VPN: GA-P55A-UD4P
Product ReviewsGIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD4P ATX Intel Motherboard w/ USB 3.0 & SATA 6 Gb/s
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54%
36%
7%
4%
0%
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 Rating: Review Date: 09/28/10  |
Cons:
Pricey!
Pros: Extremely stable |
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Rating: Review Date: 09/25/10 |
Cons:
I must say that your lucky that you don't have to configure older 1990 - 2000 dip or jumpers on those antique boards. Those types of boards were the nightmare boards to deal with. These newer boards are nothing but easy to work with compared to the older pentium/486 boards. I have seemed to run out of room for instructions to check for installing the motherboard. I support Giga-byte 100%, if anyone needs help or is having problems please email me at bluetalisman82photmail.com and I will help you work out your problems. These are awesome boards with great potential. You should truly understand how a motherboard and cpu operate together before you install one free willing. The Lga 1156 is a tricky socket to work with if you are inexperienced. They must be installed in a perfect way or else you could run into problems that everyone has been complaining about. I have run out of room on the bottom for careful instructions. email me and I will get back to you with your problems. thanks
Pros: There has seem to be a very high level of customers purchasing this board and getting nothing but negative results. I have owned not one not two but three of these boards so far. I must say that every GA-P55A-UD4P board I have owned has never given me any problems with post or instability operation throughout the usage of the board 24/7. I am an A+ Comptia 2008, 2009, and 2010 certified. Comment:
Here is a checklist for installing this motherboard.1.) Always use memory that is listed on the motherboards compatibility list. http://www.giga-byte.com/FileList/MemorySupport/mb_memory_ga-p55a-ud4p.pdf2.) Make sure always that you are using a full 8 pin +12v connector. This connector is required for full operation of the cpu. Please do not justify thinking a 4 pin would work. A full 8 pin +12v power connector is required for the motherboard to operate. Using a 4 pin could easily cause the motherboard not to post. Make sure cpu fan header is also connected. If not system might not post.3.) A common problem with socket lga 1156 is that the socket was designed just a tad too small with means the pins are so close together that when you are installing the cpu care must be taken so no pins are touching each other. You must carefully lay the cpu down even and straight right on the pins. The cpu cannot be installed even on the slightest angle. Straight and level on, is the correct |
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Rating: Review Date: 09/21/10 |
Cons:
Was out of stock
Pros: Solid Board, solid brand Comment:
This board was out of stock so I had to switch to the Asus equivalent. Both are solid choices, overclocks well. Not much more to add really, highly recommended to those looking at a i5 processor. |
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Rating: Review Date: 09/09/10 |
Cons:
Architectural limitations
Pros: Solid brand, solid build Comment:
Other than the architectural limitations causing crossfire to slow down when running along side SATA3 and USB 3.0, in which the Asus P7P55DE-PRO has a better workaround design, this is one of best budget boards you can get. No real complaints here, would definitely buy again. |
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Rating: Review Date: 09/08/10 |
Cons:
Bios fan names don't always match fan header names, chipset rus hot. IO shield plate is complicated
Pros: Too many to list, AWESOME MOBO, Looking good on the job Comment:
Beautiful motherboard, good power saving features that still do good with overclocking. Running stable with i7 860 t 3.0 GHZ. 8 gigs ram with 2 sticks. Still cant figure those metal tabs on the i.o sheild |
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Rating: Review Date: 08/06/10 |
Cons:
- Potential stability issue
Pros: + Supports SATA3+ Has USB3+ Lots of ports + Supports SLI and CrossFire Comment:
First Gigabyte motherboard I own. Not much to comment on so far except the strengths listed above. It supports SATA3 and USB3.I have some stability issue with the system, but we suspect it to be the video card. Overall, I'm satisfied with this motherboard and plan to go CrossFire 5850 later next year. |
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Rating: Review Date: 06/21/10 |
Cons:
Bios doesn't have Core Ratio Offset
Pros: ReliableFrequent bios updates Comment:
This motherboard worked well right out of the box. It stays cool even when overclocked with the Intel Core i7 875K CPU. |
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Rating: Review Date: 05/17/10 |
Cons:
Bios fan control could be more flexible
Pros: it work right out of the box, no compatibility issue Comment:
i was a long time Asus user but i was so tired to wait endless bios update to resolve compatibility issue that i decide to switch to Gigabite and so far im very glad that i did it......work with no issue right out of the boxe.and they are priced a bit lower then Asus |
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Rating: Review Date: 04/19/10 |
Cons:
Pricey
Pros: Quality, ease of use, big feature set & excellent OC abilty. Comment:
It is a little pricey, but with Gigabyte you get what you pay for & expect long term reliabilty from this product. |
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Rating: Review Date: 04/13/10 |
Cons:
-When Sli PciE swith to 8/8-When Usb3 or stat3 the master PciE will turn to 8X
Pros: -Easy Overclock-The location of all the plug on the mobo-Gigabyte update often bios, so good support Comment:
I'm very satisfied with this Mobo.Good feature on it. If you are searching for a good mobo and not doing SLI that's your solution. |
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Rating: Review Date: 03/29/10 |
Cons: -Picky RAM slots
Pros: -Phase LED-Great board layout Comment:
Bought this for a friend's build. I thought the phase LED pretty handy. Good way to findout if your CPU is working properly. My only problem with this board is the RAM slots. The two white slots have to be occupied first whereas other boards wouldn't matter. |
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Rating: Review Date: 03/23/10 |
Cons: BIOS (rev 1), bundled software
Pros: Great Features, Price point, Layout, support Comment:
I've been an ASUS-only guy up until now and I have to say that gigabyte has done a great job with this board.It was easy to install and all the headers are positioned to keep your case tidy. The SATA3 and USB 3.0 support is a nice touch along with plenty of USB 2.0 and eSATA ports. My biggest gripe with the board is the BIOS and bundled software. I've had to update my BIOS a number of times to fix a number of compatibility issues with the board and my other hardware, such as my XFX 5870, and it was not fun to have to do that out of the box,the flashing process was not very intuitive and I don't recommend it for a beginner. Despite this, the latest revision of the BIOS has served me well without issues and I was happy to see good support from gigabyte. The bundled software isn't bad, it just isn't great and I haven't found it all that useful. |
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Rating: Review Date: 02/25/10 |
Cons: Compatibility, Strange issues, poor bios
Pros: SATA3, USB3 Comment:
If you buy this please make sure to upgrade to F7 BIOS. Cold boot problems with G.Skill memory. This boards memory controller is awful. Very unstable with windows 7 until all the bios settings are tweaked exactly right. Not for beginners. For the headaches this caused me it only deserves one star but NCIX doesn't post one star reviews. I would buy the ASUS if I had to do it again. However, I am running a stable system with it now after 60 days of frustration so all is well that ends well. Never again though. |
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Rating: Review Date: 02/23/10 |
Cons: Possible memory incompatibilities, no 1394b, goofy Gigabyte software, poor fan speed control.
Pros: Lots of USB ports, legacy connectors. Comment:
Nice bunch of legacy connectors like RS232, FDD, and IDE. Tons of USB on the back.Works fine now that I'm on my 3rd set of memory. First two were 1.35 sticks running at 1.5 volts, but had cold-boot or long-term Memtest errors, never determined if it was really the memory that was the problem or not. Switched to vanilla 1.5V KVR memory and all was well. POST error beep codes did not match what was in the manual, and so many possible errors were grouped into a single code that it wasn't any help in determining problems. Same goes for the incredibly unhelpful BIOS boot error messages. I really don't understand the reason for the lack of fan speed control in BIOS. The BIOS only has settings for controlling the CPU fan speed, and only by selecting "Auto" or not. No way to adjust the system or chipset fan control through BIOS.Gigabyte's Windows XP software for controlling the power consumption and clocking is really overdone by someone at Fisher Price. All settings are very poorly documented, as are the BIOS settings. BIOS firmware versions are also poorly documented, just try and find a change log. |
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Rating: Review Date: 02/22/10 |
Cons: Not enough internal USB headers to connect eg. front drive bay accessoriesNot as many PCIe and PCI slots as my previous Asus boardI wish it had less backward, and more forward compatibility
Pros: No hassle installation4 sata cables, 6GB sata/3.0 USB forward compatibilityLots of legacy backward compatibility (floppy, ide, LPT) Comment:
All in all this is a really nice mobo for the new 1156 socket and i7 chips. It seems to run cool, and is fairly easy to overclock for a little extra performance. (Overclocking can be overdone---I got a 31% improvement, but my simulations were CPU-bound only ran 7% faster.) You get 8 hyperthreads easily with an i7 860 or better. One of the PCIe 1x slots is useless because of a heat sink location. I love the durability aspect--more copper, more usb power, and more sata6 data transfer speeds. It has a decent number of usb ports on the back panel too--no more external usb hubs required. The software utilities are adequate, but I like the ASUS software set much better for monitoring hardware and overclocking. I'm happy with gigabyte, and won't be going back to ASUS any time soon. |
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Rating: Review Date: 02/04/10 |
Cons: none
Pros: PerformanceFeaturesLotsa ports Comment:
This board has more than enough performance, features & upgrade room to keep a mid-level user like me happy for quite awhile. Everything setup & installed without a hitch. |
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Rating: Review Date: 01/28/10 |
Cons: none yet
Pros: bios easy to use, layout easy for 4850 crossfire Comment:
Works well with 4850 crossfire and i5 750 with Hyper 212plus cooler. 4gb a-data ddr3-2000 memory working fine also. |
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Rating: Review Date: 01/27/10 |
Cons: I hate the bios...which this is my first Gigabyte MB !!
Pros: Price,Lots of Sata connection. Comment:
I have buy this motherboard and im very happy. I find it at f** great price. Have alot of sata connections. Color is great. Have OC my I7-860 and running very stable. This is my first gigabyte motherboard, so i need to learn the bios. |
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Rating: Review Date: 01/27/10 |
Cons: None so far maybe price
Pros: Great features Comment:
Great mobo for i5, great potential with 2 pcie slot for future crossfile configuration. Could not be happier with the purchase. |
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Rating: Review Date: 01/25/10 |
Cons: price and the issue on SATA/USB controller borrowing the extra 8 PCI-E lanes.
Pros: USB 3.0, BIOS and build quality. Comment:
Based on the reviews and awards this motherboard received i decided to go for it and i couldnt be happier with my decision. I managed to to do i mild overclock of 3.36Ghz on my i7 860. Its a good buy. |
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Rating: Review Date: 01/25/10 |
Cons: flimsy I/O panelLarger video cards (read all) will block the PCI-E 1x port.
Pros: Lots of portsSATA3 + USB 3.0 Support Comment:
A very good mix of performance vs. price point. Everything you need for a i5 or i7 LGA1156 setup. The strengths outweigh the weaknesses on this one. |
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Rating: Review Date: 01/16/10 |
Cons: I find the BIOS a bit confusing compared to my past ASUS boards. Potential issues with high ram if you're using a large cooler.
Pros: Lots of features for the price. Future proof with USB 3.0 and SATA3. Comment:
I've always gone with ASUS boards in the past, however this time I thought I'd try Gigabyte as they've been around for a long time and it has way more features compared to similarly priced ASUS boards. I was not disappointed, it has lots of ports and I was able to get my Core i7 860 up to 3.52 Ghz with almost no effort. Attractive colour scheme too :). |
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Rating: Review Date: 01/15/10 |
Cons: Lowers PCI-E bandwidth when you use USB 3.0 and SATA 3Price is rather expensive for a mid end board
Pros: Supports USB 3.0 and SATA 3Tons of ports that it should be enough for anyoneUses Lotes hold down rather than Foxconn which may or may not be relevant to the frying of the LGA1156 socket but still should be less of a risk than Foxconn hold down Comment:
Nice mid end board however if you spend about $30 more or so you could get a EVGA P55-FTW board which would have more high end features.Overall I am still satisfied with the board. |
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Rating: Review Date: 01/15/10 |
Cons: It's not x58 ;)
Pros: Great no-hassle board Comment:
Great no-hassle board, having USB3 is a nice bonus (not that I have anything to connect to it). Plenty of slots. |
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Rating: Review Date: 01/11/10 |
Cons: enabling sata 3.0 takes away from pci-e bandwidth from x16 to x8
Pros: Runs wellno problemsgood looking... future proof Comment:
Haven't overclocked, but this board is solid. Looks nice also. It's a bit pricey... but for the quality I think it's worth it |
You do pay for quality. In this case, one of the most well equipped and stable boards perfect for overclocking. Great board layout, most highly recommended.