Testing Configuration and Benchmarks Used
To verify that the motherboard works as advertised, the board was run through our standard benchmark suite. In most cases, the results are presented for the motherboard under review as well as a different similar-class motherboard for performance comparison purposes. The benchmark tests used should give you a good understanding of the board’s capabilities for both office and gaming use so that you, the reader, can make a more informed purchasing decision.
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Test System Setup |
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CPU |
Intel Core i7-4770K (3.5GHz, 35 x 100MHz Base Clock) Intel Core i5-3570K (3.4GHz, 34 x 100MHz Base Clock) |
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Motherboards |
GIGABYTE Z87X-OC Force ASUS Maximus VI Extreme GIGABYTE Z77X-UP7 |
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Memory |
Intel Z87 Testing: Corsair Vengeance Pro 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 modules (1600MHz, 9-10-9-27-1T) Intel Z77 Testing: G.SKILL 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 modules (1600MHz, 11-11-11-30-1T) |
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Hard Drive |
Intel 520 240GB SSD Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB SATA III HD |
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Sound Card |
Onboard sound |
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Video Card |
NVIDIA GTX 570 1.25GB |
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CPU Cooling |
Corsair H100i Extreme Performance Liquid CPU Cooler |
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Video Drivers |
NVIDIA 320.18 |
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Power Supply |
Corsair HX 750 |
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Operating System |
Windows 7 Ultimate x64 |
Test Setup Explanation
The 64-bit Windows 7 based test bench used for Intel Z87 LGA1150 board testing includes an Intel Core i7-4770K CPU, 16GB of DDR3-1866 memory, an NVIDIA GTX 570 1.25GB video card, and an Intel 520 240GB SSD drive. Using the selected components gives us the ability to demonstrate the motherboard’s capabilities rather than that of the components themselves.
The 64-bit Windows 7 based test bench used for Intel Z77 LGA1155 board testing includes an Intel Core i5-3570K CPU, 8GB of DDR3-2133 memory, an AMD Radeon 5870 1GB video card, and a Western Digital Black 1TB SATA hard drive. Using the selected components gives us the ability to demonstrate the motherboard’s capabilities rather than that of the components themselves. It was decided that the components used for the Intel Z77 testing originally were close enough for a valid comparison to the Intel Z87 platform performance.
Benchmark Tests used for evaluation:
- SoftPerfect Research NetWorx Speed Test
- ATTO Disk Benchmark v2.47
- AIDA64 Extreme Edition v3.00
- Geeks3D FurMark v1.10.2
I bet those little fans will
I bet those little fans will go before the board…are they easily sourced ?
I prefer to just have big case fans turning slow as possible.
Does having “ultra durable”
Does having “ultra durable” being plastered on it actually mean anything ?
Ultra Durable is just the
Ultra Durable is just the GIGABYTE branding for the power circuitry and PCB design used. They're current iteration is dubbed Ultra Durable 5….
For that price it should come
For that price it should come with a real audio card…sheesh.
I think you know im a Huge
I think you know im a Huge PcPer Fan.
i used to watch live when i could staying until 5-6AM not to miss when i could, and your reviews are industry FACTS.
I also admit to you, that when ever i reach this part in a review “we would like to thank our friends at XYZ”
it bugs me.
it shouldn’t I know, & i know
readers interest is in your mind first & Co-operations last.(as it should)
This days PCper is significant and important enough to the hardware world so you don’t have to display this public symbolic bow down in thank to the conglomerate.
(it should be the opposite, as you market what they sell)
i would wish PCper to consider the option to Omit that small yet Symbolic enough line.
i know its really not what is important
but Symbolism has its powers..
your fan
Panta
Not sure how many samples you
Not sure how many samples you have tested. However in regard to the disapproval regarding the BIOS assisted overclocks assigned voltages being off, I not only think the opposite (they are literally SPOT ON) but have hard data to back that up.
I have experienced with my own cpu, and read posts time and time again… where people have cited being able to increase voltages by xx and get stable up to 4.6, however anything past 4.6 takes HUGE jumps and some cant get stable past 4.6 no matter what.
I personally use the board you reviewed (which is why I was here) but wish I had waited for the next round of 1150 chips to launch as haswell isn’t all it cracked up to be imo.
to get stable at 4.6 It takes me 1.28 (which is considered above average, and not too far off from your 1.20-1.25 however that I would consider FAR above average) and for 4.7 it takes me an additional .15v to get stable. HUGE jump. 1.43v to be exact. Now my temps don’t even hit 70c via IBT at that voltage (water) and the bios assigned 1.4v with the 4.7 auto overclock setting that you cited as having too high of a voltage, wouldn’t even have me stable.
Before tossing tossing that out there as fact and deter’ing a bunch of people…. see the numbers it takes a few cpu’s to make those last few jumps. Depending on cooling it may not even be possible (god forbid the people that wont or cant delid, haswell is complete garbage then. Atleast on an enthusiast level). Or atleast read around, and remember until there is a hard-line agreement on what is “stable” you have the people with a brain that realize most people assume/use Prime95 and that by calling their pc/numbers stable via whatever other benchmark they decide only harms others and the community as a whole.
that is all.