Introduction

Hey it's the second week of May, time for something new and refreshing. Intel Sandy Bridge based processors (after a rough start) have been kicking hard and loud in the desktop market. To date it is one of the most impressive processor series we have seen and we can't evangelize enough about it.

With the initial launch, however, Intel for the consumer market allowed two primary chipsets in the mainstream and performance segment, H67 and P67. H67 is directed at mainstream, does not allow any overclocking yet comes with monitor output support like HDMI, DVI and DisplayPort. P67 on the other end is performance and enthusiast tweaking oriented, in combo with a K series processor like the Core i7 2600K we'll be using today you can do some seriously crazy stuff, like overclocking on air close to 5 GHz. But here you do not get the option for monitor outputs.

So something was clearly missing, and today Intel is going to close that gap with the Z68 chipset. A chipset that has the full feature set of BOTH the H67 and P67 chipsets and then it also has a little surprise in store.

With the Z68 Intel also introduces Intel Smart Response Technology, which allows you to use a SSD to cache a large volume HDD, it's a bit of a hybrid mode, a symbiosis of the two to gain on static storage performance. Next to that most Z68 motherboards will get the ability to switch in-between the processor IGP and a dedicated graphics card. That means you could use the Sandy Bridge IGP for seriously fast transcoding, yet once you want to play a game your dedicated graphics card, that 3D accelerated solution will kick in. Pretty cool stuff, in theory.

So today a closer look at the technology and of course we'll review a unit, the Z68 motherboard tested, reviewed and spanked comes from ASUS. We'll test their P8Z68-V-PRO motherboard. Armed with the latest gadgets, features and that Z68 chipset it will make that thing down under tickle a little. Have a peek at the motherboard, and then let's head onwards into the review.