GIGABYTE Z170X-UD5 TH (Intel Z170) Motherboard Review

Introduction

GIGABYTE's Intel Z170 offerings are segmented into three distinct product lines; Ultra Durable, Gaming, and SOC. Recently the first Thunderbolt 3 certified motherboard hit the market, GIGABYTE's Z170X-UD5 TH. The board is positioned to satisfy those who want workstation features at an affordable price. While the Z170 chipset has greatly expanded basic chipset features, it hasn't done much to introduce newer features to the market.

Apart from USB 3.0, SATA 6G, and PCI-E 3.0, the Z170 chipset does not offer much more connectivity. At the launch of the Z170 chipset, Intel also debuted the "Alpine Ridge" USB 3.1/Thunderbolt 3 controller, offering the ability for manufacturers to use a single chip and implement it different ways to produce different offerings. Of all the different configurations the chip offers, Thunderbolt 3 is the strongest and most feature rich. Let's take a look at the Z170X-UD5 TH!

Specifications

The Z170X-UD5 TH does not just have Thunderbolt 3/USB 3.1, it also carries HDMI 2.0 support, Intel LAN, 32Gb/s M.2, and SATA Express. Intel's USB 3.1/Thunderbolt 3 controller can support multiple protocols through the Type-C reversible connector including USB 3.1, Thunderbolt 3 at 40Gb/s, and DisplayPort 1.2.

GIGABYTE's dual Type-C implementation supports USB power delivery 2.0, up to 12 daisy chained devices, two 4K displays or a single 5K display, and is backwards compatible with all USB specifications (as long as they use the Type-C connector).

Pricing

At the time of writing, the GIGABYTE Z170X-UD5 TH is quite competitively priced at $220 on Newegg.