What is the difference in motherboards?

[monoles]

Could i get your guys opinion on two boards. I'm wondering which one is better value for money, i cant see a major difference in them yet there is a $20 difference. I use my computer for gaming (Crysis 2, COD MW2/3, etc.) and i always play with the setting cranked right up. I also use my computer for program developing (Visual Studio 2010) and use it for CAD work (Autodesk Revit/Inventor). Keeping this in mind, and taking my computer spec into consideration (See end of post), would the $150 motherboard (second one) be sufficient enough, and would I personally notice a difference in the two motherboards?

GIGABYTE - Motherboard - Socket 1155 - GA-Z77X-UD3H (rev. 1.0) ($170)

***************************** Or **********************

GIGABYTE - Motherboard - Socket 1155 - GA-Z77X-D3H (rev. 1.0) ($150)

Computer Specs

4 x 4GB Kingston RAM (16 GB RAM)
Intel core i5 2400 3.30 GHz
1 GB ATI Radeon HD 5850
120 gb OCZ Vertex SSD
2 x 500 gb Western Digital Green HDD's
Thermaltake Lightpower 700 W PSU

Motherboard - N/A

Thank you so much.

 

[inzone]

The UD3H board is by far the better board and worth the $20 , the U before the D3H is for the ultra-durable model and that model is the better of the two with a lot more features and even a few harware upgrades like X16and X8 3.0 pci-e slot on the UD3H vs a X16 at 3.0 and x8 at 2.0 on the D3H , there is also the Lucid Universal MVP Support and the UD3H has a display port for intergrated graphics that the D3H doesn't have , not that your going to be using it but it goes to showing the upgrades.
I definetly think the UD3H is worth the extra $20 and if some of these features are used then you would notice a difference between the two.

 

[Sakkura]

The UD3H adds a displayport and can support RAM up to 2667 MT/s vs. 2400 MT/s. It also adds an extra USB2.0 header and an extra case fan header.

Both motherboards add 2 SATA3 ports via the Marvell 88SE9172 controller, but the UD3H directs them to the back panel as eSATA ports while they are regular internal SATA ports with the D3H.

For most people, the little extras on the UD3H aren't going to be worth paying extra for.

 

[Sakkura]

The UD3H board is by far the better board and worth the $20 , the U before the D3H is for the ultra-durable model and that model is the better of the two with a lot more features and even a few harware upgrades like X16and X8 3.0 pci-e slot on the UD3H vs a X16 at 3.0 and x8 at 2.0 on the D3H , there is also the Lucid Universal MVP Support and the UD3H has a display port for intergrated graphics that the D3H doesn't have , not that your going to be using it but it goes to showing the upgrades.
I definetly think the UD3H is worth the extra $20 and if some of these features are used then you would notice a difference between the two.

The D3H is an ultra durable model too, though they append a "classic" on it for some reason. The two graphics card slots on the D3H are both PCIe 3.0 ports with an Ivy Bridge CPU, just like on the UD3H. OP isn't using an Ivy Bridge CPU anyway, so it's a moot point. They also both come with Lucid Virtu MVP.

 

[monoles]

Ok. Well, i have never used a display port before; the extra fan header is unnecessary for me, and i only have one graphics card (ATI Radeon hd 5850). So keeping that in mind, do the other features weigh up against the $20 price difference?
Also, you both mentioned the dearer one being 'ultra-durable', may be a stupid question, but would this mean it would last longer then the cheaper one?
I am looking for a board that will last me atleast 2-3 years rather then 1 year like my last board (GA-P67A-UD3R).

Thank you

 

[inzone]

I have had a few different brands of motherboards including Gigabyte ,Asus and MSI and I will say that the one thing you notice right away when you pick up a Gigabyte board that has the Ultra-Durable is how heavy and ridged it is , these boards are solid and I think it has to do with the Ultra-Durable feature.
So I would gey one that has the Ultra-Durable and I believe it will last for a few years longer then a regular board. Theu say that they make thier boards with an extra thick layer of copper in there so that's what makes them heavier.
The UD3H is the Ultra-Durable 4 while the D3H is an Ultra-Durable Classic.

 

[monoles]

Best answer selected by monoles.

 

[monoles]

Okay. Thanks so much. I might go with the UD3H.

 

[inzone]

I think that would be a good choice.

 

[bigcyco1]

@Inzone can you help me over here i am not sure of something http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/320987-30-cases-maximus-formula#