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GIGABYTE G1.Killer Sniper 2 Z68 LGA1155 ATX Motherboard Review

Eric Garay
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Two die hard gamers with nearly identical systems were convinced that one would “pwn” the other. As the fight went on, it seemed player one knew where Player two was at all times, getting behind and knifing him at will. This happens all too often to a large majority of players, but there are a few variables that give your opponent that extra edge. One such advantage is the motherboard your performance components are connected to. Especially if the board offers higher end audio and networking. GIGABYTE has been doing this for quite some time with their G1.Killer Series. Now they’ve unleashed the G1 Killer Sniper 2 based on INTEL’s Z68 platform.


Features and Specifications

Like any G1 Killer series board, the Sniper 2 sports a creative theme with heat sinks resembling common military weaponry. Sure, it’s not realistic enough to cause home land security to get their knickers in a bunch but it does pique the interest of avid gamers around the world. Don’t let the facade fool you as they do work for cooling off components.

The BIOS remains last generation, but should feel completely familiar allowing you to quickly get in and out and gaming in no time. GIGABYTE does have a new 3D BIOS out there, but only time will tell if they will bring this down from their X79 flagship to their other boards. The rest of the features include Virtu’s extended graphical support from Intel’s Sandy Bridge processors and Intel Smart Response providing extra overall performance by caching important files to any 20 to 64GB max SSD. GIGABYTE also includes a handy utility called EZ Smart Response for getting set up easily without having to reinstall Windows. An issue that many early adopters ran into with this platform and Smart Response.

To get you even more excited about this motherboard, we’ve prepared one of our video overviews to take you on a tour through all the features this board has to offer…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cgbPU_UlSU&w=689&h=417]

This more aggressive GIGABYTE G1 Killer Sniper 2 Z68 motherboard can be found from many of the usual places for $329.99 and lower with some promotions. If you find one, don’t think about it too long because they quickly disappear off the shelves when they are in stock. You’re probably want to know if all of the Intel and embedded features are worth it. Let’s find out!

Test System and Configuration

The system was matched up with the same components used in our massive INTEL Z68 Motherboard round up. We’re looking for any tangible benefits built in to this premium dual channel gaming motherboard.  As a refresher, here’s what was spec’d in that original system setup…

Performance was compared to all the other motherboards in the INTEL Z68 Round Up and we were looking for performance benefits that were provided by the higher price tag of the G1.Killer Sniper 2. We used the latest 1.30 BIOS as of the testing of this board. We also used NVIDIA’s 285.35 drivers which were slightly newer than the ones in the original round up, but didn’t seem to offer any enhancements. The board’s performance numbers were achieved using the platform’s native 1333MHz DDR3 frequency. The Patriot and Kingston kits were used to confirm that the board does in fact properly support 1866 and 2133MHz frequencies and could be stable using those frequencies only.

Overclocking Our G1.Killer Sniper 2

The G1.Killer Sniper 2 features an 8 Phase VRM which can be more than enough to get a CPU to 5GHz. They’ll work hard but that’s fine as long as the circuitry is up to the task. We’ve seen regular Z68 boards reach 4.6GHz on the average. With 1.5 volts max applied to the CPU, this is what I got.

Considering the results we got with the GIGABYTE Z68X-UD3H or Z68XP-UD5, two of the board’s cheaper siblings, it’s nice to see that the premium G1.Killer Sniper 2 able to reach the higher 4.8GHz speeds. However, the system wasn’t perfectly stable above even with 1.5 volts. Manipulating any other voltages didn’t help although it seemed it was very close to accepting 4.9GHz. As with any overclocking, your mileage may vary depending on CPU, motherboards, and other environmental factors.


Benchmark Suite

As per Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), the overclocked system has to pass three iterations of Sysmark 2007 or we don’t count it as stable. That said, the suite consists of programs that test the entire platform’s features and sub-systems under real world applications. The benchmarks include: Sysmark 2007, CineBench R11.5, 3DMark11, Metro 2033, RightMarkAudio Analyzer, input/output performance, power consumption and a quick quality control spot inspection.

Power Consumption was measured using a power meter from the outlet. The Quality Control test was performed utilizing our check list and a laser thermometer. We look for any manufacturing issues like assembly problems, damaged heat sinks or substandard components, even crooked ones. We’re also hunting for EMF, circuit noises and any unusual hot spots.

Sysmark 2007

This program benchmarks a computer’s overall performance rating the system in areas such as E-Learning, Video Creation, Office Productivity, and 3D Modeling. E-Learning uses apps like Adobe Flash and Photoshop to execute rich image, video, and audio in web based presentations. Video Creation creates a video rendering uses apps like SONY VEGAS to stress the system in professional video editing using effects and images from multiple sources, content types and formats. Office Productivity uses the real Microsoft Office to assess performance gains using these types of application. Finally, 3D Modeling professional applications to stress the system in real world simulations.

After all the fine tuning was finished, the GIGABYTE G1.Killer Sniper 2 and ASUS P8Z68-V Pro fight for the top spot. It’s most likely the extra premium components on the Sniper 2 that give it a bit of an edge despite the extra technology the ASUS has with some additional processors. Given the close range of scores, I think the Z68 is running about as well as it can.

CineBench R11.5

Rendering in this benchmark is very CPU intensive and sensitive to things like core frequencies and the responsiveness of INTEL’s Turbo Tech (ITT). Because this board is rumored to have better, quicker ITT tuning, we tested both locked and Turbo settings.

Stock performance shows us the best basic CPU and motherboard tuning. The Sniper 2 shows us some strong performance at normal settings. While the Sniper 2 showed us some decent overclocking performance, the ASUS P8Z68-V Pro is still just a bit more aggressive, showing off the extra parts that it has at its disposal. Still, the Sniper 2 outpaces its regular desktop siblings which is expected on a premium platform.

3DMark11

Locking down the BIOS settings to match as close as possible across the bunch, the Sniper 2 just out paces the ASUS which has consistantly performed faster than the rest. It’s not much, but enough to take the win overall. Interesting to see that in a straight up fight, the G1.Killer Sniper 2 does take the lead, albeit a small one.

Metro 2033

This game simply slaps gaming systems around at will no matter what you’ve got inside the box. After running the benchmark several times, I found the Sniper 2 just ever so slightly quicker using one video card and just a bit faster in SLI mode.

Batman: Arkham Asylum

The bottom line here is that the video cards are running as fast as they possibly can on the Z68 PCIE bus. It’s hard to believe a DX9 game can look so good compared to a DX10 or even some DX11 games. Either way, we’re glad to see Physics and extreme details don’t give the Sniper 2 any problems.

Bad Company 2

Since I used BC2 in the original G1.Killer Assassin review (and maybe the upcoming Assassin 2 review), I thought I’d toss it in here for good measure. What this shows us is that the video cards are the limiting factor, if you can call just over 100 FPS at max “limiting” to any degree.

I/O Performance

For this round of I/O testing, I only tested our two PLX friendly Z68 boards and the full PCIE speed X58 Assassin for comparison. In the round up, there wasn’t a lot of difference. The thing to note is the performance of the SATA3 HDD versus the Kingston 64GB V100+ SSD using the native SATA2 ports.

Run after run, the X58 was just a little slower. The SSD smokes the SATA3 HDD test as expected. The only thing faster would be using a SATA3 SSD in those ports. Overall, the Sniper 2 stretched just a bit further ahead, shining well in the USB 3.0 test as well. Good implementation is probably the main benefit and it’s nice to see the added benefit of on/off charge from GIGABYTE giving extra power to those ports so you can keep your cell phone charged in between games.


RightMarkAudio Analyzer

The objective here is to compare the motherboard’s audio performance bit more objectively than with the human ear. Using the latest drivers, RMAA is pretty reliable when detecting poorly integrated audio solutions. As a double check, we use a pair of high quality Seinnheiser PC370 headphones to help us confirm our results as well as allow us to detect any noise that is distracting to the human ear.

Since this year has been the rise of the gamer motherboards, these are the test results for the most prominent integrated and bundled audio processors. The scores between the X-Fi are extremely close. What you can’t hear is the audio level and clarity that comes from the front panel amplifiers. It makes my not so elite speakers/headsets sound good and the higher end Klipsch speakers and Sennheiser headset sound amazing.

However, the Thunderbolt card sounds fantastic at all times whether in game or not. It doesn’t matter that it’s only giving you high end stereo, it sounds great even without the 5.1 surround. My favorite DJ RKade mixed music really sounds sweet on this setup. You get every ounce quality from high end audio playback.

Is the Network Performance Killer?

Having a Killer E2100 NIC has some benefits.  The Killer Network Manager will automatically prioritize games and most supporting programs like chat at the top. While a greater average of regular gamers don’t need the feature, latencies and response times to servers can be cut especially in games like Left 4 Dead 2 that rely on the Windows network stack while hosting the server.

Common NICs like Realtek and Intel LAN Pro favor file serving and typical web networking. The common RTL8111 sits on the highest amount of bandwidth. The E2100 is just about 1MB/s slower as it doesn’t set typical use at high priority. Intel LAN Pro balances a little of both with bandwidth in between.

However, the E2100 shaves a ton of latency off most anything that has to communicate with network traffic especially games and VOIP programs. Intel LAN Pro again balances the afore mentioned and latency. Realtek is far more latent as it doesn’t prioritize anything by default. When it comes down to it, this is an advantage that can benefit any gamer playing multi-player games.

Power Consumption and Quality Control

Power consumption is usually pretty uneventful since most of the platforms share the common Z68 design specs. However, the extra features on the Sniper 2 do need a bit more power as they should, even though they are embedded or integrated. They don’t need a lot extra but some. And, 99% of the regular or high end users simply won’t mind.

As far as quality control goes, the board does not suffer from any of the things that cheaper boards seem exhibit. Everything on the Sniper 2 was mounted straight as an arrow, and we did not notice any hot spots or squeaks from capacitors, even under heavy load.

Final Thoughts

In rating the GIGABYTE G1.Killer Sniper 2 motherboard, I had to consider the integrated versus the external peripheral argument. On the one hand, if the audio or network go out, users will have to RMA the entire board. Add-on cards can simply be swapped out but do take up slots which could be used for other things. Five years ago I would argue in favor of using add-on cards given their very limited track record quality. But as of late, I haven’t heard of many boards losing their integrated LAN or audio. Boards have just gotten a lot better, especially when it comes to protecting themselves from surges and other power anomalies. I find myself liking the new high end integrated gaming features here and the simplicity it brings.

Overall, the GIGABYTE G1 Killer Sniper 2 is simply an awesome motherboard. Avid gamers expect a very good experience from their high components as well as easy setup that gets you in the game quickly. The higher end Creative X-Fi audio which really livens up the gaming experience and the Bigfoot Networks Killer network processor that sets your games up at the top of the network priority pile. Start up programs should no longer lag your system and your opponent shouldn’t be able to sneak up on you any longer. Add some dark PCB and weaponized looking heat sinks for effect and you now have an unmistakable gaming motherboard. The extra benefit of some high end overclocking is just some sweeter icing on the cake should you choose to experiment when not gaming.

The only thing missing really is support for more than two GPUs. But since most mainstream gamers run a single or at most a dual GPU setup for SLI or CrossFireX, this board should serve you well. Especially since the usual upgrades to better network and audio are already taken care of in the box. If you do have to populate your board with the maximum amount of GPUs, then we suggest you hold tight for our upcoming G1.Killer Assassin 2 review.

Searching for the G1.Killer Sniper 2 online revealed pricing anywhere from $330 to $360 US/CA depending on the store or promos that are running. Fortunately, this price is backed up with nice peripherals and its ability to overclock well. If you can find this board, and if you’re a gamer that puts overall performance and ease of setup over all else, you might want to grab it pretty quick as it’s not one to stay in stock very long. GIGABYTE clearly has it right when it comes to reaching the mainstream PC gamer that wants to enjoy every session.

Pros

  • Creative X-Fi high quality audio
  • Killer E2100 prioritized network
  • Weaponized heat sink and design theme
  • Auto OC Button feature
  • Overclocks surprisingly well
  • Premium performance

Cons

  • Premium price
  • No 3-Way NVIDIA SLI / 4-way AMD CrossfireX support
  • No onboard power, reset or CMOS clear buttons

Overall Rating: 9.0 / 10.0


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