Introduction

In addition to this year's Intel Optane DC P4800X SSD for data centers and caching memory, Optane Memory Intel is launching a small series of SSDs for high-performance Optane 900P workstations. New SSDs based on 3D XPoint technology are intended for enthusiasts and professionals engaged in photo and video processing, game development, etc.

The Intel Optane SSD 900P is extremely fast thanks to the new 3D XPoint memory, but it's also expensive, as this latest technology is in high demand now. For more than a decade, Intel and Micron have jointly created 3D XPoint memory as a part of a closed secret project in1966. Developers still do not disclose the details of this technology, although third-party companies confirm the information that this is one of the forms of memory based on the phase transition (Phase-change memory, PCM).

 

Performance

To speak about the performance, the new high-speed memory is designed to fill a niche between operational …

Gigabyte has won its unflinching reputation as the leading manufacturer of multifarious hardware components primarily thanks to catering for the needs of any customer, either it is a corporate client or an average home user. Today the company decided to cater for the needs of enthusiasts and overclockers, who long for extreme performance, extreme speeds, as well as for limitless facilities, by introducing two new high-end motherboards. Codenamed Z87X-OC and Z87X-OC Force, the boards are based on Intel Z87 Express chipset that supports the 4th generation Intel Haswell processors.




Motherboards Gigabyte Z87X-OC and Z87X-OC Force feature Ultra Durable 5 Plus design, an improved hardware base, and an optimized cooling system. Both models have got 12-phase power stabilization system and an updated UEFI DualBIOS technology. These boards employ Gold Plated Solid Power Connectors that imply an increased usage of gold in 8-contact socket for CPU power supply and in 24-contact …

Gigabyte teamed up with EK Water Blocks in order to develop a pair of off-beat motherboards. The GA-X99-Ultra-Gaming-EK and the GA-Z170X-Gaming 7-EK are differentiated from their predecessors by the integration of EK-Supremacy EVO X99 & EK-FB GA-Z170X waterblocks. The latter is sure to cool down not only the CPU and its environment but also key components of the power subsystem.



Gigabyte GA-X99-Ultra Gaming-EK is developed on Intel X99 chipset, targeting Intel Core i7 CPUs for Socket LGA2011-3 platform. The PCB offers 8 DIMM slots for DDR4-3600 MHz memory (up to 128 GB), four PCIe 3.0 x16 expansion slots and a single PCIe 2.0 x1 slot. The ATX motherboard features 305x244 mm dimensions.


Storage subsystem of the model is represented by one M.2 Socket 3 slot, one U.2 slot, one SATA Express port as well as eight SATA III (6 Gb/sec) ports. One more M.2 Socket 1 is occupied by Wi-Fi/Bluetooth adapter. 7-1 channel audio subsystem is based on Realtek ALC1150 controller, whereas …