, by Z77, support SATA3 4 x Black SATA, by Z77, support SATA2 It supports hybrid RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and RAID 10. The max performance is decided by installed SATA devices. 2 x 64 Mbit flash, Dual BIOS double protection, Debug LED Upper-Right Corner 4 x DIMM DDR3 support 1333/1600/1866/2133/2666(OC). The max DDR3 capacity is 32GB. It supports Extreme Memory Profile. Next is 24-PIN power connector and front USB 3.0. Red Power button, black Reset and blue Clear CMOS buttons. The part below are 7 onboard voltage read points for accurate real-time voltage reading. IO 1 X PS2 Keyboard/Mouse 1 X D-Sub / DVI-D / HDMI / DisplayPort 1 X S/PDIF Optical Output 6 X USB 3.0/2.0(Blue) 2 X eSATA 6Gb/s(Red) 1 X RJ-45 LAN 6 X Audio Jacks

As Case position, it’s not only spec and performance as other hardware. Case appearance and design are more important. Quality and texture are must. Also Case can use for many years, picking up a good case is worth. This conclusion comes out after I discuss with some friends. CORSAIR 550D is 3rd models of Obsidian series. The design is different with first 2 models. 550D size is smaller than 650D as well. The acoustic and dust-proof are also improved. 550D uses latest and humane design to avoid any interference for installation. Even though the price is lowest in Obsidian series, 550D is still mid to high end product. Comparing to my ex 120USD cases, this is much better. For users who has no budget concern and need good looking, design and quality, CORSAIR 550D is good to pick. This review is also in my blog WIND3C. Any comments are welcome.

MB is Intel new Z77 chipset, GIGABYTE Z77X-UD5H WiFi Z77 and Z68 main difference is native support USB 3.0. Z77X-UD5H WiFi uses 12 phases PWM for CPU and it has mSATA for SSD. This Z77 is high end position. It bundles with BT4.0/WiFi card and Intel Smart Connect technology. It makes DeskTop PC be capable for wireless data transmission. As Ivy Bridge latest performance, I will share later. Core i5-2380P CPU Performance Hyper PI 32M X 12 => 10m 23.362s CPUMARK 99 => 523 x264 FHD Benchmark => 15.8 Fritz Chess Benchmark => 21.50/10318 CrystalMark 2004R3 => 309300 CINEBENCH R11.5 CPU => 5.42 pts CPU(Single Core) => 1.39 pts FRYRENDER Running Time => 7m 52s 2380P CPU performance is same as Core i5-2400. It’s enough for most applications. If you need higher performance, please go for K series CPU. 3DMark Vantage GPU SCORE => 19859 CPU SCORE => 64255 If using GTX 560Ti 3DMark Vantage as reference, Core i7 CPU is hard to over P25000. 2380P default can reach 24000 is very good already. For installation, Z77X-UD5H WiFi size is 30.5 X 24.4cm. The space is quite spacious. Even though 550D spec is supporting ATX and mATX, E-ATX is also supported. Back cabling and modulized Power Supply make space cleaner. There is only bottom needs cable finishing. Back cabling has more space to avoid interference of side panels. The PC in 550D is no noise as booting. This is what a quiet case should be. Sometimes, I even forgot the system is on. Inner case has many layers foam, the sound-absorbing is very good.