Zotac releases Z68 mini-ITX boards

The international component manufacturer Zotac has annouced it will be releasing a line of motherboards in the mini-ITX form factor that will take advantage of Intel's new Z68 chipset. These new boards will allow the user to take advantage of the integrated graphics, smart response technology, improved video coding technology and overclocking.

The boards are designed to allow users to take full advantage of the SandyBridge processors integrated graphics units which are either GMA 2000 or GMA 3000. These boards will support a discrete video card too, so you will be able to utilise the integrated graphics in sync with a discrete card. The boards will also have support for Intel's quick sync technology which is of particular note to people looking to build HTPC's.

Since these new boards are the "ZOTAC Z68-ITX WiFi series" they also come with a built in WiFi reciever which can be seen in the image below:

As far as inputs are concerned the board has:

• 1 X Intel LAN
• 2 X USB 3.0
• 1 X CMOS clear button
• 2 X USB 2.0
• 1 X mSATA
• 1 X HDMI
• 1 X Mini Display Port
• 2 X DVI Dual Link
• 1 X Optical Audio Out
• 1 X 7.1 Audio Out

All of the "Supreme" boards will be manufactured with a GT 430 GPU and this is packed with 1GB of GDDR3 memory to help support up to 4 simultaneous displays through the 4 rear display connectors. In terms of board inputs there are 2 X DDR3 SODIMM slots and 1 PCI-E 4X slot for expansion. The standard non-supreme boards will use DDR3 DIMM not SODIMM.

The slight variations in specifications between the Supreme and standard version are shown in the table below: