CPU Cooler Fit and Included Accessories
CPU Cooler Fit
To test the amount of space surrounding the CPU socket, we mounted the Noctua NH-D15 cooler to the CPU socket. This behemoth CPU air cooler sports a dual fan construction and two huge vertical cooling towers.
When oriented in its default configuration with air blown towards the rear panel of the case, the Noctua cooler fits into the CPU socket area of the Z170X-Ultra Gaming without issues. Further, the spacing between the CPU socket area and the primary PCIe x16 slot are sufficient to seat a video card with the cooler mounted. Note that you may have spacing issues between a large cooler and a card mounted in the primary PCIe x1 slot however.
The closeup views of the cooler seating and mounting further display just how well the Noctua cooler fits to the board. Even though fit between the cooler and the upper VRM heat sink looks tight, there is sufficient clearance between the two.
The Noctua hold down mechanism is large enough to quickly determine exactly how much space is available around the CPU socket. The Noctua mounts fits the socket with no tight areas or contact points evident between it and the on board capacitors, chokes, or heat sinks.
The cooler's backplate rests on the socket backplate, minimizing the risk of direct board contact. Further, there is no circuitry in close proximity to the socket to pose risks.
Included Accessories
GIGABYTE provides all necessary components to get the Z170X-Ultra Gaming motherboard up and running in your system, as well as some nice to have tidbits for good measure.
The manual included with the board details out the board components and BIOS in an easy to read, yet sufficiently detailed language. Also included is a driver DVD with all necessary hardware drivers and Window's utilities, a G1 Gaming series case badges, and G1-branded cable labels. The labels can be used to easily identify your system drive cables.
The board's rear panel shield is an aluminum plate with the port identifying text and icons printed in tan text on its surface. Under good lighting, the text and icons are easy to read, but would be challenging to see under poor lighting conditions.
GIGABYTE included a total of four silver colored 6Gb/s rated SATA cables for use with the integrated port. The cables have integrated port locks and a mix of straight and 90 degree connectors.
For multi-GPU use, GIGABYTE includes a single two-way NVIDIA SLI cable.
For use with the on-board front panel header, GIGABYTE included G Connector device. You simply plug the front panel case leads into the G Connector, locking the plugs in place, and then plug the G Connector into the front panel board header. It makes the installation of the front panel plugs much easier. The G Connector housing has notched arms that lock the case header plugs in place within the housing.
For cable management purposes, GIGABYTE included several G1 Gaming-branded velcro cable strips.
GIGABYTE also included a G1 Gaming-branded door hanger.
I wish gigabyte would fix
I wish gigabyte would fix their onboard audio. Their G1 line is overall good with the exception of the audio.
It is not that the audio hardware is bad, but the drivers are really bad.
Currently there is an issue with their realtek drivers where frequencies below 40Hz gets a strange averaging effect which reduces detail in the bass.
This happens on the front outputs, but not on the front outputs if just the realtek drivers are installed. And for the ones that support X-Fi MB3, when the creative software is installed, both the rear and front get the issue regardless of what settings of toggles you mess with.
While the front ports have issues with sub 40Hz sounds, tones within the 41-150Hz range have more detail in the front output.
The real output will do the entire range, but the lower frequencies have less detail,, even though it is the port that is connected to the main audio amp designed to support 600ohm impedance headphones. The other supporting tones for various bass notes have no real presence, and thus you start to get more of the drum sound that you get from midi audio where it sound fake due to it only producing a small set of the frequencies needed to make an instrument sound real., and any attempt to boost those frequencies, results in some slight distortion.
If a generic driver is installed, the issue goes away, but then you lose proper support for 5.1 speaker systems, as well as some of the input functions
I ultimately ended up having to buy a sound blaster Z, because because 3 different boards on their G1 gaming line had the same issue.
I recorded samples of the issue.
Anyway, instead of designing new boards, they need to reallocate some staff to work on the onboard audio.
The funny thing about this is
The funny thing about this is that the Gigabyte boards with audio issues are the higher end ones using the Creative Sound Core chipset as opposed to Realteks.
Maybe a conspiracy theory? After all in your case it net Creative 2 sales!
It might be, considering that
It might be, considering that if the on board drivers worked properly, I would not be able to tell the difference between it and the soundblaster Z.
I was amaze that these board
I was amaze that these board can do a very solid 4.5 (1.32v) and 4.6 (1.35v) Did use the EasyTune for 3 weeks and is easy to use. stable app. The fan app need to be polish and perfected. I box 2 Asus boards since all the issues with there programs and apps. and 1 with VR spikes These board for 160.00 is perfect Imagine other models like Designare or the new Auris.I am happy with these since I get my problems with voltages and app, and I wanted to discard the cpu. And was not. I also recomend these board to everyone. I am still playing with fans on my case since the PWM OP2 beside the case plugs and system 3 fan only reads the PCH Temps. Is a very smart board also. I just change a fan and the bios automatically see that turns off and turn on again and the changes where done. Sound is ok Not the best, miss my Asus on that area, but since that was my last software that works, since just stop working. A nice detail was the app update screen perfect. no more looking for drivers and apps and updates. Gigabyte has to make it better but works perfect. A note. I use my pump from the deep cool captain 360 on the the CPU fan. I also use it on the OPT1 there is NO difference on performance either speeds. on normal. The 3 fans also. I just select PMW the board see that and on these conditions WORKS on both as same.
I will wait of the new Auris bord.
I like how in their promo
I like how in their promo material (3rd picture in the article) coolant tubes pass CPU waterblock without entering it. It’s a nice way to spend crapload of money to quickly fry high-end CPU. EK would be proud of this promotion, i’m sure of it.
😉
Well, it does take extra work
Well, it does take extra work to actually connect the tubes, thus laziness deems it unnecessary.
I saw this and was excited.
I saw this and was excited.
But then they seem to have stripped down the audio compared to other boards in this segment including those from GB.
Realtek 892 instead of 1150. No more Creative X-fi MB3 or equivalent.