Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Gaming 7
5th October, 2017Type
MotherboardPrice
$249.99 USGigabyte Z370 AORUS Gaming 7 Motherboard - Close Up
The Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Gaming 7 motherboard is styled in black and silver. This is a top tier product that retails for $250 US and has almost everything that a gamer would want to be in a flagship design. The motherboard comes in the standard ATX form factor.
The board uses the LGA 1151 socket to support Intel Core processors. The socket is compatible with Intel's 8th generation core family only at the moment. The socket has a protective cover on top of it that points out the exclusivity with Coffee Lake CPUs and refrains users from running a older 6th or 7th generation CPU as it could damage the socket.
Next to the socket are four DDR4 DIMM slots which can support up to 64 GB dual channel memory. These slots are rated to support XMP profiles up to 4133 MHz (OC Plus). Each slot is labeled, making it easier to install DIMMs in the proper orientation. The board comes with over 1000+ validated memory support list making memory compatibility all the more easier. Another thing to note is that Gigabyte is using the Ultra Durable memory armor with anti-bending plate that improves durability for memory slots. These memory slots also feature RGB support which looks fantastic.
The Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Gaming 7 motherboard packs a 10 phase Server-Class Digital Power Design. The design is packed with 2 phase power for the DRAM and uses Premium 60A power chokes, Smart Power Stage IC and 100% Digital PWM that deliver unprecedented stability and overclocking capabilities.
As you can see, the VRMs are getting ample cooling from the two metallic heatsinks that are beefy in terms of overall size. This motherboard is designed for overclocking so expect stable operation of the electrical circuitry when this board is running.
The motherboards have a large base for the PWM area and as such, heat is quickly dissipate from the heatsink by air blowing within the chassis. On closer inspection, the heatstink features internal heatpipe cooling and further enahances the cooling performance by integrating a VRM fan under the I/O panel which is a great addition.
The CPU is supplied power through a single 8-pin power connector. This will feed the CPU with up to 150W of power. Most Intel CPUs will be shipping with TDPs under 100W but that changes when users overclock, since that changes the power limit based on applied voltages and clock speed.
Expansion slots include three PCI Express 3.0 x16, three PCI Express 3.0 x1 and three M.2 slots. The board can support four-way multi-GPU (CrossFireX / SLI). The M.2 slots are rated to support NVMe PCIe gen3 x4 and Intel Optane series memory.
Gigabyte is using their patented double locking bracket on the expansion slots along with their Ultra Durable PCIe Armor that adds a stainless shield on the sides of the PCI-e slots and additional anchor points that offer stronger grip with heavier graphics cards. These add more retention and shearing resistance by reinforcing the slots with metal plates. Aside from adding more protection, they do look really sweet.
The M.2 slots also come with Gigabyte's latest M.2 Thermal Guard technology which reduces thermal throttling on M.2 storage devices.
The PCH is cooled off by a large metallic heatsink which runs next to the SATA ports. The PCH heat sink has embedded RGB LEDs and provide a good light show for those that are interested in RGBs trend. You can also turn off the LEDs entirely through Gigabyte's bundled software if you are not a fan of such LEDs.
Storage options include six SATA III ports rated to operate at 6 GB/s. These can support up to six different storage devices at once. Many fan headers and jumpers can be found next to the storage ports.
The AMP-UP Audio onboard system powers the audio on this board. The latest generation of the AMP-UP Audio system now offers ESS Sabre with DAC that includes premium noise and audio clarity through the use of WIMA. Nichicon Fine Gold audiophile grade capacitors and other high-end components which make audio absolutely rich.
Finally, we have the I/O panel which includes the Killer E2500 + Intel Ethernet LAN ports, two USB 3.1 Gen 2 (Type-A + Type-C) ports, five USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports including two of which that feature voltage adjustable for easier charging of mobile devices, an HDMI port, a DisplayPort and a 7.1 Channel HD Audio Jack.
In addition to the I/O ports, the motherboard features the following I/O connectors internally:
- 1 x 24-pin ATX main power connector
- 1 x 8-pin ATX 12V power connector
- 1 x CPU fan header
- 1 x water cooling CPU fan header
- 4 x system fan headers
- 1 x 3 Amp fan/water cooling pump header
- 1 x system fan/water cooling pump header
- 2 x digital LED strip headers
- 2 x digital LED strip power select jumpers
- 2 x RGB (RGBW) LED strip headers
- 3 x M.2 Socket 3 connectors
- 6 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors
- 1 x front panel header
- 1 x front panel audio header
- 1 x S/PDIF Out header
- 1 x USB Type-C header, with USB 3.1 Gen 2 support
- 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 header
- 2 x USB 2.0/1.1 headers
- 1 x Thunderbolt™ add-in card connector
- 1 x Trusted Platform Module (TPM) header (2x6 pin, for the GC-TPM2.0_S module only)
- 1 x power button
- 1 x reset button
- 1 x Clear CMOS button
- 1 x OC button
- 2 x temperature sensor headers
Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Gaming 7 Motherboard Photo Gallery:
Contents
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The Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Gaming 7 is a great contender for the best Intel 8th Gen motherboard in the $250 US bracket. It features an amazing build and design quality with almost all the features that a gamer would want when building his new Coffee Lake PC.
- One of the Best $250 US Z370 Motherboards
- Support For Intel 8th Generation Coffee Lake Family
- Up To 6 Core Processor Support
- Excellent Overclocking Support on Unlocked Intel CPUs
- Excellent Design Scheme With Solid Heatsink Solution
- Excellent Build Quality with High Quality VRM and PCB
- VRMs cooled by heatpipe and fan cooling
- Tons of Connectivity Options
- Dual Gigabit Ethernet LAN (Intel I219-V and Killer E2500)
- 4133 MHz+ DDR4 Memory Support
- 10 Phase Power Delivery System
- Sound BlasterX 720 (ALC1120/ESS Sabre 9018 DAC)
- Upgradable AMPs for Better Audio Support
- Triple M.2 Slots (Optane Support)
- M.2 Heatsink Comes With The Board
- Full RGB LED Lightning With Multiple Points (Including PCIe and DRAM)
- Lots of Software Support
Pros
- No Wireless Connectivity
Cons
About the author: A Software Engineer by training and a PC enthusiast by passion, Hassan Mujtaba serves as Wccftech's Senior Editor for hardware section. With years of experience in the industry, he specializes in deep-dive technical analysis of next-generation CPU and GPU architectures, motherboards, and cooling solutions. His work involves not only breaking news on upcoming technologies but also extensive hands-on reviews and benchmarking.
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