Gigabyte has added two new motherboards with the “OP” modifier to its product offerings. These new SKUs come with a pre-installed 32GB Intel Optane memory module and a special heatsink with Intel Optane branding. Sans the Optane drive, the motherboards sport the same features and functions as their standard counterparts. The Optane modules come installed in a standard M.2 port.
Intel already sells its new Core+ processors with 16GB Optane drives, but Intel’s bundle pricing is higher than the processor’s MSRP and itn’s any savings from just buying the 16GB Optane module separately.
The Z370 Aorus Gaming 7-OP comes with an MSRP of $269, which is a $20 premium over the standard Gaming 7 model’s $249 MSRP, but the Optane-equipped model is currently on sale for $249.99.
Newegg has the AORUS Gaming 7-OP on sale for the next six days, so you essentially get an a ~$70 Optane memory module for free. After the sale ends, you still get the memory module for only $20 more, which is a solid deal.
Gigabyte also offers the Z370 AORUS Ultra Gaming WIFI-OP with a $214 MSRP, while its non-Optane-equipped counterpart is on sale for $164.99 (it usually retails for $179.99). That means you pay an extra $34 for the 32GB Optane Memory module, which normally retails for ~$70.
It is a great deal for 32GB of Optane that works with Intel’s software to boost performance in a wide range of games and applications. Intel now also supports using Optane caching with a secondary storage volume. That means you can store your game library on your secondary HDD and still experience SSD-like load times.
