14 DAY TRIAL // It looks like Gigabyte has once again acted a bit too early and unleashed a certain product that is based on a technology whose official introduction has not exactly been made yet, though one can only assume said announcement is not far off.
Being the foresighted company that it is, Intel is always working on newer and better products for all its business outlets.
This means that its OEMs get to examine its chips and chipsets much earlier than the official launch, so as to let them create hardware based on them.
Gigabyte is one of the companies that deal in motherboards compatible with even the newest central processing units from the Santa Clara, California-based company.
Still, the outfit doesn't exactly have what one might call a clean record as far as sticking to deadlines is concerned.
More specifically, there were multiple occasions when it jumped the proverbial gun and released or detailed, directly or otherwise, a hardware product based on a technology or components yet to be announced.
This is precisely what has occurred in Taiwan, according to a certain forum post on Xfastest website.
Specifically, the company is already selling, in Taiwan, the GA-Z68X-UD7-B3, a mainboard powered by the Intel Z68 chipset, which hasn't been released.
It has four PCI Express x16 slots, four USB 3.0 connectors, 7.1 channel audio, Gigabit Ethernet and ten SATA ports, four of which (at least) are SATA 6.0 Gbps ones.
Additionally, Gigabyte implemented a 24-phase VRM and the Ultra Durable 3 design, which means that one will find Japanese Solid Capacitors, Lower RDS (ON) MOSFET, Ferrite Core Choke and a 2oz copper PCB.
This all, plus 3-way SLI and CrossFireX support, can be had for the price of NT$ 12,000, the equivalent of 412 USD (287 Euro). Regions other than Taiwan will probably get it before this month is out.