Let's have a look on EP45-UD3L, Gigabyte's Socket 775 motherboard for Intel processors, aimed mainly for Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad processors. Like EP45C-DS3R, this motherboard is based on Intel P45 chipset, which replaced P35. Both chipsets are for the mainstream market.

Although not "high end", this board is equipped with several advanced features, especially regarding durability. The suffix "UD3" identifies Gigabyte's "Ultra Durable 3" motherboards, which includes all solid aluminum capacitors from a Japanese manufacturer, ferrite chokes, voltage regulator circuit with low resistance MOSFET transistors (which generate less heat and less energy waste) and "2 oz. copper inner layer". But what does that mean? According to Gigabyte, "common" motherboards have the two internal cooper layers (responsible for distributing voltages to board components) with only one ounce each. On "UD3" series boards these layers are twice as thick. Therefore, electrical resistance of these layers is lower, causing less heat and less energy loss. The prefix "E" means it has also advanced power management, a circuit with "gears" (according to Gigabyte), which causes the voltage regulator always work with maximum efficiency, turning off stages when processor power consuption is low.

EP45-UD3L supports 1,600 MHz FSB (although P45 chipset supports, officially, only up to 1,333 MHz bus) and accepts only DDR2 memory.

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Figure 1: Box.

 
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Figure 2: Gigabyte EP45-UD3L.