ASRock Z68 Pro3 Pro Reviews

Overall, the ASRock Z68 Pro3 offers a decent set of features for a Z68 motherboard while not being too expensive. The ASRock Z68 Pro3 does support Lucidlogix Virtu, but it does not offer SLI / CrossFire compatibility (due to lacking a second PCI Express x16 slot) like many other Z68 motherboards. There are also only two Serial ATA 3.0 ports on this motherboard. Also lacking are any DisplayPort outputs, eSATA, or IEEE-1394 Firewire. While the ASRock Z68 Pro3 may not be the most feature-rich motherboard, the attractive point about the product is it is much lower price-point than most Intel Z68 motherboards. At the time of publishing, the Z68 Pro3 is retailing for just $130 USD, which is a bargain compared to other $200+ Z68 motherboards. The ASRock Z68 Extreme4 does offer more in terms of features over the Pro3 variant, but at a $200 price tag. The only complaint about this motherboard in terms of Linux support is nothing that is really ASRock specific, but just the lack of LM_Sensors compatibility for the onboard sensors and the un-surprising Sandy Bridge Linux graphics problems that require updating the stack. The Intel Z68 motherboards have the extra step of needing the very latest DDX.

This model ASRock Z68 Pro3 is the second ASRock motherboard we have looked at, and it comes in at a budget price of $100. We purchased our board from Newegg when it was about $110 a couple of months ago. The board was "OK" but nothing close to special and honestly we did not expect much for $100. For the [H] crowd it is hard to suggest something like this ASRock product when you can buy a quality ASUS or MSI motherboard that is much more well appointed for around the same cost. The ASRock Z68 Pro3 is just "OK."

The thing that really stands out here is the price. It's got all the hugely desirable features of Intel Z68, including the ability to turn QuickSync on and off, and yet costs less than some low-end H67-based motherboards we've seen. The fact that overall performance is top of the class too is just the icing on the proverbial desert stuff. There are sacrifices to be made to keep the cost down. The software is a bit ropey and there are no overclocker-friendly extras such as power buttons on the PCB or a simple CMOS clear. Just one PCI-Express port should raise a flag about how you'll upgrade your GPU in a couple of years too.

The ASRock Z68 Pro3 is a great mainstream motherboard based on the new Intel Z68 chipset. It has everything the average user needs today, including Virtu and Smart Response Technology, at a terrific price. Of course, if you want more SATA-600 ports, USB 3.0 ports, PCI Express x16 slots, and overclocking options, and/or a better voltage regulator circuit, you will need to pay more and get a more expensive product.