Verdict and Conclusion
Overall, we thought that the Gigabyte H67MA-UD2H compared very well against the original Intel DH67BL motherboard. It produced results that were expected from the new Sandy Bridge CPU plus H67 chipset combination. In fact, the Gigabyte H67MA-UD2H performed slightly better, but only marginally. Anyhow, whatever the result, it’s a definite improvement over over the older H55 chipset and Clarkdale CPU combination. The onboard processor graphics found on the Sandy Bridge processor only supports upto DX10.1, but it did at least produce respectable results during our Unigine graphics test, nothing mind-blowing but adequate nevertheless.
What makes the Gigabyte H67MA-UD2H extremely attractive are the video outputs that it supports. These include the DVI, 15-pin D-sub, HDMI and DisplayPort. It’s one of only few motherboards that supports such a wide range of available video outputs, making it perfect for HTPC and media PC users. Furthermore, to add to all of this, you also get support for full Dolby Home Theater sound.
And to put the icing on the cake, Gigabyte have included all of their innovative technologies with the H67MA-UD2H. Things like Gigabyte’s DES, Ultra Durable 3, dual BIOS and 2oz Copper PCB, not to mention the Hardware VRD and Driver Mosfets. All of these great features give the board extra stability, longevity and better power efficiency.
For connectivity, the Gigabyte H67MA-UD2H has plenty. You get the usual PS/2 mouse/keyboard, 4 x USB2.0, 2 x USB3.0, eSATA, gigabit ethernet, SPDIF optical output, and an array of audio connectors. You also get an extra PCI-E slot is a great added bonus. So in fact, there are two in total – 1×16 lane, 1×8 lane, supporting CrossfireX which is ideal for gamers who what that extra graphics performance.
There is one thing which could make this motherboard little more appealing than most, and that is the ability to overclock the Sandy Bridge processors. But having said that, the Gigabyte H67MA-UD2H came with a BIOS that only offered limited options for overclocking. However, we managed to mildly overclock the Core i7-2600K from the default of 3.4Ghz to 3.7Ghz. I guess this motherboard wasn’t meant to be designed for heavy overclocking … still, it does has some basic options in the BIOS if you wanted to give it a go.
Prices of the Gigabyte H67MA-UD2H are starting to appear, and most online retailers are selling these motherboards for around USD $100-120 (GBP 80-90), which I think is pretty good value considering what you actaully get. As I said, this motherboard would be great for HTPC and media PC users, with the option to support CrossfireX for the dedicated enthusiast gamer.
Final words. I have now problems whatsoever in recommending the Gigabyte H67MA-UD2H. It’s absolutely feature packed and offers a wealth of extra features that make this micro-ATX motherboard utterly irresistable. Whether you’re a HTPC or media PC users, or even a LAN party goer, the Gigabyte H67MA-UD2H has everything you need to build a system that offers decent performance with a wide range of video outputs.
SCORE
8/10
