Gigabyte Z170 UD3 vs Gaming 3

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Jan 25, 2016
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Is there a difference in terms of build quality?

Based on Gigabyte's specs, the only difference seems to be that the Gaming 3 has a different LAN chip and some extra audio features. However, on the product page the UD3 is listed as having solid caps and a special PBC design, which is not on the Gaming 3's feature list.

There's also this:
http://wccftech.com/gigabyte-z170-motherboards/
... which says that there is a difference in power layout (8 phase for G3, 12 phase for UD3, I don't actually know what that means).

There seem to be barely any reviews for these boards and the Newegg ratings for the UD3 are... not encouraging. Is there a significant difference between them?
 
Solution
The UD3 should be 'tougher', the Gaming 3 has more features.

I'd be buying at the $150 level for ATX, or look at a mATX board for a little cheaper.
These are relatively new motherboards; so few reviews and more teething troubles than they will have in another six months.

In general, more power phases is better for overclocking. The G! series is theoretically the 'better' board, although the UD3 should be decent too.

If the reviews concern you, have you considered another manufacturer? Gigabyte make a good product and I often recommend them.
 

Most Worrisome

Honorable
Jan 25, 2016
24
1
10,515

To be fair, after looking at other boards, it seems like the mixed reviews correlate more with this price point than the specific manufacturer. I might end up spending a little bit more in the end, just to hedge my bets.

Anyway, I was just a bit suspicious about the caps and special PCB missing from the Gaming 3's feature list. After all, manufacturers love to stuff these lists with every little thing they can think of, even if every single model they sell has it. So it got me wondering if there are build quality differences between the UD and equivalent Gaming boards.