If you're a guy that games professionally and not only want your skills to shine, but also the PC you've got, this board definitely becomes the foundation of making that statement. The LED lighting solution is one of the most comprehensive I have seen yet. The light strips running between the DIMM slots totally make this board stand out like no other, and the literal beams of light from elsewhere on the board simply seal the deal. The fact that you can choose the color that shines out through your case window makes it perfect. If you want a sick, powerful, eye-catching rig, you have to get this board.

I received this board from Gigabyte with a loaner CPU, and while playing with Intel's i7-6950X was fun, such a chip really doesn't belong in this board. It just didn't clock high enough or have all the gaming performance I was really looking for. Add to it that I had to return it, and I'm left unimpressed by it, so please do not think the CPU plays any part in this summary. This board needs a chip that can do 4.6 GHz or higher, and what I got simply wasn't it. Overclocked to 4.2 GHz, this particular i7-6590X was topping 200W already, nearly double the stock power draw. So you must chose your CPU wisely. The interesting bit about all of that is that this board's CPU VRM is more than ready to push even higher, and that's why there's a bundled cable that lets you tie a bunch of CPU power connectors into one. I asked Gigabyte why that was, and they had a very clear answer: "Some power supplies claim that they can provide 120A on a single rail but are in actuality limited to 20A per connector. This cable is the only way to resolve the issue. This is beneficial to overclockers, especially for CPUs that require 50-60 A." Gigabyte knows that gamers want to push their rigs to high clockspeed to get the highest FPS, and they have even gone so far as to include the parts required to help ensure this board is ready. That cannot be overlooked.

Make no mistake: The Gigabyte X99-Ultra Gaming is priced well, performs well, and has almost every single angle covered when it comes to gaming. I would have liked a Wi-Fi card, though. I know not everyone likes the current focus on lighting brands have these days, but to me, it serves a purpose that custom builds had already, and now you've got it bundled in for free. How many showcase builds do you see without some form of added lighting? Got yourself a Gigabyte X99-Ultra Gaming? Let us know your thoughts in the forums!