14 DAY TRIAL // Motherboards based on the Z87 chipset are powerful by default, seeing as how that is the highest-grade core-logic Intel made for the Haswell CPU line. Gigabyte went above the call of duty, though, when it made the G1.Sniper Z87.
Gigabyte really spared no expense when it designed the newest high-end gaming platform. If it did, there wouldn't be so much gold in and on it.
As it is, the G1.Sniper Z87 features not only gold-plated audio jacks, but also gold-plated USB ports and what seems to be a golden Creative Sound Core3D chip as well.
Precious metals aren't the only asset here though. Gigabyte also included the AMP-UP Audio technology, which gives gamers more control over sounds.
Furthermore, Gigabyte's G1.Sniper Z87 is the first motherboard ever to feature an upgradable onboard operational amplifier (OP-Amp).
OP-Amps amplify the audio signal and enhance quality overall too. In this case, the OP-Amp can be removed from its socket and replaced by those who know what they're doing.
Moving on, the newcomer uses Killer E2200 networking technology, which optimizes bandwidth use and always prioritizes games over everything else. Lag should be a thing of the past.
A final asset of the Gigabyte G1.Sniper Z87 is the USB Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC), which uses an isolated power source to minimize power fluctuations (caused by other USB ports) and further refine sound clarity. Sadly, a price was not included in Gigabyte's announcement.
"The new G1.Sniper Z87 has PC gaming built-in to its DNA, an utterly compelling choice for any high performance PC built with fragging in mind," commented Henry Kao, Vice President of GIGABYTE Motherboard Business Unit.
"It's fantastic to be here as the exclusive motherboard sponsor at Blizzcon 2013, and also have the opportunity to showcase our latest gaming platform to thousands of true hard core gamers."
