An Assassin, just like his father, Gigabyte's new X79 motherboard

Subject: Motherboards | March 16, 2012 - 01:28 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: gigabyte, assassin 2, x79, lga2011

The Gigabyte Assassin 2 carries on with Gigabyte's militaristic theme with a heatsink shaped like a handgun but there are some new features over and above the bright green expansion slots.  The board uses the E-ATX form factor and sports not only Bigfoot's KillerNIC onboard but also a WiFi card with two antenna, giving your next LGA2011 build a lot of networking power.  LanOC's testing revealed that the storage controller on this board lagged behind some similar models and they had some audio issues as well, though it is possible a BIOS update could change that.  They were also disappointed to be limited to 4 DIMMs maximum, as other high end X79 boards sport an extra pair of slots for a truly large memory pool.

"It seems almost like it was yesterday when I took a close look at Gigabytes Assassin, flagship motherboard on the X58 chipset. Here we are less than a year later with a new chipset and socket available. That means it’s time once again to take a look at Gigabyte’s flagship gaming motherboard, the Assassin 2 X79. With a lower price point, smaller form factor, and all of the features of the original we loved the Assassin 2 should be a great board. Of course we won’t know that for sure until we dig in a little farther, so let’s jump in!"

Here are some more Motherboard articles from around the web:

Motherboards

• ASUS Rampage IV Formula X79 Motherboard @ Benchmark Reviews
• Asus P8Z68-V Pro Gen 3 @ Kitguru
• MSI Big Bang XPower II @ Tweaktown
• ASUS Maximus IV Extreme-Z Motherboard @ Hardware Secrets
• ASUS Rampage IV Gene @ Bjorn3D
• MSI Big Bang XPower II Motherboard Review @ Legit Reviews
• Asus P9X79 Motherboard Review @ Ninjalane
• Gigabyte GA-Z77M-D3H Z77 Motherboard Preview @ eTeknix
• GIGABYTE Z77 Motherboards: A Preview @ Bjorn3D
• ASUS Z77 LGA1155 Motherboards Preview @ Hardware Canucks
• ASUS Sabertooth Z77 preview @ Guru of 3D
• A Look at ASUS' Z77 Motherboard Features @ Techgage
• BIOS Option Of The Week - NX Technology @ TechARP

Intel Announces New Xeon Processor to Power the Cloud

Subject: Processors | March 6, 2012 - 02:26 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: xeon E5-2600, xeon e5, xeon, Sandy Bridge E, lga2011, Intel

SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 6, 2012 – Addressing the incredible growth of data traffic in the cloud, Intel Corporation announced the record-breaking Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 product family. These new processors deliver leadership performance, best data center performance per watt, breakthrough I/O innovation and trusted hardware security features to enable IT to scale. These processors are not only at the heart of servers and workstations, but will also power the next generation of storage and communication systems from leading vendors around the world.

Forecasts call for 15 billion connected devices and over 3 billion connected users by 2015. The amount of global data center IP traffic is forecasted to grow by 33 percent annually through 2015, surpassing 4.8 zetabytes per year, more than 3 times the amount in 2011. At these levels, each connected user will generate more than 4GB of data traffic every day – the equivalent of a 4-hour HD movie. This will increase the amount of data that needs to be stored by almost 50 percent per year. ­ In order to scale to meet this growth, the worldwide number of cloud servers is expected to more than triple by 2015.

“The growth in cloud computing and connected devices is transforming the way businesses benefit from IT products and services,” said Diane Bryant, Intel vice president and general manager of the Datacenter and Connected Systems Group. “For businesses to capitalize on these innovations, the industry must address unprecedented demand for efficient, secure and high-performing datacenter infrastructure. The Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 product family is designed to address these challenges by offering unparalleled, balanced performance across compute, storage and network, while reducing operating costs.” The key requirements to enable IT to scale are performance, energy efficiency, I/O bandwidth and security. With the best combination of performance, built-in capabilities and cost-effectiveness, the new Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 product families are designed to address these requirements, and become the heart of the next-generation data center powering servers, storage and communication systems.

Leadership Performance with Best Data Center Performance per Watt
Supporting up to eight cores per processor and up to 768GB of system memory, the Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 product family increases performance by up to 80 percent, compared to the previous-generation Intel Xeon processor 5600 series. The family also supports Intel Advanced Vector Extension (Intel AVX) that increases the performance on compute-intensive applications such as financial analysis, media content creation and high performance computing up to 2 times.

Additional built-in technologies such as Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0, Intel Hyper-Threading Technology and Intel Virtualization Technology provide IT with flexible capabilities to increase the performance of their infrastructure dynamically. These performance advances have led the Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 product family to capture 1510 new dual socket x86 world records.

Modern data centers must improve the raw performance they deliver, but also do so efficiently by reducing power consumption and operating costs. The Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 product family continue Intel’s focus on reducing total cost of ownership by improving energy efficient performance more than 50 percent as measured by SPECpower_ssj 2008 compared to the previous generation Intel Xeon processor 5600 series. These processors offer support for tools to monitor and control power usage such as Intel Node Manager and Intel Data Center Manager, which provide accurate, real-time power and thermal data to system management consoles. In addition, Intel’s leadership performance allows IT managers to meet their growing demands while optimizing software license and capital costs.

I/O Innovation and Network Capabilities
With the unprecedented growth in data traffic it is essential that systems not only improve computational abilities, but also enable data to flow faster to support data-hungry applications and increase the bandwidth within the data center. The Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 product family meets these needs with Intel Integrated I/O (Intel IIO) and Intel Data Direct I/O (Intel DDIO). Intel DDIO allows Intel Ethernet controllers and adapters to route I/O traffic directly to processor cache, reducing trips to system memory reducing power consumption and I/O latency. The Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 product family is also the first server processors to integrate the I/O controller supporting PCI Express 3.0 directly into the microprocessor. This integration reduces latency up to 30 percent11 compared to prior generations and with PCI Express 3.0 can up to triple the movement of data into and out of the processor.

The high-performance processing power along with Intel Integrated I/O and advanced storage features such as PCIe non-transparent bridging and asynchronous DRAM refresh, makes the Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 product family also an ideal choice for storage and communications solutions.

Increasing bandwidth demands driven by server virtualization and data and storage network consolidation have led to strong growth in 10 Gigabit Ethernet deployments, with adapter port shipments exceeding 1 million units in each quarter of 2011. Today’s announcement of the Intel Ethernet Controller X540 demonstrates Intel’s commitment to driving 10 Gigabit Ethernet to the mainstream by reducing implementation costs. This industry-first single-chip 10GBASE-T solution is designed for low-cost, low-power LAN on motherboard (LOM) and includes flexible I/O Virtualization and Unified networking support at no additional cost.

Trusted Security
The Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 product family reaffirms Intel’s commitment to providing a more secure hardware foundation for today’s data centers. Intel Advanced Encryption Standard New Instruction (Intel AES-NI14) helps systems to quickly encrypt and decrypt data running over a range of applications and transactions. Intel Trusted Execution Technology (Intel TXT15) creates a trusted foundation to reduce the infrastructure exposure to malicious attacks. These features in partnership with leading software applications will help IT protect their data centers against attack and scale to meet the demands of their customers.

Extensive Industry Support
Starting today, system manufacturers from around the world are expected to announce hundreds of Intel Xeon processor E5 family-based platforms. These manufacturers include Acer, Appro, Asus, Bull, Cisco, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, Hitachi, Huawei, IBM, Inspur, Lenovo, NEC, Oracle, Quanta, SGI, Sugon, Supermicro and Unisys.

Apart from the aesthetics, MSI's X79A-GD65 (8D) is a solid choice for LGA2011 processors

Subject: Motherboards | February 28, 2012 - 02:55 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: MSI X79A-GD65 (8D), msi, lga2011

The MSI Z79A-GD65 (8D) provoked an immediately negative reaction from [H]ard|OCP as two of the first things they noticed were the inconvenient placing of the CMOS battery and the auxiliary power plug for the PCIe slots.  If you are planning on a triple GPU system you are not going to like this board.  However if you plan on only a single or dual GPU system then these points of contention may not apply to you and other features, such as the impressive overclocking potential, make this board a solid choice.  It seems that it could use a BIOS update though, not only because of strange voltage readings but also because of the clunky implementation of the UEFI aka Click-BIOS.

"MSI is known for high quality motherboards, many of which are targeted toward the enthusiast and gamer. It is one of these products we are looking at today in the form of the MSI X79A-GD65 (8D). A mid-range offering in the LGA2011 motherboard market. Sandy Bridge E processor and 8 DIMM slots for your exploitation!"

Here are some more Motherboard articles from around the web:

Motherboards

• ASRock X79 Fatal1ty Professional Motherboard @ Hardware Secrets
• MSI Big Bang-XPower II X79 Review – A World of Novelty Heatsinks @ AnandTech
• BIOSTAR TPower X79 Motherboard Review @ Legit Reviews
• ASUS X79 Sabretooth Motherboard Review @ Madshrimps
• ASRock Fatal1ty Z68 Professional Gen3 Motherboard Review @ Madshrimps
• Gigabyte Z68X UD3H Motherboard Review @ Ninjalane
• ASUS Rampage IV Formula BF3 Edition @ Hardwareoverclock
• BIOS Option Of The Week - DCLK Feedback Delay @ TechARP
• Roundup: Mini-ITX Mainboards for Socket FM1 Processors @ X-bit Labs

Five X79 boards to choose from

Subject: Motherboards | January 23, 2012 - 05:22 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: x79, asus, asrock, Intel, msi, ECS, lga2011, p9x79 deluxe, X79 Extreme9, X79R-AX, DX79SI, X79A-GD65(8D)

There are five usual suspects when discussing the X79 chipset, Asus's P9X79 Deluxe, the Asrock X79 Extreme9, ECS's X79R-AX, Intel's DX79SI and last but not least, MSI's X79A-GD65(8D).  While very similar overall, each board has distinct features that the companies have introduced as standard over the years, from ASUS' Q-LED to MSI's OC Genie.  TechSpot had their work cut out for them, the boards range in price by $100 and the board that they picked as the winner might just surprise you.

"Those wanting to build the ultimate performance system will naturally turn to Intel’s new LGA2011 platform which recently made its debut with the Sandy Bridge-E processors. This highly refined architecture takes the original Sandy Bridge design and pumps it full of steroids, while adding a few new things. Moreover, the platform is expected to support enthusiast-level Ivy Bridge processors that are slated for release by the end of 2012, adding to the platform's longevity.

So if you're already spending $600+ on a processor alone, you'll want to make sure your motherboard is equally impressive. Today we are checking out five high-end X79 motherboards from Asus, Asrock, ECS, Intel and MSI."

Here are some more Motherboard articles from around the web:

Motherboards

• MSI X79A-GD65 (8D) Review @ OCC
• ECS X79R-AX (Black Extreme) @ AnandTech
• ECS H67H2-M Black Edition Intel H67 Express @ PC Stats
• Biostar TH67XE Intel H67 Express @ PC Stats
• BIOS Option Of The Week - PCI Dynamic Bursting @ Tech ARP

Of ASRock's consistency and an Extreme X79 motherboard

Subject: Motherboards | January 13, 2012 - 03:21 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: asrock, x79, X79 Extreme4, lga2011, sandy bridge-e

[H]ard|OCP starts out their review of the ASRock X79 Extreme4 with a tale of two motherboards and the quality issues that they discovered.   In part it is a warning and in part it offers contrast to the decent quality of the review model that they received.  The board did display a few minor problems during testing, which prompted [H] to caution anyone picking this or any other ASRock board that they may need to deal with the RMA process.  Assuming you get a working board the Extreme4 offers a great experience for you.  The two PCIe 16x slots and single 8x slot are all PCIe 2.0 which may disappoint some who plan on upgrading their CPU or installing a PCIe SSD card.  Apart from those two main issues, [H] were quite happy with this board.

"After the last couple of ASRock boards, I wasn’t sure if I ever wanted to see another one. The ASRock X79 Extreme4 not only surpassed my admittedly low expectations, but proved to be the exact opposite of the last two motherboards. Grab a sandwich and read on. You don’t want to miss this one."

Here are some more Motherboard articles from around the web:

Motherboards

• Intel DH67BL Intel H67 Express Motherboard Review @ PCSTATS
• Intel Core i7 3820 and ASrock Extreme4-M @ Kitguru
• Gigabyte G1.Assassin 2 @ Guru3D
• ASUS's Dual Socket 2011 Workstation Motherboard - Z9PE-D8 WS @ VR-Zone

Took you long enough! EVGA finally shows off the dual socket SR-X

Subject: General Tech, Shows and Expos | January 12, 2012 - 12:11 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: SR-X, lga2011, evga, CES

EVGA's dual LGA 1366 SR-2 motherboard has been on the HWLB Extreme System for a while now, even as the Dream system continued to change since there has not been a new high performance dual socket motherboard ... until now.  The EVGA SR-X should be replacing the board soon, paired with some LGA2011 Xeon processors.  It will not be the Core i7-3930K Sandy Bridge-E CPU however, even though they are essentially trimmed down Xeons they are not designed to work in tandem.  Strangely the memory is not balanced between the two sockets, with 4 DIMM slots near one socket and 8 near the other, though space is tight on the board as there are also 7 PCIe 16x slots.  Check out the pictures of this board and other EVGA displays at Legit Reviews.

"It doesn't seem all that long ago that we were able to get our hands on the EVGA Classified SR-2 motherboard. It featured dual Intel LGA1366 sockets and support for Intel Xeon processors. During our meeting with EVGA this morning, the revealed the successor to the SR-2, the SR-X! The EVGA SR-X is a dual socket LGA2011 motherboard once again for Xeon processors. If you're hoping to use your Intel Sandy Bridge-E processor, unfortunately it won't work with a pair of them due the single QPI design of the Sandy Bridge-E processors."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• CES 2012: Razer 'Project Fiona' Gaming Tablet and Blade Gaming Laptop @ Legit Reviews
• CES 2012 Coverage @ Hardware Secrets
• ES 2012: Belkin Rebranding & In-Win Cases @ Benchmark Reviews
• CES 2012 in Pictures: Part 1 @ Techspot
• Imagination releases new graphics cores @ SemiAccurate
• Kodak Hero 9.1 Review @ TechReviewSource
• DIY virtual machines: Rigging up at home @ The Register
• VIA, SiS achieve results from non-PC industry @ DigiTimes
• Real World Labs And RaidSonic Joint Contest

ASUS Rampage IV Formula and Gene plus dual LGA2011 MB showcased

Subject: Motherboards, Shows and Expos | January 10, 2012 - 08:38 PM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: rampage iv gene, rampage iv formula, lga2011, gene, CES, asus

While we have already detailed the ASUS tablet and notebook products shown here at CES, the company didn't leave the enthusiasts and PC builders out in the cold.  In this video we chat with J.J. Guerrero about the upcoming Rampage IV Formula and Gene motherboards that bring some interesting new audio features to the X79 platform.  Oh, and just for fun, a quick look at the upcoming dual-socket LGA2011 Xeon motherboard for those that think 32-thread systems are the way to go.

PC Perspective's CES 2012 coverage is sponsored by MSI Computer.

Follow all of our coverage of the show at http://pcper.com/ces!