Gigabyte Z68X UD5 B3 Motherboard Preview

Gigabyte have been hard at work with the upcoming launch of the Z68 platform from Intel, and we thought we’d jump straight in there to show you a preview of one of the boards that we have at the eTeknix labs.

We managed to secure a sample of the Z68-UD5 motherboard from Gigabyte which follows the same sexy black styling that Gigabyte introduced at the beginning of the year when Sandy Bridge was released.

Whilst the next page will expose the board in terms of styling and main features, we want to touch lightly on what Z68 will offer, and to end any speculation.

Firstly, Z68 will offer more options to the user, thus meaning they can find the right board for them and not being left with mass amounts of features that they simply don’t require. This is why Gigabyte have split their boards into two segments depending on if the user requires a discrete graphics option, or whether they need the integrated graphics option.

A lot of speculation as to what Z68 will offer has been thrown around as of late, and most users will simply believe that it’s a mixed bag of H67 and P67 rolled into one and whilst you are right to some degree, it all depends on which option you will be taking as to what features will be available to you.

Touch BIOS is one of the key features that has been implemented by Gigabyte, and Z68 paves the way for this new feature to be included. It features an Icon-based navigation system that is similar to the way that Apple and Google based devices work with a simple yet effective, colourful interface. This in turn makes it a simple layout for novice users and gives expert users another way of altering settings.

Another key feature to be rolled out by Intel is SSD caching or as they call it; Intel Smart Response Technology. This feature enables the use of a SSD and mechanical HDD to work together to give 4 times more performance than a HDD-only system and more than 2 times performance when compared to a hybrid drive in PC Mark Vantage. This gives an affordable option to users wanting a quick burst of performance for a very small outlay of cash.

We will be showing the SSD cache technology in our review, as well as taking a look at Touch BIOS in all its glory, but for now we thought we’d leave you with some pictures of the UD5 to wet your lips with until the full review is posted up later, but for now, turn the page and enjoy!