The Board - A Closer Look

The ASRock Z77 Extreme11 is one of the few Intel Z77 Express boards to feature a chipset fan, largely because of that added LSI SATA controller. Both the Intel Z77 Express PCH and the LSI chipset, pictured above, sit under that cooler.


Supporting the large number of slots and devices requires PCIe switching devices, two of which I found on the ASRock Z77 Extreme11. Both a PLX PEX8608 and PLX PEX8474 PCIe splitter are on the board's surface. The PEX8608 connects to the Intel Z77 Express PCH and the board's external devices, like LAN and audio, and the PEX8474 adds the extra PCIe slots to the system while also offering connectivity for the LSI SAS RAID chip.


FireWire support is made possible by a VIA VT6315N controller, and the front USB 3.0 ports are driven by an Etrontech EJ188H. You can see both the ports and the controller in the second picture above. Not all boards offer dual USB 3.0 ports, but the ASRock Z77 Extreme11 definitely makes the most of the board's real estate. Since most cases that support USB 3.0 today only have support for two ports and use a single plug on a motherboard, ASRock's included 5.25-bay device steps up to make use of the other plug here.


The rear USB 3.0 ports are driven by either the Intel Z77 Express PCH or another Etrontech EJ188H USB 3.0 controller, while ASMedia provides the TMDS controller for the HDMI port on the rear.


Both dual Intel LAN controllers on the ASRock Z77 Extreme11 are shown above. Both controllers have their respective fan base, so it's nice to see that no matter what your preference is, ASRock's got you covered.


The ASRock Z77 Extreme11 also comes fitted with wireless Internet- and Bluetooth connectivity that is provided by an mPCIe card inserted into an mPCIe slot between a couple of the lower PCIE x16 slots. This controller also connects to the 5.25-bay panel device that contains its antennae. Audio support is provided via a Realtek ALC898 CODEC, a CODEC that has proven itself time and time again.