14 DAY TRIAL // Intel's introduction of the Ivy Bridge central processing units was followed by a whole slew of motherboards, but many of them aren't what one would call affordable.
That doesn't mean such things don't exist, though. After all, even if the new CPUs are high-end, there will be mainstream ones eventually, which means that mainboard makers may as well prepare in advance for their arrival.
ASUS's lineup was found to include two intriguing motherboards called P8Z77-V LK and P8Z77-V LX.
The P8Z77-V LX is a so-called entry-level ATX board with six SATA ports, two PCI Express x16 slots, two PCI Express x1 slots, three PCI slots, USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports and headers and, of course, connectivity and video ports.
What we mean by that is PS/2, Gigabit Ethernet, three audio jacks, optical S/PDIF, D-Sub, DVI and HDMI.
The P8Z77-V LX should have a price of around $140 (105.58 Euro). Check with your local retailer and see.
The other motherboard, P8Z77-V LK, is a bit larger but still boasts the ATX form factor. The feature set is largely similar to the one above too.
There are, of course, some differences: angled SATA connectors, only two PCI slots and two PCI Express x1 slots instead of one.
There are also more USB 3.0 ports (six), thanks to an ASMedia USB 3.0 host controller, and a small heatsink lies on top of the MOSFETs. The price should be of $145-$150 (109-113 Euro).
Intel formally introduced the Ivy Bridge CPUs on April 23, but shipments will only start tomorrow, on April 29. If it's a stronger beast of a platform you're looking for, the TUF Sabertooth Z77 may be closer to your style, or even the Maximus V GENE ROG, small as it is. Go here if you want to learn more about the 7-Series CPUs and compatible products.
