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[RC23]

Is it worth to go with an Intel Z68 mainboard? The z68 chipset combines P67 and H67 chipset with OC opportunities of Sandy Bridge CPUs (i.e. i5-2500k). Or is the P67 chipset with a separate graphic card like MSI N450GTS Cyclone the better way for RedOctober HQ?

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/intel-z68-express-smart-response-technology-ssd-caching,2938.html or the article in German http://www.tomshardware.de/intel-z68-express-smart-response-ssd-caching-Virtu,testberichte-240783.html

[DarkPenguin]

I think my Z68 motherboard cost me $75.  So you might as well get one.

That said if you want to use RedOctober HQ I would probably get a better video card.  The onboard video for the i5-2500k was okay but things got way smoother when I bought an separate video card.

[JimH]

I think my Z68 motherboard cost me $75.  So you might as well get one.

That said if you want to use RedOctober HQ I would probably get a better video card.  The onboard video for the i5-2500k was okay but things got way smoother when I bought an separate video card.

Some of the Ivy Bridge CPU's are supposed to have much better built-in video (something about 4000 series graphics).  They are available at Micro Center today.  They require a Z77 motherboard.  Slightly lower power, slightly better performance.

[DarkPenguin]

Some of the Ivy Bridge CPU's are supposed to have much better built-in video (something about 4000 series graphics).  They are available at Micro Center today.  They require a Z77 motherboard.  Slightly lower power, slightly better performance.

The intel video can also be used with some media extenders, right?

[hulkss]

Is it worth to go with an Intel Z68 mainboard?

Nope. Get Z77

[RC23]

Nope. Get Z77

You are right. After reading some reviews I will take a Z77 chipset mainboard in ATX size

- a little less energy 2W for Z77 vs. P67 in idle modus

- full PCIe slots already in middle class mainboards

- supports up to 3TB HDD

- better USB 3.0 performance
 
- supports Ivy Bridge CPU with HD4000 GPU

- already today stable HD4000 driver

[SamuriHL]

Just an fyi the z68 boards will support ivy bridge cpus with a BIOS update.  However, that being said at this point there is no benefit in getting a z68 over a z77 if you're buying a new board.  I just rebuilt my htpcs and I love the ivy bridge cpus.  Using quicksync on my 3770k I can transcode an hour of 10mbps h.264 video to 2.7mbps 720p in 4 minutes.  The i5 2400s sandy bridge CPU I put in my second htpc can do it in 9 minutes.  However, the 3000 series igpu on sandy bridge isn't quite fast enough for madvr.  The 4000 series on ivy bridge is pretty darn good with madvr.  At this point grab a z77 with ivb CPU.

[RC23]

Just an fyi the z68 boards will support ivy bridge cpus with a BIOS update.

Thatīs a good info for z68 mainboard owners who are now able to upgrade with an Ivy.

My last PC comes with an AMD X2 4800+ CPU and the Ivy will blow away my old solution. 

[RC23]

You are right. After reading some reviews I will take a Z77 chipset mainboard in ATX size

- a little less energy 2W for Z77 vs. P67 in idle modus

- full PCIe slots already in middle class mainboards

- supports up to 3TB HDD

- better USB 3.0 performance
 
- supports Ivy Bridge CPU with HD4000 GPU