Introduction
Contents
The ASRock Z77 OC Formula was specifically designed for overclocking “Ivy Bridge” processors (third-generation Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 processors). Let’s see what this motherboard has to offer.
The Intel Z77 is an upgraded version of the Z68 chipset with the same basic features (Intel Smart Response Technology and Virtu video switching technology), plus native support to four USB 3.0 ports. It also includes the addition of two new technologies: Smart Connect (allowing the computer to receive emails and refresh webpages while it is in sleep mode) and Rapid Start (faster boot times).
In addition, the ASRock Z77 OC Formula supports the Virtu Universal MVP, which allows you to combine the performance of the integrated graphics processor available in the CPU with the performance of any video card installed. This is similar to what occurs with the Hybrid SLI and ATI Hybrid Graphics technologies, with the notable difference of not being limited to GPUs from a specific manufacturer.
To date, ASRock has launched 14 different motherboard models based on the Intel Z77 chipset. In the tables below, we compare their main specifications. Prices were researched at Newegg.com on the day we published this article. The Z77 Professional, the Z77 Professional-M, and the Z77 Performance are part of the “Fatal1ty” series, coming with a special USB port with a higher polling rate for gaming mice.
| Specification | Z77 OC Formula | Z77 Professional | Z77 Performance | Z77 Extreme9 | Z77 Extreme6 | Z77 Extreme4 | Z77 Extreme3 |
| Form Factor | CEB | ATX | ATX | ATX | ATX | ATX | ATX |
| Memory Sockets | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| PCI Express 3.0 x16 | 2 (x16/x0 or x8/x8) | 2 (x16/x0 or x8/x8) | 1 (x16) | 5 (x16/x16/x0/x16/x0orx16/x8/x8/x8/x8) | 2 (x16/x0 or x8/x8) | 2 (x16/x0 or x8/x8) | 2 (x16/x0 or x8/x8) |
| PCI Express 2.0 x16 | 1 (x4) | 1 (x4) | 1 (x4) | 1 (x4) | 1 (x4) | 0 | 1 (x4) |
| PCI Express 2.0 x1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Mini PCI Express | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Standard PCI | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| CrossFireX | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SLI | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SATA-300 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| SATA-600 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| eSATA-300 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| eSATA-600 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 (shared) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| USB 2.0 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| USB 3.0 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| FireWire | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Bluetooth | No | No | No | 4.0 | No | No | No |
| Gigabit Ethernet | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Wi-Fi | No | No | No | 802.11a/b/g/n | No | No | No |
| VGA | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| DVI | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HDMI | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| DisplayPort | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Audio | ALC898 | ALC898 | ALC892 | ALC898 | ALC898 | ALC898 | ALC892 |
| Voltage Regulator | 12+4 | 16+8 | 8+4 | 8+4 | 8+4 | 8+4 | 8+3 |
| Price | USD 240 | USD 240 | USD 140 | USD 340 | USD 160 | USD 135 | NA |
| Specification | Z77 Pro4 | Z77 Pro3 | Z77 Professional-M | Z77 Extreme4-M | Z77 Pro4-M | Z77M | Z77E-ITX |
| Form Factor | ATX | ATX | microATX | microATX | microATX | microATX | Mini-ITX |
| Memory Sockets | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| PCI Express 3.0 x16 | 1 (x16) | 1 (x16) | 2 (x16/x0 or x8/x8) | 2 (x16/x0 or x8/x8) | 1 (x16) | 1 (x16) | 1 (x16) |
| PCI Express 2.0 x16 | 1 (x4) | 1 (x4) | 1 (x4) | 1 (x4) | 2 (x1/x4) | 1 (x4) | 0 |
| PCI Express 2.0 x1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mini PCI Express | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Standard PCI | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| CrossFireX | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| SLI | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| SATA-300 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| SATA-600 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| eSATA-300 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| eSATA-600 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 (shared) | 0 | 0 |
| USB 2.0 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 6 |
| USB 3.0 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| FireWire | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bluetooth | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Gigabit Ethernet | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Wi-Fi | No | No | No | No | No | No | 802.11n |
| VGA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| DVI | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HDMI | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| DisplayPort | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
| Audio | ALC892 | ALC892 | ALC898 | ALC898 | ALC892 | ALC892 | ALC898 |
| Voltage Regulator | 4+2 | 4+1 | 8+3 | 4+2 | 4+2 | 4+2 | 6+2 |
| Price | USD 110 | USD 95 | USD 155 | USD 140 | USD 110 | USD 95 | USD 150 |
In Figure 1, you see the ASRock Z77 OC Formula motherboard. It is based on the CEB form factor (12 x 10.5 inches or 305 x 257 mm), which is a little bit deeper than the ATX form factor (12 x 9.6 inches or 305 x 244 mm).
Figure 1: ASRock Z77 OC Formula motherboard
The portrayed motherboard uses an eight-layer printed circuit board, with 2 oz. (56 g) of copper, which is double the amount of copper that regular motherboards use. One clever feature present on this product is a small “window” through which you can see the eight layers of the printed circuit board; the manufacturer numbered each one of them. See Figure 2.
Figure 2: Display of the eight-layer printed circuit board