Gigabyte Re-Arms G1.Killer Series with Z68 Chipset

By Kevin Parrish
published

GIGABYTE's cool gun-themed motherboard series now has a version sporting Intel's Z68 chipset.

Thursday Gigabyte released the next model in its G1-Killer motherboard series, the G1.Sniper 2, based on Intel's Z68 chipset. For the uninitiated, this series of motherboards is built around emulated components of a disassembled gun, perfect for modders and PC gamers who feel like making intimidating statements without using words (or real weapons).

"Like soldiers about to head out into the line of fire, elite gamers know that the equipment they use can mean the difference between getting the frag, or being fragged," the company said. "That is why GIGABYTE has designed the G1-Killer series of motherboards for one purpose, and one purpose only; serious hardcore gaming."

The biggest feature of the G1-Killer series is its "Locked and Loaded" heatpipe design. This is modeled after common firearms issued to soldiers deployed to warzones including pistol and rifle components, and ammo magazines. GIGABYTE said the design isn't just for looks -- it utilizes a unique "fluting" technology similar to a rifle barrel fluting which allows for maximum heat dispersion.

The latest in the series, the G1.Sniper 2, supports Intel's second-generation Core i7 "Sandy Bridge" processors (socket LGA1155) and four DDR3 slots offering up to 32 GB of memory (2133/1333/1066 MHz). It also comes packed with a real Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi 20K2 chip and a dedicated Bigfoot Networks Killer NIC E2100 network processing unit (NPU). The board also supports PCI Express Gen 3, 2-way SLI and 2-way Crossfire X, making it a killer choice when building that custom gaming rig capable of taking on Crysis 2 or anything else Crytek has in its arsenal.

As for other features, the motherboard provides four USB 3.0 ports and twelve USB 2.0 ports. It also boasts a 12-phase power setup, GIGABYTE's Ultra Durable 3 design, LucidLogix Virtu GPU virtualization support for dynamic switching between the built-in graphics and discrete graphics, four SATA 6 Gb/s ports and three SATA 3 Gb/s ports. There's even a built-in front audio headphone amplifier capable of driving 150U loads.

"The GIGABYTE G1.Sniper 2 brings our acclaimed no mercy G1-Killer gaming philosophy to Intel's mainstream Z68 platform", commented Henry Kao, Vice President of GIGABYTE Motherboard Business Unit. "From listening closely to the gaming community, it's clear that this is an eagerly anticipated motherboard, and one that will guarantee the fearlessly uncompromising gaming experience that so many of our customers crave."

So far actual pricing and availability is not known, so stay tuned.

Kevin Parrish
17 Comments Comment from the forums
  • dimar
    Will be looking forward for G1-Killer board based on Intel 7-series chip, with native PCIe 3 support. When are PCIe 3 cards expected anyway?
    Reply
  • aleksancevski
    Anyone know if it is UEFI like ASUS or just the ugly standard BIOS?
    Reply
  • memadmax
    Needs more PCI-E slots, no 4x, no game.
    Reply
  • huron
    aleksancevskiAnyone know if it is UEFI like ASUS or just the ugly standard BIOS?
    That's a really good question...wasn't Gigabyte the one that didn't develop UEFI on their recent Z68 boards?

    It's be a shame to have a board like this and not have UEFI
    Reply
  • 11796pcs
    GIGABYTE said the design isn't just for looks -- it utilizes a unique "fluting" technology similar to a rifle barrel fluting which allows for maximum heat dispersion.
    I'm sorry, but that sounds like the biggest BS I've heard in a while. Though I love the board itself. If I was going to drop that much money, I would at least wait for the new Ivy Bridge/2011 chips. No enthusiast would ever buy this board though because even though 2 570/6950/6970/580s are enough for anybody at pretty much any resolution the enhusiast HAS to have 4 PCI-e ports for some reason.
    making it a killer choice when building that custom gaming rig capable of taking on Crysis 2 or anything else Crytek has in its arsenal.
    Unless you're playing at some rediculous resolution, maxed out Crysis 1 isn't really that hard anymore. I can get 19-23 FPS at 1680x1050 with a 5770 (playable for me), maxed out (without AA).
    Reply
  • christop
    I will guess this board will be 400 bucks. I still don't see the point in the bigfoot killer nic all the reviews I have seen say its a joke..
    Reply
  • razor512
    christopI will guess this board will be 400 bucks. I still don't see the point in the bigfoot killer nic all the reviews I have seen say its a joke..
    it takes a lot of CPU power to handle the average American internet connection. You expect a onboard giabit NIC and a core i7 CPU to handle the vast onslaught of 5-10mbit/s of data?

    the bigfoot's 400MHz CPU is still lacking, a network card needs at least a dedicated core i7 2600K on the NIC to ensure that users get the most out of their 5-10mbit connections

    I want a network card with a built in quantum computer to handle my slow internet connection


    jk

    anyway I feel this board will have a horrible price/ performance ratio. (you are mostly paying for the looks and crap like name brand network cards that don't work any better)

    (think of it as the i'm rich application for the iphone, but as a motherboard instead)

    PS will tomshardware please make an article on when is a overpriced motherboard worth the money.

    In many cases, a $120 and a $200 motherboard will only offer a small difference in performance, but putting the $80 towards a better CPU, or GPU will often have a significantly higher performance boost.
    Reply
  • ojas
    11796pcsUnless you're playing at some rediculous resolution, maxed out Crysis 1 isn't really that hard anymore. I can get 19-23 FPS at 1680x1050 with a 5770 (playable for me), maxed out (without AA).
    Do you notice how contradictory your statement is?
    Reply
  • demonhorde665
    i can see this main board's price beign around 250 bucks , i.e. it will be for elite gamers only , (and when i say elite , i dont mean gamer's that are actually good at games, more like the kind of gamers that throw super hardware at thier "i-suck-at-games" problem)

    that said .. *yawn* i'd rather here about a company bringing big game features to lower end products something that most gamers can atually afford.

    and damn i built my current mid range rig in 2008 and looking at all the new tech out is making me long for something newer , but as usual my broke a-- isn't any where near the money for building a new budget gaming pc, let alone the monster system you'd stick on this main board.

    Reply
  • demonhorde665
    11796pcsUnless you're playing at some rediculous resolution, maxed out Crysis 1 isn't really that hard anymore. I can get 19-23 FPS at 1680x1050 with a 5770 (playable for me), maxed out (without AA).
    you knwo hwo stupid you sound ??? no offence but seriously 19-23 fps palyable ? i have same vid chip as you and i'm on a athy 64 x2 5000+ black edition clocked to 3ghz , i get 15-45 (depending on the scene) and i uninstalled crysis 1 half way throguh the game cos i was sick of just how Unpalyble it is with those low dips it does (and that is regardless of rather or not i maxed it out) to boot i'm locked to highQ only cos i'm still runing win xp 32 bit so i'm ntoe ven runing it at max dx 10 setttings and i'm findingf it to unplayable to bear. yet you manage to suffer 19 to 23 fps and call that playable ???

    your comment is giving me a headache just imagining what you were thinking when you made it on one hand you say crysis 1 is easy to run , and in the same sentence you talk about some rather unplayble performance in ANY OTHER gamer's mind and eyes.

    what i define as "runs easy" is a game that plays max settings 1080p (1920 x 1080) with 4x aa and 40-60 fps (such as my computer runing fallout new vegas on my HDTV),

    what your calling good running, IS NOT running good. try playing that crap online and i'm sure you'll be handed your rectum's inner working 100% of the time.
    Reply