gigabyte ax370 k5 vs 5?

[Thekwango]

simple question really - what is the biggest difference in these 2 boards. both are within the budget I've set myself (like that ever works!)

I prefer the look of the k5, don't like the white shroud that's on the 5!

does the k5 dual bios?

I'll be pairing one of them with an R5 1600 and custom watercooling if that makes a difference
Gigabyte Gaming K5

Gigabyte Gaming 5

 

[Thekwango]

The Gaming 5 does have a lot of reviews,

Tech Team GB = Gold award
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up0pneWbyz0


Tech Team GB OC Guide
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4clByZ2DOC0


OC3D = Performance award
https://overclock3d.net/reviews/cpu_mainboard/gigabyte_x370_aorus_gaming_5_aorus_review/1


Bit-Tech = Exceptional award
https://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2017/03/22/gigabyte-aorus-ax370-gaming-5-review/1


Vortez = Gold award
https://www.vortez.net/articles_pages/gigabyte_aorus_ga_ax370_gaming_5_review,1.html


Kitguru = Worth Buying
http://www.kitguru.net/components/m...byte-aorus-ax370-gaming-5-motherboard-review/


HEXUS = Approved
http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/mainboard/103954-gigabyte-aorus-ax370-gaming-5/


Custom PC = Approved
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7drkiroof8w7a0e/Custom PC X370-GAMING 5 & AB350-GAMING 3.pdf?dl=0


Techicize = Design award
https://techicize.com/gigabyte-aorus-ga-ax370-gaming-5-motherboard-review/



Would like to see the K5 more represented.

Actually wasnt the Gaming 5 like £205 or something? and is now under £200.

Edit yep £205 - https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/posts/30770916/

Yea the Gaming 5 has been well received it's just that fugly white shroud that puts me right off it!!

 

[Thekwango]

The improved power circuitry might sway me but that's it.

That said I'm pretty objective with motherboards, as long as it has what I need, I just go for the cheapest one with the chipset I want.

Yea I'm usually the same. Though I'd have already been all over the 5 by now if it wasn't for that white nonsense!

 

[Thekwango]

Gaming 5 as more VRMs power phases , If you want the best Then the best
then
ROG CROSSHAIR VI HERO AMD X370 or Asrock X370 Taichi

CH6 and Taichi are absolute overkill in virtually every department. 200 quid plus for what? In a couple of bios updates the 150 quid boards will do virtually everything the above do.

I originally liked the visual aspect of the Taichi but now I've drifted more towards 'meh'

 

[Thekwango]

I suppose you could just remove the big heatsink and paint it black or whatever, call me a cynic but I think these oversized heatsink on motherboards are more for show than anything, otherwise why wouldn't they have lots of fins on them rather than just big flat chunks.

That big white thing down the left side is just plastic.

I figured it wasn't offering any practicality but hadn't thought of just removing it. Wonder how difficult that is.......might chuck gigabyte uk a tweet and see what they say.

 

[Thekwango]

Painting it over or covering with a sticker sounds like too much faff for me. Might just take it off then. I'll email/tweet AMD first just to see what they say. Never know maybe it does serve some purpose.

That leads me to my next question, though. Is the gaming 5 the 'best' sub 200 quid motherboard!? From my own limited investigations it does seem to be but might as well ask here too!

 

[Thekwango]

Dunno, I'd be tempted to go for something like this though and save a few quid.
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/giga...ocket-am4-ddr4-atx-motherboard-mb-556-gi.html

I appreciate I've got a different platform to you, but the k3 I've got is great, I don't think a 5 or a 7 would do anything for me other than cost more, it overclocks well, it does its job.

Again, another board I had looked at but too much red on the board for me. Going to be watercooling with uv green/blue combo. Red would just be too out of place.

The more I think about it I may just go with the K5, pairing with a 1600 the slightly weaker power circuitry/vrms 'probably' won't make much difference. Especially as I can't imagine I'll be pushing for a crazy high OC.

 

[Thekwango]

Basically, the 5 is a white K7 with some of the overclocking options removed in the BIOS, whereas the K5 is a K7 with a bunch of hardware features removed.

ah ok, that's interesting. so I'm probably better using the gigabyte comparison tool to compare the k5 & k7 to see the hw differences?

 

[Thekwango]

hmm just read online that the power circuitry on the k5 is more in line with the B350 range of boards. guess that scuppers that then.

didn't mind the idea of it being slightly 'weaker' than the 5 or k7 but not gonna spend on an X board to get B board vrms etc

 

[Thekwango]

I have the K5, love it . runs corsair 16GB 3000hz LXP which isn't actually support with xmp enabled .

Bios is more limited then K7/5 which is a shame but well suited for a standard user slapping in an X version CPU and letting it get on with it .

I've manually got a 1600 running @3.8 with 1.3v , will push higher later

Ah now there's something I hadn't thought about. Get the k5 instead of the 5 and get the 1600x instead of the 1600, price is virtually the same.
How difficult was it to get the 1600 oc'd manually?

 

[Thekwango]

I Have the Gaming 5 , not missing out on much at all , you can still OC the same with K5 & even with a Gaming 3 or lower , So you really not missing out on much at all , Wish i went for K5 now

Yea looking more likely I'll go with the K5, or at least that's my current train of thought. It could change within the hour!!

 

[Thekwango]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzjdyPPFq7M i like this Micro Atx board from MSI going for £98.99 in the Jungle
full review ,Worth a watch if you not seen it.

Dude what are you trying to do to me, can you not tell I'm already an indecisive sod - don't throw more options into the mix on me! Lol
In fairness I'm pretty set on it at least being a gigabyte board mainly due previous good experiences and the uk based rma. Plus the gigabyte rep on the forums here seems too notch.

 

[Thekwango]

looking more and more like the K5 then - haven't changed my mind in over 24hrs, so that's definitely a good sign!

cheers for the replies folks. i'll be doing a build log once I order the cpu, board and ram - going to be watercooling, initially just the cpu, so you all can have a look (and likely laugh!) at my efforts

 

[Thekwango]

Gigabytes UK support do seem good, and something to consider, I dropped a cpu onto my socket bending several pins, after giving up trying to straighten them I emailed them with a picture asking if they'd repair it (own fault not warranty claim).

They said send proof of purchase and as more than 3 pins were bent won't attempt to straighten, they'd put a new socket on it for £30 which I thought was very good!!

Aye I'm seeing and hearing only good things about Gigabyte Support at the mo. Which had definitely been a big deciding factor.

 

[Thekwango]

I'm assuming I'd have to cover the postage costs myself, and choose insurance, but even still it beats a lot or RMA processes as I won't have to send it overseas.

Postage will be about a fiver. So bound to be cheaper than shipping to Taiwan!

 

[Thekwango]

Gaming 5 now at silly price.

Silly good, or silly bad??

 

[Thekwango]

Silly good

strange - I don't see anywhere listing it as 'silly' good.

OcUK's 10% price drop has only brought it inline with what other competitors have been selling it at for a while now.

 

[Thekwango]

Its £179 - https://www.overclockers.co.uk/giga...ocket-am4-ddr4-atx-motherboard-mb-554-gi.html

Only £10 more than K5, thats silly good.

on OcUK - they are way out of sync with their competitors on pricing of both these boards

 

[Thekwango]

So now the 370 Gaming 5 in this weeks deal (£179.99) ,
ab350 Gaming 3 is £101.99 & also in the deal .
K5 not in this weeks deal but got the turbo bc chip ,
Then again the Gaming K7 is in this weeks deal at £217.99 ....
Will Wango , Tango with that price of one of them ..Mhmm

Very good video below , K7 & 5 may be the most efficient out of all the current AM4 boards
PCB Breakdown: Gigabyte X370 Gaming K7(same VRM as Gaming 5)

i hate you!

K7 can be had for a smidge over 200 quid elsewhere! as I said earlier, sadly it seems OcUK are quite a bit off the mark on the pricing of these boards

 

[Thekwango]

sooooo,

the k5 can be had for £149.99
the 5 can be had for £175.99
the k7 can be had for £200.99

someone make my decision for me!!

cpu will be watercooled , will never dual card the system but will likely oc (though can't imagine i'll be pushing for a world record oc.

so which board is the board for me!!! heeeeelllllppppppp

I have being so indecisive!