Thunderbolt is the next-generation I/O interface that significantly boosts file transfer rates. With transfer rates of up to 10 Gbps, Intel says that it can transfer a full-length HD movie in less than 30 secs. Compare that to USB 2.0 and it is generations ahead in both read and write speeds. Asus today announced P8Z77-V Premium, a mainboard that supports the exact same high-speed interface. It is the first Intel-certified motherboard with Thunderbolt.
Thunderbolt is said to be two times faster than USB 3.0 and 20 times faster than USB 2.0 which remains to be the most widely used I/O technology across most devices. Each Thunderbolt port is capable of reading and writing 10 Gbps and up to six compatible devices can be connected to Asus P8Z77-V Premium. Fully display support with a monitor equipped with either DisplayPort or Thunderbolt is also made possible by a seventh port. But you won’t be limited to Thunderbolt with P8Z77-V Premium because it also includes half a dozen USB 2.0 and five USB 3.0 ports.
Hardware
|
Specifications |
Asus P8Z77-V Premium Motherboard |
| Form factor | ATX Form Factor, 12 x 9.6 in |
| CPU | Intel socket 1155 for 3-rd/2-nd Generation Core i7/Core i5/Core i3/Pentium/Celeron Processors; Supports Intel 22nm, 32nm CPU and Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 depending on CPU types |
| Chipset | Intel Z77 |
| Memory | 4 x DIMM, Max. 32GB, DDR3
1066/1333/1600/1800(OC)/1866(OC)/2000(OC)/2133(OC)/2200(OC)/2400(OC)/2600(OC)/2800(OC) Non-ECC, Un-buffered Memory Dual Channel Memory Architecture Supports Intel Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) *Hyper DIMM support varies depending on CPU |
| Graphic | Integrated Graphics Processor
Multi-VGA output support: HDMI/DisplayPort/Thunderbolt ports |
| Multi-GPU support | Supports NVIDIA 4-Way SLI, AMD 4-Way CrossFireX, and LucidLogix Virtu MVP Technology |
| Expansion slots | 4 x PCIe 3.0/2.0 x 16 slots
2 x PCIe 2.0 x 1 slots |
| Storage | Intel Z77 chipset:
2x SATA 6Gbps ports 3x SATA 3Gbps ports 1x mini-SATA 3Gbps ports with on-board 32GB SSD Support Raid 0, 1, 5, 10 Supports Intel Smart Response, Rapid Start, and Smart Connect Technology Marvell PCIe 9230 controller: 4x SATA 6Gbps ports Support Raid 0, 1, 10 ASMedia PCIe SATA controller: 2x eSATA 6Gbps |
| LAN | Intel 82579V, 1x Gigabit LAN Controller
Intel 82583, 1x Gigabit LAN Controller Dual Gigabit LAN controllers Intel LAN Dual interconnect between the integrated LAN controller and Physical Layer (PHY) |
| Wireless Data Network | WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Supports dual bad frequency 2.4/5 GHz |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.0, Bluetooth 3.0 + HS |
| USB ports | ASMedia USB 3.0 controller: 2x USB 3.0 ports
Intel Z77 chipset: 4x USB 3.0 ports or 6x USB 2.0 ports |
| Overclocking features | ASUS CPR (CPU Parameter Recall) |
Features
One feature of Asus P8Z77-V is multiple SSD caching for installing multiple SSDs without restrictions on capacity. The same feature also allows installation of different HDD/SDD combinations for optimum performance. The onboard 32GB mSATA SSD enables fast boot times and reduces resume times coming from sleep or hibernate. Smart DIGI+ technology boosts performance speeds by up to 85 percent but can also reduce CPU wattage at the same time, cutting it in half.
These are but a few of the many cool features of Asus P8Z77-V Premium. Other functions include real-time network bandwidth control, USB BIOS flashback, and faster USB 3.0 Transmission with UASP. The motherboard also supports ASUS Crystal Sound for an improved audio experience.
