Need a Z77 recommendation

[raasco]

My current P67 MSI motherboard is failing on me just after it's warranty has expired. I figure that I might as well upgrade to a Z77 chipset, but I'm a little confused on some of the options out there. I plan on overclocking my 2500k once again and possibly adding a second GPU. I'm not particular to any one brand and I would like to spend up to $150-$200 max.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Charlie98]

The availability of Z77 boards isn't very broad at this point... At NE, once you get past the refurbs and open box stuff, there are only 3 Z77 boards listed. Find something in the price range you want and go with it.

 

[mistersprinkles]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-293-_-Product

That would be my personal pick.

BTW you realize if you run dual GPU on SB/IB/HW you're limited to 8X/8X right? And being that you have a 2500K, that'll be PCIE Gen 2.0, equivalent to 3.0 at 4X/4X. If you use modern cards, you will bottleneck them heavily.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-293-_-Product

That would be my personal pick.

BTW you realize if you run dual GPU on SB/IB/HW you're limited to 8X/8X right? And being that you have a 2500K, that'll be PCIE Gen 2.0, equivalent to 3.0 at 4X/4X. If you use modern cards, you will bottleneck them heavily.

That's an option. There's also a Z77-A board by ASUS -- which I bought, to upgrade my old Mom's system. Without further investigation, I don't know what the OC'ing limits for these boards might be. I thought the "A" board seemed a bit flimsy, but it's perfectly consistent with the price.

 

[JM Popaleetus]

BTW you realize if you run dual GPU on SB/IB/HW you're limited to 8X/8X right? And being that you have a 2500K, that'll be PCIE Gen 2.0, equivalent to 3.0 at 4X/4X. If you use modern cards, you will bottleneck them heavily.

http://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Impact-of-PCI-E-Speed-on-Gaming-Performance-518/

 

[raasco]

http://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Impact-of-PCI-E-Speed-on-Gaming-Performance-518/

Good to know. I didn't think that it made too much of a difference.

 

[TheGoat Eater]

Z77 MPower will be your best bet - you will definitely be able to get it at a great price It is a strong board that performs very well and will give you plenty of tweaking options.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

If I was picking a new z77 it would probably be the asrock z77 extreme 3 for $98.- shipped.

Have you considered a used ebay board? I just picked up an asus z77 atx board for $50.- shipped to my door. And not the cheapo -A version, one that supports sli/crossfire. Works flawlessly.

 

[therealnickdanger]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-293-_-Product

That would be my personal pick.

I've been using this exact board for a couple years now (ever since it came out). My 3570K purrs at 4.5GHz (CM Hyper 212 Plus). I only use a single GPU at the moment, so I can't comment on the SLI/CF capabilities. No complaints.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I've been using this exact board for a couple years now (ever since it came out). My 3570K purrs at 4.5GHz (CM Hyper 212 Plus). I only use a single GPU at the moment, so I can't comment on the SLI/CF capabilities. No complaints.

Good to know that Extreme4 is still available -- but probably for not much longer.

This is always a dilemma for those of us who are squeezing extra years out of our systems. Especially, the SB-K chips still have some mileage in them. If you didn't plan on building a replacement system until a year later, but your motherboard goes on the fritz today -- whaddya do? Who ya gonna call?

I've been tempted to buy "spare" components when I first put a system together. This time (July, 2011) I didn't do it. But my Z68 mobo still keeps chuggin' along. I hope I can say that for the next six to eight months, though.

How many times in one's life has it occurred -- where everything was just dandy for the longest time, and a piece of hardware you counted on goes south in a New York minute?