Test System

Initial Setup

Setting up the Biostar TZ68A+ proved an easy task, and no different than any other motherboard. The memory, without any problems, booted in at JEDEC timings and 1333 MHz, and after initial testing proved to be 100% stable. Our SKT1156-approved Corsair Dominator GT memory had no issues at 2133 MHz either, although it did take manual timing adjustment, rather than using the XMP memory profile. We did not notice any obvious compatibility issues, and only the previously mentioned BIOS settings provided some head-scratching.

PWM Power Consumption

Since one of our first tasks was to truly verify system stability, while doing so, we measure CPU power consumption. We isolate the power coming through the 8-pin ATX connector using an in-line meter that provides voltage and current readings, as well as total wattage passed through it. While this may not prove to isolate the CPU power draw in all instances, it does serve as a good indicator of board efficiency and effective VRM design.


With our Intel i7 2600K installed, we measured power consumption with the integrated GPU disabled, in order to keep the testing on a level playing field. Falling in line with the ECS P67H2-A2 board on idle, the Biostar with its all-analogue VRM design, proved fairly efficient, although under load, we did notice an increase of 10W consumed via the 8-pin connector compared to other SKT1155-based products we have tested. We then enabled the onboard GPU, and with our Saphhire HD6950 2 GB removed from the system, we saw no difference in power consumed. This leads us to believe that power is delivered to the IGP at all times, which potentially "falsely" inflates our numbers while at the same time, explaining the 10W power draw increase. However, it does seem to be "by design".