Gigabyte Z170X-UD5 ATX Motherboard Review
Final Thoughts and Conclusions
As you might expect from Gigabyte, the Z170X-UD5 is a solid motherboard, offering the latest in technology with multiple M.2 slots, dual USB 3.0 internal headers, and USB Type-C on the back I/O cluster; just to name a few features. We had to install the latest BIOS in order to get it to run flawlessly, however as it is a new motherboard, based on a new chipset, that is to be expected. The dual BIOS, features both a modern graphical UEFI side featuring the features that most enthusiasts will be interested in, while providing a more classic version of the BIOS making it easy to find what you want within the BIOS of the Z170X-UD5.
The Z170X-UD5, is just one of Gigabyte’s twelve motherboards featuring the socket 1151; and their highest end motherboard in their Ultra Durable line. The Gigabyte Z170X-UD5 motherboard is available today for $189.99 with free shipping. Gigabyte’s Ultra Durable motherboards utilize the best components available ensuring a quality motherboard. The solid capacitors used on the Z170X-UD5 are rated for over 10,000 hours of use at the maximum efficiency not matter what you are doing to the motherboard. This is in addition to Gigabyte’s 2x Copper PCB, where they have doubled the amount of copper used in the PCB, allowing for better heat transfer, which in turns allows for a longer lifespan and potentially better overclocking.
Utilizing one of Intel’s processors designed for overclocking, the Gigabyte Z170X-UD5 can be overclocked several ways. Within the UEFI BIOS, with Gigabyte’s Easy Tune software, or with a press of an onboard button. The onboard overclocking button took the i7-6700K to 4.4GHz which is a very liberal overclock. This specific processor, we have seen overclocked up to 4.7GHz, so we took to the UEFI BIOS and increased the Multiplier taking the processor to 4.7GHz. We ended up needing to increase the voltage to get the motherboard to be stable, but once that was done it was perfectly stable. I’m sure that somebody with more experience with overclocking, will be able to use this motherboard to push the Intel i7-6700K processor further than we did.
One of the features of the Intel Z170 chipset we were looking forward to checking out is the option of creating a bootable Raid arrary with the Kingston HyperX Predator M.2 PCI Express SSDs. Unfortunately, we were unable to implement the M.2 Raid capability of the Z170X-UD5. We have brought this to Gigabyte’s attention and have waited for a solution for 14 days without receiving one. If you wanted to run a bootable M.2 setup we do not suggest using this board for the time being, but that is such a small group it should be a deal breaker.
As it stands now, if you want a motherboard that can utilize the latest Intel Skylake processors, and features the most features on a motherboard, the Gigabyte Z170X-UD5 looks to have you covered. Dual M.2, dual USB 3.0 headers, USB 3.1, USB Type-C, support for up to four 16GB DDR4 memory modules with support up to 3200 (when overclocked), 7.1 audio, dual Gigabit LAN connection, 3-way Crossfire or 2-way SLI and Gigabyte’s 3 year warranty on a motherboard featuring the best components, all for $189.99 with free shipping at Amazon.
Legit Bottom Line: Gigabyte is one of the top motherboard manufacturers for a reason, they consistantly produce great motherboards with the latest features. The Z170X-UD5 is no exception, it does everything you would expect from a motherboard, and being an Ultra Durable motherboard it features the best components. If you want a motherboard that should last for years with all the features currently available, then look no further than the Z170X-UD5.