Going to be using SSD drives for my OS/Gaming, z68 mobo pointless?

[oddyager]

I'm building a new i5/2500K gaming/work rig that will have 128Gb SSD drives (one for OS/heavily used apps, the other Gaming/maybe other apps) and a 1TB HDD drive for data and not used as much apps. If what I'm reading is correct I don't need the SSD caching featured on the z68s since I have mid sized SSD drives and that the z68 is basically p67 with just fluff? The other specs I'm also including in the build:

Corsair HX850 PSU
GSkill Ripjaws X 2x4Gb RAM
2x eVGA GTX 560 TIs (debating on SLI or not)

 

[Puppies04]

Even if you don't want the Z68 features now I would suggest spending a little more to buy one, somewhere down the line you are either going to want to use that board for something else (HTPC) or sell it and for the cost difference I would always go for Z68 over P67

 

[oddyager]

Makes sense. Thanks. I've had my eye on the Asrock z68 Extreme4 Gen3 board but I'll probably wait until Black Friday for possible sale.

 

[IntelEnthusiast]

There are 3 differences between the P67 and the Z68 chipsets. The Z68 has these 3 features that the P67 doesn't.

-Intel® SRT (Smart Response Technology) allows SSD caching.
-Support for IGP (Intergraded Graphics on Processor) on Z68 boards with support for the IGP you can use it for backup graphics and troubleshooting. Also when teamed up with the Lucidlogix Virtu software you can tap into the the Intel Quick Sync and switch back to the dedicated video to ensure that you get the best performance for the application you are running.
-Intel SATA III controller said to be better performing then the older Marvell controller used on the P67 chipset.

Now since most of the motherboard manufacturers are charging the same price for a Z68 board as a P67 board with the same features you should ask yourself is there any reason not to go with a Z68 board over the P67 and the answer is no.

Christian Wood
Intel Enthusiast Team

 

[Athadeus]

P67 and H67 have the same Intel SATA 3 controller that Z68 does. H61 and any other x61 I forgot about don't have SATA 3 unless it's Marvell, which is unlikely they have any since they are budget boards anyways.

I think you are confusing with P55 Chris.

Along with being able to use the IGP on Z68, you can also overclock it for lulz.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I didn't have a chance to try a P67 board, but came close. I read enough about Sandy Bridge features to change my mind for building a socket-1366 machine to choosing Socket-1155 instead. I feel very lucky that the Z68 chipset (and my ASUS-P8Z68-V-Pro motherboard) came along when they did.

As I say in another thread on the CPU forum, I'm totally sold on ISRT SSD-caching and HDD acceleration. Between my 2007 system-build and this 2011 project which replaces it, I reduced power-consumption by 100W and doubled performance in all respects.

And . . . I implemented "d-Mode" Lucid-Virtu integration of the iGPU and dGPU . . . because . . . .I CAN!!