GIGABYTE Z270X-Gaming 8 Motherboard Review

Application Overview

Included Applications

• App Center
  • 3D OSD
  • @BIOS
  • AutoGreen
  • BIOS Setup
  • Color Temperature
  • Cloud Station
  • EasyTune
  • Easy RAID
  • Fast Boot
  • Game Boost
  • GIGABYTE HW OC APP
  • ON/OFF Charge
  • Platform Power Management
  • RGB Fusion
  • Smart Backup
  • Smart Keyboard
  • Smart TimeLock
  • System Information Viewer
  • USB Blocker
  • USB DAC-UP 2
  • V-Tuner
• Killer Network Manager
• Norton® Internet Security (OEM version)
• Intel® Smart Response Technology
• Intel Extreme Tuning Utility

GIGABYTE APP Center

GIGABYTE APPs tab

Windows settings tab

Third-Party Software tab

The GIGABYTE APP Center provides a centralized location for all the GIGABYTE Windows-based utilities. The interface splits apps across three tabs – GIGABYTE APPs, Windows settings, and Third-Party Software. The GIGABYTE APPs tab houses all GIGABYTE developed applets (disccussed below). The Windows settings tab houses Windows Admin and Control Panel / Settings applets. The Third-Party Software tab houses non-GIGABYTE applets, like the Intel Extreme Tuning Utility applet. The @BIOS applet can be used to backup and update the board BIOS. The EasyTune utility can be used to configure board settings, including bus speeds and voltages. The System Information Viewer applet displays board component information, monitored device information, and provides an interface for automated or manual fan configuration. Fast Boot provides the user a GUI interface to modify the BIOS Fast Boot setting and the OS-based power loss setting. The Smart Keyboard applet allows the user to create customized keyboard and mouse hot keys and macros. The Cloud Station app allows the for interaction with and control of the base system from a remote device via a wireless connection. The Smart TimeLock applet allows the user to define computer and Internet usage time for a user via its rules-based interface. The Smart Backup applet controls time-based system backups with the ability to create a new partition image file one time per hour. The USB Blocker applet is a security mechanism allowing you to block specific types of USB devices and access. The RGB Fusion applet allows for user configuration of the color and operating mode of the board integrated LEDs and LEDs connected to the RGB 12V header. The Auto Green applet gives user control over the board's power saving features. The Fast Boost applet gives user access to the board Fast Boot settings. The Easy Raid applet gives the user a wizard-based interface for creating a RAID array from attached hard drives and SSDs. The 3D OSD provides access to system monitored information via an in-game interface. The USB DAC-UP 2 applet allows for adjustment of the voltage supplied via the integrated USB 3.0 ports and headers. The V-Tune applet gives the user access to monitor and adjust performance settings for supported video cards.

EasyTune with System Information Viewer

The GIGABYTE EasyTune applet provides access to board settings, including voltage, bus speeds, ratios, memory timings, and fan operation can be manually manipulated through the easy to use GUI interface. Speed presets are also available for automated overclocking using the applet. The applet provides a hot key interface to bind up to two user configured overclocking profiles to multi-key settings.

Advanced CPU OC tab

Advanced DDR OC tab

Advanced Power tab

Hotkey tab

System Information Viewer

The GIGABYTE System Information Viewer applet provides access to board information concerning the CPU, memory, and attached devices. In its minimized state, the System Information Viewer runs as the Hardware Monitor window. The System Information Viewer window becomes visible by clicking the left arrow icon from the Hardware Monitor window. The applet also provides access to a recorder interface to record values of monitored items over time. You can view the monitored items via a graph interface. Additionally, fans attached to the integrated headers can be configured using pre-determined op-modes or manually via the SmartFan 5 Advanced tab.

Smart Fan 5 Auto tab

Smart Fan 5 Advanced tab

Smart Fan 5 System Alert tab

Smart Fan 5 Record tab, Temperature subtab

Smart Fan 5 Hardware Monitor mode

RGB Fusion

The RGB Fusion applet controls the active state of the RGB LEDs embedded in to the board as well as LED strips connected to the board's RGB LED 12V header. The controlled LEDs can be configured for any desired color using the color picker control and to operate in a variety of modes including pulse, music, color cycle, static, double flash, flash, random, wave, and intelligent. With the applet operating in Advanced mode, the board LEDS can be configured independently of an LED strip connected to the 12V RGB LED header. Advanced mode supports a total of four operation modes including pulse, static, flash, and custom. Additionally, the user can configure up to three profiles.

Basic mode page, temperature control settings

Advanced mode page

V-Tuner

The V-Tuner applet provides access to real-time monitoring information for the system graphics card's core speed, memory speed, and GPU utilization. Various card settings, including core and memory speeds, as well as card voltages, can be manually manipulated through the sliders in the GUI interface. Additionally, the applet provides the user with the ability to customize up to for settings profiles.

USB DAC-UP 2

The USB DAC-UP 2 applet allows the end user to configure the power supplied to attached USB devices via the integrated USB 3.0 ports and headers. The ports and headers can be configured to provided default power, no power, or > default power of up to +0.3V.

3D OSD

The GIGABYTE 3D OSD applet provides an in-game interface for real-time viewing of system performance, including FPS, CPU speed, system temperature, etc. The interface can be customized to show in several color styles and screen locations, as well as customized as to what system data is shown tracking. The applet also provides hotkey functionality to quickly show and dismiss the overlay as well as Profile support to load and save configured settings.

Display Setting tab

CD Feature tab

Apply To tab

Profile Setting tab

BIOS Setup

The GIGABYTE BIOS Setup applet give user control over various startup settings including system language, power button, and power recovery. Additionally, the applet displays BIOS version information.

Killer Network Manager

The Killer Network Manager applet provides the user with settings and monitoring tools for configuring the on-board Killer NIC adapter for optimal use. The Overview, WiFi Analyzer, and Settings tabs show network statistics for the network adapter, while the Applications tab gives the user control over adapter operation and application based traffic prioritization.

Apps tab

Wifi Analyzer tab

Settings tab

Settings tab, Bandwidth Test popups

Intel Extreme Tuning Utility

The Intel Extreme Tuning Utility app provides board and subsystem level information about the CPU and memory speeds, allowing for both automated and manual based overclocking of the board. Additionally, multiple stress tests are integrated into the application for settings testing as well as area to save and retrieve settings profiles.

Basic Tuning tab

Advanced Tuning tab

Advanced Tuning tab continued

Stress Test tab

Benchmarking tab

Monitor mode