Test System

Initial Setup

The Gigabyte Z77X-UP5 TH booted up with our 3770K and G.Skill 2400 MHz memory without any problems at all, using the default Intel Turbo Boost profile and running the 8 GB G.SKILL kit at 1333 MHz with 9-9-9-24-1T timings as we've seen on nearly every other Intel Z77 Express product. The Gigabyte Z77X-UP5 TH is yet another product that I found to have slightly elevated CPU voltage at stock, but not high enough to cause any concern. One thing I could add here is that this board, due to a lack of external drive controllers except for one, has to be the very fastest at booting and completing the POST process. Gigabyte has spent a fair bit of effort on optimizing this experience and all of the other changes they've made to how the BIOS works - that definitely brings a smile to my face.

PWM Power Consumption

One of our first tasks to truly verify system stability is to measure CPU power consumption. We isolate the power coming through the 8-pin ATX connector using an in-line meter that provides voltage and current readings, as well as total wattage passed through it. While this may not prove to isolate the CPU power draw in all instances, it does serve as a good indicator of board efficiency and effective VRM design.


Power consumption, while right around average at both idle and load, did not fluctuate much when temperatures increased. Under overclocking, I actually noticed slightly lower power consumption than I had expected. Idle power, of course, seems a bit high at 7 Watts, but I found a fan header nearby the plug, meaning that number is truly of no consequence as full system power consumption was exactly in-line with what I've noticed from boards with different fan control layouts. At load, actual power consumed was also in-line with some of the best results I've seen. Very many boards out there have very efficient VRM designs, so separating the worst from the best becomes more difficult when power draw is so low - IvyBridge really does sip the power.