Details of Intel's upcoming Z68 Express chipset for Sandy Bridge processors have appeared, courtesy of a leaked slide.
The chipset, which is said to include integrated Intel HD graphics with support for both digital and analogue outputs, is designed to offer performance overclocking features for Sandy Bridge processors according to the slide leaked by a member of the Chiphell forums.
According to the slide, the chipset will allow for 'performance over clocking [of] processor, memory, and processor [integrated] graphics,' with Intel clearly hoping to capture the performance enthusiast market with this revision.
As well as the overclockable integrated graphics, the chipset will include support for add-in graphics cards on either a single PCIe-x16 slot or dual PCIe-x8 slots, and the integrated audio codec is said to support audio over HDMI as well as analogue outputs.
The latest version of Intel's Rapid Storage Technology, version 10, is included, offering support for SATA 6Gb/s, lower power draw, support for RAID 0/1/5/10, and the company's disaster recovery Rapid Recover Technology. Support for the storage controller is already built in to Windows 7, making it an easy install.
The chipset is said to support up to 14 USB 2.0 ports, although sadly there's no sign of USB 3.0, 6 SATA ports of which two can be SATA 6Gb/s, eight PCI Express 2.0 slots, and up to four RAM DIMMS.
Missing from the list is support for the old PCI standard, which is clearly marked as a negative: if you've got an old PCI soundcard that you can't bear to part with, a move to Sandy Bridge may mean an upgrade is in order.
Are you pleased to see that Intel will be supporting overclocking with its Sandy Bridge chipsets, or confused as to why only two SATA 6Gb/s ports are supported? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
The chipset, which is said to include integrated Intel HD graphics with support for both digital and analogue outputs, is designed to offer performance overclocking features for Sandy Bridge processors according to the slide leaked by a member of the Chiphell forums.
According to the slide, the chipset will allow for 'performance over clocking [of] processor, memory, and processor [integrated] graphics,' with Intel clearly hoping to capture the performance enthusiast market with this revision.
As well as the overclockable integrated graphics, the chipset will include support for add-in graphics cards on either a single PCIe-x16 slot or dual PCIe-x8 slots, and the integrated audio codec is said to support audio over HDMI as well as analogue outputs.
The latest version of Intel's Rapid Storage Technology, version 10, is included, offering support for SATA 6Gb/s, lower power draw, support for RAID 0/1/5/10, and the company's disaster recovery Rapid Recover Technology. Support for the storage controller is already built in to Windows 7, making it an easy install.
The chipset is said to support up to 14 USB 2.0 ports, although sadly there's no sign of USB 3.0, 6 SATA ports of which two can be SATA 6Gb/s, eight PCI Express 2.0 slots, and up to four RAM DIMMS.
Missing from the list is support for the old PCI standard, which is clearly marked as a negative: if you've got an old PCI soundcard that you can't bear to part with, a move to Sandy Bridge may mean an upgrade is in order.
Are you pleased to see that Intel will be supporting overclocking with its Sandy Bridge chipsets, or confused as to why only two SATA 6Gb/s ports are supported? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
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