Review: gigabyte z68x-ud5
As we are used to, Gigabyte offers the best components with the most advanced technology. We bring you one of the best boards on the market for Socket 1555. The Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD5-B3 with an excellent distribution in its ports and with details of the most High-End boards.
Product loaned by Gigabyte
| 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 |
| Lan | 1 x RTL8111E Gigabit |
| Baseboards | 3 x PCI Express x 16
2 x PCI Express x 1 2 x PCI |
| Storage support | 4 x SATA 3Gb / s Intel
2 x SATA 6Gb / s Intel (RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and RAID 10) |
| USB and IEEE 1394 | 10 USB 2.0, 8 USB 3.0 and 1 IEEE 1394th |
| Rear Panel |
|
| BIOS | AWARD BIOS and DUAL BIOS. NEW TOUCH BIOS |
| Format | ATX, 305mm x 244mm |
We have been surprised by the trend in the new Z68 Chipset motherboards that end with the "B3" termination. As you will remember the P67 B2 chipset is defective because it causes degradation in the SATA ports. Two months later they released the new B3 revision that was totally exempt from this problem. We believe it is unnecessary to include the B3 termination, because there is no Z68 with revision B2…
It seems strange to us that it only includes a network port as it is a high-end board, other companies do offer two Intel and Realtek LANs.
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. Of the H67 chipset the compatibility of the improved Intel HD3000 graphics chipset, although as it happens in this motherboard, not all the boards include the outputs.
This new 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 aesthetics of the box is the same as in the Z68 series:
Close-up of the motherboard:
From the back:
The accessories it includes are:
- 2 pack of sata cables SLIP Bridge Front Extension 4 x USB 3.0 Manuals and installation disc.
Inlet and outlet connections:
The first problem we found is the installation of the Asus Essence STX sound card in the first pci-e 1x:
In the following image we appreciate the control panel and the USB connectors:
SATA ports:
The black color on the PCB is great. South Bridge Heatsink:
The heatsinks he wears are impressive:
Power button that allows us to bench with the motherboard:
The memories and ssd kingston are we will use for our test bench:
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:
Although our recommendation is to always do it from the BIOS. Windows can fail at any time, and we can have a paperweight of € 180…
| TEST BENCH: | |
| Box: | Silverstone FT-02 Red Edition |
| Source feed: | Seasonic X-750w |
| Base plate | Gigabyte Z68X-UD5-B3 |
| Processor: | Intel i7 2600k @ 4.8ghz ~ 1.34v |
| Graphic card: | Gigabyte GTX 560 Ti SOC |
| RAM: | Kingston KHX1600C9D3P1K2 / 4GB |
| HDD: | Kingston SSDNOW100V + 64GB SSD |
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: 73098 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:
WE RECOMMEND YOU Intel motherboards will only support UEFI from 2020| RESULTS | |||
| 3dMark06 | 2568 PTS | ||
| 3dMark11 P (FULL VERSION) | P5310 | ||
| Heaven Benchmark v2.1 | 1253 PTS | ||
| THE PLANET DX11 1920X1080 X8 | 63.5 FPS | ||
| Metro 2033 D10 1920 x 1080 HIGH | 53.6 FPS |
The performance of the Z68X-UD5-B3 is excellent. Its voltages are perfect and it offers life insurance for the processor. Like the UD3H we liked its new aesthetic with a very elegant black. In addition to the distribution of the PCI sockets it is better located, just like the new heatsinks are the best we have seen so far. It incorporates an on / off button to perform overclocking tests on our box or bench table. Its new TOUCH BIOS is friendly, although it continues to give us a fault in the voltage configuration. Although we always have the classic BIOS to modify the options that we see appropriate.
Installing sound cards in the first x1 slot is impossible, because it collides with the heatsink. It only allows to install small esata / sata or wireless controllers. We have been surprised that a high-end motherboard is not equipped with two network cards.
Who is worried about getting the most out of your processor (+ 5GHZ) and its graphics cards, the Gigabyte Z68x-UD5 is your motherboard. The "hot" options offered by the new TOUCH BIOS help us to make an overclock more accurate and easier.
| ADVANTAGE | DISADVANTAGES | |
| + Black painted PCB | - It only incorporates a network card. | |
| + Excellent for OC | - Impossible to install a sound card in the first PCI-E 1x. | |
| + Improved phases | ||
| + Outstanding Layout | ||
| + USB 3.0. and Sata 6.0. | ||
| + BIOS TOUCH | ||
| + I / O button on PCB | ||
| + With hardly any vdroop. |
The Professional Review Team awards you the silver medal and recommended product:
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