The GIGABYTE motherboard reviewed today, thanks to its small size, the new generation chipset used, and the support for NVIDIA SLI and ATI CrossFireX technologies, will surely attract the attention of a buyer interested in building a compact computer with high performance, which is necessary for modern games. It can also serve as a first motherboard with the possibility of overclocking to get acquainted with the overclocking potential of processors Intel line Ivy Bridge with an unlocked multiplier.
The motherboard from GIGABYTE is based on the new Intel Z77 Express chipset (we learned more about the main advantages of the Intel Z77 Express chipset earlier) and is designed to install Intel Ivy Bridge processors, which will provide PCI-Express x16 and PCI-Express x8 expansion slots support for the 3.0 standard.
It should be noted that in the line of Micro-ATX solutions from GIGABYTE, based on Intel chipset Z77 Express, this board occupies a position between GIGABYTE G1.Sniper M3 and GIGABYTE GA-Z77M-D3H. The first is a "top-end" solution, which has an interesting appearance, a better audio codec and an enhanced power supply system. In turn, the GIGABYTE GA-Z77M-D3H is the youngest representative of the line and is notable for the lack of support for NVIDIA SLI, an even more “stripped down” power supply unit and a simplified cooling system, which consists of only one radiator.
We suggest going directly to the motherboard review
Motherboard specifications
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Manufacturer |
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Intel Z77 Express |
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Processor socket |
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Supported processors |
Intel Core i7/ Core i5 / Core i3 2nd and 3rd generation |
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Used memory |
2400(OC)*/1600/1333/1066 MHz |
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Memory support |
4 x 1.5V DDR3 DIMM slots supporting up to 32GB of memory |
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Expansion slots |
2 x PCI Express 16 3.0/2.0 (x16 or 2x8) |
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Disk subsystem |
The Intel Z77 Express chipset supports: |
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1 x Atheros AR8151 Gigabit Network Controller (10/100/1000Mbps) |
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Sound subsystem |
Codec VIA VT2021 |
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24-pin ATX power connector |
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Cooling |
Aluminum heatsink on MOSFET |
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External I/O ports |
1 x HDMI |
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Internal I/O ports |
1 x USB 3.0 with support for connecting two USB 3.0 (19-pin) |
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2 x 64 Mbit ROM |
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Equipment |
user's manual; |
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Form Factor |
Micro-ATX |
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Products webpage |
Packaging and equipment
As standard for GIGABYTE, motherboards based on the new generation of chipsets come in a compact cardboard box made of glossy white cardboard. The overall design of the package has a restrained style, where, unlike the packages of the previous generation of motherboards, gray and black colors prevail. On the front side of the box, the manufacturer listed some of the key specifications of the solution and the proprietary technologies it supports. Particular attention is paid to the board's support for GIGABYTE 3D BIOS functions based on GIGABYTE UEFI DualBIOS and 3D POWER proprietary technology. The manufacturer also noted that the motherboard supports the Ultra Durable 4 proprietary concept, which implies the use of high-quality element base in the production process and additional protection boards from high humidity, voltage drops during the firmware update process, as well as static electricity and high temperatures. Separately, the readiness of the board to work with the new processors of the Intel Ivy Bridge family, made using a 22-nanometer process, and support for PCI-Express 3.0 were noted.
Based on the name of the board, it becomes clear in advance what specific features it has. Let's look at the labeling of the GIGABYTE GA-Z77MX-D3H board:
Z77 - the name of the chipset used in the motherboard;
M - form factor designation, namely Micro-ATX;
X - support for NVIDIA SLI, Driver MOSFET and Hybrid EFI BIOS technologies, SATA 6 Gb / s and USB 3.0 ports are implemented on the board;
D - only solid capacitors are installed on the board;
3 - segment (from 2 to 9), in this case, the budget one;
H - enhanced capabilities for video signal output by means of a graphics controller integrated into the CPU core (several different video ports, including HDMI).
On the back of the package, the main technologies used in the motherboard are described in detail, as well as its key features. In the central part of the package is a detailed description of the Ultra Durable 4 brand concept.
At the bottom, there are logos of the technologies used, namely:
BIOS support for drives larger than 3 TB;
Support USB 3.0, SATA 3.0, 3x USB power Boost (concept 333);
Availability of DVI and HDMI outputs;
Support for ATI CrossFireX technology;
Support for NVIDIA SLI technology;
GIGABYTE On/Off Charge - Charging portable devices even when the computer is turned off;
Lucid Virtu Universal MVP - optimizes the rendering and display process, providing increased performance and improved image quality;
Intel Smart Response Technology - this technology allows users to create their own hybrid HDD(Solid State Drive (SSD) space can be used as a cache for a traditional hard drive (or RAID array), thereby getting the speed of an SSD when working with frequently used files and the advantage of a hard drive - its large capacity).
Scope of delivery standard for medium motherboard price segment. It's nice that in the presence of support for NVIDIA SLI technology, the manufacturer has added an appropriate bridge to the standard package. GIGABYTE GA-Z77MX-D3H comes with:
Interface panel cover.
Documentation;
CD with drivers and utilities;
Four SATA cables (two of them with an L-shaped connector);
Design and features of the board
The design of the GIGABYTE GA-Z77MX-D3H motherboard is typical for Micro-ATX models of the company. The layout of the board is quite thoughtful, but there are also standard drawbacks for solutions of this size, namely: the lower latches of the connectors for installing memory modules are closely adjacent to the first PCI Express x16 slot, which makes it difficult to access the modules when a video card is installed. There is no fixing screw hole on the lower right edge of the board, which requires some care when connecting SATA devices. In fact, all ports and connectors are located along the edge of the board, which will be convenient when placing wires and cables in the system unit.
The reverse side attracts attention only with the reinforcing plate of the Socket LGA1155 manufactured by Foxconn, which should provide the ability to install sufficiently powerful cooling systems that will be needed during serious overclocking of the processor.
At the bottom of the motherboard, parallel to its surface, there are six SATA ports, all implemented by the Intel Z77 Express chipset. Four blue ports are SATA 3Gb/s, two white are SATA 6Gb/s. There is support for SATA RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and RAID 10 arrays. The ports are located at a sufficient distance from the PCI Express x8 and x4 slots, and accordingly, even long video cards will not make it difficult to connect drives. Nearby are the blocks for connecting the internal USB 2.0 ports, the front panel, the Clr_CMOS jumper, the block for connecting the front panel audio connectors, one of the two connectors for connecting a system fan, and a connector for the Trusted Platform Module (TPM).
On the right side of the motherboard, in addition to SATA ports, there is a remote panel connection block with two USB 3.0 ports (not supplied). You can note its very convenient location, when connected, you do not have to stretch wires throughout the system unit.
The GIGABYTE GA-Z77MX-D3H motherboard is equipped with four DIMM slots for installing DDR3 memory modules, which are equipped with latches on both sides. The RAM can work in dual-channel mode; for its implementation, memory modules must be installed in either two white or two blue slots. Modules operating at frequencies of 1600/1333/1066 MHz in nominal mode and up to 2400 MHz in overclocking are supported. The maximum memory can be 32 GB, which should be sufficient in most cases.
The cooling system of the board in question consists of two aluminum radiators: one removes heat from the Intel Z77 Express chipset, the other covers the MOSFET chips, which will definitely not be superfluous when experimenting with overclocking. All radiators are fastened with plastic clips on springs.
In the process of testing the board, the temperature of the radiators did not exceed 42°C, which is a very good result for a motherboard with a rather modest cooling system.
Location of Socket LGA1155 and base plate is standard. The processor is powered by a 3+1+1-phase scheme for computing cores and additional nodes. The converter itself is based on a PWM controller that supports active switching of power phases to increase the level of efficiency. The GIGABYTE GA-Z77MX-D3H is powered by the main 24-pin and additional 4-pin connectors, standard for a device of this class.
The possibilities for expanding the functionality of the GIGABYTE GA-Z77MX-D3H motherboard, unlike many solutions made in the Micro-ATX form factor, are quite wide. There are three slots for installing graphics adapters - PCI-Express (the first and third comply with the 3.0 specification). The manufacturer claims support for NVIDIA SLI and ATI CrossFireX technologies. The close location of the PCI-Express slots in most cases will not allow installing more than two video cards on the motherboard, but the developer foresaw this and divided the PCI-E lines between the slots in the x8/x4/x8 configuration, respectively.
If you have one graphics adapter, then it must be installed in the first slot, which will operate in x16 mode. Since the capabilities of the Intel Z77 Express chipset allow you to display an image from the video core built into the processor, the PCI-Express slots can also be used to install other expansion cards. Also, expanding the functionality of the motherboard is possible due to one PCI slot xpress x1.
Separately, it is worth noting that the operation of PCI-Express slots according to the 3.0 specification will be possible only when installing an Intel Ivy Bridge family processor.
If you plan to use integrated graphics, there will be no problems connecting modern display devices, since all the necessary connectors are present. The operation of the video outputs and switching between the VGA, DVI and HDMI ports of the integrated video is carried out by two PTN 3360BBS chips.
Multi I/O capabilities are provided by the ITE IT8728F chip, which controls the PS/2 ports, system fans, and provides monitoring.
For support network connections is an Atheros AR8151 gigabit LAN controller.
The sound subsystem of this motherboard is based on the VIA VT2021 8-channel HDA codec, which supports 2/4/5.1/7.1 audio systems.
The following ports are displayed on the interface panel of the GIGABYTE GA-Z77MX-D3H motherboard:
1x Optical S/PDIF out;
5 x Audio ports;
1 x PS/2 (mouse/keyboard).
As you can see, the configuration of external ports is sufficient for comfortable use of the system, except for the absence of eSATA, DisplayPort and a small amount of USB 3.0, but this cannot be called a disadvantage of the board.
The GIGABYTE GA-Z77MX-D3H motherboard is equipped with three fan headers, one of which is a four-pin design for connecting a processor cooling fan, the other two are for connecting system fans.
The GIGABYTE GA-Z77MX-D3H motherboard is equipped with state-of-the-art UEFI firmware based on AMI microcode with a nice GUI, mouse control and support for drives larger than 3TB. In addition, we note that the board is equipped with two BIOS chips (DualBIOS technology), which will keep the system working in case of damage to the main chip with the firmware.
The menu itself is divided into two separate modes of operation, the first of which is 3D BIOS. When you hover the mouse pointer over one of the components of the motherboard, a list of parameters available for editing related to this component of the motherboard opens.
The main part of the settings related to changing the frequency of the clock generator (BCLK), CPU, integrated graphics core, RAM are grouped in the MB Intelligent Tweaker (M.I.T.) section, where, in turn, they are conveniently divided into subsections, depending on the type.
The settings required for overclocking are summarized in the table:
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Parameter |
Menu name |
Range |
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System bus frequency, MHz |
CPU/PCIe Base Clock |
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Integrated graphics core frequency, MHz |
Internal Graphics Clock |
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Processor technologies |
C1E, C3/C6 State, EIST, CPU Thermal Monitor, |
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Processor multiplier |
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Power limit, W |
Turbo Power Limit |
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Current limit, A |
Core Current Limit |
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Memory divider |
System Memory Multiplier |
8, 10.66, 13.33, 16, 24 |
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RAM delays |
CAS Latency, tRCD, tRP, tRAS, tRRD, tWTR, tWR, tWTP, tRFC, tRTP, tFAW, tCMD |
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Voltage on memory modules, W |
DRAM Voltage (CH A/B) |
The PC Health Status section provides access to monitoring the temperature of the processor and chipset, as well as the speed of rotation of installed fans. Here you can manually set the desired fan speed.
Also, there was a separate monitoring section in which you can monitor:
voltage on the processor core;
voltage on the graphics core;
voltage on memory modules;
voltage on the power line + 12V, + 5V and + 3.3V.
Separately, it is worth noting the possibility of taking "screenshots" directly in the BIOS and support for the Russian language.
Overclocking options
By increasing the multiplier and slightly increasing the voltage, we managed to overclock the Intel Core i5-2500K processor to 4.4 GHz, which is typical for this CPU even when using more functional overclocking solutions. Thus, the GIGABYTE GA-Z77MX-D3H motherboard will be enough for amateur overclocking.
Testing
To test the capabilities of the motherboard, the following equipment was used:
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CPU |
Intel Core i5-2500K (LGA1155, 3.3GHz, L3 6MB) |
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Scythe Kama Angle Rev.B |
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RAM |
2x DDR3-2000 1024MB Kingston HyperX KHX16000D3T1K3/3GX |
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video card |
MSI R4850-2D1G-OC (Radeon HD 4850, 1 GB GDDR3, PCIe 2.0) |
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HDD |
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST3500418AS, 500 GB, SATA-300, NCQ |
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optical drive |
ASUS DRW-1814BLT SATA |
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Power Supply |
Seasonic SS-650JT Active PFC (650W, 120mm fan) |
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CODEGEN M603 MidiTower (2x 120mm fans for intake / exhaust) |
Test results:
During testing, GIGABYTE GA-Z77MX-D3H showed performance on par with competitors. In general, based on the test results, we can conclude that the board is of high quality and has a good BIOS optimization.
Testing sound path based on VIA VT2021 codec
Test report in RightMark Audio Analyzer
16-bit, 44.1 kHz
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Noise level, dB (A) |
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Dynamic range, dB (A) |
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Harmonic distortion, % |
Very well |
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Very well |
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Intermodulation at 10 kHz, % |
Very well |
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Overall rating |
Very well |
Operating mode 24-bit, 192 kHz
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Frequency response unevenness (in the range of 40 Hz - 15 kHz), dB |
Very well |
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Noise level, dB (A) |
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Dynamic range, dB (A) |
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Harmonic distortion, % |
Very well |
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Harmonic distortion + noise, dB(A) |
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Intermodulation distortion + noise, % |
Very well |
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Interpenetration of channels, dB |
Very well |
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Intermodulation at 10 kHz, % |
Very well |
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Overall rating |
Good |
The built-in 8-channel audio codec demonstrated quite nice results, and it will be enough for the vast majority of users for everyday work, listening to music, providing sound for movies and games at home.
conclusions
The GIGABYTE GA-Z77MX-D3H motherboard combines the compact dimensions of Micro-ATX solutions, support for high-performance processors, the ability to build a Multi-GPU configuration, high quality performance, and the presence of almost all relevant ports. It will allow you to assemble a high-quality and reliable gaming system of medium and high levels, or a universal home computer. Being built on the Intel Z77 Express chipset, this board is perfect for overclocking new generation processors, but thanks to enough standard system cooling, a weakened processor power unit (compared to "top" solutions) will not allow you to get maximum results. This motherboard, due to its relatively low cost, becomes an excellent alternative to mid-range solutions based on the Intel Z68 Express chipset, the purchase of which is becoming impractical.
Unpleasant features include the inconvenience caused by the size of the motherboard, namely: the main video card can block access to the latches on the memory module slots, as well as the lack of a hole for the mounting screw in the lower right corner of the board, which is why you should be careful when assembling the computer .
Of the advantages of the board, it is worth noting separately the possibility of installing two discrete video adapters. Support for ATI CrossFireX and NVIDIA SLI technologies in x8+x8 mode may be of interest to those who like to get the maximum performance from their computer without spending extra money on expensive video cards.
The distinctive features of the motherboard, of course, include the use of a reliable element base, the use of two chips with BIOS firmware, which will allow you to avoid problems with an unsuccessful update. Another advantage of the board is the presence of an interesting 3D BIOS technology.
, products for the motherboard provided for testing.We are grateful to companies Intel , Kingston , MSI and SeaSonic for the equipment provided for the test bench.
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Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H | Introduction
In the assortment of Gigabyte on the Russian market today there are no less than 13 different models of motherboards based on the Z77 chipset - ranging from very simple budget models to the gaming G1.Sniper 3. From all this variety, we decided to get acquainted with the model a little higher middle - Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H, which today can be bought in Russia at a price of 4,700 to 5,800 rubles.
Gigabyte also offers customers Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H several of its proprietary technologies, such as On/Off Charge, which allows you to charge via USB devices when the PC is turned off, EZ Smart Response to configure the disk subsystem, the LAN Optimizer utility to help prioritize network traffic, DualBIOS with 3D mode, etc.
Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H | Specifications
Here are the main specifications Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H:
| Specifications motherboard Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H | |
| Form factor | ATX |
| Board version | 1.0 |
| BIOS version | F5 (03/09/2012) |
| Processor socket type | socket 1155 |
| Processor Support | Intel Core i7, i5, i3, Pentium LGA 1155, Celeron LGA 1155 |
| Chipset version | Z77 Express |
| RAM support | DDR3 2400(OC)/1600/1333/1066 |
| Audio | 7.1 channel audio, VIA VT2021 |
| wired network | Atheros Gigabit LAN (10/100/1000) |
| PCI Express slots | 1 x PCI, 3 x PCI Express x16, 3 x PCI Express x1 |
| SerialATA | 4 x SATA 3Gb/s, 4 x SATA 6Gb/s |
| Ports and connectors on the board | 1 x Clear CMOS jumper 1 x COM 2 x USB 2.0/1.1 connector 4 x SATA 3Gb/s port 1 x USB 3.0/2.0 4 x SATA 6Gb/s 1 x front panel audio output connector 1 x 24-pin ATX main power connector 1 x front panel connector block 1 x CPU fan header 1 x Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1 x SPDIF Out 4-pin ATX 12V 1 x mSATA |
| Rear Panel Ports and Connectors | 1 x RJ-45 port 5 x audio jacks (Center/Subwoofer Speaker Out, Rear Speaker Out, Side Speaker Out, Line In/Mic In, Line Out) 1 x DVI-D 1 x D-Sub connector 1 x PS/2 (keyboard/mouse) 6 x USB 3.0/2.0 1 x HDMI S/PDIF output (optical) 2 x USB 2.0/1.1 |
| SATA RAID support | 0,1, 5, 10 |
| NVIDIA SLI support | There is |
| AMD CrossFire support | CrossFire X |
| Additionally | Support for DualBIOS technology |
| useful links | Description of GA-Z77X-D3H on the manufacturer's website Prices for GA-Z77X-D3H on Yandex.Market |
Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H | Contents of delivery
Motherboard Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3Н: Delivery set
In the box, in addition to Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H, you can find the following:
- user manual in English and brief installation instructions;
- DVD with software and drivers;
- two SATA Revision 3.0 cables (up to 6 Gb/s) and two SATA Revision 2.0 cables (up to 3 Gb/s), black and blue, respectively;
- a plug on the rear panel of the case;
- SLI jumper.
The installation DVD contains full set drivers for Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H and even trial version Norton antivirus Internet Security 2012, but Gigabyte's branded utilities, which are so painted on the packaging, are not there - they will have to be downloaded from the official website. All software from the disk can be installed immediately, in one package, but after such an installation, several additional "bonuses" were discovered: a free little-known browser and an analogue of STEAM offering to buy games.
Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H | Components and Wiring
Motherboard Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3Н: right side view
As usual, for the Marvell chip, you need to install the driver that is on the regular DVD.
Next to the CPU socket is a 4-pin CPU_FAN connector for a CPU cooler. Besides him, on Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H there are three 4-pin connectors (SYS_FAN1-4). As a rule, this amount is quite enough for a system of any level.
The board has sound based on VIA VT2021 with support for 7.1-channel sound.
Sound chip on Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H motherboard
Back panel Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H equipped with eight USB (of which six are USB 3.0), D-Sub, DVI, HDMI, Ethernet, PS / 2 (keyboard / mouse), five-pin audio output. Unfortunately, Display Port is missing.
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Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H motherboard: rear panel connectors
Of the additional functions, it is worth noting support for DualBIOS technology (on Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H two BIOS chips are installed - main and backup, each with 64 MB of ROM). Used EFI BIOS licensed from AMI. There is a CMOS reset jumper in the lower right corner. There are no buttons on the board, and there is no POST code indicator either.
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Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H motherboard: BIOS chips
Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H motherboard: BIOS switch
Bottom edge Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H F_AUDIO, TPM (for crypto-chip), COMA (COM), F_USB1 (USB 2.0/1.1), F_USB2 (USB 2.0/1.1), F_PANEL and FAN_1 connectors are located from left to right. When using the F_AUDIO connector, it is possible to use Intel High Definition audio (HD) or AC "97, the first option will be used by default.
Motherboard Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H: lower right edge
During installation Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H only two radiators were used: a high-profile, but narrow one on the power converter and a full-fledged low-profile one on the Z77 chip. In addition to the main function, they also enliven the design of the board, both in color and in shape.
The design is similar to the GA-Z77X-UD3H that participated in our recent comparative review. The difference in the letter U in the name indicates the absence of "double-thickness copper layers" on the motherboard. Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H also devoid of such overclocking nice additions as voltage measurement points, POST code indicator, system power/reboot and CMOS reset buttons.
Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H | BIOS
Gigabyte equips its motherboards with firmware with good overclocking capabilities, and Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H not an exception. Moreover, in addition to the usual two-dimensional BIOS, a "three-dimensional" one has also been added.
Interestingly, Gigabyte calls the 2D BIOS "advanced". Yes, indeed, there are much more settings in the BIOS we are used to, but the "three-dimensional" one is clear and more understandable. It is especially pleasant that both BIOSes are multilingual, with support for the Russian language. Unfortunately, the translation is not complete - some submenus and indicators are not translated from English, and there are many of them.
Hung on the "F12" key Print function Screen, but you can only save images from the BIOS to external media; file names are assigned automatically and consist of the current date and time.
There are not so many comments on the BIOS, but they are, mainly it concerns a large number of submenus, in which various parameters and settings are scattered.
M.I.T. main menu (MB Intelligent Tweaker) shows the status, main system settings and a list of submenus most commonly used for overclocking.
BIOS Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H: Main Menu M.I.T.
BIOS Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H: Advanced clock settings
Basically, for overclocking Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H then you can not go anywhere: the main parameters can be set in this menu.
The bus frequency is set in 0.1 MHz steps starting at 80 MHz. Changes are controlled by the "+" and "-" keys, and the numbers change very slowly. As a result, to set the frequency to 101 MHz, you need to spend at least a minute. Although, manual input of values from the keyboard is also available, which is not mentioned anywhere.
Enabling and disabling Turbo Boost is hidden on the "Advanced settings of CPU cores" tab.
BIOS Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H: Turbo Boost
The memory settings are quite extensive, however, and there is a "simplified" mode, namely "Performance Boost", which has several modes, and you can also use XMP profiles.
BIOS Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H: Advanced memory settings
From this tab, you can go to the timing settings, separately for each channel.
BIOS Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H: RAM Timings
The voltage control on the memory modules is made too detailed.
BIOS Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H: RAM voltage control
BIOS Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H: CPU Voltage Control
The "PC Status Status" tab shows the status of 11 main parameters, there are also "levers" for controlling fans and signaling their performance.
Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H BIOS: PC Health Status
The "System" section is one of the most unloaded. Here you can change the date and time and switch the interface language.
Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H BIOS: System Information
BIOS Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H: Information about ATA ports
The "BIOS Settings" section is concise. Here it is proposed to choose the order of access to boot devices.
BIOS Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H: BIOS Setup
BIOS Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H: Device Setup
The sections "Power management" and "Peripherals" are also quite standard.
BIOS Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H: Power Management
In the "Save and Exit" section, you can find the management of BIOS profiles. The user can save up to four independent setting profiles. After checking your BIOS settings on stability and writing them in a profile, you can afford to experiment; in extreme cases, there is also a backup BIOS in the second chip.
Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H | 3D BIOS
It would be more correct to call this BIOS graphic, from three-dimensionality there is only one picture - a schematic image of the motherboard, and menu options and slider controls rather only hint at three-dimensionality. Probably, marketers insisted on such a name. In any case, well made, looks neat. The translation is much more complete, if you can say about a regular BIOS that 60-70% of the text is translated there, then here it is 80-90%.
3D motherboard BIOS Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H boards
In the center is a layout of the motherboard, quite similar to ours Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H, where you can select areas and components of interest with the mouse.
Let's start with the "Processor and RAM"It's clear, accessible, clear - three tabs, each tab has from five to nine parameters. The only question is the absence of restrictions corresponding to the installed hardware, for example, the processor multiplier can be twisted up to 70, and so almost everywhere.
The "Rear Panel" section allows you to control USB, audio and LAN controllers.
The "Power" section is very rich in parameters.
When you click on the chipset itself, a simple menu called BIOS appears. It is difficult to say why they called it that and why these particular points were placed there ...
By directly pointing with the mouse, you can set the parameters for SATA and PCIe connectors:
There are seven icons at the bottom of the 3D BIOS: Advanced will switch to a regular BIOS, Boot will allow you to select boot disk, Language - select a language, Fan Control - fan control, Time - set the time and date, Load Defaults - no tricks here, and the only translated icon is "Save and Exit".
Flagship models of motherboards are able to surprise and arouse genuine interest among users planning to build a desktop platform. But when it comes time to spend your money, often the choice is made in favor of more affordable devices that comply with the principle of reasonable sufficiency. MicroATX form factor model on a top chipset Intel Z77, allowing easy tuning of the system, with a full set of video outputs, USB 3.0 ports, SATA 6 Gb / s, and two BIOS chips. And all this for a price $100 . This is the amount estimated Gigabyte GA-Z77M-D3H, which has the listed set of characteristics. Let's see if there's a catch here, shall we?
Gigabyte GA-Z77M-D3H has a MicroATX form factor and is made on a blue textolite. Slots and connectors are blue and white. The dimensions of the device allow you to place the board in a fairly compact case.
The power subsystem is built according to a five-phase scheme. There are no additional coolers on MOSFET chips, however, we note that in this case microcircuits with low on-state resistance LowRDS(on) are used, therefore, under moderate loads, there should be no problems with heating. However, this is one of the conditions of the concept Ultra Durable 4 Classic, which corresponds to the Gigabyte GA-Z77M-D3H. According to the manufacturer, the board's textolite is more resistant to high humidity conditions, and Japanese solid-state capacitors are used in the circuits.
The board has four slots for connecting expansion cards. One full-speed PCI Express x16, another full-length, but with throughput at the x4 level, compact PCI Express x1 and classic PCI. Since the latter interface is not supported by the chipset, it is implemented using an additional controller. It is curious that the microcircuit itself is located in a niche under the second PCI Express x16 slot, which is three-quarters empty.
The board allows you to create a configuration with two video cards. If necessary, you can use a pair of adapters with AMD chips in CrossFireX mode, while Californians consider PCI-E x4 an insufficiently fast interface for creating SLI assemblies.
The distance from the processor socket to the first PCI-Express x16 slot is not very large. During the tests, the “big” Thermalright Archon Rev.A was installed almost tightly with the video card (in the case, such a trick would rather fail). However, this cooler model is one of the widest on the market, so there shouldn't be any difficulties with mounting other coolers.
The very sequence of slots in this case is optimal. A video card with a two-slot CO installed in the first slot (most of them) will block access to PCI-E x1, however, in this case, heterogeneous PCI and PCI-E x4 will remain available, which can also be used for cards that require less bandwidth.
There are three connectors for connecting fans on the board - one for the CPU cooler and a couple more for case fans. Moreover, all three connectors are four-pin with the possibility of monitoring and separate speed control using PWM.
Despite the compact dimensions of the board, the manufacturer placed some connectors on the PCB, which, although not very popular, can still be useful for specific tasks in rare cases. It's about COM and LPT. There is also a connector for connecting a TPM module. The board also has three internal USB 2.0 connectors, allowing you to get up to six corresponding ports when using additional interface "pigtails".
Traditionally, Gigabyte uses two chips for firmware redundancy, because the presence UEFI DualBIOS on a board of this level is quite expected. To clear the CMOS memory, a two-pin connector is used, which will need to be shorted to reset the system settings.
The Intel Z77 supports six SATA channels. This is the number of interface ports available on the Gigabyte GA-Z77M-D3H. Two high-speed ones (SATA 6 Gb / s) are located exactly opposite PCI Express x1, and so that the overall video card with a two-slot cooling system does not block access to SATA connectors, they have a case with a horizontal positioning of the plug relative to the PCB plane.
Four SATA 3 Gb / s connectors are located opposite the PCI slot, so there will be no problems with access to them in any case. Recall that Intel Z77 makes it possible to organize arrays of RAID 0, 1, 5 and 10. In addition, the chipset that supports the technology Intel Smart Response, allows you to deploy a hybrid disk subsystem using a hard drive and an SSD for this purpose. In the case of Gigabyte boards, you can use the proprietary utility EZ Smart Response, which simplifies the process of setting up such a configuration.
The interface panel is not overloaded with ports, but all the most popular external connectors are present. Combined PS/2, four USB port 2.0, a pair of USB 3.0, an Ethernet socket and three audio jacks. The board is equipped with three video outputs: DVI, HDMI and D-Sub. The platform allows you to connect two display devices at the same time. Note that the digital outputs in this case support resolutions up to 1920×1200.
Equipment
The kit does not differ in any frills. The package includes a manual, a quick installation brochure, a driver disk, a blank for the back of the case, and two SATA cables.
UEFI
Graphical shell 3D BIOS has already become a hallmark of Gigabyte devices. The isometric projection of the board with active functional areas and the ability to control parameters with the mouse make it easier for novice users who need to “enter the BIOS” for the first time.
In Advanced mode, the number of parameters available for configuration is incomparably greater, but this version of UEFI still does not indulge in diversity, especially with regard to overclocking functions.
The Advanced Voltage Settings section is spartan modest. There is only one option here, which allows you to change the supply voltage of memory modules in the range of 1.2–2.0 V in 0.02 V increments.
At the same time, UEFI allows you to monitor and adjust the speed of all three fans.
For basic system setup from operating system you can use proprietary utility Easy Tune 6. In particular, the Tuner section allows you to set the required BCLK and memory frequency, as well as the processor multiplier.
The Smart tab provides access to setting fan operation algorithms, which, at the user's request, can depend on the CPU / board temperature or provide stable set speeds.
HW Monitor allows you to monitor voltages, temperatures and fan speeds, and, if necessary, report situations when the parameters go beyond the specified limits.
CPU overclocking
Taking into account the fact that the board does not allow adjusting the processor supply voltage, the overclocking limit will depend on the ability of a particular CPU to operate at higher frequencies with its standard voltage. In the case of a test instance Core i7-3770K, initial ~1.1 V was enough to increase the processor clock speed from the base 3.5 GHz to 4.4 GHz.
On the one hand, this value is lower than what we manage to achieve on expensive motherboards (~4.8 GHz), on the other hand, for the processor to operate at 4.5+ GHz, it is imperative to increase the supply voltage, after which the power consumption also increases significantly. systems. The CPU heat also increases, requiring an efficient cooling system. Therefore, as a rule, more benign conditions are used on an ongoing basis.
Recall that the Intel Z77 chipset, which provides the ability to arbitrarily adjust the processor multiplier, can be useful not only for CPUs with the “K” index. Chips that support Turbo Boost technology, and these are all Core i5 and Core i7 models, have a certain operating range of multipliers that are used when dynamically accelerating the processor under load. It is this loophole that can be used to increase the clock frequency of the CPU. However, the upper limit here will depend on the starting multiplier of the processor and the algorithm allowed for it. Turbo work boost.
For owners of processors without Turbo Boost, who still want to slightly increase CPU performance, information about increasing the system bus frequency will be more useful. In this case, the board remained stable when it was raised to 108.5 MHz. Note that this indicator is partly related to the capabilities of a particular CPU instance.
The DDR3-2133 memory test kit ran at 2200 MHz without much difficulty - a typical result for the kit used.
Heat
During the tests, the temperature of the power elements of the power regulator under load increased to 57 C, while the heatsink on the chipset chip warmed up to 52 C. After overclocking the processor, the temperature of the MOSFETs increased to 62 degrees - quite an acceptable result, especially considering the use of a processor cooler tower type, which does not blow around the space around the processor socket.
Results
Gigabyte GA-Z77M-D3H- one of the most affordable motherboards on the market, based on the Intel Z77. In this case, there is no feeling that the main device is strongly offered to you in the load what you definitely will not use, but you must pay for it upon purchase. A set of interfaces sufficient for most situations, a good layout, basic overclocking capabilities. In aggregate - a normal "workhorse" at a reasonable price. The board will be a suitable option for those who are not ready for serious overclocking experiments, but at the same time, they are not averse to getting a little extra performance from Intel Core i5 / i7 processors without overpaying too much for this opportunity.
Liked
One of the most affordable models on the Intel Z77
Rational layout
Ability to change the processor multiplier
Fan speed control
Did not like
- Modest overclocking possibilities
Testing device provided by MTI, www.distri.mti.ua
Test bench configuration
| CPU | Intel Core i7-3770K | Intel, www.intel.ua | |
| RAM | Team Xtreem TXD38192M2133HC9KDC-L (2x4GB DDR3-2133) | DC Link, www.dclink.com.ua | |
| Storage device | Intel SSD 520 (SSDSC2CW240A3, 240 GB) | intel, | Motherboard |
| CPU socket | socket 1155 | ||
| Chipset | Intel Z77 | ||
| Chipset cooling | Radiator | ||
| VRM Cooling | — | ||
| Embedded video | Intel HD Graphics 2000/3000/4000 (integrated into processor) | ||
| PCI | 1 | ||
| PCI Express x4 | — | ||
| PCI Express x1 | 1 | ||
| Graphic interface | 1xPCI-E x16 3.0 (x16) + 1xPCI-E x16 2.0 (x4) | ||
| DIMM | 4xDDR3 | ||
| IDE (Parallel ATA) (chipset/additional controller) | — | ||
| Serial ATA (chipset/additional controller) | 4/- | ||
| SATA Revision 3.0 (chipset/additional controller) | 2/- | ||
| Main power connectors | 24+4 | ||
| Extra food | — | ||
| FAN | 3 | ||
| S/PDIF | +(output) | ||
| Audio codec | VIA VT2021 (7.1) | ||
| ethernet | Atheros (GBE) | ||
| SATA | — | ||
| SATA Revision 3.0 | — | ||
| PATA | — | ||
| IEEE 1394 (FireWire) | — | ||
| USB 3.0 | — | ||
| LAN | 1 | ||
| eSATA Rev. 2.0 | — | ||
| eSATA Rev. 3.0 | — | ||
| Audio | 3 | ||
| S/PDIF Out (Coaxial/Optical) | — | ||
| Thunderbolt | — | ||
| Monitor outputs | 1xDVI-D, 1xD-Sub and 1xHDMI | ||
| USB 1.1/2.0 | 4/3(6 ports)/- | ||
| USB 3.0 | 2/1(2 ports)/- | ||
| IEEE 1394 (FireWire) | — | ||
| COM | -/1/- | ||
| Game/MIDI | — | ||
| LPT | -/1/- | ||
| IDE | no data | ||
| SATA interface/power, devices | no data | ||
| Form factor | microATX, 244x220 mm | ||
| Support for two or more video cards | AMD CrossFireX | ||
| RAID Support | 0, 1, 5, and 10 | ||
| WiFi adapter | — | ||
| UEFI support | Yes | ||
| Miscellaneous | one PS/2 port for keyboard or mouse; TPM module connector; high quality polymer capacitors |
High-End motherboards are a pride for any manufacturer. It is in these products that all the technological achievements of companies are concentrated. Admiring, discussing the advantages and features of such models, of course, is nice, and you can do it indefinitely, but in cases where there are no super-requirements for the board, the choice is often made in favor of noticeably less expensive devices. Because now in our field of vision came Gigabyte GA-Z77-DS3H. This is one of the most affordable chipset-based models on the market. Intel Z77 Express. Despite the fact that it works with the top version of the system logic for the LGA1155 platform, the cost of the board is a little over $100. And here it is really interesting how this motherboard will prove itself in practice and due to which the manufacturer managed to set such an attractive price tag.
With regard to the color scheme of their devices, Gigabyte maintains originality. The GA-Z77-DS3H circuit board has a blue finish, while the plastic connectors and slots are white and blue.
The board has an ATX form factor, but its width is somewhat reduced - 215 mm instead of the classic 244 mm. Due to this, the PCB layout is quite dense. At the same time, the ergonomics of the assembly in this case will not suffer in any way. Four memory slots, accommodating up to 32 GB of RAM, are located at a sufficient distance from the nearest PCI Express slot, so the installed video card is not an obstacle to manipulating the modules.
The processor power subsystem is made according to a five-phase scheme. At the same time, VRM elements are not covered by radiators to improve cooling. It is obvious that in such a configuration, the board's capabilities for forcing processors will be somewhat limited in comparison with those for top solutions. A four-pin connector for connecting additional power is another evidence that the GA-Z77-DS3H is not designed for extreme overclocking. However, judging by the information from the manufacturer's website, the company has already presented an updated revision of the board (rev. 1.1), which is equipped with an eight-pin connector.
The board is made according to the concept Ultra Durable 4 Classic. The PCB has a denser weave of textolite fibers, low RDS (on) MOSFETs and solid capacitors are used in the power circuits, the device is equipped with static discharge protection.
The set of expansion slots is quite justified for a mid-range device: two full-format PCI Express x16, a pair of PCI-Express x1 and the same number of PCI. The board allows you to create CrossFireX configurations with two video cards. At the same time, we note that one of the slots always operates in x16 mode, and the second has a throughput of x4. For this reason, SLI bundles are not officially supported by the board. When using processors of the Ivy Bridge line and modern video cards, you can count on a full-fledged PCI support Express 3.0.
The interface connectors are located on the board in such a sequence that even when using a pair of graphics adapters with two-slot cooling systems, one PCI x1 and PCI connector remains available.
Despite the fact that the full-format connector is the first in this case, the distance from the processor socket to the PCI-E x16 slot turned out to be sufficient even to place a connector for mSATA devices on this site. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about installing overall coolers. So, it was possible to hoist onto the board without any difficulties, the width of which is 155 mm. Considering that there are no heatsinks for VRM elements on the board, you can actually choose any of the currently available CPU coolers. Another benefit of this solution is the convenience of mounting a cooler of any configuration.
Gigabyte believes in the success of mSATA solid state drives, equipping almost all new motherboard models with the appropriate connector. Such a solution in conditions of limited space in the case or seats for drives may well come in handy. Price 30-gigabyte drives already start at $45, and for $70 you can get a 60-64 GB model. A very interesting option for using Intel Smart Response caching. Unfortunately, a SATA 3 Gb / s channel is allocated for this connection, which means that the fastest SSDs can be limited in terms of bandwidth by the interface itself. But it's hard to blame Gigabyte here. Considering that the chipset provides only 2 SATA 6 Gb / s ports, it would not be rational to use one of them for mSATA needs.
The model has a standard set of controls, but there is no sophisticated equipment for overclocking needs on the board. However, it is worth noting the presence of two BIOS chips. Technology dualBIOS with a couple of chips for duplicating the firmware can help out a lot in some cases.
The location of the CPU cooler fan connector in the central part of the board is more unusual than inconvenient. Three four-pin connectors are provided for connecting case fans.
The gigabit Ethernet adapter is implemented on the Atheros AR8151 chip, and Realtek ALC887 is chosen as the HDA codec.
For the disk subsystem are used Intel capabilities Z77. The PCB has 5 SATA connectors. Two of them (white) have SATA 6 Gb / s bandwidth, the remaining three - SATA 3 Gb / s. One more channel is allocated for the needs of mSATA. SATA connectors are vertically oriented relative to the PCB plane. The connectors themselves are located exactly opposite the lower PCI-E x16 slot, so with the second video card installed, only two SATA ports remain free, for the rest you will need to use interface cables with L-shaped connectors.
With regard to USB 3.0, the chipset resource is also used, which allows you to connect up to 4 devices. At the same time, two connectors are placed on the rear panel, two more use the internal connector.
The interface panel is equipped quite well. First of all, we note the presence of three video outputs: DVI, HDMI and analog D-Sub.
There is also a combo PS / 2 connector, four USB 2.0 ports, a pair of high-speed USB 3.0 and an Ethernet socket. A panel with three connectors is designed to connect acoustics. The digital audio output is present only as an internal connector on the PCB.
Equipment
The package bundle of the device is modest in a Spartan way - a user manual, a disk with drivers and proprietary applications, two SATA cables and a plug on the rear wall of the case. In general, this is quite a familiar set for devices of a similar price category.
In work
After switching to UEFI, Gigabyte develops a graphical shell 3D BIOS with two main modes. 3D Mode sure to be of interest to beginners. A rendered interactive board model and the ability to change a whole set of basic parameters are what you need for those who have just recently picked up a mouse.
Advanced Mode advanced mode opens access to a wider range of parameters. The overclocking functions that are of primary interest to us are concentrated in the section M.I.T. After studying the composition of the parameters available for adjustment, it turned out that among them there is no way to independently set the processor core supply voltage. There are auxiliary Vtt and PLL, but no VCore.
Obviously, in this case, one should not count on serious performance during CPU overclocking. However, this is not a judgment. In practice, the test processor Core i7-3770K worked stably after increasing the multiplier to 44. The final clock frequency 4400 MHz- not such a bad result without increasing the voltage on the chip. At 4500 MHz, the processor successfully started, but during heavy loads it was unstable.
The board coped surprisingly well with increasing the frequency of the system bus, providing stable work at 108.5 MHz.
By not providing the ability to regulate the CPU supply voltage, the manufacturer eliminated the situation in which the user would require the device to operate in extreme modes. Serious overclocking experiments require noticeably more expensive motherboards that are better technically equipped.
Exploring the overclocking possibilities of the board, it was also interesting to find out how hot the VRM elements would get, which in this case do not have additional heatsinks to speed up heat dissipation. As practice has shown, under a serious load (OCCT, Prime95) of a processor forced to the limit, the temperature of the MOSFETs increased to 68 ºС. The mode is quite working, although it would not be superfluous to organize a minimum airflow in such a case. In our case, the tower-type processor cooler does not provide it, so the power switches were cooled only by natural convection.
Results
Gigabyte GA-Z77-DS3H- an inexpensive workhorse for those who, having seriously invested in the purchase of a quad-core processor with the “K” index, want to experience the benefits of an unlocked multiplier, but are not ready to seriously spend money on a motherboard. Obviously, the GA-Z77-DS3H is not intended for serious overclocking experiments, this requires “bigger guns”. However, given the price, this is a worthy option for spending your labor hundred on buying a new platform with second or third generation Intel Core processors.
Liked
Price/equipment ratio
The presence of an mSATA connector
Good set of video outputs (DVI, HDMI and D-Sub)
Overclocking options
Did not like
- Lack of heatsinks on VRM elements
- There is no way to adjust the voltage on the CPU
Testing device provided by MTI, www.distri.mti.ua
Test bench configuration
 | — | |
| Southbridge cooling | Radiator | |
| VRM Cooling | — | |
| Embedded video | Intel HD Graphics 2500/4000 (integrated into processor) | |
| PCI | 2 | |
| PCI Express x4 | — | |
| PCI Express x1 | 2 | |
| Graphic interface | 1xPCI-E x16 3.0(x16) + 1xPCI-E x16 2.0(x4) | |
| DIMM | 4xDDR3 | |
| IDE (Parallel ATA) (chipset/additional controller) | — | |
| Serial ATA (chipset/additional controller) | 3/- | |
| SATA Revision 3.0 (chipset/additional controller) | 2/- | |
| Main power connectors | 24+4 | |
| Extra food | — | |
| FAN | 4 | |
| S/PDIF | +(output) | |
| Audio codec | Realtek ALC887 (7.1) | |
| ethernet | Atheros (GBE) | |
| SATA | — | |
| SATA Revision 3.0 | — | |
| PATA | — | |
| IEEE 1394 (FireWire) | — | |
| USB 3.0 | — | |
| LAN | 1 | |
| eSATA Rev. 2.0 | — | |
| eSATA Rev. 3.0 | — | |
| Audio | 3 | |
| S/PDIF Out (Coaxial/Optical) | — | |
| Thunderbolt | — | |
| Monitor outputs | 1xDVI-D, 1xD-Sub and 1xHDMI | |
| USB 1.1/2.0 | 4/2(4 ports)/- | |
| USB 3.0 | 2/1(2 ports)/- | |
| IEEE 1394 (FireWire) | — | |
| COM | -/1/- | |
| Game/MIDI | — | |
| LPT | — | |
| IDE | — | |
| SATA interface/power, devices | 2/- | |
| Form factor | ATX, 305x215mm | |
| Support for two or more video cards | AMD 2-way CrossFireX | |
| RAID Support | 0, 1, 5 and 10 | |
| WiFi adapter | — | |
| UEFI support | Yes | |
| Miscellaneous | Ultra Durable 4 Classic, Japanese conductive polymer solid capacitors; 1x mSATA connector on the board; Trusted Platform Module (TPM) connector; one PS/2 connector for keyboard or mouse |
Foreword
Deciding to add a few entry-level models to our long series of Intel Z77 Express board reviews, we started by looking at the Asus P8Z77-V LK board. It is quite natural that the next contender was to be one of the boards Gigabyte, but which model to choose from a very wide range of proposals? We have always praised the seemingly simple and understandable naming system for Gigabyte boards, but it turned out that in this case, too, difficulties are possible. Any experienced child is able to sort by seniority several models of the same line of boards with names that end in UP4, UP5 and UP7, but it is very difficult to immediately understand the difference between boards with confusingly similar endings HD3 and D3H, and these are completely different models that differ significantly by set of possibilities. However, we will tell you about one of them today, it will be the Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H board.This model does not have a complete analogue among motherboards from ASUSTeK. On the one hand, like the already mentioned Asus P8Z77-V LK board, it is equipped with an additional controller that brings two additional USB 3.0 ports to the rear panel, and otherwise relies on the capabilities of the Intel Z77 Express logic set. On the other hand, like the Asus P8Z77-V LX board reviewed earlier, it does not have the inherent ability of this chipset to divide the PCI Express processor lines between two video card slots. It would seem that in this case the board could well be based on a simpler Intel Z75 Express chipset, but, unlike the Asus P8Z77-V LX board, this would be an incorrect statement. And the point is not at all that in the assortment of Gigabyte motherboards, like most other motherboard manufacturers, there are no models at all based on this useless set of logic that has not gained popularity and has not gained distribution. It's just that the Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H board has one more feature that does not allow using the Intel Z75 Express chipset. We will tell you more about this and all other features of the board in this review, and we will start it with a traditional study of the box and the accessories that come with the board.
Packaging and equipment
We are familiar with the design of Gigabyte's motherboard packages. On the front side, we see a large model name and a number of logos related to the features and technologies used by the board. On the back of the box you can find an image of the board, a short list of basic specifications and illustrated information about some of the features of this model.Inside the box there is a board packed in an antistatic bag, and on top of it, separated by a sheet of cardboard, there are components:
four Serial ATA cables with metal latches, half with two straight connectors, the second half has one of the L-shaped connectors, two cables are specially designed for connecting SATA 6 Gb / s devices (black);
rear panel cover (I/O Shield);
user's manual;
brochure with quick assembly instructions in several languages;
DVD with software and drivers;
sticker with the Gigabyte logo on the system unit.
Previously, only ASUSTeK boards were accompanied by special SATA cables that are designed to connect SATA 6 Gb / s devices (they differ in white inserts on the connectors), now these cables are included in the Gigabyte boards. To be honest, I don't know how special SATA cables designed to operate at 6 Gb / s are different from ordinary ones. Except for the colors, they are outwardly the same, all are made on 26AWG conductors, but on black there is an additional inscription 6 Gb / s, but on blue it is not.
Design and Features
A few years ago, Gigabyte switched to using black textolite for older models of their motherboards. This change can be assessed in different ways, from our point of view it is more negative than positive. First of all, boards have lost their individuality, because black is often found in different manufacturers, and motherboards on blue textolite were typical for Gigabyte and easily recognizable. In addition, the boards began to look unnecessarily gloomy and monotonous, they lost their information content. Only recently, connectors for memory modules related to different channels, have become different - some are black and others are gray, but the connectors for expansion cards are still the same black. However, we all understand that the color of the textolite and connectors does not affect the capabilities of the board at all, it only has an insignificant effect on its perception, on the impression left after acquaintance. However, the changes affected only the older models of boards, and the Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H board, like other entry-level models, still pleases the eye with a cheerful blue-white-blue color.
The board uses the 3D Power digital power system, which allows more precise and flexible control of the voltage of the processor and the graphics core integrated into it. Part of the heating elements of the power converter is covered with an additional heatsink mounted on spring-loaded latches. At the same time, the heatsink covering the logic set chip uses a strong screw fastening. The board is made according to the Ultra Durable 4 Classic technology, which includes almost all the features inherent in this technology without the Classic prefix: protection against high temperatures, against voltage surges, electrostatic protection and protection against high humidity. The only thing it doesn't have is double thickness copper conductors. The board does not use the capabilities of the Intel Z77 Express logic set for dividing PCI Express processor lines, a single PCI Express 3.0 / 2.0 x16 slot is intended for a discrete video card, which always works at full speed, and there is no support for NVIDIA SLI. However, to combine video cards, you can use AMD technology CrossFireX and a second PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot, just keep in mind that it can only provide x4 speed, while the PCI Express 2.0 x1 slots will be disabled. In addition to them, two PCI slots can be used for expansion cards.
Additional drive controllers are not installed on the board, it has two SATA connector 6 Gb / s (white connectors) and four SATA 3 Gb / s (blue connectors), which it provides a set of logic. At the same time, a red sticker on the board warns that the fifth SATA 3 Gb / s port will not be available if you use the mSATA connector located between the processor socket and the video card connector. Many models of Gigabyte motherboards based on Intel seventh series chipsets are equipped with a free mSATA connector, this is their feature and advantage. The connector allows you to install a small SSD drive to take advantage of the "Intel Smart Response" caching technology, which significantly speeds up the performance of traditional hard drives. Of course, a miniature drive can be used as the main and only drive, or you can use the Intel Rapid Start technology, but Intel Smart Response is the most useful and sought-after feature for the mSATA connector. This is the reason why the simpler Intel Z75 Express logic set could not be taken as the basis for the board, it does not support Intel Smart Response technology. But the Intel H77 Express chipset has it, and therefore, in addition to the Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H board, the GA-H77-D3H and GA-H77-D3H-MVP boards based on it differ in the same design.
The traditionally exemplary layout allows us to notice one more characteristic feature of Gigabyte boards - this model is equipped with two BIOS chips. In this case, the DualBIOS technology is implemented in such a way that the user works with only one of them, while the second one is not used and serves as a backup. The diagram allows you to count four four-pin connectors for connecting fans. Another advantage of the company's motherboards is the ability to control the CPU fan speed even with a three-pin connection, most modern motherboards from other manufacturers no longer have this capability. However, of the remaining three, only one connector, designated "SYS_FAN1", is capable of reducing the speed of the three-pin fan. Only one inaccuracy can be found on the diagram - ordinary latches are drawn on two connectors for video cards, but in fact the connectors have convenient wide fastening tabs. However, it should be noted that we are considering a Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H rev. 1.1, and you may come across this revision 1.0 model. It looks almost exactly the same, has the same set of features, and of the noticeable differences you can find only the usual latches on the connectors for video cards and a four-pin, rather than eight-pin ATX12V processor power connector.
Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H rev. 1.0
If we look at the back panel of the board, we will see the following set of connectors and ports, which occupy almost the entire available area:
universal PS / 2 connector for connecting a keyboard or mouse;
four USB 2.0 ports, and six more can be connected to three internal connectors on the board;
video outputs D-Sub, DVI-D, HDMI;
four USB 3.0 ports (blue connectors), two of which are based on the Etron EJ168 controller, and two more, as well as one internal connector that allows you to output two additional USB 3.0 ports, appeared thanks to the capabilities of the Intel Z77 Express logic set;
connector local network(the network adapter is based on the Atheros ARL8161 gigabit controller);
optical S / PDIF, as well as five analog audio connectors, the operation of which is provided by the eight-channel VIA VT2021 codec.
For convenience, we have summarized the list of the main technical characteristics of the board into a single table:
BIOS Features
In previous reviews of Gigabyte motherboards, we have repeatedly explored the capabilities of the "Gigabyte 3D BIOS", including the "3D Mode" mode, which is offered by default. In this mode, we see a stylized image of the motherboard, on which key areas are cyclically highlighted, as if inviting to click on them with the mouse. Thus, the novice user is prompted how to proceed to setting up the processor, memory, power system, etc.
In some cases, using the visually illustrative “3D Mode” will be more convenient, but still the “Advanced Mode” mode has a large number of settings, so we will once again briefly go over them.
When switching to the “Advanced Mode”, we immediately get to the “M.I.T.” (MB Intelligent Tweaker), which contains all the parameters related to overclocking and fine-tuning performance, which is very convenient. The section start screen only opens the list of subsections and provides basic information about the system.
This is followed by a purely informational subsection “M.I.T. Current Status”, informing the current parameters of the system.
In the "Advanced Frequency Settings" subsection, we manage frequencies and multipliers, and a number of informational parameters will allow us to be aware of the results of the changes made.
Settings related to processor technologies, detailed changes in the processor multiplier and power-saving modes are placed on a separate page "Advanced CPU Core Features".
The "Advanced Memory Settings" subsection provides the ability to configure the operation of the memory subsystem.
Management of numerous memory timings is placed on separate pages. Timings can be set simultaneously for two memory channels or for each individually.
The "Advanced Voltage Settings" subsection allows you to control voltages, all parameters are separated into three separate pages.
On the page "3D Power Control" we find the parameters that have appeared thanks to the technology "3D Power". Now, right in the BIOS, you can select the operating mode of the processor power converter, you can flexibly dose the degree of resistance to voltage drops on the processor under load, and change a number of other options.
The voltages in different areas of the processor are changed on the "CPU Core Voltage Control" page. The voltage on the processor can be fixed at the desired level or just add a certain value to the nominal one.
Voltages can not only be increased, but also reduced relative to the nominal, which can also be useful in some cases. For example, this may be necessary for the processor to operate at frequencies below the standard ones or to support low-voltage memory modules.
The "PC Health Status" subsection reports data on current voltages, temperatures, and fan speeds. Separately, the speed of rotation of the processor and three system fans at once is adjusted. We can choose one of the two preset adjustment modes "Normal" or "Silent", or choose the appropriate parameters in manual mode. A distinctive feature of Gigabyte motherboards is the ability to control the rotation speed of the processor fan with a three-pin connection, besides them, only ASRock motherboards have this advantage. Unfortunately, in addition to the processor socket, only the first system fan can reduce the rotation speed of the three-pin fan, and the rest of the sockets have lost this ability.
The "Miscellaneous Settings" subsection either appeared, but remained empty, or disappeared altogether from the BIOS of Gigabyte motherboards. It turns out that it is needed to select the operating mode of PCI Express 3.0/2.0 x16 slots and to improve results in old test programs.
The “System” section is a close analogue of the previous “Standard CMOS Features” section, here we learn basic information about the system, on the “ATA Port Information” page we can see a list of connected drives, we can change the date, time and language of the BIOS interface.
In the "BIOS Features" section, we set the polling order boot devices, turn off the image output at startup, manage other parameters and technologies, such as virtualization technologies, assign access passwords.
The "Peripherals" section allows you to manage the work peripherals and additional board controllers. It also enables and configures technologies specific to the set of logic, such as "Intel Rapid Start" and "Intel Smart Connect".
The Power Management section has the usual set of options related to board startup and power.
In the "Save & Exit" section, you can save the changes made, discard them, or load the default settings. There are also two options for working with BIOS settings profiles. The boards allow you to save or load eight different settings profiles, each can be given a name reminiscent of its content, the ability to save profiles to external media and load from them has returned, and profiles are again automatically remembered upon successful completion of the start-up procedure.
Some function keys still work. As before, pressing "F9" displays system information.
The built-in utility for updating firmware "Q-Flash" is called by pressing the button of the same name or hot key F8. It has become a little more convenient, now information about the current and firmware version of the BIOS is reported, although it still does not work with drives formatted in NTFS, and current firmware is now saved only in the root partition of the drive, and not where it is more convenient for the user.
The programming team working on the "Gigabyte 3D BIOS" deserves all the credit. For relatively short term they managed to successfully make the transition from the former Award BIOS to the new AMI UEFI BIOS. Moreover, in the new BIOS, they were able to implement almost all the features that were previously in the old one. The abilities to work with settings profiles, which were severely curtailed at first, have returned in full, including working with external media and automatically storing profiles in case of a successful start. The ability to adjust the speed of the three-pin processor fan has again appeared, although only one system connector can now reduce the rotation speed with a three-pin connection. A simple and convenient way to select the active mode was invented. If you made the settings and saved the changes in the “3D Mode”, then the same mode will meet you the next time you enter the BIOS, but if the last save was made in the “Advanced Mode”, then you will return to this mode next time. As a result, now, after a number of improvements and additions, the new Gigabyte 3D BIOS revision has an almost complete set of parameters necessary for performance tuning, overclocking, and convenient operation.
Test system configuration
All experiments were carried out on test system, which includes the following set of components:
Motherboard - Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H rev. 1.1 (LGA1155, Intel Z77 Express, BIOS version F18);
Processor - Intel Core i5-3570K (3.6-3.8 GHz, 4 cores, Ivy Bridge rev. E1, 22 nm, 77 W, 1.05 V, LGA1155);
Memory — 2 x 4GB DDR3 SDRAM Corsair Vengeance CMZ16GX3M4X1866C9R, (1866MHz, 9-10-9-27, 1.5V supply voltage);
Video card - Gigabyte GV-R797OC-3GD ( AMD Radeon HD 7970, Tahiti, 28 nm, 1000/5500 MHz, 384-bit GDDR5 3072 MB);
Disk subsystem - Crucial m4 SSD (CT256M4SSD2, 256 GB, SATA 6 Gb/s);
Cooling system - Noctua NH-D14;
Thermal Grease - ARCTIC MX-2 ;
Power supply - Enhance EPS-1280GA, 800 W;
The hull is an open test bed based on the Antec Skeleton hull.
Used as operating system Microsoft Windows 8 Enterprise 64 bit (Microsoft Windows, Version 6.2, Build 9200), Chipset Driver Kit Intel Chipset Device Software 9.3.0.1026, video card driver - AMD Catalyst 13.1.
Features of work and overclocking
At startup, the Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H motherboard shows a start picture, at the bottom of which is a list of active hot keys. You can enter the BIOS by pressing the "Del" key; the "F9" key will show a window with system information, the same as when you press this button in the BIOS; "F12" will output start menu for out-of-order selection of the download source; using the “End” key, you can launch the built-in utility for updating the firmware “Q-Flash”.
Among them, it is not by chance that the “Tab” key is missing, which traditionally serves to remove the picture. The display of the picture can be disabled in the BIOS settings, but the fact is that, unlike most boards from other manufacturers, Gigabyte boards do not display any information about the start-up procedure on the screen at all. The only thing that can be seen is the AMI logo, since its code is the basis of the BIOS. More recently, we would have classified this as a disadvantage, but modern motherboards usually start up so quickly that sometimes you don’t have time to press a key to enter the BIOS, not to mention studying any information displayed. We mentioned this minor disadvantage only because we could not find any other shortcomings in the operation of the board. The board does not follow a "fashionable", but in our opinion negative trend, it sets the nominal mode of the processor, and does not overestimate its frequency by default, like many other models. For the memory, the nominal frequency of 1333 MHz and the corresponding timings were also set, according to the information flashed into the SPD of the modules. At the same time, it is not difficult to increase the frequency of its operation manually or using the XMP profile, it is easy to adjust any memory timings in the right direction. Even all energy-saving technologies function from the outset, it is not required to change the BIOS settings from "Auto" to "Enabled", as on many other boards.
The only strange thing I noticed is that by default the BIOS of the board for drives is set to IDE mode, not AHCI. Recently, only in the BIOS of the ECS Z77H2-A2X (v1.0) boards have we encountered the same settings, all other models initially set the AHCI mode. This is not a problem or even an error, it is easy to change the desired mode of operation if necessary, it is simply not clear why to use the outdated mode today. By the way, Gigabyte motherboards even have a special Disk Mode Switch utility that allows you to change drive modes without having to enter the BIOS, directly from the operating system. Microsoft systems Windows. However, we will talk more about proprietary software in a separate chapter of this review.
The BIOS of Gigabyte boards lacks parameters for automatic overclocking of the processor, this task is assigned to the Easy Tune6 utility. This fact is also difficult to attribute to shortcomings, because any auto-overclocking systems are imperfect, optimal results can be achieved only when selecting the most appropriate values manually. When overclocked, the Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H again did not disappoint, it easily ensured the stable operation of our processor instance at the maximum possible frequency of 4.6 GHz, which many other models cannot boast of. At the same time, the memory frequency was increased to 1866 MHz and its timings were adjusted.
It remains to be reminded that we always overclock the system so that it can be fully used in a long-term mode. No features or additional motherboard controllers are disabled, the functionality of Intel's processor power-saving technologies is fully preserved, which reduces the processor multiplier and the voltage applied to it, disables unnecessary blocks and switches the processor to power-saving modes when there is no load.
proprietary software
The last time we paid attention for a long time software, which is supplied with Gigabyte motherboards, however, it turned out that nothing fundamentally new has appeared during this time, all utilities are well known to us and have already been considered in our reviews. So today we will do without a detailed study of all the possibilities of proprietary programs, we will only briefly recall their purpose.One of the oldest utilities is "@BIOS", for many years neither its appearance nor the list of features has practically changed. The program is designed to update and save motherboard firmware. If it has access to the Internet, it can independently find and download the latest BIOS version, or it can update and save firmware on a local drive.
Unlike the @BIOS utility, the EZ Setup program is relatively recent. It will automatically enable and configure Intel Smart Response, Intel Rapid Start, and Intel Smart Connect technologies. All actions, including the necessary changes in the BIOS, are performed by the program itself, the user only needs to select the necessary technologies in the list and click the "Setup" button. In the program window screenshot below, the Intel Smart Response Technology selection is not possible just because our system had a single SSD drive.
The USB Blocker utility can be useful not only system administrators in companies, but also to parents with active and not too obedient children. It will help to prohibit the use of USB devices for various purposes. At the first start of the program, a password is set, which will then be requested when trying to change settings or disable the utility.
We also installed the “On / Off Charge” utility, but this is not even a program, but a special driver that allows you to quickly charge mobile devices Apple, charging is possible even when the computer is turned off, but connected to the electrical network.
Of course, this is not a complete list of proprietary utilities from Gigabyte. The Xpress Recovery2 program will help in saving and restoring data, the 3D Power utility is able to configure the parameters related to the technology of the same name directly from the Microsoft Windows operating system, without having to enter the BIOS. The TweakLauncher utility allows you to change the frequencies, voltages and timings of the memory, and the LAN Optimizer program will help you balance network settings. We have already mentioned the Disk Mode Switch utility, it changes the operating modes of drives again without having to enter the BIOS. However, support for the Microsoft Windows 8 64-bit operating system used by us during the tests for these programs is still not implemented, so we did not install them and cannot show screenshots of utility windows.
However, with support for Windows 8, not everything is safe even for the programs for which it is declared. We planned to start the story about Gigabyte's proprietary programs with one of the most famous utilities - "Easy Tune6". This is a multifunctional program, it allows you to get acquainted with information about the processor, memory and motherboard. With its help, you can manually change frequencies, multipliers and voltages, or you can use the proposed automatic overclocking profiles. The program will help you configure the fan control and familiarize yourself with the monitoring parameters. We know all this because we had to install the utility several times, but this time everything went wrong. After installing and rebooting, we did not find the program shortcut on the Desktop and did not see it in the Metro interface, but when we tried to reinstall the utility, we were asked to uninstall the current version first.
But it was impossible to do this, because the utility was not only absent from the list of installed programs, it was not even possible to find a folder with the program on the SSD drive in order to manually run "uninstall". Apparently, the first installation for some reason ended unsuccessfully, but at the same time, entries about it were already made in the Windows registry, which prevented the re-installation. By the way, it is not too correct that none of Gigabyte's proprietary programs asks for the path during installation. All of them are automatically set to system disk to the folder "C:\Program Files\Gigabyte" or "C:\Program Files (x86)\Gigabyte" for 64-bit systems.
Performance Comparison
We traditionally compare motherboards in terms of speed in two modes: when the system is operating under nominal conditions and when overclocking the processor and memory. The first option is interesting from the point of view that it allows you to find out how well motherboards work with default parameters. It is known that a significant part of users are not engaged in fine tuning systems, they only set the optimal parameters in the BIOS and do not change anything else. So we are checking, almost without interfering with the default values \u200b\u200bset by the boards. For comparison, we used the data obtained in the reviews of the ASRock Z77 Extreme11 and Asus P8Z77-V LK boards. The results in the diagrams are sorted in descending order of performance, and the performance of the Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H board is highlighted in color for clarity.In Cinebench 11.5, we run CPU benchmarks five times and average the results.
The Fritz Chess Benchmark utility has been used in tests for a very long time and has proven itself well. It produces highly repeatable results, performance scales well depending on the number of threads used.
The x264 FHD Benchmark v1.0.1 (64bit) test allows you to evaluate the performance of the system in comparison with the results available in the database. The average results of five passes are shown in the diagram.
Performance measurement in Adobe Photoshop We run CS6 using our own test, which is a creatively redesigned Retouch Artists Photoshop Speed Test that includes typical processing of four 24-megapixel images taken with a digital camera.
In the data archiving test, a one gigabyte file is packed using LZMA2 algorithms, other compression parameters remain at their default values.
As with the compression test, the faster the calculation of 16 million digits of pi can be done, the better. This is the only test where the number of processor cores does not play any role, the load is single-threaded.
The following diagram uses only the results of the 3DMark 11 - Physics Score processor tests. This characteristic is the result of a special physical test that simulates the behavior of a complex game system with a large number of objects.
The built-in Hitman Absolution test turned out to be very convenient. It can be launched from the game, from the start utility (launcher) and even from command line. We use the highest possible quality settings "Ultra" and a fairly high resolution.
Batman: Arkham City also responds well to changes in CPU frequency, while using DirectX 11. We repeat the performance test built into the game five times at the Very High quality settings and average the results.
We have repeatedly noted that related boards operating under the same conditions show approximately the same level of performance. As you can see, the results are fully consistent with the expected ones, the speed of the system based on the Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H board is almost the same as the rest. During overclocking, the situation could be different, because of the tested models, only ASRock Z77 Extreme11 and Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H boards managed to overclock the processor to 4.6 GHz, while all other models stopped at 4.5 GHz. Obviously, in reality, these two models will have an advantage, however, during overclocking, we conducted tests at the 4.5 GHz processor frequency available for all boards, so that we could clearly assess how efficiently the boards are able to work in non-standard modes.
Formally, the situation remains the same - the performance of the Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H board slightly differs from other models with an increase in the processor and memory frequencies. However, now the board more often occupies leading positions or positions close to them, and therefore its indicators look noticeably more advantageous than the others.
Energy consumption measurements
Energy consumption is measured using the Extech Power Analyzer 380803. The device is turned on before the computer power supply, that is, it measures the consumption of the entire system "from the socket", with the exception of the monitor, but including losses in the power supply itself. When measuring consumption at rest, the system is idle, we wait for the complete cessation of post-launch activity and the absence of calls to the drive. Power consumption at a single-threaded load on the processor is measured during tests for the speed of calculating the number of Pi, at multi-threaded during performance measurements in the Fritz Chess Benchmark program, and Hitman Absolution is used to ensure complex loading of the processor and video card. The results in the diagrams are sorted as consumption increases, and the indicators for the Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H board are highlighted in color for clarity.
We have already mentioned earlier that on the Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H board, all processor energy-saving technologies initially function correctly. No additional steps are required to enable them, and this is the advantage of the board. However, the level of energy consumption of this model turned out to be noticeably higher than that of similar ones in terms of capabilities. Asus motherboards P8Z77-V LK and MSI Z77 MPOWER. The high power consumption of the flagship models from ASRock and ASUSTeK, equipped with an additional PCI Express bus hub, is not typical for conventional boards, and therefore the significantly lower consumption of the Gigabyte board is not an advantage.
Now let's compare the power consumption of systems during overclocking with an increase in the frequencies of the processor and memory.
During acceleration, the situation does not change. The power consumption of the Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H board is lower than a couple of special models, which is quite natural, but it is higher than that of the other two ordinary boards.
Afterword
Having reached the end of the review, it should be noted that acquaintance with motherboard Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H delivered mostly positive emotions. This is one of the entry-level models, but the impression of it remains well above average. The capabilities of this board are mainly based on those provided by the Intel Z77 Express chipset on which it is based. The board does not use only its ability to share the PCI Express processor lines between two video card slots, but supplements it with a USB 3.0 controller that brings two additional ports to the rear panel. Even a partial list of the advantages of this model is very large and includes a user-friendly design, the presence of an mSATA connector, the ability to regulate three-pin CPU fans, efficiently used rear panel area, all the advantages of DualBIOS and Ultra Durable 4 Classic technologies, good overclocking capabilities and ease of setup . We also mentioned some disadvantages. Like other motherboards from Gigabyte, this model does not display information about the startup procedure, only one of the three system connectors can reduce the speed of the three-pin fan, the power consumption of the board is noticeably higher than that of the models compared with it.Of course, depending on individual requests, the list of shortcomings can be expanded. Someone will not like vertically oriented SATA ports, someone will not like two PCI slots ... However, no board is able to meet the requirements of absolutely all users, which is why manufacturers produce so many varieties of them. Among the many similar, but somewhat different models, you can always find the most suitable one. I don't want to underestimate the various advantages of the Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H board, but a very significant advantage is its problem-free. Got the system and it works. There is no need to achieve a truly nominal processor mode, there is no need to specifically enable energy-saving technologies, there were no difficulties when updating the BIOS, the board immediately works as it should. If you need to reconfigure something or change modes, then there are no problems with this either, the board has a wide range of settings for settings and adequately responds to changes made. There are many models of motherboards, which manufacturers have supplied with a large number of additional controllers and the list of their capabilities is much longer. Of course, there are motherboards that are simpler and cheaper, but among those and others, such flawless motherboards as the Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H are not so common.