Intel’s i7-3770K CPU Overclocked to 7 GHz with MSI’s Z77 Motherboard

MSI has just announced on its official website that the MSI Z77A-GD65 motherboard based on the Intel Z77 chipset has been successfully overclocked at 7 GHz using an Intel Core i7-3770K CPU. The motherboard is build using very high quality components and was certified to conform to the MIL-STD-810G standard via third-party laboratories.

The Z77A-GD65 motherboard is equipped with a Hybrid Digital Power design that allows voltage options to be more precisely adjusted, providing a more stable power source.

The Intel Core i7-3770K CPU was overclocked form its default 3500 MHz clock speed to a high 7000 MHz frequency.

Military Class III components are MSI's way of saying that the motherboard is using high quality Hi-c CAP, SFC and Solid CAP components that were tested by independent labs, using 7 rigorous tests meeting MIL-STD-810G standards.

Hybrid Digital Power and the Double Thermal Protection provides active protection from component damage in extreme heat or frequency conditions.

There are two levels of thermal prevention present: when the temperature reaches approximately 115 degrees Celsius, a LED indicator on the mainboard will light up as an alarm about the MOSFET's cooling status. Secondly, there is the temperature monitoring that, when the working temperature reaches 130 degrees Celsius, automatically shuts down the mainboard to prevent damage from excessive thermal conditions.

DrMOS II ensure a low power consumption and the Click BIOS II is an utility tool that integrates UEFI BIOS and Windows application into a common interface.

It allows the use of mice or LCD touch panel control for system adjustment. It also enables users to export their overclocking settings via USB flash drives, allowing overclocking enthusiasts to share profiles with other users, or to upload them onto the internet.

MSI’s Z77A-GD65 motherboard is retailing for around $179 in the United States. That’s around 135 EUR for European buyers, but unfortunately the European buyers are always overcharged, and consequently the mainboard was spotted at different online shops in the EU retailing around 180 EUR.

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