Gigabyte Technology’s G1 Gaming graphics cards and mainboards are known for their outstanding performance, overclocking potential and capabilities. However, such products are primarily designed for gamers and modders. For those, who want to have even higher quality and overclocking potential, Gigabyte on Thursday introduced its new lineup of products, the Xtreme Gaming series.

The Gigabyte Xtreme Gaming graphics adapters are based on graphics processing units, which had passed Gigabyte’s GPU Gauntlet Sorting process and are known to have overclocking potential. The new adapters are built using very high-quality components, such as solid-state inductors and capacitors as well as printed-circuit boards with breathable coating to shield against moisture, dust, and corrosion. The Xtreme Gaming boards also feature Windforce coolers with several specially-designed curved fans, heat-pipes, LED lights and even backplates.

The first Gigabyte Xtreme Gaming graphics card will be the Gigabyte GTX 950 Xtreme Gaming (GV-N950XTREME-2GD) based on the GM206-250 graphics processing unit (768 stream processors, 48 texture units, 32 raster operations pipelines as well as 128-bit memory interface) and equipped with 2GB of memory. The GPU is factory-overclocked to 1203MHz/1405MHz (base/boost), whereas GDDR5 memory operates at 7GHz. The board requires 8-pin PCI Express power connector.

Thanks to overclocking, peak FP32 compute performance of the Gigabyte GTX 950 Xtreme Gaming is around 1.84TFLOPS, or about 17 per cent higher compared to standard Nvidia GeForce GTX 950-based graphics adapters.

Gigabyte claims that the graphics card is the first of many gamer-focused products that the company will be rolling out this year. The manufactrer does not reveal how broad the Xtreme Gaming series will be, but it looks like the new family will be positined above standard graphics cards and will essentially compete with the Gaming G1 series.

The Gigabyte Xtreme Gaming GTX 950 is expected to hit the market shortly. The board costs $169.99 in the U.S. and £154.99 in the U.K.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: The new Xtreme Gaming lineup from Gigabyte looks like what the doctor ordered for those, who want to have the highest performance right out of the box, but do not want to buy Gaming G1 add-in-boards for some reason. When Gigabyte adds higher-performing GPUs into the Xtreme Gaming lineup, the latter could become excellent rival for Asustek Computer’s Strix and ROG-branded hardware.

Earlier this year it transpired that Gigabyte Technology was working on a new ‘Super Overclock’ motherboard designed for extreme overclocking and setting records in benchmarks. As it appears, the release of the platform is getting closer.

The Gigabyte Z170X-SOC Force LN2-CF platform was designed from the ground up to offer incredible overclocking potential as well as sophisticated tweaking capabilities. The motherboard features a unique 22-phase voltage regulator module for CPU and memory that is based on solid-state inductors and high-end capacitors. Gigabyte hopes that the Z170X-SOC Force LN2 will be the best mainboard for overclocking of Intel Corp.’s “Skylake” microprocessors and DDR4 memory.

Gigabyte Z170X-SOC Force. Image by Zolkorn.com

Earlier this year the Z170X-SOC Force LN2 already demonstrated a great DDR4 overclocking potential, but as the platform nears its launch, it is getting better reports HWbot. HiCookie, a renowned professional overclocker, has managed to push two upcoming DDR4 4400MHz modules from G.Skill to 4544MHz in dual-channel mode using the mainboard and an engineering sample of Intel’s Core i7-6700K microprocessor. The 4544MHz is not a record for dual-channel DDR4 memory sub-systems, but it is very close. Moreover, the memory functioned at 4.54GHz with 1.35V voltage and even passed the MemTest.

The Z170X-SOC Force LN2 from Gigabyte comes in E-ATX form-factor and is not compatible with mainstream PC cases. The platform features four PCI Express x16 slots for graphics cards or solid-state drives, three high-performance M.2 connectors (with PCIe 3.0 x4 interface), four SATA Express connectors, advanced 7.1-channel audio and so on. The motherboard can be used for setting benchmark records or to build ultimate gaming machines with multiple graphics cards and solid-state drives.

The Z170X-SOC Force LN2 platform is still not available, but it looks like it is on the finish line. The motherboard will be made in limited quantities and will be very expensive.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It will be very interesting to see whether the Gigabyte Z170X-SOC Force LN2 will help to push Intel Core i7-6700K and DDR4 to new heights. Will the chip hit 7GHz and memory conquer 5GHz frequency? We will find out soon enough!

Nvidia have experienced great success with their Maxwell architecture – cards such as the GTX750ti impressed my colleague Allan when he first analysed them back in February 2014. At prices around £100 the GTX 750ti firmly targeted the budget gamer working with a restrictive budget. If you have a bit more cash on hand then the recently announced GTX950 is priced between the GTX750ti and GTX960 – targeting AMD’s R7 370. Today we look at the modified, highly overclocked Gigabyte GTX950 Xtreme Gaming partner card.

The Gigabyte GTX950 Xtreme Gaming 2GB incorporates dual, ridged fans with the company logo visible in the centre. The white racing stripe adds a bit of pizazz to the black.

On a technical level, the cut-down iteration of the GM206 GPU is, in many areas, effectively 75% of the core used on a GTX 960. The GTX 950 version of the GM206 GPU ships with 768 CUDA cores and 48 texture units. Those numbers are more closely aligned with the GTX 750 Ti version of Nvidia’s first-gen Maxwell GM107 core, however specifically focusing on the number of ROPs puts clear daylight between the GTX 950 and its lower-end sibling.

The same 128bit memory interface found on the GTX 960 is present, however that may be less of a potential choking point given the reduced raw horsepower of the GTX 950’s cut-down GPU. As was the case with the GTX 960, the same argument for more efficient utilisation of the GM206’s 128bit memory interface, in comparison to Kepler, is made by Nvidia.

Clock speeds for the GTX 950 are sliced by comparison to GTX 960 frequencies. The reference core clock is rated at 1024MHz, with a maximum boost speed of 1188MHz. The 2GB of GDDR5 memory is rated to run at 1650MHz (6.6Gbps effective) to produce a bandwidth level of 105.6GB/sec. With that said, most board partners will be unlocking the GM206 core’s overclocking potential and shipping their cards with higher, factory-overclocked frequencies. Gigabyte are a case in point today, for instance.

Extending to the GTX 950’s features, the card supports the DirectX 12 API at feature level 12.1. A H.265 (HEVC) encoder/decoder engine built into the GPU, along with HDMI 2.0, shout loudly for the GTX 950 to be used inside a gaming HTPC. With the 90W TDP being low enough to comfortably fit inside SFF cases, the ability to output 60Hz video to a 4K TV (most of which do not have DisplayPort connections) is an important feature. HDMI 2.0 is a feature that team red’s competitor card cannot offer.

One of the more notable changes between the GTX 75x cards and the GTX 950 is the TDP differential. While the GTX 750 Ti had a 60W TDP, the GTX 950 ups that number to 90W. Approximating TDP as an indicator of power consumption, the 90W rating narrowly tips the GTX 950 into a region where it requires a 6-pin PCIe power connector. This emphasises that Nvidia is focused on gaming performance with its new card, while the GTX 750 Ti, for example, still remains to cater for those wanting a graphics card to run on a PSU without a 6-pin PCIe cable.

Did you register your 100 series motherboard with Gigabyte’s Heroes of the Storm competition? If so, you may be one of the lucky winners of a brand new Z170X-Gaming 3 motherboard, an Aivia Krypton mouse or Force H3 headset. In total there were 10 prize packs to give away – along with hundreds of codes to unlock the Kerrigan champion and her specialist Succubus skin – and now we have the list of winners.

To save your email addresses from spam, the list of them can be found here. There were winners from all over the world, including: Poland, Sweden, Singapore, Korea, France, Taiwan and the U.S; though no British winners this time round.

However, as part of this contest and Gigabyte’s official sponsorship of this year’s Blizzcon event, the sweepstakes will continue, with a grand prize of a roundtrip flight to Anaheim, California to attend BlizzCon 2015, accommodation fully paid up for three nights and an exclusive BlizzCon badge denoting your importance.

To be in with a chance of entering, you do need to have a select Gigabyte 100 series motherboard, but beyond that, just simply register on the company’s event page. Those wanting to be in with a chance of the grande prize have only until the 4th October to enter, but they and anyone that comes on board after that date will also be eligible to win motherboards, mice and other goodies every month during the regular prize draw, which will run on the fifth of each month through to January.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Did any KitGuru readers make the list of winners? If not though and you have a 100 series motherboard, signing up wouldn’t be a bad plan as there can’t be that many of you out there.

It is almost undeniable that performance is the primary currency when purchasing components for a pixel-pushing gaming machine. But in the same way that enthusiasts may appreciate a fast car for its sleek lines and eye-catching paint job, appearance is another of the important parameters to gamers building a system they are proud to sit next to.

Gigabyte equips the Z170X-Gaming 7 with the spectrum of features that one would expect from a higher-end Z170 offering. There is support for 2-card SLI and 3-card CrossFire, plenty of USB 3.0 and SATA connections, a pair of USB 3.1 ports provided by Intel’s 32Gbps DSL6540 chipset, and an enhanced audio solution. Tweakers will be happy to see a number of overclocking-geared components such as the onboard buttons and healthy power delivery system.

But it’s the red, white, and black colour scheme coupled with an eye-catching design that may be the most appealing characteristic to gamers looking to pimp out their high performance rig. Is the performance sufficient to back-up the board’s eye-catching looks?

Features:

• Dual Channel DDR4, 4 DIMMs.
• Intel^® USB 3.1 with USB Type-C™ – The World’s Next Universal Connector.
• 3-Way Graphics Support with Exclusive Ultra Durable Metal Shielding over the PCIe Slots.
• Dual PCIe Gen3 x4 M.2 Connectors with up to 32Gb/s Data Transfer (PCIe NVMe & SATA SSD support).
• 3 SATA Express Connectors for up to 16Gb/s Data Transfer.
• Integrated HDMI 2.0 support.
• Creative SoundCore™ 3D Gaming Audio.
• Killer™ E2400 and Intel^® Gaming Networks.
• LED Trace Path with Multi-Color Choice.
• APP Center Including EasyTune™ and Cloud Station™ Utilities.
• GIGABYTE UEFI DualBIOS™ Technology.

Gigabyte has a new GPU on the block. The company just announced its new GTX 980 Waterforce graphics card, featuring an all in one watercooling unit and unique GPU shroud to help stand out from the crowd. MSI and EVGA both offer similar offerings in the form of their SeaHawk and Hybrid series cards respectively. We have seen Gigabyte experiment with AIO cooled GTX 980s in the past.

All the way back in March, we got to take a look at the original Gigabyte Waterforce, which was a huge tower attachment that housed radiators for three separate GTX 980s, all cooled with AIO units with flex-tubing.

As you can see from the image above, Gigabyte has given its water cooled GTX 980 a bit of a redesign. It features the same tubing and 120mm radiator but it has dropped the blower style fan entirely, so it will be interesting to see how it stacks up temperature wise.

The GTX 980 Waterforce comes with 4GB of GDDR5 memory, as with all of the standard variants of this card. However, it does come with a higher out-of-box overclock, with a base clock of 1228MHz and a boost to 1329MHz.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: At some point, I hope that we will see all AIB partners create AIO cooled variants of high-end GPUs, I imagine quite a few people will appreciate the option, particularly those who aren’t experienced with building custom water loops. How many of you water cool your GPU? Do you like the idea of buying an AIO-cooled GPU?

Thunderbolt 3 is the holy grail of USB connections. Using type-C as it’s base, it’s reversible, can deliver as much as 100 watts of power and it can throughput data at a blistering 40Gbps, making it twice as fast as Thunderbolt 2 and far faster than standard USB 3.0 connections. Those wanting to take advantage of this port phenomenon now have additional options to do so, as Gigabyte has updated a number of its gaming motherboards to support the technology.

The motherboards in question are all from the Gigabyte GA-Z170X range. They are the G1, GT and 7 versions, all of which were likely to be upgraded to the new standard at some point, as they all came with the necessary USB Type-C connectors, as well as the Intel Thunderbolt 3 controller on board when they shipped. However now that the boards have all received Intel’s certification, the update can be rolled out and performance for those using the ports can be massively increased.

With the additional bandwidth, the port should be capable of outputting video two two additional 4K monitors if the user wishes (even as high as 60 frames per second) and can charge devices with its much heftier power output (thanks Toms).

The download for the updated motherboard firmware is available on the official Gigabyte website, though there are specific versions for each of the boards, so make sure you download the correct file as and when you look to apply it.

The boards’ other features including an onboard Killer E2400 gaming ethernet port, support for up to three way Xfire (two-way SLI), PCIExpress metal shielding, replaceable audio OP-AMP options and various LED options on and around the board and its backing plate.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Do any of you have one of these Gigabyte boards? If so, will you be doing the update to Thunderbolt 3?

Gigabyte has prepared an update for its entire line-up of Nvidia Maxwell based graphics cards, ranging from the entry-level GTX 950 all the way up to the Titan X. All updated GPUs will fall under the new ‘Xtreme Gaming’ brand, which features an updated version of the WindForce triple fan cooler. Interestingly enough, the Titan X card will also feature a custom cooler, while most other manufacturers have been sticking with the reference design.

The WindForce 3X cooler is rated to dissipate up to 700W worth of heat, so it is promising high performance right off the bat. This cooler will be applied to the GTX 970, 980, 980Ti and Titan X. However, there is also a WaterForce version of the 980Ti coming, which we have reported on before. You can see the whole line in the image (via: wccftech) below:

The fans on the WindForce X3 cooler now have RGB LEDs, so you can make your graphics card glow and fit the colour scheme of your build. The beefy cooler also means higher out of the box overclocks, with the GTX 970 and 980 having base clocks of 1190MHz and 1241MHz respectively. The GTX 980Ti has a base core clock of 1216MHz and finally, the Titan X will have a base core clock of 1266MHz.

Prices and launch dates for these new cards aren’t confirmed just yet, though given that we already have pictures and most of the relevant specification info, we should learn more soon.

KitGuru Says: The WindForce cooler has always been quite good in my own personal experience. Have you been looking to pick up a new graphics card before the end of the year? Do any of you run a WindForce GPU already? 

This is a big week for sales, particularly with Black Friday happening, and it seems that SanDisk and Gigabyte are fully prepared for it, with some Z170 motherboard and SSD bundles, offering pretty great value for money if you’re shopping around for PC components.

Right now, you can pick up a Gigabyte GA-Z170XP-SLI and a 240GB, 480GB or 960GB SanDisk Ultra II SSD from Novatech for £129.99, £174.99 or £259.99 respectively.

On their own, the SanDisk Ultra II 480GB and 960GB models cost £119.99 and £229.99, while the Gigabyte GA-Z170XP-SLI costs £109.99 on its own. We have reviewed the Gigabyte motherboard before, praising its feature set and overclocking performance.

We haven’t had a chance to review the SanDisk Ultra II ourselves just yet but we have had positive impressions of some other SSD models from the company. You can find the motherboard/SSD bundles, HERE.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: At this point, I wouldn’t want to build a new system without an SSD, so it is definitely worth looking out for deals like this. Are any of you planning a new Skylake system build? Have you had any experience with Gigabyte or SanDisk in the past?

Internal component, system and peripheral manufacturers, ASUS and Gigabyte, are working on their own takes on virtual reality headsets according to a new report. Expected to debut in 2016, the headsets will come from ASUS internal developments we’re told, while Gigabyte’s will come out of a partnership it has with Chinese VR firm, 3Glasses.

None of this is confirmed, so take it with a pinch of salt, but Digitimes has it that ASUS will be trying to bundle virtual reality hardware with gaming notebooks in an attempt to further push both products it offers. Although not explicitly mentioned, we know ASUS is working on an augmented reality headset, so it may be that the discussion of VR gear is related to that, or it could be another product entirely.

In comparison, Gigabyte hasn’t said anything about virtual reality hardware to date, but the report claims it’s partnered up with 3Glasses to get it done. The Chinese VR manufacturer already has a 2K display VR headset (though it does operate at just 60Hz) known as the D2, so whether Gigabyte will be looking to rebrand that or make something entirely new with 3Glasses remains to be seen.

Presumably with the Q1 release date for the Oculus Rift CV1 and the HTC Vive arriving in April, neither ASUS’ or Gigabyte’s solution will beat those companies to market, but it will be interesting to see what they offer in the form of legitimate competition.

KitGuru Says: I just hope neither of these headsets offer a lacklustre solution for consumers, ruining their first taste of VR. 

It seems like the AM3+ platform has been around forever, yet competitive value options on the CPU side mean that motherboard vendors are still battling for a slice of the pie with 970 and 990FX offerings. How do you make a chipset approaching its 5th birthday valid in 2016? Gigabyte takes the approach of adding valuable features such as 20Gbps M.2 PCIe NVMe connectivity, 10Gbps USB 3.1 Type-A & Type-C, and an enhanced audio solution.

Despite its ripe age, the plentiful PCIe connectivity of AMD’s 990FX Northbridge and SB950 Southbridge gives motherboard vendors compelling options for add-on devices. Realising the storage trends of modern PC builders, an M.2 connector supporting 20Gbps PCIe and SATA 6Gbps connections is built onto the board. There are also 10Gbps USB 3.1 Type-A and Type-C ports to complete the show for modern storage connections.

Focusing more on the 990FX-Gaming’s features, audio is built around Gigabyte’s AMP-UP solution that features a replaceable op-amp for a customisable listening experience. Networking is handled by a Killer E2200 series NIC which is bolstered by its OS-based management software for gamers. Catering for the target audience, Gigabyte gives its 990FX-Gaming the G1 treatment which includes fancy heatsinks and a red-and-black colour scheme.

Gigabyte ticks long-time checkboxes for a strong power delivery system and multi-GPU support, whilst also giving users an array of modern features. Can Gigabyte’s 990FX-Gaming prove itself as a worthy option for building a modern AM3+-based gaming machine?

Features:

• Supports AMD AM3+/ AM3 Processor
• Dual Channel DDR3, 4 DIMMs
• Fast USB 3.1 with USB Type-C™ – The World’s Next Universal Connector
• PCIe Gen2 x4 M.2 Connectors with up to 20Gb/s Data Transfer (PCIe NVMe & SATA SSD support)
• 2-Way Graphics Support with Exclusive Ultra Durable Metal Shielding over the PCIe Slots
• 115dB SNR HD Audio with Built-in Rear Audio Amplifier
• Killer™ E2200 series Gaming Networks
• High Quality Audio Capacitors and Audio Noise Guard with Ambient LED Trace Path Lighting
• USB DAC-UP ports
• APP Center Including EasyTune™ and Cloud Station™ Utilities
• GIGABYTE UEFI DualBIOS™ Technology

While the glitz and glamour of flagship motherboards may have many enthusiasts reaching for their wallets, most will spend a much more conservative sum on the board that forms the basis of their gaming system. The logic for that decision is sound – less money spent on a motherboard is more money to spend elsewhere on components that will enhance the gaming experience in more tangible ways, such as the graphics card.

Gigabyte’s Z170-Gaming K3 motherboard plays along nicely with that idea, costing just £95 which makes it the most affordable Gaming branded Z170 motherboard in the UK. Yet, you may still be pleasantly surprised by how much you get for your money with the Z170-Gaming K3 – few sacrifices have been made to reach such an aggressive price point.

Gigabyte has managed to include all the essentials for a Skylake gaming motherboard including good quality Realtek ALC1150-based audio, Killer E2200 networking, 32Gb/s M.2, 10Gb/s USB 3.1, SATA Express and a reasonably stylish red and black themed aesthetic.

Some of the areas where sacrifices appear to have been made include a lack of SLI support, a 7-phase VRM and a PCB which is more brown than black, but we’ll analyse these things more closely as we progress through the review. At first glance the Gigabyte Z170-Gaming K3 looks to be a compelling option if you’ve got less than £100 to spend on a motherboard.

Features:

• Supports 6^th Generation Intel^® Core™ Processor
• Dual Channel DDR4, 4 DIMMs
• Fast USB 3.1 -The World’s Next Universal Connector
• 2-Way Graphics Support with Exclusive Ultra Durable Metal Shielding over the PCIe Slots
• Gen3 x4 M.2 Connector with up to 32Gb/s Data Transfer (PCIe NVMe & SATA SSD support)
• 2 SATA Express Connectors for up to 16Gb/s Data Transfer
• 115dB SNR HD Audio with Built-in Rear Audio Amplifier
• Killer™ E2200 Gaming Networks
• High Quality Audio Capacitors and Audio Noise Guard with LED Trace Path Lighting
• APP Center Including EasyTune™ and Cloud Station™ Utilities
• GIGABYTE UEFI DualBIOS™ Technology

We managed to catch up with Gigabyte at Computex today to check out their entire floor. Gigabyte’s focus for 2016 so far is laptops with Skylake, new Nvidia Pascal graphics cards, new X99 motherboards for Broadwell-E, a brand new BRIX PC built for gaming and Thunderbolt.

In order to show off their new X99 motherboards, Gigabyte put on a display featuring eight DIMMS of DDR4 RAM running at 3600MHz,.

Another focus was Thunderbolt, which can run every sort of I/O off of a single tiny Type-C connector. We managed to see a DisplayPort looping from the back of a graphics card alongside the Type-C connector in order to push bandwidth as high as 10Gbps. If the size of the I/O panel wasn’t used by motherboard and case manufacturers it is clear Gigabyte would shrink it down to a minuscule size.

Some of you will remember that Gigabyte released the BRIX mini-PC some time ago but now, the form factor has changed a bit for better cooling, which will be needed for the CPU and GPU as the new BRIX (model GB-BNi7HG4950) is supposed to deliver gaming performance in a tiny package.

BRIX Gaming (model GB-BNi7HG4950) is a tiny PC that is completely different in form factor to previous BRIX to ensure the CPU and GPU can cool adequately. Very sensible.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE. 

KitGuru Says: Gigabyte had a lot to show off this year, particularly thanks to the X99 refresh and the launch of Pascal. Is there anything coming from Gigabyte that you guys are particularly excited about? 

Gigabyte has taken the Broadwell-E launch as an opportunity to update its X99 motherboard line-up. Today we will be examining the X99-Ultra Gaming – a feature-rich motherboard with premium offerings which include multiple PCIe storage interfaces, Intel USB 3.1, and user-customisable RGB lighting.

Alongside the new LGA 2011-3 socket that features additional pins for improved overclocking potential, Gigabyte also qualifies the X99-Ultra Gaming for operation with 128GB of system memory and DDR4 frequency support of up to 3.6GHz. USB 3.1 Type-C connectivity derives from Intel’s well-received controller, while Killer’s E2400 NIC joins the usual Intel offering to give gamers a pair of options.

For storage buffs, Gigabyte offers a pair of PCIe 3.0 x4 links – one M.2 and one U.2 – for fast NVMe SSDs. There’s also slot spacing that’s beneficial to GPU cooling for users interesting in running multiple graphics cards in SLI or Crossfire. Aside from the core hardware offerings, Gigabyte has also outfitted the X99-Ultra Gaming with a revamped UEFI that addresses many user requests from the previous generation of motherboards.

Has Gigabyte’s mixture of features and new UEFI styling combined to form a tempting motherboard in the X99-Ultra Gaming?

Features:

• Intel^® USB 3.1 with USB Type-C™ Support
• NVMe PCIe Gen3 x4 22110 M.2 Interface & U.2 Interface for Intel^® SSD 750
• SATA Express Connector for Up to 10Gb/s Data Transfer
• Killer™ E2400 and Intel^® GbE Gaming Networks
• 115dB SNR HD Audio with Built-in Rear Audio Amplifier
• Ambient Surround LED with RGB Multi-Color Choices
• Ultra Durable Metal Shielding over PCIe and DDR Slots
• Ultra Durable Anti-Sulfur Resistors for Longer Lifespan
• Ultra Durable Anti-Rust Rear I/O Connectors
• Dual Hybrid Fan Headers with Precise PWM / Voltage Control for Water Pump & Fan

Gigabyte’s BRIX line of barebones PCs are typically small and low-powered – at least, when compared with a mini-ITX desktop system, for example. However, the new BRIX Gaming UHD aims to change all of that. Gone are the integrated graphics and low-power processors, and in their place we find a desktop-grade 4GB GTX 950 and quad-core i7-6700HQ with Hyper-Threading. With that level of hardware in such a small package, it will be interesting to see how the BRIX Gaming UHD performs.

Of course, Gigabyte have been a bit sneaky with their marketing of the BRIX Gaming UHD. We have reviewed the GTX 950 and it is a decent card for HD gaming, but it is by no means a 4K-ready gaming GPU if you want to play modern AAA titles. It is capable of outputting to four 4K displays, yes – but it cannot run the latest games comfortably at that resolution. Think of it as a PC equivalent to the PS4 Pro – 4K-capable and potentially adequate for less-demanding titles, but possibly not an ideal solution for the more GPU-intensive games. Still, we put the BRIX UHD through its paces and see how it performs.

Specifications

• Dimension: 2.6L (220 mm x 110 mm x 110 mm)
• Motherboard Size: 100 x 150 mm
• CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-6700HQ, 2.6GHz / 3.50 GHz
• Chipset: Intel® HM170 Chipset
• Memory: 2 x SO-DIMM DDR4 slots 2133 MHz, max. 32GB
• LAN: Gigabit LAN (Intel i219LM)
• Audio: Realtek ALC255
• Video: NVIDIA GeForce GTX950, supports NVIDIA Discrete Technology (featuring Quad displays: mini DP x3, HDMI x1 Output)
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950
• Graphic memory: Graphic DDR5 4GB
• Wifi Card: Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC Intel 8260
• HDMI Resolution (Max.): 3840×2160 @ 60 Hz
• Mini DP Resolution (Max.): 3840×2160 @ 60 Hz
• Expansion Slots: 1 x M.2 slot (2280_storage) PCIe /SATA, 1 x M.2 slot (2280_storage) PCIe (CPU directly), 1 x PCIe M.2 NGFF 2230 A-E key slot occupied by the WiFi+BT card
• Rear I/O: 1 x HDMI, 3 x Mini DisplayPort, 3 x USB 3.0, 1 x RJ45, 1 x DC-In, 1 x Kensington lock slot, 1 x Head phone Jack, 1 x Microphone Jack, 2 x USB 3.1 (1 x USB type C)
• USB 3.1: Asmedia
• Storage: Supports 2 x 2.5” HDD/SSD, 7.0/9.5 mm thick (2 x 6 Gbps SATA3)
• Power Supply: Input: AC 100-240V Output: DC 19.5V 9.23A

At KitGuru, we are always on the look-out for a great deal when it comes to buying a new PC. Overclockers UK have definitely caught our eye, then, with their new Neuron system. Priced at £1333, it sports an overclocked i5-6600K, an Intel NVMe SSD as well as a Gigabyte GTX 1070 graphics card. Built in the excellent Phanteks Enthoo Pro M case, too, we were looking forward to getting a hands-on.

At a total price of £1333, the Overclockers UK Neuron system sits almost exactly between the AWD-IT Aura (review HERE) and the Cyberpower Infinity X55 VX (HERE) – two PCs I have reviewed recently. As such, it will be very interesting to see the Neuron’s relative performance when compared with those two PC systems – particularly given the similarity of specification across all three PCs.

Specification

• Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro M Gaming Case (with acrylic panel)
• Power Supply: Gigabyte B700H 700W 80+ Bronze Rated PSU
• CPU :Intel Core i5 6600K Quad Core Processor Overclocked to 4.5GHz
• Motherboard: Gigabyte Z170X Ultra Gaming (Socket 1151) ATX Motherboard
• Cooler:  OcUK Techlabs 120mm AIO Liquid CPU Cooler
• Memory: 16GB 3000MHz DDR4 Dual Channel Kit
• Primary Hard Drive: 256GB Intel 600P M.2. Solid State Drive
• Secondary Hard Drive: 2TB 7200RPM Seagate Hard Drive
• Graphics: Gigabyte G1 Gaming GeForce GTX 1070
• Audio: 7.1 High Definition Audio

Price £1,333 inc vat HERE

The Gigabyte Ultra Gaming motherboard is a fairly new model which was first released for the Z170 chipset shortly after Computex 2016. Only half a year later and Gigabyte has released a Z270 variant of the Ultra Gaming, the Z270X-Ultra Gaming, to coincide with the launch of Intel’s new Kaby Lake platform and CPUs.

You can read our Kaby Lake Core i5-7600K and Core i7-7700K review HERE.

The emphasis of the Z270X-Ultra Gaming is still on the PC gaming audience but this time Gigabyte has rethought some of the hardware features and functionality to deliver a motherboard that meets more gaming motherboard criteria than before.

In a market that is transitioning to RGB lighting being the norm the Z270X-Ultra Gaming is now an RGB-ready product, unlike its predecessor which had red LEDs only. Gigabyte has also upped its game on the audio side of things by implementing the latest Realtek ALC 1220 codec, compared to the relatively archaic ALC 892 found on the Z170 version.

The changes continue with redesigned heatsinks for both the PCH and CPU VRMs, and a new rear plastic shroud. The rear I/O connections have been altered slightly with the two mini DisplayPort connections being replaced by a DVI-D port. Gigabyte has ditched the Intel Thunderbolt 3 controller found on the Z170 model, which was provided over the USB Type-C port, and replaced it with the ASMedia ASM2142 controller.

The Z270X-Ultra Gaming is being positioned between the Gigabyte Z270X-Gaming K3 and Z270X-Gaming K5 with a price point estimated to be around £160. As such the Z270X-Ultra Gaming will compete in the most competitive price segment of the market alongside other cost-competitive models from rival vendors, many of which KitGuru will be reviewing over the coming months.

Gigabyte is introducing its Aorus brand to the desktop components market in an effort to segregate its higher-end product offerings. Aorus is to Gigabyte what ROG is to ASUS, or at least that’s what the board maker is aiming for. We examine the high-end Aorus Z270X-Gaming 7 which is packed to the brim with features such as Thunderbolt 3, dual M.2 slots, and plenty of RGB LEDs.

You can read our Kaby Lake Core i5-7600K and Core i7-7700K review HERE.

Probably the first point that you’ll notice is Gigabyte’s use of a white and black colour scheme. This is a rather new direction for the company that has typically been a lover of red, green, orange, and blue mixed with black. But white seemed to be one of the ‘in‘ styling features for components in 2016 so there will be many people happy to see it used here.

The comparison to ASUS’ ROG is again presented by the Aorus Z270X-Gaming 7’s design being targetted for a wide audience. Gaming features include support for 2-card SLI and 3-card CrossFire, a strong Creative-based sound system, and one of the better RGB LED systems on the market (we’ll put RGBs under the ‘gaming’ umbrella for now). Then there are the general enthusiast features such as dual M.2 slots, 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 (and USB 3.1 through the Type-C connector), and U.2.

Build quality for the Z270X-Gaming 7 looks to be excellent and Gigabyte was very keen to emphasise the work it has put into the improved fan control system. How will the ~£230 Gigabyte Aorus Z270X-Gaming 7 perform throughout our analysis?

Features:

• DDR4 4000+ MHz XMP Ready
• Intel USB 3.1 Gen 2
• NVMe PCIe U.2/M.2
• RGB Fusion
• Creative Sound Core3D Quad-core Audio + SBX Pro Studio Audio Suite
• Smart Fan 5
• Killer E2500 & Intel Gigabit LAN
• 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3
• Triple NVMe PCIe SSDs in RAID 0 Support

Gigabyte has a couple of new gaming laptops at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, called the Auros X5 and X7. They come in different sizes and flavours, but all of them are rather capable machines, able to deliver high-end gaming performance, in a compact package.

Their lighting is rather pretty too

The Aorus systems don’t have the super-slim bezels or some of their more artistics counterparts, but these laptops aren’t aiming for awards in thinness and weight. They aren’t designed to be ultra portable, they’re designed to be powerful gaming systems.

The Aorus X5 for example, packs an all new, seventh generation Core i7-7820HK CPU overclocked to 3.9GHz and pairs it up with a GTX 1070. That helps power the 15.6 inch, 4K display featuring G-Sync technology to avoid screen tearing. It can also have up to 64GB of DDR4 memory and has a bundle of high-speed, M.2 storage.

Set to become available in March later this year, the Aorus X5 will start at £1,600 and go from there.

Its bigger brothers however are even more impressive. The X7 and X7 DT bump things up to a 17.3 inch 4K display, which also supports up to 120Hz refresh rate and is backed by a choice of GTX 1070 or GTX 1080, for ultimate performance. Other specifications are almost identical to the smaller version however.

Availability begins in March, with prices starting at £1,700.

The final version of the newly updated Aorus range will be the X9 and will debut at some point after Computex later this year. It’s expected to have SLI linked GTX 1080 Tis, potentially making it the most powerful gaming laptop in the world when it shows up.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: What do you guys think of Gigabyte’s new Aorus line up? Does it tempt you into putting down a couple of grand for a fancy gaming notebook?

While we didn’t get the GTX 1080Ti launch that rumours had led us to expect at CES this year, it looks like there may have actually been one at the show hiding in plain sight. At the Gigabyte booth this year, the company began showing off a mysterious new ‘Aorus’ graphics card design, featuring a GPU core that Nvidia will be coming out with “very soon”.

The GPU in question was shown off in a video from HardwareCanucks. Towards the end of the video, we get a peak at an all new Aorus GPU, though the PCB is fully covered so there isn’t a ton to look at. The card features two 8-pin PCIe connectors and a beefy heatsink. For I/O you are looking at three DisplayPort, one HDMI and one DVI port. However, there were two additional HDMI ports on the front end of the card, which are there for compatibility with Gigabyte’s VR front panel extension accessory.

The real juicy information comes from what was said in the video at around 3:40: “This is Gigabyte’s new Aorus GPU, which is based upon Gigabyte Xtreme design but incorporates a few minor cosmetic changes. Now I say new because the actual graphics core here is so new that we can’t even tell you what it is. Let’s just say it will be launching from Nvidia very soon. And the positioning of Aorus as a premium high-end brand matches perfectly with this core’s target market”.

Given that this is a new Nvidia GPU targeting the high-end market with a new graphics core, chances are its the GTX 1080Ti, unless Nvidia has something else up its sleeve. Now we just need to wait and see if that rumoured March reveal date sticks.

KitGuru Says: All signs appear to be pointing towards this being a GTX 1080Ti and with board partners already looking to show off their cards, the launch shouldn’t be too far off. Are any of you guys looking forward to the GTX 1080Ti? Will you be picking one up?