Gigabyte Z97X-UD3H-BK Black Edition Motherboard Review

From a feature and performance perspective, Gigabyte's Z97X-UD3H-BK Black Edition offers a strong selection of the core features that general computing users will desire. And even for gamers, the board offers solid multi-GPU support, the ALC1150 audio codec, and network prioritisation capabilities through the Intel NIC.

Overall performance is generally competitive with other Z97 parts. Gaming performance was as positive as any of the other Z97 boards that we have worked with. Gigabyte's suite of OS-based software teetered on the resource-heavy side, with minor performance drops being registered while the apps ran in the background. Closing the apps eliminates the performance deficiencies.

Manual overclocking capabilities are comparable to many other Z97 motherboards, albeit with time and effort. Our CPU required a number of additional tweaks and 10mV more voltage than on the Gigabyte Z97X-SOC Force in order to reach 4.7GHz, but the 1.31V level and heavy fine-tuning is comparable to MSI's Z97 Gaming 9 AC.

For the safety of your processor, avoid Gigabyte's mostly ridiculous pre-set overclocking profiles. Whether they are loaded through the UEFI or OS-based EasyTune software, they are dire. If you really aren't confident at overclocking, the Auto Tuning option found in Gigabyte's OS-Based EasyTune software is actually pretty decent.

Expansion has clearly been carefully considered by Gigabyte. The choice of expansion slots and their positioning is smart. The same is true for the PCIe lane distribution, which provides x8/x8 CrossFire/SLI plus an additional non-graphics PCIe device (such as a PCIe x2 or x4 SSD). In addition to 10Gbps M.2 and SATA-E, a relevant number of USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gbps ports are also provided.

I like the use of Realtek's high-end ALC1150 and a TI NE5532 op-amp, although some EMI shielding would have been nice. That said, the Very Good audio result gives me little ground for complaint. Intel's ageing I217-V NIC is used rather than the popular I218-V, but the older chipset does the job and is typically preferred to a Realtek solution.

Gigabyte's high-res UEFI is filled with features, although it can be difficult to comprehend at times. The DualBIOS redundancy that comes from a pair of chips is great for reliability. OS-based applications are diverse, although nothing out-of-the-ordinary by today's standards.

The big talking points for a Black Edition motherboard are its after-sale support and touted reliability. Obviously the latter point is hard to quantify in the space of a review, but the 5-year warranty is definitely worth value to many consumers. And the opportunity for a free motherboard upgrade within 3 years of purchase is another valuable asset for many buyers.

But don't expect those benefits to come for free. OverclockersUK has the Z97X-UD3H-BK listed at £142.99 which is about £30 higher than the standard Z97X-UD3H motherboard's going-rate. At face value, that extra £30 may be hard to swallow for a hardware-identical component.

That said, when we factor in the extra 2 years of warranty, certified server-level stress testing, and guaranteed free-of-charge upgrade within 3 years, the extra outlay looks a great deal fairer. You could even consider the board a smart investment if you plan on upgrading within 3 years – £30 is likely to be far less than the asset depreciation applied through second-hand marketplaces, not to mention your time and effort.

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Pros:

• Black Edition status – 168 hour server-level stress testing, 5-year warranty, motherboard upgrade program.
• Well-balanced set of features.
• Smart expansion slot configuration – CrossFire/SLI support with an additional PCIe 2.0 x4 device.
• Clean black appearance.
• M.2 and SATA-Express support.
• Solid software implementation and UEFI BIOS redundancy.

Cons:

• Noticeably more expensive than the non-Black Edition version.
• Pre-tuned overclocking profiles are terrible. Many are potentially damaging for your processor.
• OS-based software apps seem to be a little resource-heavy.

KitGuru says: A well-balanced motherboard with certified reliability and greatly enhanced after-sales care. A strong contender if you value reliability and the potential for a hassle-free upgrade within 3 years.

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