Between the I/O shield connectors and the VRM, we can find not one, but two Asmedia ASM1442T controllers, which are the high speed TMDS level shift ICs for High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) and Digital Video Interface (DVI) video application. These convert low-swing AC-coupled differential input from existing PCI Express in the chipset of PC to HDMI compliant differential output, supporting up to 3.4Gbps bandwidth of pixel data transition, as indicated in HDMI Rev1.3a:
Further down, but on the same side, we can find one EtronTech EJ168A USB 3.0 Host Controller chip:
Next to it, there is a MOLEX connector which supplies extra power in case we have installed a SLI or Crossfire setup; in the same zone we can also see two chassis fan headers:
On the left side of the PCB, another small IC can be found, a Broadcom BCM57781 Integrated Gigabit Ethernet Controller:
The Super IO chip on this motherboard is a Nuvoton NCT6776F:
Further down, the Realtek ALC892 high-performance multi-channel High Definition Audio Codec can be found:
A VIA FIRE VT6315N/S PCI-Express 1394 Host Controller is located between the first two PCI-Express x16 slots:
Surrounding the first PCI-Express x16 slot, we can find multiple quick switch ICs, for PCI-Express 3.0 compatibility. However, this feature cannot be put into value until a next-gen Ivy Bridge CPU is installed into the socket:
If I may, when you guys are about to do a review on a product, can I suggest trying to do a little internet survey about potential problems BEFORE publishing your conclusions?
If you would have done that for the Extreme4 GEN3, you would have found very quickly a lot of forum posts about 2 major issues. I would like Asrock and/or you guys to comment about them:
1- Etron EJ168A USB 3.0 controller
Despite the fact this controller recently received the SuperSpeed USB Certification from the USB-IF, it is still plagued by problems such as random disconnect from external USB 3.0 hard drive. It also has issue with some web cam and other peripherals. Your USB device might work, or not. How would you like Russian roulette style USB connectivity with your brand new 185.00$ purchase?
Neither the latest 0.105 drivers or BIOS 1.10 from Asrock solved those problems. This is unacceptable for a brand new product. To Asrock defense, Gigabyte board with the same Etron controller have similar issues.
2- Integrated Intel video
Get this: If you use only the onboard video without a discrete card, the system reboot and/or crash randomly many time every day. According to Asrock tech support on those forums, the only current fix is to up de CPU voltage to 1.2V!!! This is an Asrock specific problem as I couldn’t find forum complaining about this from other vendors. Just Imagine someone not knowing about this major flaw and planning to use the Extem4 GEN3 with the onboard video only... Let the tech support / endless e-mail / multiple RMA begin…
Ramon