Gigabyte Intel Z77 LGA 1155 AMD CrossFireX/NVIDIA SLI W/ HDMI,DVI,DispayPort Dual UEFI BIOS ATX Motherboard GA-Z77X-UD3H

by Gigabyte

• CPU: Support for Intel Core i7/i5/i3/Pentium/Celeron processors in the LGA1155 package. Chipset: Intel Z77 Express Chipset
• Memory: 4 x 1.5V DDR3 DIMM sockets supporting up to 32 GB of system memory. Dual channel memory architecture. Support for DDR3 1600/1333/1066 MHz memory modules. Support for non-ECC memory modules. Support for Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) memory modules
• Audio: VIA VT2021 codec. LAN: Atheros GbE LAN chip (10/100/1000 Mbit).
• Support for 2-Way AMD CrossFireX/NVIDIA SLI technology. Expansion Slots: 1 x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x16. 1 x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x8. 1 x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x4. 3 x PCI Express x1 slots. 1 x PCI slot.
• Storage Interface: 2 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors. 4 x SATA 3Gb/s connectors. 1 x mSATA connector. Support for RAID 0/1/5/10. Marvell 88SE9172 chips: 2 x eSATA 6Gb/s connectors. Support for RAID 0 and 1

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 13 x 11 x 3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B007R21JJK
• Item model number: GA-Z77X-UD3H
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (72 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #10 in Electronics > Computers & Add-Ons > Computer Components > Motherboards
• Date first available at Amazon.com: April 8, 2012

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

GIGABYTE 7 series motherboards combine a host of new and exciting technologies with the latest Intel Z77 Express Chipset, creating a unique range of motherboard designs that harness the outstanding performance of the new 3rd generation Intel Core processors. With an exclusive 'All Digital' VRM design, GIGABYTE 3D Power and GIGABYTE 3D BIOS (Dual UEFI), GIGABYTE 7 series motherboards ensure exceptional power delivery and absolute control, with additional features that ensure an unrivalled experience on your next PC build.

Key Feature

• Supports 3rd Gen. Intel 22nm CPUs and 2nd Gen. Intel Core CPUs (LGA1155 socket)
• GIGABYTE Digital Power Engine with GIGABYTE 3D Power
• GIGABYTE 3D BIOS (Dual UEFI)
• Onboard mSATA slot for mSATA SSDs
• PCI Express Gen 3.0 support
• 2-way SLI and 2-way CrossFireX multi-GPU support
• Lucid Virtu Universal MVP GPU virtualization support
• HDMI, DVI, RGB and Display Port
• GIGABYTE 333 Onboard Acceleration (USB 3.0, SATA 3.0 & 3x USB Power)
• GIGABYTE On/Off Charge for USB devices

Overview

GIGABYTE 3D Power (patent pending)

GIGABYTE Z77 series motherboards take advantage of an exclusive All Digital PWM controller array, to deliver power to the board's 3rd generation IntelR Core processor. Using entirely digital controllers means that more precise power delivery to the motherboard's most power hungry and energy sensitive components is possible. These components include the CPU, VTT, processor graphics and memory, without doubt the most important components on your motherboard. This All Digital Power system, with Precise Auto Voltage Compensation, provides you with exceptional control over the component power delivery on your GIGABYTE 7 series motherboard.

GIGABYTE 3D Power: Digital Voltage, Frequency and Phase Control
Utilizing an exclusive All Digital controller array, GIGABYTE's 3D Power features precise Auto Voltage Compensation to deliver a steady flow of power to the system, no matter the loading. With digital controllers for the CPU (Vcore), VTT, processor graphics and memory (DDR), users can make real-time adjustments with the exclusive GIGABYTE 3D Power Utility, that include settings such as OVP (Over Voltage Protection), Load-line Calibration and on-the-fly PWM frequency adjustment.

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GIGABYTE 3D Power(patent pending) Utility

Users can now enjoy a fully interactive 3D utility that facilitates adjustment of the 3 dimensions that control the power delivery to your CPU and Memory: Voltage, Phase and Frequency. These parameters are crucial to how the digital PWM supplies power to critical areas of the motherboard and can help users quickly obtain the highest, most stable overclock.

3D Power: Voltage Control
Voltage parameters can be modified within 3D Power, including load line calibration the of CPU. By adjusting load line calibration, Vdrooping can be avoided, maintaining optimal voltages levels despite increasing current levels. OVP (over voltage protection) can also be adjusted to change default protection range of the CPU, memory controller, VTT and system memory.

3D Power: Phase Control
Users can calibrate OCP (Over Current Protection) for the CPU, integrated memory controller and system memory power levels. This allows the Phase control to deliver even more power to the system when needed.

3D Power: Frequency Control
GIGABYTE's digital PWM allows for adjustable frequency control via the International Rectifier (IR3567) PWM controller. 3D Power frequency control allows users to change the PWM controller frequency so that the CPU VRM can adjust power delivery speeds more quickly. Users can also adjust the PWM spectrum or maximum and minimum overall frequencies

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GIGABYTE 3D BIOS(patent pending)

The revolutionary GIGABYTE 3D BIOS application is based on GIGABYTE UEFI DualBIOS technology and is available to consumers in two exclusive modes of interaction, providing enthusiast and mainstream users with a choice of unique and powerful graphical interfaces.

UEFI DualBIOS Technology
At the heart of this exciting 3D BIOS technology is a pair of 8MB physical BIOS ROMs containing GIGABYTE's exclusive in-house designed UEFI BIOS technology. With a superior graphical interface capable of 32-bit color imaging and fluid user-friendly mouse navigation, UEFI DualBIOS makes BIOS configuration a new and exciting experience for novice and experienced users alike. UEFI BIOS also brings native support for large hard drives on 64-bit operating systems.

3D Mode
Designed to provide an extremely streamlined and user-friendly BIOS environment, GIGABYTE's exclusive 3D mode offers a fully interactive and illustrative GUI that allows users to easily and intuitively make key adjustments to the UEFI BIOS settings for optimum performance. 3D Mode allows novice or casual users to more clearly understand the areas of the motherboard that are being affected through the BIOS settings, gaining a clearer understanding of the BIOS functionality.

Advanced Mode
Advanced mode provides a more comprehensive UEFI BIOS environment that is designed specifically for overclockers and power users who want maximum control over their PC's hardware. GIGABTYE's signature M.I.T. tuning technology can be found alongside fully configurable parameters for GIGABTE's all new digital 3D Power engine. In short, advanced mode combines the signature GIGABYTE BIOS expertise you've come to expect, wrapped a slick, new and optimized graphical UEFI interface.

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GIGABYTE Ultra Durable 4 - Insist on an Ultra Durable Motherboard

• 2X Copper PCB
• New Glass Fabric PCB
• High ESD Resistance ICs
• DualBIOS; Anti-Surge IC
• All Solid Caps; Lower RDS(on) MOSFETs

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Designed for PCI Express Gen.3 Support

GIGABYTE 7 series motherboards take advantage of the latest connectivity and expansion bus technologies available on the Intel platform. The 3rd generation Intel Core processor platform (including the Intel Z77 chipset) debuts the new PCI Express gen. 3.0 expansion bus, allowing users to take advantage of the next generation, high-bandwidth discrete graphics card solutions.

*PCIE Gen.3 is dependent on CPU and expansion card compatibility.

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Lucid Universal MVP Support

• Boosts responsiveness and FPS of any game
• Improves gaming frame rates 30-70%
• Increases Vsync frame rates – 120 FPS+
• Sharpens visual quality without tearing
• Works seamlessly with hundreds of games

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Onboard mSATA Support

GIGABYTE 7 series motherboards feature an onboard mSATA slot allowing users to easily take advantage of advanced SSD-based technologies like Intel Smart Response and Intel Rapid Start. Mounting an affordable, low capacity mSATA SSD directly onto your motherboard can enhance your PC's performance with better overall desktop responsiveness, faster boot times and faster system resume from 'Suspend to Disk' and 'Standby' modes.

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Specifications

Model:	GA-Z77X-UD3H
CPU Support	Intek 22nm and 2nd Gen. Core Processors
CPU Socket	LGA 1155
Chipset	Intel Z77 chipset
Graphics Interface	1*PCI-E 3.0 x16+1*PCIE 3.0x8
Memory Type	Dual-Channel DDR3 2600 MHz
Memory DIMM	4*DDR3(Max 32 GB)
Expansion Slots	1*PCI-Ex4+3*PCI-Ex1+1*PCI
SATA connector	4*SATA 6Gb/s+4*SATA 3Gb/s
SATA RAID	RAID 0,1,5,10
USB	8*USB3.0+6*USB2.0
Vedio Output	HDMI,DVI,RGB,Display port
Audio	8 Channel HD
1394 / LAN	- / GbE LAN
Features & Software	3D Power, 3D BIOS,Gen. 3 support, Ultra Durable 4, EZ Smart Response, mSATA, CrossFireX, SLI, On/off charge, All Japanese Solid capacitors, Lucid MVP
Form Factor	ATX (305x244)

*The specification and pictures are subject to change without notice.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

64 of 66 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Board, & Some Helpful Tips. August 6, 2012

By G. William Mitchell

This is an EXCELLENT entry/mid level motherboard packed with the latest technical features, and at a VERY good price ($149) for what you get! Includes things like; (6) USB 3.0 ports, (2) SATA 3.0 ports, a PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slot, Intel's new z77 chipset (optimized for Ivy Bridge CPUs), an mSATA SSD slot (for a solid-state hard drive), an onboard 2-digit LED diagnostics display, an "all-digital" voltage regulator, and Gigabyte's standard dual BIOS chips. The board instantly recognized my Intel Ivy Bridge CPU with no problems. The mobo arrived pre-installed with BIOS version "F7", and I updated it to the newest "F17" BIOS with no complications. Gigabyte boards are among the highest quality mobo's on the market (IMO), and they have a long-standing reputation for stability & reliability. As a result, I didn't have a single problem on the build or initial boot-up. I have been building my own computers for the past 16 years, and have never had a single problem with Gigabyte motherboards. And with their new "Ultra Durable 4" construction features, (which are designed to fight against humidity, electrostatic discharge, high temperatures, and power surges), this is one of their best entry/mid-level boards.

Some Tips...
BIOS: The best and most reliable way to update the BIOS is with the "Q-Flash" option located directly within the BIOS settings (just press the DEL key upon first boot-up to enter the BIOS settings). The other option of updating the BIOS through the "Windows OS" can sometimes be unreliable. And for the "best" compatibility in flashing the BIOS with a USB thumbdrive (through the Q-Flash option), use a thumbdrive that is formatted to FAT-16 or FAT-32, and 4GB or under. It's also recommended to select "Load Optimized Defaults" before doing a BIOS update, then just re-tweak all your preferred BIOS settings after the reboot.

USB PORTS: Also, the exact (2) USB ports to use for both flashing the BIOS, and to later plug your mouse & keyboard in to install the Windows Operating System, are the 2 side USB ports DIRECTLY UNDER the RJ-45 Ethernet port. The reason being is that those are the only (2) "Intel" brand USB ports that are already USB 2.0 compatible, with no need to install any drivers. The other (4) USB ports are all "VIA" brand USB ports, and will NOT work at all until AFTER the VIA USB 3.0 drivers are installed, which of course you can't do until after the OS is fully installed and you have a functioning CD drive, or have Internet access. These VIA USB 3.0 drivers are located on both the Gigabyte installation CD and the Gigabyte website. (Unfortunately, many reviewers claim to have a defective board because these 4 USB ports didn't work upon first boot-up, but all they simply needed were the VIA drivers installed). OR...if your computer case has a couple of USB ports on the front panel, you can simply use these for your mouse & KB (and USB BIOS flashing) simply by hooking the USB case cables into any of the (3) USB 2.0 headers located directly on the front of this motherboard. SIDENOTE: Though many say that USB 3.0 was developed too quickly and can be a bit "quirky" at times with Windows OS's, I'm sure these issues will eventually be resolved with future Windows Service Packs.

RAM: Though my 1600 MHz RAM defaulted at 1333 MHz in the BIOS, (this was before I updated to the latest BIOS however) this was easily fixed in the BIOS settings by simply selecting "Extreme Memory Profile 1" (XMP), which is located in the "Advanced Frequency Settings" section (this is a very common fix). FYI, 1600 MHz is the highest intended/native RAM speed to run with Intel's Ivy Bridge CPU's, and 1333 MHz is the highest/native speed for the Sandy Bridge CPU's...without being overclocked that is. Which BTW, to overclock beyond those native speeds, you will need an Intel CPU with a "K" at the end of its title, (ex: Intel i5-3570K), which simply means the Intel CPU is not "locked", and various settings can be manually tweaked in the BIOS. Then the RAM speed can be safely overclocked (amung many other things relating to the CPU) and the CPU will be "fully compatible" with the faster RAM speeds. Plus, for maximum compatibility, make sure you buy RAM that rated at 1.5 volts. Using RAM with a higher voltage (say 1.65 volts for example) should still work perfectly fine. But according to Intel's return policy, using a voltage higher than 1.5 volts will then officially void the Intel CPU warranty. With that said however, some Intel customers have had success in disputing this return policy since the retail packaging on their higher voltage RAM modules state that it is "fully compatible" with their particular Intel CPU (even when Intel says the higher voltage voids the warranty). Yes, at best it's somewhat of an overly-cautious Intel policy, and perhaps just a convenient "grey-area" excuse for Intel not send out a replacement CPU. So, the voltage is something you may want to consider when purchasing RAM for this motherboard.

HARD DRIVE: If you buy a SATA-3 mechanical hard drive for this motherboard, don't expect to get the rated 6 Gb/s, or even the rated 3 Gb/s on SATA-2 hard drives. This max. spec is the maximum "potential transfer rate" at a full-speed spin. In real-world applications, no "mechanical" hard drive in existance will reach anything NEAR those read/write speeds. More realistic expectations for typical transfer rates on these mechanical SATA-3 or SATA-2 drives will range between 70-115 Mb/s, and there is really not a huge differance between the two drives. However, the mSATA SSD's (Solid State Drives) CAN and DO reach these blazing 6 Gb/s speeds, simply because there are no moving parts to slow it down (just chips). But, they are somewhat limited in size (currently anyway) and are much more expensive. However, if you can afford it, this motherboard does have one open mSATA SSD slot. Keep in mind though, that unlike a simple "plug-n-play" mechanical hard drive, this SSD drive will take some special set-up procedures, so keep that in mind as well.

VIDEO CARD: When buying a video card for this motherboard, and you are a hard-core gamer, there is currently no real need to pay the higher price for a PCI-Express 3.0 video card (vs. a PCI-Express 2.0 card). No video game on the market can max-out the bandwidth of a PCI-E 2.0 slot (at the time of this review anyway). Though it IS recommended to install your PCI-E 2.0 video card in this motherboard's PCI-E 3.0 slot, it's not required to spend the extra money on a PCI-E 3.0 card right now, for it will perhaps be a few years before a 3.0 video card will make enough of a significant difference to warrant the higher-priced purchase. By then, it will be time to upgrade your card anyway...if your a hard-core gamer that is. However, if you do NOT plan on upgrading your video card for a very long time, then I actually WOULD recommend investing in a PCI-E 3.0 video card. This whole inbalance is just a case where the video card industry is simply way ahead of everyone else right now, and the gaming industry has yet to reach the potential bandwidth of the 3.0 cards, but there is no doubt that they will eventually. Simply put, the PCI-E 3.0 slot on this mobo is a GREAT "future-proof" slot to have, but the future is not today. But if you can find a good sale on a 3.0 card, then of course go for it. NOTE: If buying a PCI-E 3.0 video card with an Intel CPU on this motherboard, keep in mind that currently only the "Sandy Bridge E" CPUs (the 2nd generation of Sandy Bridge) and the Ivy Bridge CPUs (and anything after that) will "officially" support the max bandwidth of a PCI-E 3.0 video card. Otherwise with an older CPU, (since the CPU must also process the video card's bandwidth) the PCI-E 3.0 video card will simply default to PCI-E 2.0 bandwidths, even if it is in a PCI-E 3.0 slot. It won't hurt anything to have a 3.0 card in either PCI-E slot, or combined with any CPU generation, it's just something to be aware of to avoid any unrealistic expectations.

MY NEW BUILD:
CPU: Intel i5-3570K, Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz
CPU COOLER: Zalman LED, 100% Copper, 92mm
CPU COMPOUND: "Coollaboratory Liquid Pro" (better than "Artic 5")
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 4GB DDR3, 1600 MHz, 1.5v (model: CMZ4GX3M2A1600C9)
VIDEO CARD: EVGA GeForce GTX 550 Ti, PCI-E 2.0
HARD DRIVE: Western Digital Caviar Black, SATA-3, 1TB
CD DRIVE: ASUS 24x DVD Burner
KEYBOARD: Corsair Vengeance K90 LED Gaming Keyboard
PSU: SeaSonic S1211, 80 Plus Bronze, 520 Watt
OS: Windows 7, 32-Bit
* Though a 64-bit Operating System IS the future, at the time of posting this review, it is still a bit too early for my taste to commit (but that's just me). That's because "some" 3rd-party software programs have still not ironed-out all the bugs of a 64-bit programming structure, and they can sometimes be somewhat quirky. But this is becomming much less of an issue as time goes on. However, if you need more than the 32-bit OS's max spec of 4GB of installed RAM, (though the LARGE majority of home systems won't) a 64-bit OS is of course the way to go.

NOTE: The above CPU thermal compound mentioned is pretty awesome stuff to help keep your CPU cool (with the benchmarks to prove it). It looks like liquid mercury, comes in a thin-needle syringe, and it is 100% pure "liquid metal alloy" for optimal thermal transference. BUT, the company does NOT recommend it for CPU coolers with an "Aluminum" bottom base. I just wanted to mention that very important requirement.

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Phenomenal board when paired with Intel i5 3570k CPU June 20, 2012

By Bryan

Amazon Verified Purchase

I picked up this board for my latest build which included Intel's latest Ivy Bridge i5 3570k CPU, and I must say that I am extremely pleased with everything that this board has to offer.

PROS
-I had no problems overclocking my 3570k to 4.5 GHz on this board.
-Outstanding power control/delivery: In terms of voltage this board delivers exactly what the BIOS says it does (I've had problems with other boards and power delivery when OC'ing).
-On-board power/reset buttons, BIOS switch button, and even a button to clear CMOS are all very handy. I feel much more comfortable clearing CMOS values with an on-board button rather than removing the battery.
-3D BIOS is very flashy and user-friendly. The mouse support is a great addition as well.
-Dual BIOS (via on-board switch) is a handy feature: if one BIOS is corrupted or irreparably damaged you can boot from the second BIOS.
-Supports up to 32 GB Dual Channel RAM.
-Many USB ports (14) and 6Gb/s SATA connectors.

-I've never tested this board's temperature, humidity, or electrostatic damage limits, but I'll take Gigabyte's word for it when they say that it's "ultra" durable.

CONS
-Honestly none that I can think of--this is the best MB I've ever owned by far.

BOTTOM LINE: This board is perfect for my current setup (see specs below), and it has more than enough features for my needs. I would recommend this board to anyone--A+ in my book.

My PC specs:
GA-Z77X-UD3H MB
Intel i5 3570k OC'd to 4.5 GHz
EVGA GeForce GTX 680
Corsair Vengeance 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR3 1600 MHz RAM
Crucial M4 256 GB SSD
ViewSonic 22-Inch 1080p LED Monitor (1920x1080)

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars So far, so good, with PCI 3.0 GEN3 video card August 3, 2012

By CN

Amazon Verified Purchase

Very nice board, very heavy and solid.

Built a system with this a couple of months ago, utilizing an Intel 3750K processor, 2x4GB G.Skill Ripjaws X memory, and a Sapphire Radeon 7850 PCI 3.0 video card hard-coded to GEN3 in the BIOS, along with two system boot drives in a RAID 1 configuration.

It's been rock-solid and stable, running Intel Turbo-Boost (set to take the processor up as high as 4.0Ghz from 3.4Ghz), with the memory running in Turbo mode with the XMP Profile enabled, and with the latest "official" BIOS (F11).

There was only one issue, which almost caused me to return the board to Amazon. When I first powered up the system (before installing the graphics card), I had the monitor plugged into the on-board video output. There was no video. The BIOS would boot up, and stop with what looked like diagnostic code "Ab" on the LED ("Ab" is "Detect SCSI Devices"), with the monitor saying "No Signal". I couldn't get into the BIOS.

At first, I assumed that the board was dead, and I'd have to return it. Then, some searching on the web revealed that "Ab" is often a mis-reading of "A6". "A6" is "BIOS is waiting for a command from the keyboard".

A little experimenting revealed that if I powered up the system with the monitor disconnected, got to "A6", and THEN connected the monitor, I would get video and could work in the BIOS.

This was inconvenient, but once I got my graphics card installed and connected the monitor to the graphics card, everything worked as expected. I considered knocking a star off for this, but decided to treat it as a minor startup transient.