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GIGABYTE AORUS Z370 Ultra Gaming *(Review)*

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Introduction:

Welcome to the All new 8TH Generation Intel / GIGABYTE AORUS Z370 Ultra Gaming ATX Motherboard.

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Before we take a closer look at the board itself, though, I'll be starting off by showing you the box and the contents of the package, which is quite impressive for the price.
Once I've gone through the package i'll move onto the board itself and cover all the main features before I end all off with the price.

Specifications and features:

Z370 Chipset, only Supports 8th Generation Intel Core Processors (Socket 1151) so that being said, the old 7th Gen Processors will not be backwards compatible, and that kinda suck's Big Time and if you already purchased a 7th Generation Intel Core i7 with a Z270 Motherboard don't stress, it's not really worth the upgrade again, I would say, rather wait for 9th Gen to come out.



AORUS Z370 Ultra Gaming Motherboard:

IMG_20180711_203241.jpg


ATX Form Factor
- Intel Z370 Chipset
- Socket LGA 1151
- 4x DDR4 DIMM Slots
- 3x PCIe 3.0 x16 Slots, 3x PCIe 3.0 x1 Slots
- 6x SATA 6Gb/s Connectors, 2x M.2 Slots
- Realtek ALC1220 Codec
- Intel GbE LAN Chip
- Gigabyte RGB Fusion
- Lightning-Fast Intel Thunderbolt 3 AIC Support
- Ultra Durable 25KV ESD & 15KV Surge LAN Protection
- Supports NVIDIA SLI Technology
- Supports AMD CrossFire Technology
- 3 Year Warranty

ATX Form Factor Sized Motherboard, will fit in any standard ATX Sized case.
4x DDR4 DIMM Slots, supporting up to 64 GB of system memory, 2133 MHz memory modules all the way up to 4000MHz O.C.
Support for ECC Un-buffered DIMM 1Rx8/2Rx8 memory modules (operate in non-ECC mode)
Support for non-ECC Un-buffered DIMM 1Rx8/2Rx8/1Rx16 memory modules
Support for Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) memory modules


Integrated Graphics Processor-Intel HD Graphics support:
1x DVI-D port, supporting a maximum resolution of 1920x1200 @60Hz
The DVI-D port does not support D-Sub connection by adapter.
1x HDMI port, supporting a maximum resolution of 4096x2160 @30Hz

1x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x16 (PCIEX16)
For optimum performance, if only one PCI Express graphics card is to be installed, be sure to install it in the PCIEX16 slot.
you do get 3x PCI Express slots but do read GPU Configuration: for more info





Package:

Let's take a look at the box first then we can have a look at what is included with the motherboard.

Straight away we've got a awesome looking box which isn't too busy looking in front and have a quality feel to it,

Here is the look of the Z370 AORUS ULTRA Gaming's box

IMG_20180711_202650.jpg


At the back of the box, we've got a picture of the board and an absolute wealth of information, with all those information we now know just what we're dealing with here.

IMG_20180711_202709.jpg


Moving on inside the box, we first see the motherboard,

IMG_20180711_202742.jpg


and underneath the motherboard we see all the goodies included in the box.

IMG_20180711_202928.jpg


You don't get a lot with the AORUS Ultra Gaming, I would have liked more SATA Cables and a better looking back plate, but that is just me.
Back plate does feel and look cheap.

What you do get inside,

AORUS Ultra Gaming User Manual
Gigabyte Installation Guide
AORUS Driver Disk
1x AORUS Sticker
I/O Shield (Back Plate)
2x Sata Cables
Front panel connections


Audio:

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The AORUS Z370 Ultra futures a lovely high quality High Definition Audio in 5.1 and 7.1, for an onboard sound chip it doesn't have a cheap sound quality to it, the S/PDIF is also a nice feature.

Realtek ALC1220 codec
High Definition Audio WITH SUPPORT 2/4/5.1/7.1-channel and also S/PDIF Out
High-performance multi-channel High Definition Audio Codec, Smart Headphone Amp, 114dB SNR recording for precise voice chats and hardware decoding.

Will say that the onboard sound of the AORUS 370Z Ultra sounds quite good for the price of the motherboard, but compared to the quality of an cheaper ASUS Z370 board, the ROG Strix's SupremeFX audio chipset, is a far better experience, Audio on the AORUS Z370 - 8 / 10, don't get me wrong the quality and clarity of the sound is still fantastic.

Tested audio with Corsair RGB Voids.

GPU Configuration:

easfsef.jpg


Not much to say here,

For the PCI Express Slots when Running SLI or CF setups you will see that the slots will be running in,
1st slot PCI Express x16 slot, running at x16 (PCIEX16), 2nd PCI Express x16 slot will be running at x8 and for the 3rd slot you get 1x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x4 (PCIEX4)
The PCIEX4 slot shares bandwidth with the PCIEX1_2 and PCIEX1_3 slots. When the PCIEX1_2 or PCIEX1_3 slot is populated, the PCIEX4 slot will operate at up to x1 mode.

RGB:

rgb.jpg

SAMPLE PICTURE, NOT MINE.

If you like Led strips and lights in your rig, you are going to be in for a treat with the AORUS Z370 series RGB FUSION, Z370 Series AORUS Motherboards are now upgraded with Digital LED support, what this means is, now each LED is digitally addressable, users can experience even more, styles, patterns and illuminations, making the AORUS Motherboards one one of the most color full and stylish motherboards out there today. Good job Gigabyte.

Up to 300 Led Support
10 Led modes.
Support either 5v or 12v digital LED lighting strips

Smart Fan 5

With the AORUS Z370 Series motherboards, you will get Smart Fan 5 which features Multiple Temperature Sensors and Hybrid Fan Headers with FAN STOP


■ 6 Temperature Sensors
■ 6 Fan/Water Pump Connectors
■ All Fan Pin Headers Upgraded to Hybrid Fan Headers
■ Interoperable Fans and Sensors
■ Intuitive UI for Fan Control

With Smart Fan 5 you as the user, will ensure that your gaming PC can maintain its performance while staying cool.
Basically with Smart Fan 5 users will be able to interchange their fan headers to reflect different thermal sensors at different locations on the AORUS Z370 ULTRA motherboard, also with Smart Fan 5 more hybrid fan headers that support both PWM and Voltage mode fans have been introduced to make the motherboard more liquid cooling friendly.

Well that being said, I can't test the Smart Fan 5 feature at it's fullest, because sadly I don't have a liquid cooling setup to test the theory for my self. but it's nice to know that the AORUS series motherboards are liquid cooling friendly.

USB:

AORUS Z370 Ultra comes with,
1x USB Type-C port on the back panel, with USB 3.1 Gen 2 support
1x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A port (red) on the back panel
6x USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports (4 ports on the back panel, 2 ports available through the internal USB header) backwards compatible with usb 2.0
Chipset+ASMedia USB 3.1 Gen 2 Controller:

Internal I/O Connectors

Looking at the internal I/O Connectors, all that is standard on most Z370 series motherboards are there. except on the AORUS Ultra Gaming 2.0-OP you get 32GB Intel Optane Memory Pre-Installed, +- R751 more than the AORUS Ultra Gaming motherboard.

1x 24-pin ATX main power connector
1x 8-pin ATX 12V power connector
1x CPU fan header
1x water cooling CPU fan header
3x system fan headers
1x system fan/water cooling pump header
2x digital LED strip headers
2x digital LED strip power select jumpers
2x RGB (RGBW) LED strip headers
6x SATA 6Gb/s connectors
2x M.2 Socket 3 connectors
1x front panel header
1x front panel audio header
1x S/PDIF Out header
1x USB Type-C port, with USB 3.1 Gen 1 support
1x USB 3.1 Gen 1 header
2x USB 2.0/1.1 headers
1x Thunderbolt add-in card connector
1x Trusted Platform Module (TPM) header (2x6 pin, for the GC-TPM2.0_S module only)
1x Clear CMOS jumper

H/W Monitoring

Voltage detection
Temperature detection
Fan speed detection
Water cooling flow rate detection
Overheating warning
Fan fail warning
Fan speed control
Whether the fan (pump) speed control function is supported will depend on the fan (pump) you install.


External I/O Connectors

IMG_20180711_203221.jpg


Thermal Armor
PS2
USB DAC - UP2
USB3.1 Gen2 (Type C + Type A)
HDMI + DVI
USB 2.0
GbE LAN Intel
Audio with S/PDIF



Warranty:

Local South Africa warranty, the AORUS Z370 Ultra Gaming motherboard comes out with a Lekker 3 Year Warranty from any South Africa Supplier or Retail PC Shop. Just Keep your retail box for serial number and proof of purchase. Also keep in mind that warranty will be void if motherboard is physical damaged, and if serial stickers are torn off the motherboard.



Price:

Let's have a look at Price, for the the price of the AOURUS Ultra Gaming motherboard I am going to use only 2x shops in South Africa to compare price, and only for this review.
Reason I am going to use only 2x shops to compare price, because they are trustworthy, hassle free, and well known among Carbonite users.
At the Time I bought this motherboard it came out with Farcry 5, that promotion was only with Rebeltech and still is on with Rebeltech until 31 August 2018, Wootware did not have any promotions included with the motherboard, and still there is no promotions with them when buying the motherboard.

Price for this board is between R2552.00 and R2599.00 (from time they did sell this board new in South Africa)
Delivery Fees excluded.
VAT Included.
But do keep in mind they don't stock these anymore, as they have a new one on the market. Ultra Gaming 2.0

Rebeltech Price: SPECIFICATIONS Product Name GIGABYTE AORUS Z370 ULTRA GAMING 2... they don't stock the Ultra Gaming only the 2.0 but there price was R2552.00 inc FarCry 5
Wootware Price: Gigabyte Z370 Aorus Ultra Gaming LGA1151 Intel Z370 Coffee Lake ATX Desktop Motherboard - Wootware (No Game included)

Farcry 5, Buy Far Cry 5 Standard Edition for PC | Ubisoft Official Store $59.99 / R813,53


Final Words:

All in all, the AORUS Z370 Ultra is an awesome mid gaming motherboard with lots of features and new tech, very good build quality, and is one good looking RGB motherboard.

ATM I will not recommend buying the AORUS Z370 Ultra Gaming, because rather save few hundred rand more and try to buy the AORUS Z370 Ultra Gaming 2.0-OP because you get the same motherboard but with 32GB Intel Optane Memory Pre-Installed, it make more sense, also if buying any AORUS Series motherboards go with Rebeltech, not for their service or price, but you will get FarCry 5 for FREE, now that is a good deal ...

Also on a side note, if you don't have R3k for a new 2.0 board, but do want a Gigabyte motherboard and Farcry 5, well you could buy a FarCry 5 Qualifying motherboard from Rebeltech for R1799.00 at time of writing this post.

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Pictures was Taken from a Huawei P20 lite, except the RGB picture.

Thank you,
Regards,
DeviantCyber
 
Unboxing perhaps :) as for that this format works
For a review it is missing some stuff, don't have to include all of it, but one needs more than what is on the box and product page -
Reason as follows :
- No performance testing
- No QVL DRAM frequency testing
- No Sleep state testing (most boards fail Sleep and hibernate after 24 hours, especially with Bclk adjustment)
- No LLC/ voltage reading accuracy testing (you can measure from the back of the socket or at the least use HWinfo to see IC reading)
- Power draw and UEFI?
- Sound? ASUS also use Nichicon caps and ALC1220, but what op-amp is GBT using vs ASUS that may account for sonic differences.
- CORSAIR Voids? - Which ones? Audio sample/song/bit-rate etc? What about the audio isn't to your liking or fundamentally different from what ASUS provides

Essentially this is Guru3D, Techpowerup - Cadaveca like review, if it was a review that is.
As a brief unboxing though, all good :)
 
Unboxing perhaps :) as for that this format works
For a review it is missing some stuff, don't have to include all of it, but one needs more than what is on the box and product page -
Reason as follows :
- No performance testing
- No QVL DRAM frequency testing
- No Sleep state testing (most boards fail Sleep and hibernate after 24 hours, especially with Bclk adjustment)
- No LLC/ voltage reading accuracy testing (you can measure from the back of the socket or at the least use HWinfo to see IC reading)
- Power draw and UEFI?
- Sound? ASUS also use Nichicon caps and ALC1220, but what op-amp is GBT using vs ASUS that may account for sonic differences.
- CORSAIR Voids? - Which ones? Audio sample/song/bit-rate etc? What about the audio isn't to your liking or fundamentally different from what ASUS provides

Essentially this is Guru3D, Techpowerup - Cadaveca like review, if it was a review that is.
As a brief unboxing though, all good :)

All good, I did not have something to compare the board to as of yet, that's why it's missing some info, on next one, I will do it properly.
Also I don't have a i7 and only a cheap 4gb stick of random ram.
I know I know, but ya...
 
Yeah dude, gotta say that you just did an unboxing, not a review.

Final words
I have to say that powered down, the Z370 Aorus Ultra isn't the most beautiful slash teasing mobo to look at, power up however it kicks in with exactly the right amount of RGB LEDs, and then it's just a completely different board to look at, please do keep that in mind. The LEDs surrounding the PCI-slots, heatsink, PCB traces and DIMMs give the product really nice looks. All RGB configurable of course as well. The pricing sits in the 169 USD / € 179.00 bracket. At that price I am not complaining about the lack of WIFI or a 5G LAN Jack, as this board is more value oriented. Make no mistake though, it is as fast as the expensive boards, tweaks just as well. BIOS updates at the time of writing are updated weekly, ergo the performance of all Z370 is roughly the same in a few weeks time. For the Ultra, only a few features have been cut away so there isn't a 2nd Ethernet jack, a third M2 slot or a DisplayPort connector. That's the primary stuff that was cut away. So for the money I think the board is going to offer a really fine infrastructure. Connectivity wise in terms of your PCIe slots for your graphics subsystem you are looking at a full x16 Gen 3 lanes for one graphics cards. The second PCIe slot shares it's lanes with the first one, ergo you'd end up at x8/x8. The third x16 slot, in fact is a x4 slot which draws its lanes from the chipset and is shared with an M2 slot. We expect Coffee lake to be able to manage the 5 GHz domain on all cores with exceptions running up towards 5.2 GHz (all-core). I base this metric on high-perf aircoolers and liquid cooling. From there on-wards you are looking at proc ASIC quality and cooling being the more important denominator. Concluding, if the price is right then this Z370 Aorus Ultra Gaming might be a mighty fine deal to pair with your Coffee Lake processor. If you are in need for that upgrade towards a new platform with all the new technologies, hey this one comes recommended by Guru3D.com

Gigabyte Aorus Z370 Ultra Gaming review
 

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