Right from the get-go we were impressed by GIGABYTE’s efforts with the Z87X-OC. It may be designed for the advanced user but even so, it’s even a great starting point for anyone seeking to learn more about overclocking. Z87X-OC has every conceivable tool for overclocking and leaves no stone unturned as it were, those enthusiasts who have their sights set on squeezing the most out of Haswell should look no further.

GIGABYTE have now fine-tuned the aesthetics in this, their latest creation for the prolific overclocking segment. Over the years the styling has altered ever so slightly but we can confidently say that this time round they have really nailed the visual appearance with Z87X-OC. Its design is unique and oozes finesse.

In our performance benchmarks this motherboard gave us the results we hoped for, we even chose this motherboard for reviewing [url=Intel’s Core i5 4670K and Core i7 4770K[/url] since we were certain this particular offering could give us the best results and squeeze the best results and overclock from Intel’s new 4th generation. We obviously couldn’t leave it the average board to demonstrate the absolute limits on this platform; Z87X-OC is about as high-end as you can get for LGA1150. We may not be avid overclockers and may not have the best Haswell chips (in overclockability) but we still felt confident that the 4770K we had was pushed to its limits, we managed a 4.7GHz overclock by using the basic and some advanced options. This is an admirable result, and we are certain records will be broken in the near future with such an offering.


Z87X-OC brings with it Ultra Durable 5 Plus – GIGABYTE’s next instalment in their Ultra Durable series. What this translates to for the end user is – higher quality components and better stability for extreme conditions. Not only have GIGABYTE furnished this motherboard with premium components but the layout is also very good, those using a test bench will be pleased with the layout of features. The last thing you want when trying to push the boundaries is to struggle due to poor layout.

Priced at approximately £180 the Z87X-OC is a little more expensive than entry and mid-level LGA1150 motherboards but this is understandably so. This motherboard is designed for the high-end; it is a premium solution and has significantly more features compared to other solutions. This motherboard is actually quite good value for money considering all you get.

The Z87X-OC is poised and ready to take on anything thrown at it. If you are seeking a premium Z87 motherboard, want to push the limitations of your processor then this offering is a top-pick. We are pleased to hand GIGABYTE our Gold and Creative awards.