Review: gigabyte ga-z68x-ud7

Today we get a high-end Gigabyte motherboard with Intel Z68 chipset. The Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD7-B3 inherits all the features of the GA-P67A-UD7-B3: NF200 chip, 24-phase power, native USB 3.0, SATA 3.0, and Ultra Durable 3 technology.

Product Loaned by:

GIGABYTE Z68X-UD5-B3 FEATURES
Processor	Intel® Core ™ i7 processors / Intel® Core ™ i5 processors / Intel® Core ™ i3 processors / Intel® Pentium® processors / Intel® Celeron® processors on LGA1155 platform
Chipset	Intel® Z68 Express Chipset
Memory	32 GB Maximum in 4 DDR3 non-ECC modules 2133/1866/1600/1333 / 1066mhz at 1.5V
Audio	Realtek ALC889 Supports Dolby Home Theater High definition audio 2/4 / 5.1 / 7.1 Channel
Lan	2 x RTL8111E Gigabit Supports Smart DUAL LAN
Baseboards	4 x PCI Express x 16: 1st and 3rd (NF 200 to 16x). 2nd and 4th (8x) 1 x PCI Express x 1 2 x PCI 2Way / 3-Way ATI CrossFireX and NVIDIA SLI support.
Storage support	4 x SATA 3Gb / s Intel 2 x SATA 6Gb / s Intel (RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and RAID 10) 2 x Marvell 88SE9128
USB and IEEE 1394	8 USB 2.0, 10 USB 3.0 and 3 IEEE 1394a
Rear Panel	6 x USB 3.0 / 2.0 ports, 1 x PS / 2 keyboard / mouse, 2 x eSata / SUB combo, 2 x IEEE 1395a, 1 x Optical S / P-DIF output, 1 x Coaxial S / P-DIF output, 6 x Audio jacks, 4 x USB 2.02 x RJ45 LAN.
BIOS	AWARD BIOS and DUAL BIOS. INCORPORATES NEW TOUCH BIOS TECHNOLOGY
Format	ATX, 305mm x 244mm

What's new in the Z68 chipset?

The Z68 chipset is the combination of the P67 B3 and H67 chipsets. From the healthy P67 B3 it brings the possibilities of further overclocking to the K processors and integration with MultiGPU SLI and Crossfire. From the H67 chipset the compatibility of the improved Intel HD3000 graphics chipset.

This new Z68 chip offers us the new Intel Smart Response Technology and LucidLogix Virtu. This system helps us to offer a higher speed when using our SSD.

The Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD7-B3 comes equipped with 2-Way CrossFirex and 2-way SLI support that allows enthusiastic gamers to install multiple graphics cards. In addition Gigabyte makes its motherboards compatible with PCI Express Gen.3 support.

Includes 24 phases of power and high-quality VRM. This system has been designed and built to offer faster response time than its rivals. These phases are capable of considerably reducing their transmission heat.

It incorporates two Realtek RTL8111E Gigabit LAN ports. With them we will have no limit in our connection.

Gigabyte uses a box / suitcase to protect the Z68X-UD7. Both the front and rear have an excellent wealth of information.

Once we open the suitcase, we find the perfectly protected base plate:

Top view of the motherboard:

And rear:

Fantastic Layout, thanks to the NF200 chipset:

Let's take a closer look at the sober coolers of the Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD7:

The box includes:

• Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD7-B34 motherboard, SATA 6.0 cable sets, SLI bridge and 3 way SLI, rear plate, rear connections eSata x2 + 1 molex, Front panel 2 USB 3.0, manual and quick guide.

We can see the 24 phases with Ultra Durable 3 technology.

In this heatsink is the NF200 chipset. We also see the control panel and the USB connections.

As we can see in the following image we see the two LEDs and the SATA 23 ports:

Button off and on:

Rear outputs on the motherboard. Includes two LAN and 10 USB 3.0 !!

Its BIOS is still the classic one, as we can see in the following images:

Gigabyte has developed a utility called "BIOS TOUCH". With it we can apply and monitor the on-site BIOS from windows.

As we can see the program is the best that we can find.

Smart Quick Boost allows us a slight OC to the processor:

And the option to update the BIOS from Windows:

TEST BENCH:
Box:	Bench Table Dimastech Easy v 2.5
Source feed:	Antec HCG-620w
Base plate	Gigabyte Z68X-UD7-B3
Processor:	Intel i7 2600k @ 4.8ghz ~ 1.34v
Graphic card:	Gigabyte GTX 560 Ti SOC
RAM:	G.Skil Ripjaws CL9 2 x 4gb
HDD:	Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ

We have tested the processor at 4800 mhz with Linx and Prime 95. Unlike the UD3H-B3, the voltage it has provided us is excellent and with a very low vdroop. Although the performance has been very good: 73120 points with 3d Mark Vantage. The plate offers great stability and its cooling is very good. We have tried some games and we have obtained the following results:

RESULTS
3dMark06		25330 PTS
3dMark11 P (FULL VERSION)	P5340
Heaven Benchmark v2.1		1320 PTS
THE PLANET DX11 1920X1080 X8	63.5 FPS
Metro 2033 D10 1920 x 1080 HIGH	53.1 FPS

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As Gigabyte has accustomed us, it continues to maintain its outstanding performance on our test bench. Its stability is difficult to overcome. Thanks to its excellent voltages and lacking Vdroop.

Gigabyte continues to use the elegant black color on its PCB. The distribution of the PCI-Express ports is perfect, thanks to the NF-200 chipset. This chip takes care of the functionality of the first and third PCI-E at 16x. While the second and fourth work with the NB of our CPU at 8x. The difference in performance between the two is minimal. But this type of distribution allows us a greater separation between our graphics cards.

The only downside we can take out of the Layout, is the impossibility of installing a sound card in the first x1 slot (when colliding with the heatsink). Although we can always use it in one of the free x16 ports and leave the PCI-E 1x for a network card or an eSata controller for DAS.

The heatsinks maintain the efficiency and sobriety of its sisters Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD5-B3 and Gigabyte G1 Sniper 2. Gigabyte thinks of everything and incorporates an on / off button and two informative LEDs to notify us of errors in our system.

Its "BIOS TOUCH" software has a very nice interface. It will allow us to hot overclock and monitor the stability of our system.

We conclude the review by stating that the Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD7-B3 is one of the best motherboards on the market. Its high price (+ € 300) is justified by the stability, quality and performance it offers us.

ADVANTAGE		DISADVANTAGES
+ Black painted PCB.	- Impossible to install a sound card in the first PCI-E 1x.
+ Excellent for OC.
+ 24 Phases with Ultra Durable 3 technology.
+ One of the best 1155 socket board layouts.
+ USB 3.0. and Sata 6.0.
+ BIOS TOUCH.
+ I / O button on PCB.
+ Low VDROOP.

The Professional Review team awards him the gold medal: