ddr3

We're far from sold on Asus' range of desktop systems and its R.O.G. series has yet to really impress, but the new CG8580 does at least have some pretty decent specs to say the least. This time around Asus has pulled out all the stops and gone with an Ivy Bridge CPU, a GeForce GTX 680 graphics card, Xonar DX audio and even a pair of SSD's in RAID, although most of these features are optional.

Micron have announced that they have begun shipping the very first engineering samples of "fully functional DDR4 DRAM modules" in DIMM form factor to their major customers. Micron expects to have DDR4 ready for mas production by Q4 2012, where fast adoption of the new DDR4 tech will be scooped up by key industry players next year.

G.Skill launched their new line of memory, the Trident X. Its launch is timed to follow that of Intel's Core "Ivy Bridge" processor family, and is optimized for 7-series chipset motherboards (due to their support of latest Intel XMP 1.3 specification).

Pictured below are the DDR3-2400 MHz (PC3-19200) modules in dual-channel configuration.

DDR3 memory seems to last quite long now as the unchallenged memory standard. As DDR4 finally makes the inroads in 2014, what should we expect from it?

Now, in Spring 2012, as Intel launches their initial Ivy Bridge processor parts, and AMD follows with Trinity APU, you can count how many generations of CPUs succeeded each other over the past, say, six years.

ZOTAC unveiled a monster LGA1155 motherboard aimed at professional overclockers, and based on the new Intel Z77 Express chipset, the ZT-Z77-U1D. Pictured below, the designers' focus was evidently on giving the motherboard a very strong VRM, apart from just enough expansion and connectivity features for 2-way multi-GPU setups. To begin with, the LGA1155 socket is powered by a 27-phase VRM, which consists of AIO ferrite-core solid-state chokes, DrMOS, tantalum capacitors, and a super-ML multiphase capacitor to condition power. The VRM is controlled by a VRD12-compliant controller.

It is not often we find a new motherboard gets our full attention, but a new Mini-ITX motherboard from ASUS has really succeeded in doing so. The board gets a relatively large VRM section in relation to its overall size and looks well prepared for overclocking.

While rival manufacturers flooded CeBIT with their Z77 motherboards, EVGA has been rather low key and only today decided to give us a look at what it's preparing for next's month's Ivy Bridge launch. Seen below is one high-end LGA 1155 board EVGA is currently working on.

ASUS unveiled the Republic of Gamers Maximus V Formula motherboard, at CeBIT. Its latest bad boy is based on Intel Z77 chipset, and supports "Ivy Bridge" and "Sandy Bridge" Core processors in the LGA1155 package. The LGA1155 socket is powered by a 12-phase Digi+ VRM, which takes power from one 8-pin EPS, and one 4-pin ATX, apart from the 24-pin ATX, and an optional 4-pin Molex. The VRM area of this motherboard is cooled by a heatsink that is embedded with a liquid-cooling channel that lets you plug it to your water-cooling loop.

ASUS unveiled the Republic of Gamers Maximus V Formula motherboard, at CeBIT. Its latest bad boy is based on Intel Z77 chipset, and supports "Ivy Bridge" and "Sandy Bridge" Core processors in the LGA1155 package. The LGA1155 socket is powered by a 12-phase Digi+ VRM, which takes power from one 8-pin EPS, and one 4-pin ATX, apart from the 24-pin ATX, and an optional 4-pin Molex. The VRM area of this motherboard is cooled by a heatsink that is embedded with a liquid-cooling channel that lets you plug it to your water-cooling loop.

ASUS hasn't completely ditched the "Thermal Armour" concept it introduced with the TUF Sabertooth P67, which we thought it did away, with the Sabertooth X79. The newest member in the series, the Sabertooth Z77, still very much features it. Thermal Armour is ASUS' idea of blanketing most of the motherboard's component area with a perforated sheet that directs air-flow, and also lends it an aesthetic touch (depending on your taste, you may love it, or hate it).