GIGABYTE have clearly been consulting gamers regarding the colour scheme they prefer. Visit any enthusiast forum and the vast majority of PC custom builds feature a red and black theme and this is where the GAMING 5P will complement such builds perfectly. The satin black PCB with matching black sockets looks domineering with flashes of red here and there highlighting what is a great looking motherboard, if somewhat 'tried and tested' by PC builders.


Flipping the board over we find vast amount of unpopulated space which is a good thing for those want to use there own backplates and not the included X99 backplate. We can also see that the LED strip to the right passes all the way through the mainboard to light up the rear of the board when installed which look fantastic in darkness.


Overall, the motherboard is aesthetically pleasing. While it cannot be described as ground breaking it is sure to please the gaming masses, especially if red and black colour scheme is your thing. Our only criticism of the looks of the main board are the green audio caps which look distinctly out of place here.