After the Intel Z77 chip was released, it is
likely to provide the function of a large computer system in Mini-ITX
form-factor. We plan to talk about six mainboards that could be used as a
platform for an overclocking or gaming system. These will be the products from
ASRock, Asus, EVGA, Gigabyte and MSI Zotac.
The Mini-ITX platforms recently were
related to lower performance and lack of overclocking. However, the process
keep going on. Here we have highly energy-efficient processors and single-chip
core logic sets, encouraging the emergence of miniature system with full
functionality, even from the perspective of computer enthusiasts. Hence,
Mini-ITX system is not only a nettop, micro servers and media center, but also
a high-performance gaming PC, even though it seems quite contrary. A great
illustration of this revolutionary development is Falcon Northwest Tiki gaming
PC, which is built inside a Mini-ITX case with a Core i7 quad-core CPU and a
flagship graphics accelerator GeForce GTX. And if the professional system
developers have begun installing such a system, why cannot we, as a normal
user, do the same thing?
Mini-ITX
Mainboard Based On Intel Z77 Chipset
The release of the Intel Z77 chipset that
combines all the LGA 1155 functionality in a single chip stimulated the
development of numerous Mini-ITX mainboards, which could easily compete with
their full-size counterparts in terms of functionality and features. Today
products designed in Mini-ITX format even offer a full range of
overclocking-friendly functions, not to mention previous accomplishments such
as support of top processors and high-performance graphics accelerators. And
I'm not talking about a few unique mainboards, but about the overall growth of
the market of Mini-ITX solutions like that. Every major player in the mainboard
market offers such products.
This is one of the reasons why we put this
summary on top. Here we will compare the existing LGA 1155 Mini-ITX mainboards
that could be used to build an advanced gaming computer that will also allow
overclocking the processor. And I have to admit that we uncovered quite a few
mainboards like that. Of course, if you choose to build such a compact
high-performance gaming computer, you will need to find a suitable Mini-ITX
system case with a PSU powerful enough and the internal cooling organization
efficient enough to handle a high-performance system. But, frankly speaking,
this is no longer a problem anymore. A key element of such a system is the mainboard
and we intend to find out the best option among the existing products from
ASRock, Asus, EVGA, Gigabyte, MSI and Zotac.
Comparing specifications of the test participants
If based on the same chipsets and platform,
mini-ITX mainboards from different brands tend to have a lot in common, largely
due to the restraints of the form-factor itself. There is not much space on a
17x17cm PCB for an engineer’s imagination to unfold, particularly as there are
a number of obligatory requirements.
Any mini-ITX LGA 1155 mainboard which is
based on the Intel Z77 chipset public and aimed at high-performance
configurations must have at least one PCI Express x16 3.0 slot for a discrete
graphics card and two DDR3 SDRAM slots for a dual-channel memory subsystem. It
must be full-size memory slot, as high-speed DDR3 modules are not manufactured
in the SO-DIMM form-factor. All LGA1155 mainboard must also be equipped with
video outputs to enable integrated graphics core CPU.
Some common features of the mainboard which
we discussed here stems from the ability of the Intel Z77. Every mainboard has
two SATA 6 Gbit / s, two SATA 3 Gbit / s, at least four USB 3.0 ports and a
couple of USB 2.0 connectivities. On the other hand, their developers have the flexibility
to choose any network and sound controllers and can add onboard controllers for
more SATA and USB ports. They can install mini-PCIe and mSATA expansion slots
or not. And they can also choose to bundle the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth controller with
their product or leave that to the user.
Mini-ITX mainboards are quite different in
terms of their overclocking capabilities. Compact form-factor does not allow to
deploy a multi-phase voltage regulator with advanced cooling, so the developers
have to look for compromises of some kind or another. Some of them limit the
mainboard's BIOS options while others hope that extreme overclocking will be
limited naturally, meaning that by the parameters of the employed CPU cooler.
There are Mini-ITX product looks like the full-size enthusiast-targeted
mainboards and even provide Power and Reset buttons, as well as POST
indicators.
Therefore, there are variants of mainboard
specifications. To help you compare Mini-ITX products based on Z77 we have
mentioned it in this review, we have gathered their basic specs in the
following:
Test participants
ASRock Z77E-ITX
In 2012, ASRock released many successful
Intel Z77 based mainboards. Therefore, we are very eager to get our hands on
their Mini-ITX product, especially when its model name doesn’t give away any
exciting details other than the Mini-ITX form-factor. ASRock has announced a
very convenient naming convention for their full-size mainboards, where the
models range from Extreme3 to Extreme11 allowing us to determine their positioning
quite definitively. As for the positioning of the compact Z77E-ITX, it is quite
difficult to outline it immediately. However, the combination of these features
allows us to assume that it belongs somewhere in the vicinity of the Extreme3
½, although any full-size ASRock mainboards do have a more powerful voltage
regulator.
The
design of the ASRock Z77E-ITX is based on a very simple principle
The design of the ASRock Z77E-ITX is based
on a very simple principle. The function of this mainboard is the combined
result of the Intel Z77 and features two additional controllers: USB 3.0 and
WiFi. They used the ASM1042 chipset for the USB 3.0 controller, supporting UASP
mode, unlike the chipset USB 3.0 controller. WiFi is deployed around a Realtek
RTL8191SE controller, operating in the 2.4 GHz range and supports 802.11 b / g
/ n.
The diversity of the additional controls on
ASRock Z77E-ITX seem relatively modest, but it's important to remember that we
are talking about Mini-ITX mainboards here, so arranging any number of
components conveniently on a PCB of this size is quite a challenge. However,
ASRock engineers have managed to find space not just for the parts and most
important and necessary ports, but also for USB 2.0 two pin-connectors, one USB
3.0 pin-connector and two infra-red port connectors.
The
number of SATA ports had been reduced to four
The number of SATA ports had been reduced
to four two of them work as 6 Gbps and two – as 3 Gbps. The two remaining ports
supported by the Z77 chipset also didn’t go to waste. Some of them are located
in the back panel, while the other becomes a mSATA slot. Because there is not
enough space on the front of the mainboard, they moved this slot to the bottom
side of the Z77E-ITX mainboard, which is a very smart move.
No
screw is included
However, ASRock engineers have missed a
thing. If you are using an mSATA SSD, it should be fixed by a special set of
screws. For example, the ASRock mainboard clearly has a special stand with the
threading for this screw in it, but unfortunately, no screw is included with
the mainboard's accessories. And this is actually a problem, because a screw
like that is usually not included with the mSATA SSDs. Therefore, if you intend
to use a compact drive with your Z77E-ITX mainboard, you may end up figuring
out how to resolve the missing-screw issue on your own.
