Gigabyte's Next Generation Motherboards
Gigabyte recently invited us to sunny San Diego to showcase their upcoming line of next generation motherboards. With the theme of "Fast Track to Gen X - SPEED SIMPLIFIED," Gigabyte aims to provide users with high-speed and user-friendly options. During the event, we also had the opportunity to visit the USS Midway Museum, a major landmark in the city.
The new motherboards, set to be officially announced soon, will take advantage of future processor capabilities on the LGA 1700 socket. The X series, which includes eight boards ranging from the B760M Aorus Elite X AX M-ATX to the Z790 Aorus Tachyon X, offers a wide range of options for users. While pricing details for all the boards are not yet available, we did receive information on five of them. The prices range from $279.99 for the Z790 Aorus Elite X AX to $999.99 for the Z790 Aorus Xtreme X.
These new motherboards are compatible with current generation Intel processors and provide a foundation for next generation processors as well. They also offer overclocking abilities specifically catered to future CPUs. Gigabyte has focused on speed and simplicity with these boards, allowing for easy overclocking of DDR5 up to 8266 MHz and beyond with preset XMP profiles in their new and improved BIOS. Additionally, Gigabyte has partnered with HWiNFO to provide additional access to memory and BIOS tuning capabilities.
Several of the new boards will include WiFi 7 with high-gain antennas, further emphasizing the theme of speed. Gigabyte has also made improvements to the design, replacing plastic M.2 latches with metal and spring-loaded ones for tool-less installation of SSDs or heatsinks. The main PCIe slots on these boards are reinforced for added durability and secured with a mounting plate and screws.
Gigabyte has also improved the manufacturing process to enable higher memory speeds with their "Back Drilling Technology." This reduces signal reflections and timing issues by eliminating unused ends of vertical traces between the layers of the PCB. This manufacturing step is visible on the backside of the PCB.
During the event, Gigabyte showcased four boards, including the all-white Z790 Aorus Pro X. This board offers a mix of unique features, such as the Ultra Durable PCI-E Armor slot, EZ-Latch release, Back Drilling, and M.2 Thermal Guard XL for drive cooling. It also includes an onboard USB-C header for easy connectivity with compatible devices. The Z790 Aorus Pro X is priced at $389.99.
Other boards showcased include the Z790 Aorus Elite X WIFI 7, priced at $289.99, which features the latest generation wireless standard and a black PCB. The Z790 Aorus Master X, priced at $549.99, includes the XL heatsink and EZ-Latch Plus for easier ejection of the GPU. The Z790 Aorus Extreme X, priced at $999.99, offers an embedded LCD screen and M.2 Thermal Guard Extreme heatsink.
Gigabyte also plans to release a B760M Aorus Elite X AX board, which is all white and features the Sensor Panel link connector. Additionally, Gigabyte offers WiFi antennas with different signal strengths and vented IO backplates for improved airflow across the VRMs.
Overall, Gigabyte's next generation motherboards provide users with high-speed capabilities, user-friendly features, and improved durability. With a range of options to choose from, users can find the perfect motherboard to meet their needs.
