GIGABYTE Offers Bundle on Z68XP-UD3-iSSD Motherboard featuring 20GB Intel SSD

[runn3R]

- GIGABYTE Offers Bundle on Z68XP-UD3-iSSD Motherboard featuring 20GB Intel® SSD 311 Series -

-- SSD Bundle Enables Users to Effortlessly Take Advantage of Intel® Smart Response Technology for an Instant System Performance Boost --

Taipei, Taiwan, May 27, 2011 - GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co., Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards and computing hardware solutions today announced the new GIGABYTE Z68XP-UD3-iSSD motherboard based on the Intel® Z68 Express chipset and pre-bundled with the 20GB Intel® Solid-State Drive 311 Series. The included mSATA-based single level cell (SLC) solid-state drive (SSD), allows users to take advantage of the performance benefits of Intel® Smart Response Technology straight out of the box. The package is expected to be available to end-users in early June from selected online retailers internationally.

“We are thrilled to deliver the world’s first motherboard to come pre-bundled with an Intel SSD 311,” commented Richard Chen, VP of Worldwide Sales and Marketing at GIGABYTE. “Our customers realize the performance benefits that Intel Smart Response Technology has to offer, and the Z68XP-UD3-iSSD is the easiest way for them to instantly take advantage of the performance boost.”

“By offering the Intel SSD 311 Series, optimized for Intel Smart Response Technology, with GIGABYTE’s Z68XP-UD3-iSSD MOTHERBOARD, we can bring the benefits of increased system responsiveness to more users,” said Pete Hazen, director of marketing for Intel’s Non-Volatile Memory Solutions Group. “A bundle such as this offers users an easy, plug-and-play entry into the quicker response environment of caching with an SSD.”

Intel® Smart Response Technology
GIGABYTE Z68 series motherboards are equipped with the much anticipated Intel® Smart Response Technology, allowing users to experience system performance similar to SSD-only systems. Intel® Smart Response technology works by using intelligent block-based caching of frequently used applications to improve system performance and responsiveness. In fact, GIGABYTE Z68 motherboards with Intel® Smart Response Technology are able to outperform hybrid drive systems by more than 4X (PC Mark Vantage HDD test score) and deliver a 60% performance improvement over HDD-only systems in PC Mark Vantage Suite.

GIGABYTE mSATA Ready Motherboards (Total of 5 models):
 
GA-Z68XP-UD3-iSSD (bundled with Intel® Solid-State Drive 311 Series)
GA-Z68XP-UD3
GA-Z68XP-D3
GA-Z68AP-D3
GA-Z68P-DS3

GIGABYTE will display the GA-Z68XP-UD3-iSSD package at Computex 2011. To find out more about the GA-Z68XP-UD3-iSSD, please visit: http://uk.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3896#ov and keep an eye on the GIGABYTE Tech Daily Blog.

[Dark Mantis]

Excellent idea from Gigabyte again!

From the looks of things the iSSD will be swappable with a larger  more useful drive as the prices drop. Brilliant idea all the same.

[WarYur]

Wow that is great!  So did I do it to myself once again by not waiting a few months to see what types of motherboards were going to come out such as the Z68?  Ever since I first saw the Z68 on here I have been wondering that and now I know for sure.

Actually I was looking earlier today on newegg and they had a Z68-UD7-B3 which looks a lot like my P67-UD7-B3 and seemed to have almost the same specs as my board but of course mine isn't based on the Intel Z68 chipset. 

Does anyone have a clue as to what they might be charging for this Gigabyte board with SSD 311?  I won't be running out and buying one but still I wish I had looked a bit deeper into what might be coming down the pike for motherboards and Sandy Bridge chips but, oh well.  Not like this is the first time that has happened to me and probably not the last. 

I am really happy with my choice of coming over to Gigabyte though for a motherboard.  I sure will be looking forward to see what they will do next to beat this pre bundled SSD setup and then the idea of being able to upgrade a motherboard?  Awesome!

[Dark Mantis]

I don't know what will be next but it is all going in the right direction. Gigabyte usually seem to be in the forefront with the innovations that matter.

[wotan343]

Holding off on my next big build for this board. Anyone know about a release date in the UK? Any EU retailers stocking them now/soon?

[Dark Mantis]

Only what I have heard unofficially but it should be any time soon.

[wotan343]

Only what I have heard unofficially but it should be any time soon.

...and what have you heard unofficially?

[absic]

You won't get anything out of DM unless you threaten him with LOTS of money! 

[Aussie Allan]

You won't get anything out of DM unless you threaten him with LOTS of money! 

  In May, they were saying early to mid June!.........even my sources can't nail it down........the gossip is first week in July

  The really interesting thing is the iSSd side of things is precisly what the Marvell 9130 chip was touting......SSD and a Platter drive going through the some controller giving you low cost platter storage with 80% of the SSD speed.......yet there calling it .......

                  Intel mSATA 20GB SLC SSD Onboard for Intel® Smart Response Technology 

  Gigabyte may have been proactive developing there own technology version........or...........Maybe a marketing move to drop the Marvell name to protect sales........as for me ,if it works.........Bloody beauty.........as to who is behind the technology........If it quacks like a duck...

 I also thought that some smart bunny will try and generate an adaptor for this port to connect a standard SATA SSD.....but I think I can see a whopping big chip in the middle of the iSSD I suspect to thwart this move making this 20Gb iSSD effectively a propriety piece of hardware.

 Aussie Allan