Intel's LGA 2011 Sandy Bridge-E lineup has debuted, and EVGA wasted no time in revealing their new X79 motherboards. Three versions have been announced - the ultimate enthusiast X79 Classified, as well as the X79 FTW, and X79 SLI. Each one has enough features to please the overclocking addicts and other enthusiasts.
Details
Each of these X79 motherboards have a different form factor - XL-ATX for the X79 Classified, E-ATX for the X79 FTW, and ATX for the X79 SLI. X79 motherboards include PCI-E 3.0 support, SATA III 6.0 Gb/s support, USB 3.0 support, DDR3 2133+ memory, and 40 PCI-E lanes. Due to the PCI-E controller being moved to the CPU, this reduces heat output by the motherboard so all three of these X79s are passively cooled. Lets look at each individual motherboard more closely, starting with the X79 SLI.
The standard X79 SLI is an ATX motherboard with support for up to three GPUs. Key features include 100% solid state capacitors, dual BIOS support, onboard voltage read points, EVBot and EVGauge support, POSCAPS (lowest resistance, greatest reliability) around the CPU area, and a standard 6+2 phase power design for the CPU and 2+2 phases for the memory.
Looking down at the motherboard we see a total of four DIMM slots, one 8-pin CPU connector, and a very large passive chipset heat sink. PCI interface includes a x16 slot followed by another x16/x8 slot, a PCI-E x1 slot, PCI-E x16/x8, and another PCI-E x1 at the bottom. Onboard power/reset switches are present.
Two USB 2.0 headers are on the internal I/O as well as two SATA III ports, four SATA II ports, and one firewire port.
The I/O panel has a PS/2 port, four USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, two e-SATA ports, 8 channel audio + optical, dual gigabit ethernet, and a CMOS reset switch.
Lets step things up to the X79 FTW. This E-ATX motherboard has 300% more gold content in the CPU socket, 100% POSCAPS, low inductance ESR/ESL film cap, built-in bluetooth, onboard voltage read points, triple BIOS support, PCI-E and DIMM disable switches, 12+2 phase PWM for the CPU, 3+3 phase PWM for the memory, EVBot support, EVGauge support, and of course onboard power/reset buttons.
Large passive heat sinks are once again visible, as well as four DIMM slots, two 8-pin CPU connectors, an angled 24-pin connector, an angled PCI-E power connector at the bottom, and many PCI-E slots. From top to bottom, we have a x16 slot, x1 slot, and then four more x16/x8 slots for three-way SLI support plus a dedicated single slot card for folding or PhysX.
Internal I/O has two SATA III ports, four SATA II ports, four USB 2.0 headers, one USB 3.0 header, and a firewire header.
The outer I/O panel has a PS/2 connector, two USB 2.0 ports, eight USB 3.0 ports, 8 channel audio + optical, dual gigabit ethernet, and two e-SATA ports.
Last but certainly not least is the X79 Classified. This XL-ATX motherboard has many of the same features as the X79 FTW, but even more for the most extreme users. 100% POSCAPS are once again present, as well as 300% more gold content in the CPU socket, onboard voltage read points, onboard power/reset switches, onboard DIMM/PCI-E disable switches, built-in bluetooth, triple BIOS support, 12+2 phase PWM for the CPU, 3+3 phase PWM for the memory, and a ESR/ESL film cap.
Looking down from the top, we have four DIMM slots, two 8-pin CPU power connectors, angled 24-pin motherboard connector, angled PCI-E power connector, PCI-E x16 slot, PCI-E x1 slot, and then four more PCI-E x16/x8 slots.
Internal I/O has two SATA III ports, four SATA II ports, four USB 2.0 headers, one USB 3.0 header, and a firewire header.
External I/O has a pair of USB 2.0 ports, eight USB 3.0 ports, 8 channel audio + optical, dual gigabit ethernet, two e-SATA ports, and a PS/2 port.
Looking down at the motherboard we see a total of four DIMM slots, one 8-pin CPU connector, and a very large passive chipset heat sink. PCI interface includes a x16 slot followed by another x16/x8 slot, a PCI-E x1 slot, PCI-E x16/x8, and another PCI-E x1 at the bottom. Onboard power/reset switches are present.
Two USB 2.0 headers are on the internal I/O as well as two SATA III ports, four SATA II ports, and one firewire port.
The I/O panel has a PS/2 port, four USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, two e-SATA ports, 8 channel audio + optical, dual gigabit ethernet, and a CMOS reset switch.
Lets step things up to the X79 FTW. This E-ATX motherboard has 300% more gold content in the CPU socket, 100% POSCAPS, low inductance ESR/ESL film cap, built-in bluetooth, onboard voltage read points, triple BIOS support, PCI-E and DIMM disable switches, 12+2 phase PWM for the CPU, 3+3 phase PWM for the memory, EVBot support, EVGauge support, and of course onboard power/reset buttons.
Large passive heat sinks are once again visible, as well as four DIMM slots, two 8-pin CPU connectors, an angled 24-pin connector, an angled PCI-E power connector at the bottom, and many PCI-E slots. From top to bottom, we have a x16 slot, x1 slot, and then four more x16/x8 slots for three-way SLI support plus a dedicated single slot card for folding or PhysX.
Internal I/O has two SATA III ports, four SATA II ports, four USB 2.0 headers, one USB 3.0 header, and a firewire header.
The outer I/O panel has a PS/2 connector, two USB 2.0 ports, eight USB 3.0 ports, 8 channel audio + optical, dual gigabit ethernet, and two e-SATA ports.
Last but certainly not least is the X79 Classified. This XL-ATX motherboard has many of the same features as the X79 FTW, but even more for the most extreme users. 100% POSCAPS are once again present, as well as 300% more gold content in the CPU socket, onboard voltage read points, onboard power/reset switches, onboard DIMM/PCI-E disable switches, built-in bluetooth, triple BIOS support, 12+2 phase PWM for the CPU, 3+3 phase PWM for the memory, and a ESR/ESL film cap.
Looking down from the top, we have four DIMM slots, two 8-pin CPU power connectors, angled 24-pin motherboard connector, angled PCI-E power connector, PCI-E x16 slot, PCI-E x1 slot, and then four more PCI-E x16/x8 slots.
Internal I/O has two SATA III ports, four SATA II ports, four USB 2.0 headers, one USB 3.0 header, and a firewire header.
External I/O has a pair of USB 2.0 ports, eight USB 3.0 ports, 8 channel audio + optical, dual gigabit ethernet, two e-SATA ports, and a PS/2 port.
The EVGA X79 SLI has an MSRP of $299, while the X79 FTW will cost $399 and the X79 Classified will run at $449.
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