Which motherboard is right for me?

[Bad Pingu]

Hello everyone,

I'm aware of the thread that has been created yesterday by another forum member asking a similar question, however the motherboards which were listed were too expensive. As this is my first build I also need to be 100% sure that my components will be compatible. I have zero knowledge in computer building but have learnt a lot so far!

Z97 motherboards are frequently mentioned in articles and forum threads, after doing some research on Z97 motherboards I discovered that it's the latest intel chipset and is apparently appropriate for gaming.

I will be using a gtx780 most likely one of the EVGA gpu's (classified gpu or ACX cooled).
An intel i5 4690k
plus a duel pack of 4g ram (brand not chosen yet) as I've read that 2 x 4gb is better than 2 x 8gb.

I would like the motherboard to be somewhat future proof as I don't plan on changing motherboard until another 5 years (I'm not sure if this is realistic).

My budget is around £120, the pc will be used for gaming, programming, music and general usage.

A motherboard with a good sound card and network card is important. Plus a motherboard which easily maintains cool temperatures is extremely important.

Please state why you recommend the particular motherboard.

Many thanks, Bad Pingu

 

[Bad Pingu]

I'm actually wondering if micro atx would be better , as I would much rather a smaller pc! I will most likely be using an evga 780 which is one of the smallest non reference gtx 780 gpu's and I chose it for that reason, micro atx also appear to be using the latest intel chipset (z97) and after further research I see no reason as to why a microATX is any worse than ATX other than the fact that two gpu's or more cannot be used. Can anyone enlighten me on this?

If the MicroATX is smaller, just as cool in terms of temperature, equally as good for music, wifi and gaming then I suppose I will be asking for MicroATX recommendations.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

Well, hello and welcome to the forums...

I'll dive right into it, so lets get started then:

Z97 motherboards are frequently mentioned in articles and forum threads, after doing some research on Z97 motherboards I discovered that it's the latest intel chipset and is apparently appropriate for gaming.

The Z97 and H97 are functionally identical except for Z97 allows overclocking. If you don't plan on doing that, you'll get far more value out of a H97 based board.

An intel i5 4690k
plus a duel pack of 4g ram (brand not chosen yet) as I've read that 2 x 4gb is better than 2 x 8gb.

No true, the important thing is that the memory is running in dual channel mode. Even then its more important if you use the IGP (integrated/on chip GPU), which you will not be.

Its all a question of how much RAM you need. For a pure gaming system 8GB is perfectly adequate.

I would like the motherboard to be somewhat future proof as I don't plan on changing motherboard until another 5 years (I'm not sure if this is realistic).

My budget is around £120, the pc will be used for gaming, programming, music and general usage.

A motherboard with a good sound card and network card is important. Plus a motherboard which easily maintains cool temperatures is extremely important.

A good "basic" Z97 mainboard would be the ASUS Z97-A or Z97-C. Both use Intel network controllers and have pretty decent onboard sound. Alternatively there is the Gigabyte Z97-HD3 and Z97P-D3 (both have Realtek LAN however), or Asrock Z97 Pro4 and Z97 Extreme3.

mATX alternatives include the ASUS Z97M-PLUS, Gigabyte Z97M-D3H and Asrock Z97M Pro4.

 

[biostud]

-mATX is indeed just a smaller board. If you wabt to go really small go ITX.
-all z97 are the same degree of future proof. When you change CPU you also change motherboard now.
-Unless you have some really specific needs all boards come with Gigabit network, that will work fine.
-Most mboards uses different kinds of realtek soundchips which should be proficient for most uses. If you want something specil it could be the Gigabyte G1 sniper with Burr Brown Op-AMP.

 

[Chipfiref]

Not sure that 5 years is realistic. With an 1150 socket, and dual channel memory, and an upgradeable BIOS, you are future proofed to some extent.


I agree to get Z97 just because it has more of the good features of the Z87 and it is probably as future proofed as you can get. You can upgrade the BIOS for many features.

It seems that you are saying you will not "regret not having feature X", which is not the same to me as being future proof for 5 years.

This Z97 extreme6 board is also in your budget, reviewed on Anantech - it is a good exercise to read this even if you do not get the board


http://www.anandtech.com/show/8045/asrock-z97-extreme6-review-ultra-m2-x4-tested-with-xp941/12

 

[Bad Pingu]

Hi , thanks for all of your replies.

I'm left wondering why there are no gaming rigs which use micro atx and a high end gpu such as a gtx 780 on youtube or anywhere for that matter? I suppose It's difficult to believe that Micro Atx is apparently just as good as Atx (the only advantage to using atx being the ability to use 4 gpu's).

I have a few questions based on this motherboard ---> http://www.amazon.co.uk/Maximus-VII...1408739149&sr=8-2&keywords=asus+z97+micro+atx

1) Will this perform just as good as an equivalent atx motherboard when gaming? For example... frame rates, speed and temperature.

2) How many fans will this motherboard support?

3) I believe the motherboard uses a SupremeFX card which is already fixed to the board when bought (correct me if I'm wrong) will this produce superb audio quality when playing music?

5) Will this motherboard provide my pc with a stereo mini jack output at the back?

Please list any disadvantages in regards to using this motherboard over an ATX motherboard.

Many thanks

 

[Bad Pingu]

Can anyone answer the questions above please? Thank you

 

[biostud]

Hi , thanks for all of your replies.

I'm left wondering why there are no gaming rigs which use micro atx and a high end gpu such as a gtx 780 on youtube or anywhere for that matter? I suppose It's difficult to believe that Micro Atx is apparently just as good as Atx (the only advantage to using atx being the ability to use 4 gpu's).

I have a few questions based on this motherboard ---> http://www.amazon.co.uk/Maximus-VII...1408739149&sr=8-2&keywords=asus+z97+micro+atx

1) Will this perform just as good as an equivalent atx motherboard when gaming? For example... frame rates, speed and temperature.

2) How many fans will this motherboard support?

3) I believe the motherboard uses a SupremeFX card which is already fixed to the board when bought (correct me if I'm wrong) will this produce superb audio quality when playing music?

5) Will this motherboard provide my pc with a stereo mini jack output at the back?

Please list any disadvantages in regards to using this motherboard over an ATX motherboard.

Many thanks

1. 100% the same I have a m-ATX atm

2. looks like 5
1 x CPU ventilator-connector(er) (1 x 4 -pin)
1 x CPU OPT ventilator-connector(er) (1 x 4 -pin)
3 x Chassis ventilator-connector(er) (3 x 4 -pin)

3. probably in the top for onboard sound. You can get even better with a dedicated sound card or DAC. But that will cost.

4. Skipped that number for some reason

5. yes

Only difference is less PCIe slots. My guess is that most either want the ability to run multiple video cars or want to go really small with an ITX board.

 

[twinto23]

what's your budget?

I will prefer the msi z97 gaming 5 motherboard
if you get limited for your budget, this is the great mb and I got one on my gaming rig too!

but if you get more budget for your high-end gaming pc
you should try msi gaming 9 ac! this one get a really nice on-board audio card
also the build-in wifi for use!

 

[voodoo7817]

Yes, mATX offers basically the same performance as ATX, however, ATX mobos often offer more features at better prices.

Also, mATX cases are often not much smaller than ATX cases, and can also carry a price premium, so it's worth considering if a small bump up in price is worth possibly losing a feature or two for the smaller case.

I was almost positive I was going to go with an mATX mobo and case on my new build, but I went back to the trusty ATX. Also with a bigger case it's a little easier to build.

 

[Bad Pingu]

Thanks for answering all of my questions biostud and thanks to all others who replied. I've decided I'm going to try a Z97 matx build, I did look a the latest MSI matx motherboard but I think I would rather stick with ASUS as from my understand they have been producing motherboards for a long time.

It boils down to these three motherboards (As these seem to be the only z97 matx motherboards which asus offer)... and I'm stuck in choosing the right one, I would really appreciate further advice.

1) Asus Maximus VII Gene Motherboard
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Maximus-VII...&qid=1409132675&sr=8-2&keywords=asus+z97+matx

2) Asus GRYPHON Z97 Armor Edition
http://www.amazon.co.uk/GRYPHON-Arm...&qid=1409132813&sr=8-3&keywords=asus+z97+matx

3) Asus Z97M-PLUS
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asus-Z97M-P...&qid=1409132813&sr=8-1&keywords=asus+z97+matx

I do not care about the appearance of the motherboard, I can spend up to £150 for the gene motherboard but I would like to save £50 if the gene does not provide much benefit over the z97m plus.

I did compare the z97 plus to the vii gene on the asus website and I recall there being a difference in relation to the x16pci or pcie slot? I believe the z97 has two of the x16 like the vii gene but the second x16 slot was listed under a different category on the specs page, as opposed to the vii gene listing the x16 under the same specification category if that makes sense? Unless it's a mistake it sort of indicated that the z97 plus only has one x16 which is as good as the vii gene.

The other thing which put me off the vii gene is the fact that unlike previous version I believe this latest version does not include wifi or bluetooth? and must be added? I'm not sure if this is also the same with the z97 plus so I need confirmation on this as wifi and bluetooth are important to me (which I previously forgot to mention as I assumed it was included).

The ability to use two gpu's in future would be nice as well, this appears possible with the vii gene but I'm not sure if the z97 plus can do this, please confirm.

I think the vii gene was interesting at first but not if I must pay extra for the ability to use bluetooth and wifi, this is also my first build so I don't want added hassle when I have little knowledge in regards to pc building

Thank you very much for your help

 

[Insert_Nickname]

1) Asus Maximus VII Gene Motherboard
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Maximus-VII...&qid=1409132675&sr=8-2&keywords=asus+z97+matx

2) Asus GRYPHON Z97 Armor Edition
http://www.amazon.co.uk/GRYPHON-Arm...&qid=1409132813&sr=8-3&keywords=asus+z97+matx

3) Asus Z97M-PLUS
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asus-Z97M-P...&qid=1409132813&sr=8-1&keywords=asus+z97+matx

You "only" need to ask yourself: "do I really need any of the extra features the Maximus and Gryphon boards provide?". If that is not the case, then you'll be best served by the Z97M-PLUS. Don't pay extra for features you don't need or use.

Also, if you've settled on an mATX board, I'd advise caution with SLI/Crossfire, as you can run into airflow issues. Its usually better to just buy the highest-tier graphics card you can afford, rather then buying two lower-tier ones to SLI/Crossfire. There is also intergeneration issues, you'll get more features from buying a single new card, rather then an older one to SLI/Crossfire with the one you have.

 

[Bad Pingu]

Thanks for your reply Insert_Nickname. I will keep the sli advice in mind. In terms of do I really need the vii gene, if performance without overclocking anything (I have little over clocking knowledge) is better than the z97 plus at its base standard and if itts components like capicators etc keep cooler than the Z97 plus motherboard then I may consider purchasing it. As I previously mentioned though, if it does not include wifi and bluetooth and these "add-ons" are expensive then it may be worth reconsidering.

As the motherboard will be inside a small case, any possibility of a longer life motherboard and reduction in temperatures may prove valuable.

Regardless, I would appreciate it if someone could address the concerns in my previous post. Many thanks

 

[Leyawiin]

A good "basic" Z97 mainboard would be the ASUS Z97-A

I just did my first Intel build last week using this motherboard with an i5-4690k. I'm really impressed with it. Typical ASUS quality from the construction and layout to the very intuitive and easy to use BIOS to the manual in real English. I had three AMD ASUS boards prior to it and the experience was the same with each.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

I just did my first Intel build last week using this motherboard with an i5-4690k. I'm really impressed with it. Typical ASUS quality from the construction and layout to the very intuitive and easy to use BIOS to the manual in real English. I had three AMD ASUS boards prior to it and the experience was the same with each.

I meant "basic" as in: has "enthusiast"-level BIOS, decent VRMs and power delivery circuitry, but doesn't have a plethora of additional 3rd party controllers and add-ons on-board. The Z97 platform itself isn't what you'd call basic to begin with.

Just to clarify. I like ASUS boards for the same reasons, and their top-notch fan control...

 

[Euro_Bucks]

I would go for the Biostar Hi-Fi Z97WE. Why, it's cheap, plain and simple.

http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en/mb/introduction.php?S_ID=731

 

[Ryujin Jakka]

Msi have some decent z97 mobos within $100 price

 

[Cerb]

Hi , thanks for all of your replies.

I'm left wondering why there are no gaming rigs which use micro atx and a high end gpu such as a gtx 780 on youtube or anywhere for that matter? I suppose It's difficult to believe that Micro Atx is apparently just as good as Atx (the only advantage to using atx being the ability to use 4 gpu's).

While I partially went into this in your other thread, the answer is that it takes more work, because there's less room. Cooling tends to be easier/simpler, but you can't always just tie cables off to the side and call it a day, because there isn't room for that, that is also out of the way.

If you think you need more than 3 case fans, you'd better be overclocking as high as you can go, or have multiple high-end video cards. Even then, such small numbers of fans can work just fine, and not even be too loud.

Towards that end, you mention SLI/Xfire. Either go with that now, or do not go with it at all. With uATX especially, you need to be careful about cooling the cards, since they will be right next to each other. Blower coolers should be preferred, and make sure you push enough air in the case--the combination of video card blowers and exhaust fans on the back and in the PSU might be a bit much, which could cause recycling of warm air, which can kill video cards. Not anything to fear, if you know if it's possible to begin with, but plan out the airflow a little, test your system, watch temp readings, and feel the back of the PC, to make sure it's all behaving as expected. I've seen several preventable video card deaths due to basic air flow problems, often being having every fan mount filled with a fan blowing whichever way looks good at the time, instead of front-to-back, or bottom-to-top, or front-to-top, or front&back-to-top, etc., with cases that give lots of options. Also, by the time you would add another card, you could get much more performance from a new generation card, all without any of the issues of SLI or Crossfire.

You should really head over to OCN and skim the photos and build notes of the various case owner threads. Quite a few uATX cases get plenty of love there, and you can see the care they put into parts planning, air flow, and cable management. There's no black magic, and it's all pretty basic stuff, but if you're new to it all, read and learn (and be in awe of the skills of some of those guys, wrt modding ). I caution because I've seen expensive paper weights that used to be working video cards, with visible signs of heat damage, and that should be easy to avoid, with a little care; not because it will take an engineering degree to get right. Take the time to do it right, and verify that it's behaving right after it's built, and you'll be fine.

3) I believe the motherboard uses a SupremeFX card which is already fixed to the board when bought (correct me if I'm wrong) will this produce superb audio quality when playing music?

It gives you some easy to control DSP, and is made to minimize noise pickup, by being shielded and routed carefully (but they can only do so much in the confines of the board, and being single-ended audio with single-ended power supplies). Will it be better than most? Yes. Will it be immune to noise in your PC? No.

Video cards are notorious for generating interference that becomes audible (much like 850/900MHz GSM phones), even if the rest of the system isn't (rare, IME), and better chips or software won't fix that. Many people don't have any problems with that (using speakers that aren't detailed enough, or haven't learned to hear it), or don't use onboard (FI, if you use a USB headset, that will be immune).

Superb is not a clear standard, and this rabbit hole can go deep, even without snake oil (and with snake oil, just gets comical). If you like the DSP aspect, get it for that, and go from there. It may be good enough, it may not be. But, that's your call, and not something someone else can really answer for you, in this context.

5) Will this motherboard provide my pc with a stereo mini jack output at the back?

Every motherboard will.

Please list any disadvantages in regards to using this motherboard over an ATX motherboard.

uATX v. ATX is 0-3 expansion card slots available in ATX that aren't in uATX. Disadvantages are cost v. benefit, largely unrelated to ATX v. uATX. It's a high-end overclocking board, and costs it, with design features nearly useless if you run at stock speeds. But, that goes for the full size ones, too. If you aren't going to overclock, get an upper-echelon H97 board, and non-K CPU, unless some other integrated feature is really something you can't live without.

If gaming, you should really try to avoid wifi.