MSI, the world renowned mainboard and graphics card manufacturer takes the CeBIT floor by storm with its new generation of Military Class III and PCI Express Gen3 based products. Intel's newest chipset, Z77 will feature prominently on the Z77A-GD65 and Z77A-GD55 mainboards that are accompanied by record-holding MSI products such as the Big Bang-XPower II and other MSI X79 series mainboards. MSI will also display its latest R7000 series graphics cards including the wildly popular MSI R7970 Lightning and R7870 Hawk featuring the all new Unlocked Digital Power Architecture. Both these cards will be cooled by the all new Twin Frozr IV Thermal Design. Graphics cards fans can also witness MSI's wide array of Power Edition graphics cards supporting Triple Overvoltage and enhanced PWM design. Only MSI's highest quality and stability mainboards and graphics cards that support the newest specifications are able to satisfy picky enthusiasts.

Apart from two of the most notable products from ASRock's booth, the X79 Extreme11 and Z77E-ITX, ASRock unveiled almost every other 7-series chipset motherboard it has in the works. The lineup is diverse, and based on every chipset model Intel will launch in the 7-series.

The Q77M-vPro is designed for commercial desktops that are part of extremely dense local network (such as corporate networks), with an established network hierarchy, and environments that demand greater manageability and data-security. The B75M is based on the Intel B75 chipset, and designed for more mainstream business desktops for small and medium enterprises.

ASRock unveiled a feature-rich mini-ITX socket LGA1155 motherboard based on Intel Z77 chipset, the Z77E-ITX. The board makes good use of its scarce PCB real-estate, with a 6-phase VRM powering the CPU, two DDR3 DIMM slots that support dual-DDR3 2800+ MHz by overclocking, one PCI-Express 3.0 x16 expansion slot, a mini PCIe 2.0 x1 slot (for wireless cards) and lots of connectivity. With storage, there are two SATA 6 Gb/s and two SATA 3 Gb/s internal ports, and one eSATA 3 Gb/s. With display, there's one each of DVI, HDMI, and DisplayPort. 8-channel HD audio gigabit Ethernet, six USB 3.0 ports (4 back, 2 front), make for the rest of it.

With launch of Intel's 7-series chipset a little over a month away, there's hectic activity in the PC motherboard industry, a section of which is wooing the PC enthusiast community. Among this, is ASUS, which has its Republic of Gamers Maximus V series of motherboards ready. In all likelihood, these motherboards are based on Intel's Z77 chipset, and could include three variants, Extreme, Formula, and Gene (micro-ATX). Full pictures, and previews of these motherboards are lined up for a little later this week.

The Z77A-G45 is going to be one of the more affordable socket LGA1155 motherboards based on the Intel Z77 chipset, by MSI. The Z77A series from MSI starts with high end Z77A-GD80, Z77A-GD65, and Z77A-GD55. eTeknix scored pictures of the Z77A-G45. The G45 uses a simple 6-phase VRM to power the LGA1155 CPU. It doesn't cheap out on cooling for the MOSFETs. The socket is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots, supporting dual-channel DDR3 memory.

The expansion slot area is identical to that of all the other Z77A series motherboards, consisting of two PCI-Express 3.0 x16 (x8/x8 when both are populated), one PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (electrical x4), and four PCI-Express 2.0 x1. MSI gave legacy PCI the boot. Strangely enough, this board features NVIDIA SLI support (something unusual for a "G45" model, as "D" in the model name signifies SLI support. The motherboard doesn't appear to use third-party storage or USB 3.0 controllers. All six SATA ports are internal, wired to the Z77 PCH, and consist of two SATA 6 Gb/s, and four SATA 3 Gb/s. All four USB 3.0 ports (two on the rear-panel, two via front-panel header) are wired to the PCH.

Here are the Z77X-UD5H and Z77X-UD3H pictured up-close. The two form Gigabyte's upper-mid range and mid range offerings based on the Intel Z77 chipset, supporting socket LGA1155 "Ivy Bridge" and "Sandy Bridge" Core processors. The Z77X-UD5H is an extremely feature-rich offering, in some aspects a more complete package than even the G1.Sniper 3. It provides a 15-phase CPU and 2-phase memory VRM. Expansion slots on this board include two PCI-Express 3.0 x16 (x16/NC or x8/x8), one PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (electrical x4), three PCIe 2.0 x1, and one legacy PCI.

A little earlier, we were treated to pictures and details of the Gigabyte G1.Sniper 3 motherboard based on Intel Z77 chipset, supporting LGA1155 "Ivy Bridge" and "Sandy Bridge" processors. Presenting, Gigabyte's first G1.Killer series motherboard in the micro-ATX form-factor, the G1.Sniper M3. This new board is based on the same Z77 chipset, and is backed by a fairly exhaustive feature-set that makes it a formidable high-end micro-ATX gaming desktop choice (good for LAN party rigs). The LGA1155 socket is powered by a 9-phase VRM, which draws power from a 4-pin ATX connector (instead of 8-pin EPS). The socket is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots, supporting dual-channel memory.

How time flies. It's been just a little over an year since Gigabyte unveiled its G1.Killer series of gamer-overclocker oriented motherboards, including the G1.Sniper, and now it's already at G1.Sniper 3. While the original G1.Sniper was based on the X58 chipset supporting LGA1366 processors, the the Sniper 2 based on Z68 chipset, supporting LGA1155 processors, the Sniper 3 stays put on the LGA1155 platform, but makes use of the brand-new Z77 chipset. The motherboard is designed to drive up to four graphics cards in 4-way CrossFire/SLI configurations. It takes advantage of a PLX PEX8747 bridge chip, which takes in one PCI-Express 3.0 x16 link, giving out two PCI-Express 3.0 x16 links, it even has a native multiplex that splits its second downstream x16 link to two x8 links. This way, the G1.Sniper 3 is ready for 4-way action with the latest PCIe Gen. 3.0 graphics cards.

Chinese online marketplace site Taobao has listings of two yet-to-launch motherboards based on the Intel Z77 Express chipset, the Wibtek Z77 Hacker (we earlier covered news of that listing in early January) and now, the ASUS P8Z77-V Deluxe. This will be among ASUS' premium LGA1155 motherboards based on the new chipset. It is priced at 2,499 RMB (US $396), which seems overpriced. The seller is probably looking to make a quick Mao with pre-launch orders. The seller was kind enough to paste ASUS' marketing poster for the P8Z77-V Deluxe, which can typically also be found on the back side of product packaging.

The P8Z77-V Deluxe supports DDR3-2800 MHz with overclocking. Expansion slots include two PCI-Express 3.0 x16 (x8/x8 when both are populated), wired to the CPU, supporting NVIDIA SLI, AMD CrossFire and Lucid VirtuMVP; one PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (electrical x4, wired to the PCH); and four PCI-Express 2.0 x1 slots. Good riddance to legacy PCI. Display connectivity lacks archaic connectors such as DVI and D-Sub, includes HDMI and DisplayPort, instead. Storage connectivity consists of four SATA 6 Gb/s (two from the PCH, two from a third-party controller), four SATA 3 Gb/s, and two eSATA 6 Gb/s.

ASRock is working on not one, but two motherboard models based on the Intel Z77 chipset, under its Fatal1ty Professional series. The first of the lot is a standard-ATX Z77 Fatal1ty Professional, followed by the micro-ATX Z77 Fatal1ty Professional-M. The latter is ASRock's first micro-ATX Fatal1ty motherboard. The ATX Z77 Fatal1ty Professional could go on to be ASRock's flagship Z77 motherboard. The LGA1155 socket is powered by a 20+ phase digital-PWM power circuitry, and memory by a 5-phase VRM, which make this board as much an overclockers' choice as gamers'.

Expansion slots include two each of PCI-Express 3.0 x16 (x8/x8 when both populated), PCIe 2.0 x1, and legacy PCI; and one PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (electrical x4, wired to the PCH). There are plenty of SATA ports, including six SATA 6 Gb/s (two from the PCH, four from additional controllers), four internal SATA 3 Gb/s, and eSATA. ASRock seems to have deployed a PCIe bridge chip to yield more PCIe lanes. USB 3.0 connectivity includes two ports via front-panel header, and possibly four ports (if not more) on the rear-panel. Since users of this board will almost certainly be using discrete graphics, display connectivity is reduced to smaller ports (such as HDMI or DisplayPort).

Motherboards based on the Intel Z77 Express chipset are on course for an April 8 launch, even if you won't find compatible 3rd Generation Core processors on shelves, on that day. Here is the first picture of a finished and good-to-go ASRock Z77 Extreme6 motherboard, which will be the company's flagship board based on the Z77 chipset, in its main product line.

The Z77 Extreme6 comes with the same black and gold styling found on the company's X79 motherboard lineup. The LGA1155 CPU socket is powered by a 12-phase DigiPower VRM. It is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots, supporting dual-channel DDR3 memory speeds with over DDR3-2800 MHz speeds by overclocking. Expansion slots include two PCI-Express 3.0 x16 (x8/x8 when both populated), wired to the CPU; one PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (electrical x4), wired to the PCH; a PCI-Express 2.0 x1; a mini-PCIe 2.0 x1 (for wireless network cards, etc.); and two legacy PCI slots (pray why?).

Regardless of whether you'll be able to get an "Ivy Bridge" Core processor till the second week of April, motherboards that are compatible with it out of the box, based on Intel's Z77 chipset (successor to Z68), will start selling in early-April. Sources told OCWorkbench that most motherboard vendors have in fact begun shipping orders to their distributors, while some are waiting for the green light. Motherboards based on the Z77 chipset feature LGA1155 CPU socket, are compatible with today's "Sandy Bridge" Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 processors; and tomorrow's "Ivy Bridge" ones, out of the box. The new chipset offers features such as some native USB 3.0 ports, and support for certain Ivy Bridge-exclusive features, beyond which they're functionally identical to 6-series. Enthusiasts might not find the need to upgrade their motherboards to use Ivy Bridge, if their current motherboards have BIOS updates that let them support the new processors.

Chinese motherboard manufacturer that specializes in high cost-performance motherboard, ONDA, is working on a micro-ATX motherboard based on the Z77 chipset. Its pictures made it to the press. The board mostly sticks to the chipset's feature set, except using an additional PCIe-PCI bridge that gives out two legacy PCI slots. As a Z77-based motherboard, it should support both overclocking and Smart Response SSD caching. The LGA1155 socket, which supports today's Sandy Bridge and tomorrow's Ivy Bridge processors, is powered by a simple 4+1 phase VRM. It is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots, supporting dual-channel DDR3 memory.

All of the chipset's SATA ports are wired internally, including two SATA 6 Gb/s and four SATA 3 Gb/s. The board provides four USB 3.0 ports, two on the rear panel, two via header, all four are wired to the PCH. Apart from the two legacy PCI slots, we have one PCI-Express 3.0 x16 and one PCIe 2.0 x1. Display outputs include DVI, D-Sub, and HDMI. 6-channel HD audio and gigabit Ethernet make for the rest of the connectivity.

BIOSTAR, the world's famous manufacturer of mainboards, graphics cards, industrial computing systems and computer peripherals, proudly announces the BIOSTAR TZ77XE4 motherboards within the CeBIT 2012. The most frequent word combination in description of the new flagship lineup will be "for the first time" because the TZ77XE4 boards house a great deal of innovative technologies not found even in premium desktop solutions.

The TZ77XE4 boards are based on the latest Intel Z77 chipset, which for the first time incorporates tri-gate transistors manufactured using the 22-nm fab process which, for the first time, delivers a native support for the high-speed USB 3.0 interface and fast SSD caching with the Intel Smart Response Technology (SRT). Fully compatible with the second-generation Intel Core CPUs (Sandy Bridge), the new boards for the first time support the third generation Intel Core CPUs codenamed Ivy Bridge, also manufactured with the 3D-transistors using the 22-nm fab process and designed for the popular LGA 1155 socket.

Here are the first pictures of MSI's Z77A-GD55 motherboard. The GD55 is a notch below the GD65 in terms of its feature-set, and will likely hold a cost-benefit sweetspot. The motherboard is designed to support today's "Sandy Bridge", and tomorrow's "Ivy Bridge" Core processors in the LGA1155 package, and is based on Intel's Z77 "Panther Point" chipset. The CPU is powered by a lighter 9-phase VRM compared to the 12-phase VRM on the GD65. It retains the expansion slot layout of its elder brother, consisting of two PCI-Express 3.0 x16 (x16/NC or x8/x8), four PCIe x1, and one PCIe 2.0 x4 (physical x16).

The Z77A-GD55 has two fewer SATA 6 Gb/s ports compared to the GD65, all its internal ports are wired to the PCH. That's two SATA 6 Gb/s and four SATA 3 Gb/s. There are no eSATA ports. Further, there are no third-party USB 3.0 controllers, either. All four of the USB 3.0 ports (two on the rear panel, two via front-panel header) are wired to the PCH. Display connectivity includes DVI, D-Sub, and HDMI. 8-channel HD audio with optical and coaxial SPDIF outputs, and gigabit Ethernet make for the rest of its connectivity.

At CES, we got to check out MSI's Z77A-GD65 motherboard in its baby-suit, with just basic heatsinks, as the production ones were getting finalized. At the IT Partners show, we got to see the production model of this board, complete with its final VRM and PCH heatsink design.

The Z77A-GD65 uses a 9-phase VRM to power the CPU. Expansion slots include two PCI-Express 3.0 x16 (x16/NC or x8/x8, depending on the second slot being populated), one PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (electrical x4, wired to the PCH), and four PCIe x1. Storage connectivity include four SATA 6 Gb/s (two from the PCH, two from a third-party controller), and four SATA 3 Gb/s ports. Display connectivity includes D-Sub, DVI, and HDMI. Other features include a number of USB 3.0, USB 2.0 ports, 8-channel HD audio, and features for overclockers such as consolidated voltage measurement points, redundant UEFI BIOS, and OC Genie. It is slated for April.

ZOTAC also displayed an upcoming socket LGA1155 motherboard based on Intel Z77 chipset, in the mini-ITX form-factor, which is geared for overclocking, that's right, overclocking. ZOTAC has, in the past, designed a similar motherboard based on the Z68 chipset. This mini-ITX board draws power from 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS connectors, it supports upcoming "Ivy Bridge" Unlocked LGA1155 Core processors out of the box.

The LGA1155 socket (LOTES Black, powder-coated to prevent shrinking when subjected to subzero cooling), is powered by an 8-phase VRM circuitry, complete with a feature-rich controller, Pulse-made inductors, and driverMOSFETs (DrMOS), and High-C capacitors. The DrMOS chips are cooled by a high-density heatsink that shares some of its heat with the heatsink over the Z77 PCH, over a heat pipe.

Not to be outdone by the competition, ECS (Elitegroup Computer Systems) has brought with it at CES 2012 a couple of motherboards based on Intel's upcoming 7 Series chipsets - one is a micro ATX model powered by the H77 chip, and the other is an ATX solution boasting the Z77 flagship silicon, the Z77H2-AX.

Part of the ECS' Black Series, the Ivy Bridge-supporting Z77H2-AX features a black PCB, a 12-phase power design, a quad-heatsink cooler, four DDR3-2600 memory slots, six SATA ports (two are surely 6.0 Gbps), and three PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slots.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards, today announced its participation at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas where it is debuting a number of new and exciting motherboard technologies that will be central to it's motherboard design in 2012 and beyond. International media and customers will get a sneak peak of GIGABYTE's new technologies at their suite in The Venetian Hotel, Las Vegas, from January 10-13.

GIGABYTE is showing forthcoming 7 series motherboards featuring the very latest in CPU power delivery with GIGABYTE's unique Digital Power Engine called 3D Power. Offering digital control over all the main onboard power zones, this new digital PWM design allows users to manipulate and monitor the power provided to 2nd Gen Intel Core and Next Gen processors for the LGA 1155 socket.

MSI showed off its upcoming socket LGA1155 motherboards based on Intel's Z77 chipset, designed to accommodate next-generation "Ivy Bridge" Core processors out of the box. Like many other motherboard manufacturers with similar motherboards on display, MSI's Z77 motherboards lack the final designs of their typically fancy-looking heatsinks over the chipset and VRM, and make do with basic ones that get the job done, and more importantly, let visitors take a look at the components in use more closely. MSI displayed two motherboards, the mid-range Z77A-GD65, and premium Z77A-GD80.

The Z77A-GD80 is designed for gaming PCs with up to two graphics cards, with a strong CPU VRM. The CPU is powered by a 14-phase VRM, complete with SFC chokes, compact DrMOS, and server-grade capacitors. There are three long PCIe slots on the board, but it appears like only two of the three are wired to the CPU, the third one to the Z77 PCH. Those two slots are PCIe 3.0 capable. SATA ports include four 6 Gb/s capable ones. The USB 3.0 front-panel header is angled like the SATA ports. Other connectivity includes Intel Thunderbolt, USB 3.0, display connections that include DVI, D-Sub, and HDMI; 8-channel HD audio, GbE, and eSATA.

Three months ahead of launch of Intel's Z77 chipset, the Wibtek Z77 Hacker motherboard, which was detailed earlier this week, is already put up on Chinese marketplace site (similar to eBay) Taobao, priced at 1,999 RMB (about US $317). Apparently someone is planning to make a killing out of pre-launch sales of this motherboard. With Intel "Ivy Bridge" Core processor support out of the box, two PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slots, six SATA 6 Gb/s and ten USB 3.0 ports, not to mention a plethora of features for overclockers, who can complain about the $317 price-tag? A word of caution, though, would be that the seller has not put up his own pictures, and is reusing pictures posted by Expreview.

Chinese brand Weibu Wibtech is ready with a high-end socket LGA1155 motherboard based on the Intel Z77 "Panther Point" chipset, called the "Hacker Z77". The board is designed to support next-generation Core processors based on the 22 nm "Ivy Bridge" silicon out of the box, while retaining support for existing Sandy Bridge processors in the LGA1155 package. The CPU is powered by a 16-phase VRM, it is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots, supporting dual-channel DDR3 memory. Expansion slots include two PCI-Express 3.0 x16 (electrical x8/x8 when both are populated), two PCI-Express 2.0 x1, and two legacy PCI.

Storage connectivity includes a total of six SATA 6 Gb/s ports, and four SATA 3 Gb/s internal ports. Display outputs include one each of DVI, HDMI, and D-Sub. All USB ports on the rear panel are USB 3.0, some of which are wired to the Z77 PCH, some from additional controllers. Apart from the six USB 3.0 ports on the rear panel, there are four USB 3.0 ports available via front-panel headers. There are a few other USB 2.0 headers. Networking capabilities include wired gigabit Ethernet, WiFi b/g/n, and Bluetooth. Other connectivity includes 8+2 channel HD audio with optical SPDIF output, Firewire, and a strange unidentified connector (a button?), which definitely doesn't look like mini-DP/Thunderbolt. The board is said to have a boat-load of features for overclockers to play with. It is not known at this point of Wibtech will sell this board apart from its typical market of mainland China, Hong Kong, etc.

Not quite two weeks ago, we reported on leaked pictures of AMD's upcoming Radeon HD 7770 mid-range graphics card based on the new Southern Islands architecture and listed its basic specs. Well, the leaks keep coming and bigpao007 of ChipHell has leaked more pictures with some benchmarks to go with them. The test setup consisted of an Ivy Bridge ES CPU - Core i5-3550K at 3.3Ghz and Z77 chipset-based motherboard. The driver used was the AMD Catalyst 8.940 RC2, giving the following 3DMark benchmark results:

This week, we got two important bits of news, firstly, that Intel's third-generation Core processor family (codenamed "Ivy Bridge"), is scheduled for launch on April 8, 2012; and secondly, that Intel will use that occasion to launch its new 7-series chipset, and with it, bring its 10 Gbps Thunderbolt interconnect to the PC platform. A road-map slide tabling Intel's own Desktop Board division products based on 7-series chipset, shows that only one motherboard from Intel's stable will feature Thunderbolt, the DZ77RE.

The DZ77RE is likely listed within the Extreme Series, which will be a top-of-the-line product. This is a bit of a contradiction to the idea behind Thunderbolt, and the way Intel's Desktop Board lineup is designed. It typically consists of Extreme Series, geared for gamers and overclockers; Media Series, for content-creation professionals; Classic Series, for office PCs with room for upgrades; and Essential Series, which well, covers the essentials. None of the supposed Media Series boards from Intel's 7-series chipset based Desktop Board lineup is listing Thunderbolt support, when it's the content-creation industry that stands to be the primary user of the interface. Thunderbolt facilitates ultra-high bandwidth for multiple lossless high-resolution video streams which will help in tomorrow's video-editing systems.

Known to be missing out on both CES 2012 and CeBIT 2012, Intel's next-generation processor platform, codenamed Ivy Bridge, is now claimed to be rolling out on April 8th. Of course, April 8th is a Sunday so it's probable that the actual launch, accompanied by a long press release and a flurry of reviews, will be scheduled for Monday, the 9th of April.

According to Digitimes' Taiwanese sources, the first Ivy Bridge wave will include no less than 25 processors (17 desktop models and 8 notebook/ultrabook chips) and 8 chipsets (Z77, H77, Z75 and B75 for desktops, HM77, UM77, HM76 and HM75 for mobile PCs). More Ivy Bridge products, including the Core i5-3470T CPU and the Q77, Q75, QS77 and QM77 chipsets, are said to become available in May.