[nextpage title=”Introduction”]

• Slot V Promo Code
• V Slot Profiles South Africa
• V Slot Profiles
• Slot V Promo Code
• V-slot Profile Europe
• V Slot Projects

The ASUS P8Z77-V PRO is a top mid-range socket LGA1155 motherboard targeted to the forthcoming “Ivy Bridge” processors (third-generation Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 processors) and also supporting the current “Sandy Bridge” models (second-generation Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 processors). Let’s see what the ASUS P8Z77-V PRO will have to offer.

The Intel Z77 will be 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 will also include 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 ASUS P8Z77-V PRO 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.

ASUS has launched 12 different motherboard models based on the Intel Z77 chipset. In the tables below, we compare their main specifications.

Win real money playing online slots from the comfort of your own home. Choose from hundreds of exciting slots games online and start winning $$$ right now. Accessories ASUS offers different kinds of motherboard accessories including Thunderbolt™ expansion cards, M.2 add-on cards, and fan extension cards give DIY PC users better choices when it comes to building their perfect workstation or gaming rig. The ASUS P8Z77-V PRO is a top mid-range motherboard, and therefore targeted to the user who wants more features than mainstream motherboards provide, such as three PCI Express x16 slots, eight USB.

Workstation ASUS Pro Workstation motherboards are designed for professionals in AI training, deep learning, animation, or 3D rendering. Featuring expandable graphics, storage, impressive connectivity and reliability, Pro.

Figure 1 shows you the ASUS P8Z77-V PRO motherboard.

Figure 1: ASUS P8Z77-V PRO motherboard

[nextpage title=”Slots”]

The ASUS P8Z77-V PRO comes with two PCI Express 3.0/2.0 x16 slots, one PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot, two PCI Express 2.0 x1 slots and two standard PCI slots.

The two PCI Express 3.0/2.0 x16 slots are controlled by the CPU, with the first slot working at x16 when only one video card is installed, and with both working at x8 when two video cards are installed. Since these slots are controlled by the CPU, they will offer PCI Express 2.0 bandwidth (8 GB/s at x16) when a “Sandy Bridge” CPU is installed, but PCI Express 3.0 bandwidth (16 GB/s at x16) when an “Ivy Bridge” CPU is used.

The third PCI Express x16 slot is 2.0 and always workss at x4 speed. If you want to install a dual-slot video card in this slot, you will need a computer case with at least eight expansion slots. (Computer cases usually have seven.)

ASUS did a great job by using different colors at each PCI Express slot, so you can easily identify their speeds: blue for x16/x8, gray for x8, and black for x4.

The PCI Express x16 slots support both SLI and CrossFireX technologies.

Since the Intel Z77 doesn’t support standard PCI slots, this motherboard uses an ASMedia ASM1083 chip to connect them to PCI Express x1 lanes.

Figure 2: Slots

[nextpage title=”Memory Support”]

Intel socket LGA1155 CPUs have an embedded memory controller, meaning that it is the processor, not the chipset, which defines what memory technologies you can have and the maximum amount of memory that is possible. The motherboard, however, may have a limitation as to how much memory can be installed.

The integrated memory controller from socket LGA1155 processors supports DDR3 memories up to 1,333 MHz (“Sandy Bridge” CPUs) or up to 1,600 MHz (“Ivy Bridge” CPUs). According to ASUS, the P8Z77-V PRO supports memories up to 2,600 MHz.

The ASUS P8Z77-V PRO has four memory sockets. Since DDR3 memory modules can be found in capacities up to 8 GB, you can have up to 32 GB with this motherboard if you use four 8 GB modules.

In order to enable the dual-channel mode, you must install two or four memory modules. On the ASUS P8Z77-V PRO, the first and third memory sockets are blue, while the second and fourth are black. When installing two memory modules, use the blue sockets.

Figure 3: Memory sockets; install two or four modules for the best performance

As with other motherboards from ASUS, the P8Z77-V PRO comes with the “MemOK!” feature, which allows you to test the compatibility of the memory modules that are installed by pressing the button shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4: The MemOK! button

[nextpage title=”On-Board Peripherals”]

The Intel Z77 chipset is a single-chip solution, which is also known as a PCH (Platform Controller Hub). This chip supports two SATA-600 ports and four SATA-300 ports, supporting RAID (0, 1, 10, and 5). This motherboard has two additional SATA-600 ports, controlled by an ASMedia ASM1061 chip (no RAID support). These ports are located at the motherboard’s edge and rotated 90°, so video cards won’t block them. Thankfully, ASUS used different colors to identify which SATA ports are SATA-300 (light blue), SATA-600 controlled by the chipset (gray) or SATA-600 controlled by the additional chip (dark blue). See Figure 5. There are no eSATA ports.

Figure 5: The four SATA-300 ports (light blue), the two SATA-600 ports controlled by the chipset (gray), and the two SATA-600 ports controlled by the additional chip (dark blue)

The Intel Z77 chipset supports 14 USB 2.0 ports and four USB 3.0 ports. The ASUS P8Z77-V PRO offers 10 USB 2.0 ports, two available on the motherboard rear panel and eight available through four headers located on the motherboard; and eight USB 3.0 ports, four located on the motherboard rear panel and four available through two headers located on the motherboard. The four additional ports are controlled by two ASMedia ASM1042 chips.

The ASUS P8Z77-V PRO doesn’t have FireWire ports.

This motherboard supports 7.1+2 audio format, i.e., eight channels plus two independent channels for audio streaming. On this motherboard, the audio is generated by the chipset using the Realtek ALC892 codec, which is a mainstream-grade product, providing a 97 dB signal-to-noise ratio for the analog outputs, 90 dB signal-to-noise ratio for the analog inputs, and up to 192 kHz sampling rate for both inputs and outputs, with 24-bit resolution. These specifications are good for the average user, but if you want to work professionally with audio editing or converting analog audio sources into digital format, you will need to pick a motherboard with at least 100 dB signal-to-noise ratio for its inputs.

The motherboard has on-board optical SPDIF output. A header labeled “SPDIF_OUT” also provides SPDIF output for you to install a coaxial SPDIF output or to route digital audio to older video cards that require this physical connection in order to have digital audio output in their HDMI connectors.

The analog audio outputs are independent, so you won’t need to use the “mic in” or the “line in” jacks when installing an analog 7.1 speaker set.

The portrayed motherboard has one Gigabit Ethernet port, controlled by the chipset using an Intel WG82579V chip to make the interface with the physical layer.

The ASUS P8Z77-V PRO also comes with a module supporting Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11b/g/n), which is to be installed on a special connector on the motherboard rear panel. This module, however, is a single-band device working at 2.4 GHz, so motherboards with a dual-band radio, such as the ASUS P8Z77-V DELUXE will achieve a higher transfer rate on IEEE 802.11n networks.

Figure 6: The Wi-Fi module

In Figure 7, you can see the motherboard rear panel with a shared PS/2 connector for keyboard and mouse, four USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, the Wi-Fi module installed, optical SPDIF output, HDMI output, DisplayPort output, VGA output, DVI-I output, Gigabit Ethernet port, and the analog audio jacks.

Figure 7: Motherboard rear panel

[nextpage title=”Other Features”]

The BIOS Flashback button, shown in Figure 8, allows you to easily flash the motherboard BIOS with the computer turned off and without having to load any BIOS flashing program. With the computer turned off, simply install a USB memory on a USB port containing the file to be flashed, press the button for three seconds, and voilà! The location of this button, however, is not convenient, as you will have to open your computer case in order to access it. On the DELUXE version of this motherboard, this button is located on the motherboard rear panel, which makes more sense.

Figure 8: The BIOS Flashback button

The motherboard has two switches, labeled TPU and EPU. The EPU switch enables or disables the power-savings features available, while the TPU switch enables or disables automatic overclocking.

Figure 9: The TPU and EPU switches

In Figure 10, you can see all of the accessories that come with the ASUS P8Z77-V PRO.

Figure 10: Accessories

[nextpage title=”Voltage Regulator”]

The CPU voltage regulator circuit of the ASUS P8Z77-V PRO has 12 phases for the CPU main voltage (Vcc a.k.a. Vcore), one for the CPU VSA voltage (memory controller), one for the CPU VTT voltage (PCI Express and DMI interfaces), and four for the CPU integrated video controller (VAXG). Therefore, it uses a “12+1+1+4” configuration.

Figure 11: Voltage regulator circuit

The voltage regulator is controlled by ASUS’s Digi+ EPU (ASP1000C) integrated circuit, using a digital design.

The ASUS P8Z77-V PRO uses solid electrolytic capacitors. All coils on this motherboard are ferrite-core models, which can provide up to 20% improvement in efficiency.

If you want to learn more about the voltage regulator circuit, please read our tutorial on the subject.

[nextpage title=”Overclocking Options”]

The ASUS P8Z77-V PRO has a few overclocking options. Below, we list the most important ones (0906 BIOS):

• Base clock: From 80 MHz to 300 MHz in 0.1 MHz increments
• CPU core voltage: From +0.005 V to +0.635 V in 0.005 V increments
• CPU VCCSA (memory controller) voltage: From 0.8000 V to 1.7000 V in 0.00625 V increments
• CPU VTT (“I/O”) voltage: From 0.8000 V to 1.7000 V in 0.00625 V increments
• CPU PLL voltage: From 1.2000 V to 2.2000 V in 0.00625 V increments
• Chipset (PCH) voltage: From 0.8000 V to 1.7000 V in 0.0100 V increments
• Memory voltage: From 1.200 V to 1.920 V in 0.005 V increments
• Memory reference voltage: From 0.3950x to 0.6300x in 0.0050x increments

Figure 12: CPU overclocking options

Figure 13: CPU overclocking options

Figure 14: Voltage options

[nextpage title=”Main Specifications”]

Slot V Promo Code

The main specifications for the ASUS P8Z77-V PRO include:

• Socket: 1155
• Chipset: Intel Z77 Express
• Super I/O: Nuvoton NCT6779D
• Parallel ATA: None
• Serial ATA: Four SATA-300 ports, two SATA-600 ports controlled by the chipset (RAID 0, 1, 10, and 5), and two SATA-600 ports controlled by an ASMedia ASM1061 chip (no RAID)
• External SATA: None
• USB 2.0: 10 USB 2.0 ports, two on the rear panel and eight available through four headers on the motherboard
• USB 3.0: Eight USB 3.0 ports, four soldered on the motherboard rear panel and four available through two headers on the motherboard, four controlled by the chipset and four controlled by two ASMedia ASM1042 chips
• FireWire (IEEE 1394): None
• On-board video: Yes, controlled by the CPU, VGA, DVI-I, HDMI, and DisplayPort connectors
• On-board audio: Produced by the chipset together with a Realtek ALC892 codec (7.1+2 channels, 24-bit resolution, 192 kHz sampling rate, 97 dB SNR for the outputs, and 90 dB SNR for the inputs), on-board optical SPDIF output
• On-board LAN: One Gigabit Ethernet port, controlled by the chipset using an Intel WG82579V chip to make the interface with the physical layer; Wi-Fi single-band IEEE 802.11b/g/n support
• Buzzer: No
• Infrared interface: No
• Power supply required: EPS12V
• Slots: Two PCI Express 3.0/2.0 x16 slots (x16/x0 or x8/x8, supporting SLI and CrossFireX), one PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot (working at x4), two PCI Express 2.0 x1 slots, and two standard PCI slots (ASMedia ASM1083 bridge chip)
• Memory: Four DDR3-DIMM sockets (up to DDR3-2600, 32 GB maximum)
• Fan connectors: One four-pin connector for the CPU cooler and five four-pin connectors for auxiliary fans
• Extra features: MemOk! button
• Number of CDs/DVDs provided: One
• Programs included: Motherboard utilities
• More Information: http://www.asus.com
• Average Price in the U.S.*: USD 225.00

* Researched at Newegg.com on the day we published this First Look article.[nextpage title=”Conclusions”]

The ASUS P8Z77-V PRO is a top mid-range motherboard, and therefore targeted to the user who wants more features than mainstream motherboards provide, such as three PCI Express x16 slots, eight USB 3.0 ports, a Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11b/g/n card, and an above-average voltage regulator circuit.

The only feature that we didn’t like about the P8Z77-V PRO was the choice of audio codec. Since it is a top mid-range product, we’d expect it to use a high-end codec such as the ALC898 or the ALC889, which provide a higher signal-to-noise ratio. On the other hand, if you are not going to work professionally with audio editing or converting analog audio to digital format, that won’t be a problem for you.

If you want even more features, you may consider the ASUS P8Z77-V DELUXE, which brings the following advantages over the PRO model and costs USD 50 more:

• Realtek ALC898 audio codec (higher signal-to-noise ratio)
• The Wi-Fi card is dual-band with two antennas, achieving higher performance on IEEE 802.11n networks
• Bluetooth 4.0
• Two Gigabit Ethernet ports instead of only one
• Presence of a PLX switch chip, allowing higher performance when several data transfers are being executed at the same time
• POST diagnostics display
• Two eSATA-600 ports
• Button for the “BIOS Flashback” function located on the motherboard rear panel
• Voltage regulator circuit with more phases

The PRO model, however, has VGA and DVI-I outputs, connectors not available on the DELUXE model.

Of course, if you don’t need all the extra features available on the ASUS P8Z77-V PRO, such as additional USB 3.0 ports, a third PCI Express x16 slot, and a Wi-Fi card, you can pick a more affordable product.

Surface Pro 3 adapts to the way you work.

Surface Pro 3 and Windows

Surface Pro 3 comes with Windows 8.1 Pro edition (for commercial customers), which includes BitLocker data protection, domain join, and Remote Desktop Connection hosting.

Not sure which version of Windows you have? See Which version of Windows operating system am I running?

V Slot Profiles South Africa

If you're not sure which Surface model you're using, see Find out which Surface model you have.

Diagram of Surface Pro 3

Not sure where to plug something in or turn up the volume? To help you get around, here's a diagram.

1. Volume

2. Headset jack

3. Speaker

4. Power

5. Front camera

6. Front privacy light

7. Front microphone

8. Mini DisplayPort

9. Full-size USB 3.0 port

10. Kickstand

11. Windows button

12. Charging port

13. Pen

Surface Pro 3 features

Work your way

Flip out the Surface Pro 3 kickstand to any angle and work or play comfortably at your desk, on the couch, or while giving a hands-free presentation. Choose the angle that's right for you. Multi-touch lets you use your fingers to select, zoom, or move things around on the screen (learn about using a touchscreen).

Surface Pro 3 supports standard Wi-Fi protocols (802.11a/b/g/n/ac) and Bluetooth®, and it has the ports you expect in a full-feature laptop.

• Full-size USB 3.0 port. Connect USB accessories—like a mouse, a printer, a 4G USB dongle, or an Ethernet adapter.

• microSD card slot. Use the microSD card slot for extra storage or transferring files. Learn more about Surface storage options.

• Mini DisplayPort version 1.2. Share what's on your Surface display by connecting it to an HDTV, monitor, or projector (video adapters sold separately). Learn more about connecting Surface to a TV, monitor, or projector.

• Charging port and 36-watt power supply. Attach the included power supply to the charging port when your battery is low. Learn more about Surface battery and power.

• Cover port. Add Type Cover for Surface Pro 3 (sold separately) so you'll always have a keyboard with you. Thin and light, Type Cover even helps protect your touchscreen while you're on the go. For more info, see Surface Type Cover.

Next-gen power for your ideas

Surface Pro 3 uses the 4th generation Intel® Core™ processor (i3, i5 or i7). Choose from 64GB or 128GB storage with 4GB RAM, or 256GB or 512GB storage with 8GB RAM. Want even more storage? Learn more about Surface storage options.

Express yourself

Music, podcasts, and audio books sound crisp and clear with Dolby® enhanced sound. Need a bit more privacy? Plug your favorite headset into the headset jack. When you’re on your next call or making your next video, take advantage of the noise-cancelling stereo headphones. See Surface sound, volume, and audio accessories for more info.

And for both videos and photos, you’ll have two 5-megapixel cameras. Each camera has a privacy light, so there are no surprises. For more info, see Take photos and videos with Surface.

Make it your own

V Slot Profiles

Learn about the optional accessories that work with your Surface Pro 3.

To take full advantage of all your Surface can do, you can download apps that use the four available sensors (compass, ambient light sensor, accelerometer, and gyroscope). If you want to learn more about Surface Pro 3, download the User Guide for your Surface (English only).

Hardware specifications

Slot V Promo Code

¹ Testing conducted by Microsoft in March 2015 using 64 GB and 128 GB units with 4 GB RAM. Testing consisted of full battery discharge during video playback. All settings were default except: Wi-Fi was associated with a network and Auto-Brightness was disabled. Battery life varies significantly with settings, usage, and other factors.

² System software uses significant storage space. Available storage is subject to change based on system software updates and apps usage. 1 GB = 1 billion bytes. See Surface.com/storage for more details.

³ Maximum display output from the Mini DisplayPort depends on the refresh rate and the screen resolution. For more info, see Troubleshoot connecting Surface to a second screen.

V-slot Profile Europe

Coverage, service, and 4G LTE are not available everywhere.

V Slot Projects

Related topics