Gigabyte GA-Z77MX-D3H Review – Z77 and MicroATX
by Ian Cutress on May 24, 2012 3:00 PM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
- Gigabyte
- Z77
Civilization V
Civilization V is a strategy video game that utilizes a significant number of the latest GPU features and software advances. Using the in-game benchmark, we run Civilization V at 2560x1440 with full graphical settings, similar to Ryan in his GPU testing functionality. Results reported by the benchmark are the total number of frames in sixty seconds, which we normalize to frames per second.
Performance in Civilization V is varied, however in dual GTX 580 mode the Gigabyte oddly enough comes in last place, 7.5 FPS (8%) slower than the UD3H.
Dirt 3
Dirt 3 is a rallying video game and the third in the Dirt series of the Colin McRae Rally series, developed and published by Codemasters. Using the in game benchmark, Dirt 3 is run at 2560x1440 with full graphical settings. Results are reported as the average frame rate across four runs.
The Z77MX-D3H performs well in Dirt3, though given the close proximity of all the results, it seems like there are other limitations than the motherboard in the results.
Metro2033
Metro2033 is a DX11 benchmark that challenges every system that tries to run it at any high-end settings. Developed by 4A Games and released in March 2010, we use the inbuilt DirectX 11 Frontline benchmark to test the hardware at 2560x1440 with full graphical settings. Results are given as the average frame rate from 10 runs.
The Z77MX-D3H has a good showing in Metro2033, coming near top in all our testing.
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Denithor - Thursday, May 24, 2012 - link
First page, below the first picture:This sentence makes no sense at all. You're missing a word or two or something.
Fourth page:
http://www.its-not-its.info/
And there's something else wrong with how that sentence reads, just not smooth at all.
Kharadmon - Friday, May 25, 2012 - link
It also appears to be missing a SATA-II port.
FozzyofAus - Thursday, May 24, 2012 - link
I realize it's in a different price category but any chance of a review of the Asrock uATX board?repoman27 - Thursday, May 24, 2012 - link
"The F10 BIOS supposedly updates the board to accept Xeon E5-12xx processors"I think the LGA 1155 Xeons are actually E3's, not E5's.
spikebike - Thursday, May 24, 2012 - link
I checked the Gigabyte site and no mention of the Xeon E3.
Can anyone confirm that if I buy one of these from Amazon and/or Newegg that I'll get a BIOS that will work with a Xeon E3-1230v2 or similar IVY bridge Xeon?
I don't want to end up with a motherboard that is unbootable until I find another older lga1155 CPU to get it going.
spikebike - Thursday, May 24, 2012 - link
Note the CPU compatibility list does list numerous E3 Xeons, but all of the Sandy Bridge variety. No Ivy Bridge Xeons (version 2) are listed.
tuxRoller - Friday, May 25, 2012 - link
Are those even available yet?spikebike - Friday, May 25, 2012 - link
Ya, newegg, amazon, provantage, ark.intel.com, etc.jtd871 - Friday, May 25, 2012 - link
Anandtech / Ian:Thanks for the great reviews of Z77 boards. Looking forward to seeing more of them.
+1 for including non-full-ATX form factors, as some tech sites don't even plan on covering them. I hope that there are some more uATX and mITX Z77 board reviews scheduled.
Lazlo Panaflex - Friday, May 25, 2012 - link
"I perhaps cannot see what the real voltage being applied to the CPU is unless I break out a DVM. It is also slightly devious to users who use the voltage value as a marker in reducing power usage. I hope that this will be changed in a future BIOS, but whether this change was malicious or not, it does raise questions as to what else Gigabyte may be changing from real values on the board to reported values."This is troubling. Ian - have you experienced this phenomenon on Gigabyte Z68 boards?