Motherboard tips for the noob

ok guys. i am planning to get an i5-2500k and a GTX560/560ti/6870/6950. havent decided yet on the GPU. my need is to run 3 screens. (for work). but for gaming i ll be using just 1 screen (1080p res).

so question is : i decided to go with GA-p67-UD4 for the MOBO. but few of tom's members suggest to get a z68 instead. now i will be OC. and SLI/CF in far future. If there are any specific advantages of getting a z68 please let me know. or will i be happy with the p67? i dont know much about OC . i am just a rookie when it comes to all these things. so which mobo do i get for i5-2500k .
thanks

The Z68 and the P67 are basically the same except that the Z68 has three additional features that the P67 does have. Those features are..

-Intel® SRT (Smart Response Technology) this allows you to use a small SSD (<64GB) as a caching drive. By doing this you can get better boot and access times for applications that are cached on the drive.

-IGP (Integrated Graphics on the Processor) most of the Z68 have built in support for the IGP on them. This will allow you to use the IGP for backup graphics and to help trouble shoot issues. Also since most of the boards come with LucidLogix Virtu software you can set it up so that it can switch between the dedicated video card and the IGP to take advantage of Intel Quick Sync to give you the best performance in the application that you are using.

-Intel SATA III controller it performs better than the older Marvell controller that was used on the P67 chipset.

In the end the cost of a Z68 is almost the same as a P67 with the same features. So the real question is why wouldnt you get a Z68 board?

Christian Wood
Intel Enthusiast Team