Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Gaming 5: QUICK OVERVIEW
Review of: [amazon link=”B075LGLHBY” title=”Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Gaming 5″]
Category: Motherboards
Features
Chipset
Affordability
Warranty
What We Like
What We Don't Like
A computing system lives and dies on the quality of its motherboard, so gamers who wish to experience their games as their developers intended them to be experienced owe it to themselves to purchase the finest motherboard they can afford.
There are many reputable brands from which you should consider buying, but few have as impressive a history as Gigabyte. An industry leader, Gigabyte has been behind some of the most popular motherboards in recent memory, such as the Z370 AORUS Gaming 5, which we’re going to be reviewing today.
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Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Gaming 5 Review
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Through its AORUS range, Gigabyte has sought to keep happy both hardcore gamers and newcomers to the hobby. In the eyes of many, the Z370 AORUS Gaming 5 is the leader of the line and has established itself as a gamer favorite despite the fact it was only made available online in September of 2017.
Who is this product for?
One of the major selling points of the Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Gaming 5 is its simplified overclocking, so you should certainly consider it if you would like to pursue overclocking but lack the skills necessary to do so manually. With an intelligent cooling system, it is ideal for passionate gamers who indulge in long gaming sessions on a regular basis.
Generally selling for a little over $150, this motherboard should be well within the budget of dedicated gamers who don’t mind spending a little extra to get a truly quality product. For those who must craft their system on a budget, however, it may prove too expensive.
What’s included?
Packaged alongside the Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Gaming 5 you will find an I/O shield, two thermal sensor cables, a Gigabyte G connector, an AORUS badge, and a driver disk. You can also expect to receive two separate manuals, one to guide you through the installation process and one providing more in-depth information about the product.
Overview of features
The Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Gaming 5 boasts three M.2 slots, making for greater versatility and an enhanced performance. To combat overheating, Gigabyte fitted this motherboard with its Smart Fan 5 technology. Smart Fan 5 provides superior cooling through nine temperature sensors, which keep the vital components of the board cool while pushing it to perform to its highest possible standard.
The Z370 AORUS Gaming 5 uses Gigabyte’s Turbo B-Clock to simplify the overclocking process, meaning all gamers can overclock regardless of their level of experience. Smartphone users can connect this motherboard to Gigabyte’s RGB Fusion lighting app to access a catalogue of over 16 million colors and digital LEDs to customize each zone of the board.
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Specification
General | Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Gaming 5 |
Chipset Type | Intel Z370 |
Compatible Processors | Core i5, Core i3, Core i7 (supports 8th Generation Intel Core i3 / i5 / i7) |
Processor Socket | LGA1151 Socket |
Form Factor | ATX |
Supported RAM |
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Bus Clock | 2400 MHz, 2133 MHz, 2666 MHz, 2800 MHz (O.C.), 3000 MHz (O.C.), 3200 MHz (O.C.), 3300 MHz (O.C.), 3400 MHz (O.C.), 3333 MHz (O.C.), 3466 MHz (O.C.), 3733 MHz (O.C.), 3600 MHz (O.C.), 3800 MHz (O.C.), 3666 MHz (O.C.), 3866 MHz (O.C.), 4000 MHz (O.C.), 4133 MHz (O.C.) |
Max Processors | 1 |
BIOS Features |
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Hardware Monitor |
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Hardware Features | AMD 3-way CrossFireX technology support, AMD CrossFireX technology support, Intel Optane Memory Ready, NVIDIA 2-way SLI Technology Support, NVIDIA Quad SLI Technology Support, On/Off Charge, RGB FUSION, Turbo B-Clock, Ultra Durable, Ultra Durable Memory Armor, Ultra Durable PCIe Armor, AMD Quad CrossFireX technology support, Anti-Sulfur Design, AutoGreen, Easy RAID Installer, GIGABYTE AMP-UP Audio, GIGABYTE Double Locking Bracket, GIGABYTE Smart Fan 5, GIGABYTE USB DAC-UP 2 |
Software included | @BIOS, Cloud Station, GIGABYTE V-Tuner, Norton Internet Security, Smart TimeLock, XSplit Gamecaster (1 year premium license), Xpress Install, cFosSpeed, EasyTune, GIGABYTE 3D OSD, GIGABYTE App Center, GIGABYTE Fast Boot, GIGABYTE Smart Backup, GIGABYTE Smart Fan 5, GIGABYTE Smart Keyboard, GIGABYTE USB Blocker |
D x W | 9.6 x 12 in |
Brand | Gigabyte |
Expansion / Connectivity | |
Expansion Slots |
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Storage Interfaces |
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Internal Interfaces |
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Power Connectors | 24-pin main power connector, 8-pin ATX12V connector |
Interface Provided | |
Quantity | 1, 2, 4 |
Type | DisplayPort, HDMI, audio line-out, audio line-out (center/subwoofer), audio line-out (rear), microphone, LAN (Gigabit Ethernet), PS/2 keyboard / mouse, TOSLINK, USB 2.0, USB 3.1 Gen 1, USB-C Gen2, audio line-in |
Connector Type | mini-jack |
Audio & Video | |
Compliant Standards | High Definition Audio, Sound BlasterX 720° |
Type | sound card |
Audio Codec | Realtek ALC1220 |
Video Output | graphics adapter (CPU required) |
Networking | |
Data Link Protocol | Bluetooth 2.1 EDR, Bluetooth 3.0, IEEE 802.11ac, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.0, Bluetooth 4.1, Bluetooth 4.1 LE, Bluetooth 4.2, Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, IEEE 802.11a |
Network interface | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth, Gigabit Ethernet |
Tutorial
The Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Gaming 5 doesn’t come cheap, so you definitely do not want to risk damaging it during the installation process. Before attempting to fit this motherboard, we suggest watching the below tutorial to ensure you know exactly what you’re doing.
Alternatives
If you’d rather go with a motherboard that is less expensive than the Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Gaming 5, we recommend taking a look at the Z370-A Pro from MSI. The MSI Z370-A Pro is quite similar to the Gigabyte offering in many ways, but it boasts a number of features that make it a uniquely MSI product. For example, this motherboard features Military Class 6 components to ensure the longevity of every piece of the board, no matter how small or seemingly inconsequential.
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Similarly, MSI fitted this motherboard with Chemi-Con audio capacitors, which produce high-fidelity audio and a realistic surround sound experience when paired with studio-level headphones. This motherboard also comes equipped with Super Charger USB ports, which allow it to charge smartphones and tablets in a fraction of the time of a more traditional charging port.
It is important to note, however, that the MSI Z370-A Pro does not offer much in the realm of overclocking, which may be an issue for some gamers.
Conclusion
While we will concede that the Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Gaming 5 is a tad on the expensive side, it is important to remember that most motherboards which offer as many features as this one generally go for upwards of $200, so the argument can be made that this motherboard is a bargain. With its Turbo-B Clock technology, the Z370 AORUS Gaming 5 makes overclocking a possibility for gamers of all levels, so you won’t have to suffer through a subpar performance just because you can’t manually overclock.
Meanwhile, the superior cooling system of this motherboard allows for literally years of lengthy gaming sessions without risk of dwindling efficiency. If you have room in your budget for the Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Gaming 5, we urge you to at least consider it before settling on which motherboard is right for you.
