Introduction
The Gigabyte Z77X-UD4H is a mid-range socket LGA1155 motherboard targeted to the “Ivy Bridge” processors (third-generation Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 processors). Let’s see what this motherboard has to offer.
The Intel Z77 is an upgraded version of the Z68 chipset with the same basic features (Intel Smart Response Technology and Virtu video switching technology), plus native support to four USB 3.0 ports. It also includes the addition of two new technologies: Smart Connect (allowing the computer to receive emails and refresh webpages while it is in sleep mode) and Rapid Start (faster boot times).
In addition, the Gigabye Z77X-UD4H supports the Virtu Universal MVP, which allows you to combine the performance of the integrated graphics processor available in the CPU with the performance of any video card installed. This is similar to what occurs with the Hybrid SLI and ATI Hybrid Graphics technologies, with the notable difference of not being limited to GPUs from a specific manufacturer.Gigabyte has launched 21 different motherboard models based on the Intel Z77 chipset; we list the differences between them in the tables below. We won’t describe the Z77X-UD5H-WB WIFI and the Z77X-UD3H-WB WIFI models, as they are simply a version of the Z77X-UD5H and the Z77X-UD3H models bundled with a PCI Express x1 expansion card containing IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n wireless networking and Bluetooth 4.0. This card is also included with the Z77X-UP7 and with the G1.Sniper 3 motherboards. Prices were researched at Newegg.com on the day we published this article.
| Specification | G1.Sniper 3 | Z77X-UP7 | Z77X-UD5H | Z77X-UD4H | Z77X-UD3H | Z77X-D3H | Z77-HD4 |
| Form Factor | E-ATX | ATX | ATX | ATX | ATX | ATX | ATX |
| Memory Sockets | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| PCI Express x16 3.0 | 4 (x16/x0/x16/x0 or x16/x0/x8/x8 or x8/x8/x8/x8) | 4 (x16/x0/x16/x0 or x16/x0/x8/x8 or x8/x8/x8/x8) + 1 | 2 (x16/x0 or x8/x8) | 2 (x16/x0 or x8/x8) | 2 (x16/x0 or x8/x8) | 2 (x16/x0 or x8/x8) | 1 |
| PCI Express x16 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (x4) | 1 (x4) | 1 (x4) | 1 (x4) | 1 (x4) |
| PCI Express x1 2.0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Standard PCI | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| CrossFireX | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SLI | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| SATA-300 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| SATA-600 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| eSATA-300 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| eSATA-600 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 (shared) | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| mSATA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| USB 2.0 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 |
| USB 3.0 | 8* | 10 | 8* | 8 | 8 | 8 | 4 |
| FireWire | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| BlueTooth | Yes, 4.0 | Yes, 4.0 | No | No | No | No | No |
| Gigabit Ethernet | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Wi-Fi | Yes, a/b/g/n | Yes, dual-band 802.11b/g/n | No | No | No | No | No |
| VGA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| DVI | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| HDMI | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| DisplayPort | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Thunderbolt | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Audio | CA0132 | ALC898 | ALC898 | ALC892 | VT2021 | VT2021 | ALC887 |
| Voltage Regulator | 12+2+1 | 32+3+2 | 12+2+1 | 8+2+1 | 6+2+1 | 6+2+1 | 6+2+1 |
| Price | USD 270 | USD 400 | USD 190 | USD 165 | USD 145 | USD 150 | USD 130 |
* The motherboard has only four “real” USB 3.0 ports that are expanded to eight using hub chips.
| Specification | Z77-HD3 | Z77-D3H | Z77-DS3H | Z77P-D3 | Z77X-UP4 TH | Z77X-UP5 TH |
| Form Factor | ATX | ATX | ATX | ATX | ATX | ATX |
| Memory Sockets | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| PCI Express x16 3.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 (x16/x0/x0 or x8/x8/x0 or x8/x4/x4) | 3 (x16/x0/x0 or x8/x8/x0 or x8/x4/x4) |
| PCI Express x16 2.0 | 1 (x4) | 1 (x4) | 1 (x4) | 1 (x4) | 0 | 0 |
| PCI Express x1 2.0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Standard PCI | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| mSATA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1 | 1 |
| CrossFireX | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| SLI | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | Yes | Yes |
| SATA-300 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| SATA-600 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| eSATA-300 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| eSATA-600 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| USB 2.0 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 |
| USB 3.0 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 10 |
| FireWire | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Bluetooth | No | No | No | No | No | Yes, 4.0 |
| Gigabit Ethernet | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Wi-Fi | No | No | No | No | No | Yes, dual-band 802.11b/g/n |
| VGA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| DVI-D | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| HDMI | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| DisplayPort | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | No* | No* |
| Thunderbolt | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Two ports | Two ports |
| Audio | ALC887 | VT2021 | ALC887 | ALC887 | ALC892 | ALC898 |
| Voltage Regulator | 6+2+1 | 6+1+1 | 4+1+1 | 4+1+1 | 10 phases total | 12 phases total |
| Price | USD 115 | USD 125 | USD 110 | NA | USD 185 | USD 240 |
| Specification | G1.Sniper M3 | X77MX-D3H | X77MX-D3H TH | Z77M-D3H | Z77M-D3H-MVP | Z77N-WiFi |
| Form Factor | microATX | microATX | microATX | microATX | microATX | Mini-ITX |
| Memory Sockets | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| PCI Express x16 3.0 | 2 (x16/x0 or x8/x8) | 2 (x16/x0 or x8/x8) | 2 (x16/x0 or x8/x8) | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| PCI Express x16 2.0 | 1 (x4) | 1 (x4) | 1 (x4) | 1 (x4) | 1 (x4) | 0 |
| PCI Express x1 2.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Standard PCI | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| CrossFireX | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| SLI | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| SATA-300 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| SATA-600 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| eSATA-300 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| eSATA-600 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| mSATA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| USB 2.0 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 6 |
| USB 3.0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| FireWire | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bluetooth | No | No | No | No | No | Yes, 4.0 |
| Gigabit Ethernet | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Wi-Fi | No | No | No | No | No | Yes, dual-band 802.11b/g/n |
| VGA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| DVI | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| HDMI | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| DisplayPort | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Thunderbolt | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Audio | CA0132 | VT2021 | VT2021 | VT2021 | VT2021 | ALC892 |
| Voltage Regulator | 6+2+1 | 4+1+1 | 4+1+1 | 4+1+1 | 4+1+1 | 4+1+1 |
| Price | USD 170 | USD 125 | NA | NA | USD 120 | USD 130 |
You can see the Gigabyte Z77X-UD4H motherboard in Figure 1.
Figure 1: Gigabyte Z77X-UD4H motherboard
- Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Slots
- 3. Memory Support
- 4. On Board Peripherals
- 5. Other Features
- 6. Voltage Regulator
- 7. Overclocking Options
- 8. Main Specifications
- 9. Conclusions
