Now it’s Gigabyte’s turn to bring DDR4 back into the spotlight. The brand is offering the B760M Gaming WiFi6E DDR4 Gen5, a micro-ATX motherboard designed for Intel processors on the LGA1700 socket. This new model is based on the Intel B760 chipset and supports 12th, 13th, and 14th Gen Core processors, as well as certain compatible Pentium Gold and Celeron processors. Its main appeal lies in maintaining a DDR4 platform while incorporating some of the latest technologies. Gigabyte has retained the foundation of the previous B760M Gaming DDR4 model but replaced its PCIe 4.0 graphics slot with a reinforced PCIe 5.0 x16 interface.
PCIe 5.0 and Modern Connectivity with DDR4
The manufacturer also adds Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, while retaining 2.5 Gb/s Ethernet. This approach is clearly aimed at users who already own an LGA1700 processor and, most importantly, a DDR4 memory kit that they wish to reuse. This eliminates the need to purchase DDR5, thereby reducing the cost of upgrading the system. However, the official price of the B760M Gaming WiFi6E DDR4 Gen5 has not yet been announced, and its availability varies by region. Nevertheless, it appears that it should remain relatively affordable, given the product line to which it belongs. We’ll therefore have to wait for the first retail prices to definitively assess its value for money.
The most interesting technical choice is, of course, the combination of DDR4 and PCIe 5.0. The two DIMM slots support up to 64 GB of memory, with an officially supported frequency of up to DDR4-3200 in standard operation. However, XMP profiles allow for higher speeds with compatible kits.
The main PCIe slot represents the biggest upgrade compared to the previous B760M Gaming DDR4. It now operates at PCIe 5.0 x16, and Gigabyte uses a reinforced connector, along with its PCIe EZ-Latch mechanism to make it easier to remove a graphics card. Be aware, however, of an important detail: the two M.2 slots remain at PCIe 4.0 x4. The term “Gen5” therefore does not mean that this motherboard natively supports a PCIe 5.0 M.2 SSD. The upgrade primarily concerns the PCIe slot connected to the processor. This bandwidth could prove particularly useful with certain future graphics cards that use only four or eight PCIe lanes.
Detailed specifications of the B760M Gaming DDR4 PCIe 5.0:
| Feature | Gigabyte B760M Gaming WiFi6E DDR4 Gen5 |
|---|---|
| Form Factor | Micro-ATX |
| Chipset | Intel B760 |
| Socket | Intel LGA1700 |
| Compatible Processors | 12th, 13th, and 14th Gen Intel Core |
| CPU Power Supply | 6+2+1-phase hybrid VRM |
| Memory | DDR4, dual-channel |
| Memory Slots | 2 × DDR4 DIMMs |
| Maximum memory capacity | 64 GB |
| Native DDR4 frequency | Up to DDR4-3200 |
| Memory overclocking | Intel XMP compatible |
| Graphics card slot | 1 × PCIe 5.0 x16 |
| Reinforced PCIe slot | Gigabyte Ultra Durable |
| Secondary PCIe slot | 1 × PCIe 3.0 x1 |
| M.2 Storage | 2 × M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 |
| M.2 PCIe 5.0 SSD | No |
| SATA Connectors | 4 × SATA 6 Gb/s |
| SATA RAID | RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 |
| Ethernet | Realtek 2.5 GbE |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Rear USB-C | 1 × USB 3.2 Gen 1, 5 Gb/s |
| Rear USB-A | 3 × USB 3.2 Gen 1 + 2 × USB 2.0 |
| HDMI video output | HDMI 2.1, up to 4K at 60 Hz |
| DisplayPort | DisplayPort 1.2 |
| VGA output | D-Sub |
| Audio | Realtek HD Audio, up to 7.1 channels |
| RGB | 2 × ARGB + 1 × RGB |
| Fan Control | Smart Fan 6 |
| BIOS Update | Q-Flash Plus |
| PCIe Feature | PCIe EZ-Latch |
| Price | Not disclosed |