ASRock expands PCI Express 3.0 motherboard line-up

Apart from Fatal1ty Z68 Professional Gen3 that is already available in several e-stores, ASRock company has released four more motherboards with supports of PCI Express 3.0 – their names say “Gen3” to differ from similar products. Three of them are based on Intel Z68 chipset, while the fourth uses Intel P67 chipset. Note that the last does not have supports for integrated graphics processor of Sandy Bridge. On the other hand, all of them are capable to work with Ivy Bridge processors, in fact, these processors are required to feel full power of PCI Express 3.0.

James Lee, V.P of ASRock Sales and Marketing,commented:

ASRock is prioritizing PCIe 3.0 motherboard implementation. We are the first to produce the most sophisticated PCIe Gen3 motherboards. ASRock has always been a leader in every evolutionary cycle. The latest Z68 Extreme7 Gen3 mainboard is the most powerful Gen3 appliance on the market can support Intel’s revolutionary Ivy Bridge processors and full-power NVIDIA 3-Way SLI technology.

Asrock Z68 Extreme4 Gen3 and P67 Extreme4 Gen3 has similar operation modes of PCI Express x16 slots as Fatal1ty Z68 Professional Gen3 board – two of three available slots are of 3.0 standard. With two cards installed the slots operate in x8 + x8 mode. Junior Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 model feature only two PCI Express x16 expansion slots, both of 3.0 specification.

Finally, Z68 Extreme7 Gen3 has five PCI Express x16, however, only one of them can work as 3.0. With 2-way Corssfire or SLI enabled PCI Express slots work in x16 + x16, whereas three-way multi card config switches slot operation scheme to x16 + x8 + x8. Obliviously this is done with additional on-board bridge-chip.

The novelties include up-to six USB 3.0 ports, seven to twelve USB 2.0, two to six SATA 3 ports, four SATA 2 ports and one eSATA. In addition, Z68 motherboards have HDMI, D-Sub and DVI-D ports with extra Display ports implemented in Extreme7 Gen3 and Extreme4 Gen3. Price info is not available at the moment.