Gigabyte Z170N-Gaming 5 Review

Written by Antony Leather

September 1, 2016 | 09:03

Tags: #best-skylake-motherboard #best-z170-motherboard #cheapest-skylake-motherboard #lga1151 #mini-itx #skylake #skylake-itx #z170 #z170-mini-itx

Companies: #gigabyte

Rightmark Audio Analyzer

Publisher: Rightmark


We use the Playback/Recording test, first adjusting levels so they're within the benchmark parameters and then using 24-bit 192kHz tracks, we connect the line-in to the speaker/line-out jack using a standard 3.5mm audio cable.

RightMark Audio Analyser

Dynamic Range

  • Gigabyte Z170X-Gaming 7 (Creative 'What you hear')
  • Gigabyte Z170N-Gaming 5
  • Asus Maximus VIII Impact
  • Asus Maximus VIII Hero
  • Gigabyte Z170MX-Gaming 5
  • Asus Maximus VIII Hero Alpha
  • MSI Z170A XPOWER Gaming Titanium Edition
  • Asus Z170i Pro Gaming
  • Asus Sabertooth Z170 Mark 1
  • Asus Maximus VIII Gene
  • Asus Z170-Deluxe
  • MSI Z170I Gaming Pro AC
  • Gigabyte Z170-Gaming K3
  • MSI Z170A Gaming Pro Carbon
  • MSI Z170A MPOWER Gaming Titanium
  • Asus Xonar DGX 5.1
  • MSI Z170A Gaming M5
  • Gigabyte Z170X-Gaming 7
  • MSI Z170A SLI Plus
    • 143.0
    • 106.0
    • 105.5
    • 105.3
    • 105.2
    • 104.9
    • 104.9
    • 104.2
    • 104.2
    • 104.0
    • 104.0
    • 103.9
    • 103.8
    • 103.8
    • 103.3
    • 102.9
    • 100.6
    • 99.4
    • 96.3
0
25
50
75
100
125
150
Higher is better
  • Dynamic Range (dBA)

RightMark Audio Analyser

Noise Level (dBA)

  • Gigabyte Z170X-Gaming 7 (Creative 'What you hear')
  • Gigabyte Z170N-Gaming 5
  • Asus Maximus VIII Impact
  • Asus Maximus VIII Hero
  • MSI Z170A XPOWER Gaming Titanium Edition
  • Asus Maximus VIII Hero Alpha
  • Gigabyte Z170MX-Gaming 5
  • Asus Sabertooth Z170 Mark 1
  • Asus Z170i Pro Gaming
  • MSI Z170I Gaming Pro AC
  • Asus Maximus VIII Gene
  • Asus Z170-Deluxe
  • Gigabyte Z170-Gaming K3
  • MSI Z170A Gaming Pro Carbon
  • MSI Z170A MPOWER Gaming Titanium
  • Asus Xonar DGX 5.1
  • MSI Z170A Gaming M5
  • Gigabyte Z170X-Gaming 7
  • MSI Z170A SLI Plus
    • -133.0
    • -106.5
    • -105.6
    • -105.4
    • -105.0
    • -104.9
    • -104.8
    • -104.3
    • -104.3
    • -104.0
    • -104.0
    • -104.0
    • -103.9
    • -103.9
    • -103.4
    • -102.9
    • -100.2
    • -99.3
    • -96.4
0
25
50
75
100
125
150
Lower is better (figures are negative)
  • Noise Level (dBA)

RightMark Audio Analyser

Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) %

  • Gigabyte Z170X-Gaming 7 (Creative 'What You Hear')
  • Asus Z170-Deluxe
  • Asus Maximus VIII Impact
  • Asus Xonar DGX 5.1
  • Asus Sabertooth Z170 Mark 1
  • Asus Z170i Pro Gaming
  • Asus Maximus VIII Hero
  • Asus Maximus VIII Hero Alpha
  • Asus Maximus VIII Gene
  • MSI Z170A SLI Plus
  • MSI Z170A Gaming Pro Carbon
  • Gigabyte Z170X-Gaming 7
  • Gigabyte Z170N-Gaming 5
  • MSI Z170A XPOWER Gaming Titanium Edition
  • MSI Z170A MPOWER Gaming Titanium
  • MSI Z170A Gaming M5
  • MSI Z170I Gaming Pro AC
  • Gigabyte Z170-Gaming K3
  • Gigabyte Z170MX-Gaming 5
    • 0.0000
    • 0.0031
    • 0.0038
    • 0.0040
    • 0.0042
    • 0.0046
    • 0.0055
    • 0.0056
    • 0.0067
    • 0.0074
    • 0.0077
    • 0.0077
    • 0.0079
    • 0.0079
    • 0.0085
    • 0.0086
    • 0.0094
    • 0.0100
    • 0.0120
0
0.0025
0.005
0.0075
0.01
0.0125
Lower is better
  • THD %

Discuss this in the forums

Posted by Maki role - Thu Sep 01 2016 10:08

Bit of a pain how so many motherboards are shipping with basically no USB ports on the rear IO. I know that fast ones are good and all, but it's just a bit of a pain having to use hubs all the time.

Posted by bawjaws - Thu Sep 01 2016 11:54

Nice, another good Z170 mITX board.. Still looks like the Asus Z170i Pro Gaming is the best option for me, but it's nice to have another good choice available.

I still think that most of the Z170 mITX boards incorporate at least one dodgy design choice, though, so there's still a space in the market for the perfect Z170 mITX!

Posted by David - Thu Sep 01 2016 12:30

bawjaws
Nice, another good Z170 mITX board.. Still looks like the Asus Z170i Pro Gaming is the best option for me, but it's nice to have another good choice available.

I still think that most of the Z170 mITX boards incorporate at least one dodgy design choice, though, so there's still a space in the market for the perfect Z170 mITX!
I went through this process a few weeks ago, before I got the Asus Z170i Pro Gaming. Most of the others had limited m.2 capability, whereas the Pro Gaming was a little light on SATA ports, but I'm using m.2 for OS and a single storage drive - the rest of my storage is in my server.

I don't get the need for masses of SATA peripherals on a mini ITX board - any more than two or three and you're doing it wrong, IMO - so it was perfect. In comparison, the Gigabyte looks a little light on USB ports at the back, which is a bigger compromise, I think.

Oh, mine doesn't have a type c connector - how will I survive? :lol:

Posted by RedFlames - Thu Sep 01 2016 12:57

Spreadie
Oh, mine doesn't have a type c connector - how will I survive? :lol:
imo type-C connectors would be better served on a case front panel right now... other than some new phones and a couple of peripherals targeted at the Macbook, there aren't that many type-c things out there atm, and none are the kinda things i wanna be rummaging at the back of the case to plug in...

right now on-board Type-C is just a marketing gimmick, 'our boards have it!... you'll likely never use it but our boards have it!'
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