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Asus Striker Extreme nForce 680i Intel Motherboard Review
Author: Ryan Shrout
Date: Jan 22, 2007
Subject: Motherboard
Manufacturer: Asus
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Introduction and Specifications

Introduction

The NVIDIA nForce 680i chipset was initially released along side Intel's announcement of the Core 2 Duo line of processors back in November of last year.  Since then, the chipset has quickly become the choice of enthusiasts and overclockers looking for a new system based on the Intel CPU platform.  So far, the only successfully launched motherboard has been EVGA's built-by-NVIDIA 680i motherboard; can Asus' custom designed 680i motherboard, the Republic of Gamers Striker Extreme, compete? 

Specifications (from Asus.com)

CPU
LGA775 socket for Intel® Core™2 Extreme / Core™2 Duo / Pentium® Extreme / Pentium® D / Pentium® 4 / Celeron® D Processors
Intel® Quad-core CPU Ready
Compatible with Intel® 06/05B/05A processors
* Refer to http://www.asus.com/ for Intel CPU support list
Chipset
NVIDIA nForce® 680i SLI™
 - Support SLI-Ready Memory Technlogy
Front Side Bus
1333** / 1066 / 800 / 533 MHz
** available when CPU's supporting 1333MHz FSB
Memory
Dual channel memory architecture
4 x DIMM, max. 8GB, DDR2-800/667/533, non-ECC and un-buffered memory
* Refer to http://www.asus.com/ or user manual for Memory QVL (Qualify Vendor List)
SLI-Ready Memory
1200MHz
Expansion Slots
2 x PCI Express x16 slot, support NVIDIA® SLI™ technology, at full x16, x16 speed(blue)
1 x PCI Express x16, at x8 speed(middle)
1 x PCI Express x1
2 x PCI 2.2
SLI
Support two identical NVIDIA SLI-Ready graphics cards (both at x16 mode)
ASUS PEG Link
Storage
South bridge supports:
 - 1 x Ultra DMA 133 / 100 / 66 / 33
 - 6 x Serial ATA 3.0Gb/s
 - NVIDIA MediaShieldâ„¢ RAID supports RAID 0, 1, 0+1, 5 and JBOD span cross Serial ATA drives
Silicon Image® 3132 SATA controller supports
 - 2 x External Serial ATA 3.0Gb/s port on back I/O (SATA On-the-Go)
LAN
NVIDIA nForce® 680i SLI™ built-in dual Gigabit MAC with external Marvell PHY
Support NVIDIA DualNet® technology
High Definition Audio

SupremeFX Audio Card
 - ADI 1988B 8-channel High Definition Audio CODEC
 - Support Jack-Sensing, Enumeration, Multi-streaming and Jack-Retasking
 - Noise Filter
Coaxial, Optical S/PDIF out
DTS® Connect
ASUS Array Mic

IEEE 1394a
VIA6308P controller supports 2 x 1394a ports
USB
max. 10 USB2.0/1.1 ports(6 ports at mid-board, 4 ports at back panel)
Overclocking Features
Extreme Tweaker
Intelligent overclocking tools:
 - AI NOSâ„¢ (Non-delay Overclocking System)
 - AI Overclocking (intelligent CPU frequency tuner)
 - ASUS AI Booster Utility
 - O.C Profile
Overclocking Protection:
 - ASUS C.P.R.(CPU Parameter Recall)
Special Features
LCD Poster
EL I/O
Onboard LED
Onboard Switches: Power / Reset / Clr CMOS
Q-Connector
Q-Fan Plus
ASUS EZ Flash2
ASUS Music Alarm
ASUS MyLogo3
Back Panel I/O Ports
1 x LCD Poster
1 x PS/2 Keyboard port(purple)
1 x PS/2 Mouse port(green)
1 x Optical + 1 x Coaxial S/PDIF Output
2 x External SATA
2 x LAN (RJ45) port
4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports
1 x IEEE1394a port
1 x onboard LED switch
Internal I/O Connectors
3 x USB 2.0 connectors supports additional 6 USB 2.0 ports
1 x Floppy disk drive connector
1 x IDE connector for two devices
6 x SATA connectors
8 x Fan connector: 1 x CPU / 1 x SPS / 3 x Chassis / 3 x Optional
3 x thermal sensor connector
1 x IEEE1394a connector
1 x S/PDIF output connector
1 x Chassis Intrusion connector
24-pin ATX Power connector
8-pin ATX 12V Power connector
1 x EL I/O Shield Connector
System panel connector
BIOS
8Mb Award BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0, SM BIOS 2.3, Multi-Language BIOS
Manageability
WOL by PME, WOR by PME, Chasis Intrusion, PXE
Accessories
SLI bridge
ASUS Array Mic
ASUS Optional Fan
3 in 1 ASUS Q-Connector Kit
UltraDMA 133/100/66 cable
Floppy disk drive cable
SATA cables
SATA power cables
2-port USB2.0 module
IEEE1394a module
EL I/O Shield
Thermal sensor cables
Cable Ties
ROG key ring
User's manual
Software
The hottest 3D Game: Ghost Recon
InterVideo® Media Launcher (OEM version only)
Striker Extreme Support DVD:
Drivers
ASUS PC Probe II
ASUS Update
ASUS AI Booster
Futuremark ® 3DMark® 06 Advanced Edition
NVIDIA MediaShieldâ„¢ RAID
Kaspersky®  Anti-Virus
Form Factor
ATX Form Factor, 12"x 9.6" (30.5cm x 24.5cm)

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