Gigabyte Z77-HD4 Review
by Ian Cutress on May 19, 2013 10:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
- Gigabyte
- Z77
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 4 runs.
| Metro 2033 | 1 GPU | 2 GPU |
| AMD | ||
| NVIDIA |
The Z77-HD4 does quite well in single GPU mode, but using that PCIe 2.0 x4 from the PCH for a second AMD GPU starts to limit the results.
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 Ultra graphical settings. Results are reported as the average frame rate across four runs.
| Dirt3 | 1 GPU | 2 GPU |
| AMD | ||
| NVIDIA |
Confirming what we saw on the G1.Sniper M3 (if you put the GPUs in the wrong slots), the PCIe 2.0 x4 is not really a gaming PCIe slot.
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lmcd - Sunday, May 19, 2013 - link
I'm just going to tell you now that your assessment is completely off -- a good amount of people can tell the difference in regards to the audio. Plenty of people like the option to XF/SLI later in custom builds. And some of those performance differences were shocking. That was an audio demonstration, but could mouse polling face that, too?Anyway, don't get me started on the audio, but there is reason for better solutions than this board.
HardwareDufus - Monday, May 20, 2013 - link
the "this board is probably aimed at the internet café market in China" is pretty shameful and below the belt Ian..I agree as well... Don't be so elitest! It's refreshing to see a decent $120 motherboard that sacrifices nothing that 95% of buyers require. Ian you are getting spoiled reviewing too many high end motherboards jammed with features that only 2% of the buyers require. Come down out of the stratosphere and join the rest of us.
kmmatney - Monday, May 20, 2013 - link
I also think this comment was way off ""this board is probably aimed at the internet café market in China"If anything, the board is for this market:
http://www.microcenter.com/site/brands/intel-proce...
And its what I build for myself, friends, family, and all the computers I build for my company, and anyone else who wants a great gaming experience without breaking the bank.
Razorbak86 - Monday, May 20, 2013 - link
"Shameful" and "below the belt"? o.ODo you always get your panties in a twist over such innocuous opinions?
/seewhatididthere
kmmatney - Sunday, May 19, 2013 - link
I have to admit I never use the on-board buttons on my motherboard, and find beep codes to be just as useful as an error code display. At the end of the day, you still need to swap out parts to troubleshoot an error, regardless of an error code display.Flunk - Monday, May 20, 2013 - link
I agree with you I can't see a need for onboard power and reset switches on any motherboard. If the computer is set up they're worthless and if you're working on it you have your screwdriver right there to short out the front panel header. There really is no need at all for onboard power buttons.jabber - Monday, May 20, 2013 - link
I have to agree. I don't need dragons or ninjas on the box.I don't need heatsinks fashioned in some faux novelty bullet or landmine design.
I don't need LED lit BIOS reset buttons (I've used mine twice in 5 years, so no, not needed).
I don't need LED error notifications. I've had them and never needed them.
I don't need umpteen video out options, I have a GPU card.
I don't need built in audio, I have a sound card.
I don't need built in ethernet, I have a Intel CT nic.
I don't need a PS2 socket.
I don't need more then 4 SATA ports (three if I'm honest is all I ever need)
I don't need extra USB/Serial/Firewire expansion on the board.
I don't need glow in the dark sockets or custom motherboard colours.
I don't need 8 fan controller sockets.
What do I need? A good quality stripped down board that without all that unnecessary crud would probably cost $50. Unfortunately no one seems to think anyone wants such a board.
If most here were honest it's all they really need/want also.
Razorbak86 - Monday, May 20, 2013 - link
Good God, man, give it a rest. I hate it when someone starts ranting and then presumes to speak for the rest of us.jabber - Monday, May 20, 2013 - link
Sorry, I'll leave you to your motherboards and GPUs with dragons, neons and bullets on them.Was just stating that a lot of the features that motherboard manufacturers have loaded on 'as standard' are not really needed and only there to increase their slim profit margins.
After 20+ years of PC building I'm kind of fed up paying for crud I don't need in order to purchase a 'quality' board.
Why can't we have a good quality overclocking board without all the stuff we never use? Without all that stuff on there we could have much better signal paths, less noise and better power regs.
kmmatney - Monday, May 20, 2013 - link
That's a bit extreme. Most of us need/use the built in Network and Sound, and at least a DVI output is useful, even if you have a separate card. And practically everyone can use a lot of USB ports and headers.