Unboxing MSI Z68A-GD80 B3 Motherboard

gzhil

gzhil

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Z68-GD80Box.jpg


Thanks to my friends in MSI and they just sent me a sample of their latest Z68A-GD80 motherboard. Breaking down the model name itself you have the corresponding specs:
Z68 - Intel based chipset
A - Sata 6GB/s and USB 3.0 connections
G - Categorized as Gaming motherboard because of multi GPU support
D - MSI's DrMOS (Driver in Mosfet). Enables you to control the power saving features of the board through bios and they are way better than a regular mosfet. Does not heats up, stable and voltage efficient.
80 - The higher the number, the more features the motherboard have. Superpipe heatsink, Military Class II Components, Voltage Check Points, OC Genie, etc...
B3 - Solves the performance degradation with SATA 3 Gb/s

Z68-GD80Flip.jpg

Flipping the upper box cover you will find some interesting information about other MSI features.  You have the so-called "Super Charger" which lets you charge USB handheld devices even if your computer is turned off. "Winki 3" free linux based OS. "Click Bios" MSI's EFI bios and lastly "Instant OC" which makes overclocking easier for users.

Moving  forward, below are the bundled accessories for the board.
1. Manuals and Software DVD (this includes the Winki3 OS. To enable it you just have to boot to this media disc)
2. 4pin to SATA Power Cable
3.Easy guide for connecting your Casing front panel cables into the board header
4. MSI's new L Shape SATA cables
5. SLI Bridge
6. USB 3.0 PCI Bracket
7. Vcheck Point Connectors
Z68-GD80Acc.jpg


The Z68A-GD80 motherboard.  The layout is pretty the same with the previous P67A-GD80 that MSI just released a month ago. SLI and crossfire capable and with latest technology that the Z68 has to offer, it can switch to onboard or discrete graphics which all depends on the graphic software being used by the user. There is also called SSD Cache booster which is said to increase your Overall System performance by 10%. I heard that this is only for Intel Branded SSD but correct me if I'm wrong hehehehe.

By the way, I forgot to include the rear I/O port terminals here in my post but I assure you it has VGA and DVI connection for display output.  Check out the pic below :)
Z68-GD80Board.jpg


At the bottom part of the board you will find the OC Genie, Power and Reset buttons. You will also find the onboard audio chip covered with THX TruStudio Pro Plate.
Z68-GD80OCGenie.jpg


SATA 6GB/s are color white while the black are SATA 3GB/s . All are connected straight to Intel Z68 chip. Say bye bye to 3rd party SATA 6GB/s provider :)
Z68-GD80SATA.jpg


Vcheck points -  measures the actual voltages of certain parts of the board using a multimeter. Very handy for overclockers.
Z68-GD80Vcheck.jpg


Lastly, the processor socket area. All surrounded by Military Class II components and powered up by 12 Phases.
Z68-GD80Socket.jpg


So that's my share. By next week, I would be able to show you guys the performance and the overclocking capability of this board.

Thanks
 
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:biggthumbsup: Looking good. Can't wait see those results.
Did I see correctly on the CPU cover in the last photo ? 115X ?? what does that mean, 1155 or are we going to have a new rendition of CPUs and the current 1155 won't fit ?
And then surely LOTES can't be serious, "Install processor before removing cover".  :lol_anim:  "Remove cover before installing Processor" is the normal course of events.  ;D
 
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By next week, I would be able to show you guys the performance and the overclocking capability of this board.
Click to expand...
Cherry picked Sandy Bridge or Ivy Bridge CPU?
 
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Bernhard said:
:biggthumbsup: Looking good. Can't wait see those results.
Did I see correctly on the CPU cover in the last photo ? 115X ?? what does that mean, 1155 or are we going to have a new rendition of CPUs and the current 1155 won't fit ?
And then surely LOTES can't be serious, "Install processor before removing cover".  :lol_anim:  "Remove cover before installing Processor" is the normal course of events.  ;D
Click to expand...

I have a feeling that the 115X is just to say the cover will work on both 1155 and 1156 sockets.
 
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I have a feeling that the 115X is just to say the cover will work on both 1155 and 1156 sockets.
Click to expand...
That makes sense, but it will be a great Houdini trick to see the CPU get installed with the cover in place. :lol_anim:

Lotes.jpg


 

 
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I dont see why it wouldnt work,  Looks as tho the cover sits on top of the socket frame.  So the cpu could still be installed with it on there. lol.
 
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Looks to me like the plastic cover is clipped to the top of the CPU retaining plate and lifts up with it. I think maybe some folks may have been using sharp pointed objects in the past to lift up the plastic cover on the previous ones and damaging the pins in the socket. At least that's the conclusion I come up with seeing that change on this one. Makes sense to me anyway.
 
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Henry said:
Looks to me like the plastic cover is clipped to the top of the CPU retaining plate and lifts up with it. I think maybe some folks may have been using sharp pointed objects in the past to lift up the plastic cover on the previous ones and damaging the pins in the socket. At least that's the conclusion I come up with seeing that change on this one. Makes sense to me anyway.
Click to expand...
Hope you are correct on that. We see way too many socket pin mishaps, & a new socket cover design should help take that number to pretty much zero. :biggthumbsup:
 
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@all
regarding the wrong grammar statement on the cpu socket cover, I will inform MSI about this heheheh. They used the label "LGA 115X" on the cover so that it can also be used in 1156 socket mobos as well.

excited to test out the board. will update you guys and thanks again

 
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Im interested to see how it would do on the overclocking half.  I would love to get something like this so i can OC it and utilize
the onchip gpu.  Would allow me to Fold with the CPU, and allow me to put my 5870 in another for it to run GPU3 for folding.
 
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gzhil said:
Thanks to my friends in MSI and they just sent me a sample of their latest Z68A-GD80 motherboard. Breaking down the model name itself you have the corresponding specs:
Click to expand...

Can you please tell me if you managed to get THX TruStudio Pro working with the Realtek device?
 
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HU16E said:
SATA III white port 7 must be third party controller? 


SATAIIIPort.jpg
Click to expand...

My board said that 3rd party controller SATA III has max speed to 5Gb/s, not 6Gb/s by Intel. I just realized this info at the booting time.
 
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