Specifications
Performance
Based on Intel Z77 chipset
Supports Intel Socket 1155 Processors
100MHz+ BCLK
Memory
4 x 240-pin DIMM sockets
Dual Channel DDR3
Maximum of 32GB of DDR3 2133MHz+
Expansion Slot
5 x PCIe x16/x8, 1 x PCIe x1
Storage I/O
6 x Serial ATA 300MB/sec (4x Internal + 2x E-SATA) with support for RAID 0, RAID1, RAID 0+1, RAID5, RAID10 and JBOD
4 x Serial ATA 600MB/sec (4 Internal) with support for RAID 0 and RAID1
Integrated Peripherals
8 Channel High Definition
2 x 10/100/1000
Multi I/O
10 x USB2.0 ports (6 external + 4 internal headers)
6 x USB3.0 ports (4 external + 2 internal headers)
Audio connector (Line-in, Line-out, MIC)
FireWire 1394A (1 external)
Form Factor
EATX Form Factor
Length: 12in – 304.8mm
Width: 10.375in – 263.5mm
Product Warranty
This product comes with a 3 year limited warranty. Registration is recommended
Operating System Support
Windows 7 32/64bit, Windows Vista 32/64bit, Windows XP 32/64bit
Power
When it comes to power management EVGA seems to be near the top of the pile. Offering two CPU 8 pin power ports to get the power to the CPU for crazy overclocking, solid state POSCAP capacitors, 7+1 phase CPU PWM and 3 Phase memory PWM
Manual
The Manual is sufficient in respect to getting things up and running but is (in my opinion) lacking in detail. A total of 36 pages of which two are blank, five are post codes (this is good) and three are a glossary of terms. Here I begin a rant.
Bios, basic overclocking and the one piece of software are not covered in the least.
This would be acceptable if they had not included the Glossary of terms. To sell an advanced board with little to no value added software is acceptable but then to add a glossary of terms is a bit confusing and it is also shows poor planning on the part of EVGA here. Let me explain this a little.
Using the PDF Contents (which has some page numbering errors noted in red) to give you a feel for what it offers you may notice what you do not see…
- BIOS setup information.
- No details concerning the one included utility (E-Leet)
- No troubleshooting/support
Now I guess this would be fine but then they include the glossary of terms:
1337 – This is reserved for EVGA level elite
AC – Alternating Current
ACPI – Advanced Configuration and Power Interface
AFR – Alternate Frame Rendering
APIC – Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller
ACPI – Advanced Configuration and Power Interface
BCLK – Base Clock (or operating frequency of base system bus)
BIOS – Basic Input Output System
CD-ROM – Compact Disc Read-Only Memory
CMOS – Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor
CPU – Central Processing Unit
D-ICE – Dry Ice Cooling
DDR2 – Double Data Rate 2
DDR3 – Double Data Rate 3
DIMM – Dual In-line Memory Module
DMI – Direct Memory Interface
DRAM – Dynamic random access memory
DVD – Digital Versatile Disc
DVI – Digital Video Interface
FDC – Floppy Disk Controller
FSB – Front Side Bus
– For The Win!
GHz – Gigahertz
GPU – Graphics Processing Unit
HDD – Hard Disk Drive
HDMI – High-Definition Multimedia Interface
HDR – High Dynamic Range Lighting
HPET – High Precision Event Timer
HT – Hyper-Threading
HSF – Heat Sink Fan
I/O – Input/Output
IDE – Integrated Drive Electronics
IEEE – Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
IGP – Integrated Graphics Processors
IMC – Integrated memory controller
IRQ – Interrupt Request
JBOD – Just a Bunch of Disks
JEDEC – Joint Electron Device Engineering Council
LAN – Local Area Network
LCD – Liquid Crystal Display
LGA – Land Grid Array
LN2 – Liquid Nitrogen Cooling
MAC – Media Access Control
MCP – Media and Communications Processor
MHz – Megahertz
MMIO – Memory Mapped I/O
NB – Northbridge
NCQ – Native Command Queuing
NIC – Network Interface Card
NTFS – New Technology File System
OEM – Original Equipment Manufacturer
PATA – Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment
PCB – Printed Circuit Board
PCI – Peripheral Component Interconnect
PCIe – Peripheral Component Interconnect Express
PCI-x – Peripheral Component Interconnect Extended
POST – Power on Self Test
PWM – Pulse Width Modulation
QDR – Quad Data Rate
QPI – Quick Path Interconnect
RAID – Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks
RGB – Red Green Blue
SATA – Serial Advanced Technology Attachment
SB – Southbridge
SCSI – Small Computer System Interface
SFR – Split Frame Rendering
SLI – Scalable Link Interface
SPD – Serial Presence Detect
SPDIF – Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format
SPP – System Platform Processors
SSD – Solid State Drive
TCP/IP – Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
USB – Universal Serial Bus
VDroop – V-core Voltage Drop
VGA – Video Graphics Array
Why is there anything wrong with this? When you provide a manual with no real details about BIOS setup (The advanced user is still at a disadvantage here as the nomenclature of the settings is not a standard across brands and will require trial and error.) or any advanced functions you are presuming that the buyer is technically advanced. Throwing these acronyms and alphabet soup – which are already known by the advanced user -into the mix make the manual seem like an afterthought that – well – did not get much thought.
Software
The kit comes with a CD that contains utilities, drivers, and additional software.
The CD that has been shipped with the EVGA Z77 FTW Motherboard contains the following software and drivers:
Chipset Drivers
Audio Drivers
RAID Drivers
LAN Drivers
Matrix Storage
USB 3.0 Drivers
EVGA E-LEET
User’s Manual
The Elite software
The software is functional, effective and easy to use. It is a little lacking in the tweaking area but I think it is one of the fastest (as it pertains to the interface) software solutions I have seen.
Sadly it is feature limited and offers no real OS based tweaking features.
