Review: gigabyte ga-x79

Intel announced two weeks ago the release of 6-core, 12-core Intel Sandy Bridge-E processors. This platform will cover the needs of the most extreme users and high-performance workstations.

Gigabyte leader in the production of high performance and durability motherboards. Announced four models with the X79 chipset. We have taken the Gigabyte X79-UD3 to our laboratory to see its behavior with an Intel i7 3930K .

Product ceded by:

GIGABYTE Z68X-UD5-B3 FEATURES
Processor	Intel® Core ™ i7 processors on platform 2011.
Chipset	Intel® X79 Express Chipset
Memory	32 GB Maximum in 4 DDR3 non-ECC 2133/1866/1600/1333 / 1066mhz modules.
Audio	Realtek ALC898 Supports Dolby Home Theater High definition audio 2/4 / 5.1 / 7.1 Channel S / PDIF out
Lan	1 x Intel LAN 10/100/1000 Mbit.
Baseboards	2 x PCI Express x 16. 2 x PCI Express x16. 1 x PCI. 2 x PCI Express x1. 4-Way / 3-Way ATI CrossFireX and NVIDIA SLI support.
Storage support	4 x SATA II 3Gb / s. 2 x SATA III 6Gb / s Intel (RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and RAID 10) 3 x Marvell 88SE9128 SATA III 6GB / s (Raid 0 and 1)
U SB and IEEE 1394	14 USB 2.0, 4 USB 3.0 Cool FL1009 + 2 front.
Rear Panel	8 x USB 2.0.1 x PS / 2 keyboard / mouse 2 x USB 3.0.1 x RJ-451 x Coaxial S / P-DIF Out 1 x Optical S / P-DIF Out
BIOS	AMI EFI BIOS 2 X 64Mbit flash Supports Dual BIOS UEFI BIOS
Format	ATX, 305mm x 244mm

The GA-X79-UD3 is Gigabyte's first X79 series motherboard with good heatsinks, proper PCI Express, SATA III, USB 3.0 port layout. and an Intel network card. But we have to highlight the following news:

3D POWER GIGABYTE: GIGABYTE X79 series boards benefit from GIGABYTE's exclusive new 3D Power technology, based on the 3-way Digital Power Engine, for both PWM and memory, offering control over the never before seen power supply. Using a completely new digital PWM controller, GIGABYTE 3D Power integrates three digital memory controllers not only for memory, but also for VTT and VSA, providing real-time adjustment and control. The GIGABYTE 3D Power ™ application provides a range of controls via graphical interface, allowing adjustment of load line calibration, overvoltage protection control, and real-time adjustments of CPU, VTT, IMC, and memory frequency memory. four channels.

GIGABYTE 3D BIOS: Based on our new UEFI DualBIOS ™ technology, GIGABYTE 3D BIOS ™ redesigns the traditional BIOS environment to make it more accessible than ever to less experienced users. GIGABYTE 3D BIOS includes an advanced mode full of functionalities for veteran users in the handling of the BIOS, together with a 3D graphic mode that provides a much more intuitive use of BIOS and allows to easily understand how the parameters of BIOS to PC.

GIGABYTE Ultra Durable ™ 3: GIGABYTE's Ultra Durable 3 design features two ounces of copper in the Power and Ground layers which dramatically lowers system temperature by more efficiently dissipating heat from critical areas of the board such as the zone of CPU power to the rest of the PCB. GIGABYTE Ultra Durable 3 also lowers the impedance of the PCB by 50%, helping to reduce electrical losses and component temperature. The 2-ounce copper layer design also offers improved signal quality and lower EMI (Electromagnetic Interference), improving system stability and allowing greater margins for overclocking.

Quad Channel DDR3: With a bandwidth of 25GB / Seconds and 256 bits of memory. The new Intel X79 platform offers superior performance with new Quad Channel DDR3 technology. Designed for intensive application use.

MULTIGPU 4-way support: The GIGABYTE X79-UD3 incorporates the industry's most scalable graphics platform, with support for 4-way ATI CrossfireX ™ and Nvidia SLI ™. Provides 4 PCI Express 3.0 x8. Fantastic news for 3D rendering and users with 3 monitors and 4 high-end graphics cards.

This time Gigabyte has used a white box to store the Gigabyte X79-UD3.

At the rear are all the features of the motherboard. We highlight its 3D technology, Ultra Durable 3, Quad Channel and the 4way SLI / CrossFireX.

The plate is perfectly protected, in addition to a complete range of accessories.

The box includes:

• GA-X79-UD3 Motherboard. Long SLI Bridge. CrossFireX Bridge. 3 Way SLI Bridge. 4 Way SLI Bridge. Rear Hood. SATA Cables and Stickers. Manuals and Quick Guide

GA-79X-UD3 Overview.

The port layout of the PCI express is quite good.

Although if we mount a 4 Way SLI we can have a problem covering the USB connectors and the Control Panel.

The motherboard includes 10 USB ports. But… if we are seeing only 8?

Chic @ s here we have the other two SATA ports?

The designers of motherboards have globalized the Quad Channel in this format. We have to be careful with the heatsink that we will install because we have more possibilities of colliding with the DDR3 memories.

The X79-UD3 includes two quality heatsinks. They are not very large, but they dissipate enough for long hours of stress.

Gigabyte again leaves us with a single RJ45 connection, but with many USB 2.0 / 3.0 ports.

Once we remove the protection from the socket. We see the 2011 pins of the Sandy Bridge-E.

Aesthetically we love its metallic gray color. That for lovers of color sleeving will give a lot of variety.

We have made a video with his unboxing and first impressions. We hope you like it:

TEST BENCH:
Box:	Dimastech Easy 2.0.
Source feed:	Antec HCP 1200
Base plate	Gigabyte X79-UD3
Processor:	Intel i7 3630K
Graphic card:	Gigabyte GTX 560 Ti SOC
RAM:	Kingston HyperX PnP 8GB CL9
Secondary Hard Drive:	Samsung HD103SJ 1TB
SSD:	Kingston SSDNow + 96GB

Intel announced its high expectations for the 2011 platform. The 3630k is a processor close to € 530 with 6 cores. To assess its performance with monogpu we will use the Intel 2600k platform and AMD FX-8120 with and without OC. We will also check its performance with 4600 mhz from Windows 7 64 bit SP1.

What are the tests we have done? We detail it:

• AIDA 64

• Winrar

• 3dMark Vantage

• 3dMark 2011

• Heaven Benchmark

• Cinema Bench 11.5 64 bit

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GAMES:

• Evil Resident 5

• Lost Planet 2

Nor have we forgotten the consumption in Idle and Full of both processors. We believe they are sufficient to assess the capacity of the processor.

The Gigabyte GA-X79-UD3 has great overclocking power and we have brought the Intel i7 3930K up to 4600mhz with a voltage of 1.42-1.45 volts with vdroop. The temperatures have been fantastic: 28º in Idle and 62ºa full. We think we could have overclocked, but we didn't want to overload the processor.

Having a higher TDP than the Intel 2600k: 130W vs 95W consumes a little more. But it has never been superior to the AMD 8120 with OC…

As we expected, the Gigabyte GA-X79-UD3 has not disappointed us. Its Japanese Ultra Durable 3 capacitors, phase dissipators and south bridge will give us security and stability in our system.

Among its novelties we have the innovative and exclusive 3D Power and Bios 3D technologies. 3D POWER is real-time control software. It allows us to modify the load lines, overvoltages and adjust the primary components (processors, ram frequency…). While 3D BIOS is Gigabyte's new UEFI BIOS, which we are going to define as amazing.

As you have seen we have compared the three most powerful platforms on the market: Intel LGA 1554, AM3 + and LGA2011 with a Gigabyte GTX 560 Ti Super OC graphics card at 950mhz. Thanks to the Gigabyte GA-X79-UD3 we have performed an incredible 4600mhz overclock, beating its rivals in 95% of the tests.

We are sure that the mic would reach higher frequencies, but we did not want to stress it too much. We would also have liked to try some multigpu system, but due to lack of resources at the time of the analysis it was impossible. Although it is a task that we will leave pending for the near future.

The only downside that we find is the layout for 4 graphics cards. The latest graphic would clash with the internal USB connections and the control panel.

In short, the Gigabyte X79-UD3 with ATX format is a motherboard to take into account due to the quality of its components, new technology (3D POWER and 3D BIOS) and its "low" price of € 220.

ADVANTAGE	DISADVANTAGES
+ Aesthetics.	- It only incorporates a network card.
+ Excellent overclocking power.	- We may have problem with the installation of 4 graphics cards.
+ Ultra Durable 3 Capacitors
+ Maximum performance with multiGPU configurations.
+ USB 3.0. and Sata 6.0.
+ 3D BIOS AND POWER 3D.
+ Slight Vdroop.

From Professional Review we award you the gold medal and quality / price.