Introduction

Looking for a smaller motherboard, but still want the performance of a full-size board? Lately we've seen several requests in the forums for such a product, and none other than ASUS has stepped up to the plate with a solution based on the Intel Z68 Platform, with the Maximus IV Gene-Z. Like it's much larger brethren, the Maximus IV Gene-Z is straight from the ROG line of products from ASUS, a product line that seeks not only to meet every gamer's needs, but also the needs of those looking to push their system to the max. We take the Maximus IV Gene-Z ROG racer for a spin around the track; will it make the fastest lap?

Specifications

Intel Z68 Chipset

In the middle of May Intel launched its new "mainstream-enthusiast" product line, based on the Z68 Express chipset. With the P67 and H67 chipsets launched just a few months before, the Z68 takes the best features of both, and combines them together to offer extreme flexibility and several key features. The first, and most obvious of these features is the ability to use not only discrete graphics cards, but also allows use of the Sandy Bridge integrated GPU, at the same time. The majority of other chipsets that offered integrated graphics only allow use of one or the other, but the Z68 chipset has none of these limitations. In fact, through the use of third-party software, you can even use just one monitor, and both the Intel HD2000 integrated GPU and a discrete graphics card can work together, combining the features of both solutions into one big all-in-one solution.


The second feature not seen in P67 or H67 is Intel's "Smart Response Technology", which allows the combination of both a mechanical disc drive and an ultra-fast SSD into one, offering the superfast speed of the SSD, and the storage space of a mechanical drive in one solution. Combining technologies seems what Z68 is all about, and this is no different. Once set up, it requires no user intervention, and will automatically keep commonly used files on the SSD, for quick and easy access.

The Intel Z68 Express chipset also allows overclocking of both the CPU, and the GPU, which neither previous SKT1155 offered. Intel has offered a lot with the Z68 package, such that it's questionable why the P67 and H67 chipsets are even around, and some OEMs agree, such as ASUS, who has dropped all P67-based products in favor for Z68 chipsets. And with that in mind, it's also important to mention that OEMs are not required to enable all features available on the Z68 platform, and certain things, like PCIe lane configurations and if the display outputs are enabled, are all up to the OEM to implement.

ASUS launched their ROG line a bit over five years ago, and over the years, the line has matured not only in hardware features and performance, but also in software and looks, too. Today the entire line features a unified set of overclocking and gaming specialized features, combined with a racy red and black color scheme that now wraps Intel's Z68 in a tiny but quick mATX dragster, the Maximus IV Gene-Z:

Packaging

Clad in the blood red that has become traditional for the ROG line of products, the ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z showed up on our doorstep just a short time ago, ready for action. First and foremost on the front of the box is the board's name, with several small technology logos on the bottom edge. The simple design helps that box stand out on the store shelf, with very few distractions in the design that may detract from the overall impression given. The top has a flip-up top, under which we find several detailed descriptions on the Maximus IV Gene-Z's included features, while on the back, we find a listing of the Maximus IV Gene-Z's specifications, a copy of what we find on the ASUS website.


Once we opened the box, we found the board right on top, with a clear plastic cover on top that allows full view of the board itself, great for consumers that like to see what they are buying when they visit their local retailer. The board is contained within its own box, and when we removed it, we found the included accessories below, set in the bottom of the main packaging, with a small divider to both prevent the accessories from tossing around the box during shipping, as well as providing support for the board's inner packaging.