Z68 Motherboard Discussion...

[FordGT]

I just picked up a 2600K from the Intel Summer Deals sale and I'm looking for a decent Z68 board. I don't plan on buying an SSD anytime soon but the Virtu feature is nice and I want to over clock slightly to around 4Ghz. The RAM is going to be the 2x4GB G.Skill 1600 Ripjaws.


ASRock Z68 PRO3

GIGABYTE GA-Z68A-D3H-B3


The Gigabyte had a 3 year warranty while the ASRock only has a 1 year warranty which is certainly something to think about. Also, my 500W PSU only has a 4-pin CPU connector. Will the 2600K still run fine?


Any help is very much appreciated,


Justin

 

[Doclife]

8 pin power adapter

http://www.neweggbusiness.com/Produc...-002-_-Product

http://www.neweggbusiness.com/Produc...-459-_-Product

 

[RoyG]

I am in the same boat, with a 2600k and need a MB. Thanks for suggestions.

 

[dbrons]

Well I'm another in the same boat I have new case, PS, memory, and 2600k on the way.
Only thing I haven't bought is the MB. I am strongly leaning towards the Asus P8Z68-V PRO. I can pick that up at Fry's this week-end.

I like the BIOS, the overclocking features, 8 SATA. I use an Asus currently a P5E and its been pretty good though not without it's quirks.

Dave

 

[anonxlg_]

i'm also looking at these 2 mobos

there's no reviews on the gigabyte one
the asrock one seems good, one review got the 2600k overclocked to 4.93ghz

 

[DesiPower]

I am also a similar but smaller boat. I am going with 2500k. I am planning to go with ASRock, I feel they are just cheaper ASUS. I dont trust Gigabyte too much, if you read their overall reviews, they have several quality issues like ports not working, but it might be my tunnel vision.

Also newegg now has Intel's z68 too for $135+7.50, but it doesn't use 1600

 

[RoyG]

I settled down with ASRock Z68 PRO3-M since SLI/CF is not an issue for me, with ASRock, I can reuse my 775 HSF, and I have a display which could allow me to use a 27/30 inch monitor:

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4100/asrock_z68_pro3_m_intel_z68_motherboard_review/index1.html

 

[Naturland]

I settled down with ASRock Z68 PRO3-M since SLI/CF is not an issue for me, with ASRock, I can reuse my 775 HSF, and I have a display which could allow me to use a 27/30 inch monitor:

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4100/asrock_z68_pro3_m_intel_z68_motherboard_review/index1.html

Its not 100% sure that you can use the 775 heatsink on the Asrock mobo. I tried CM HyperTX2, OCZ Vendetta, Stock 775 heatsink, none is good for the Asrock combo cooler mobo. This combo cooler option is like a joke.

 

[RoyG]

Its not 100% sure that you can use the 775 heatsink on the Asrock mobo. I tried CM HyperTX2, OCZ Vendetta, Stock 775 heatsink, none is good for the Asrock combo cooler mobo. This combo cooler option is like a joke.

Reuse of 775 HSF is just a bonus if it works but I heard some guys said it worked for them. I will let you guys know after I receive it. Want to make good use of Tuniq

 

[Naturland]

The heatsinks with same fixation as the intel stock cooler dont work with the combo cooler boards, if your cooler is different from intel stock, then it could work.

 

[RoyG]

The heatsinks with same fixation as the intel stock cooler dont work with the combo cooler boards, if your cooler is different from intel stock, then it could work.

Thanks for advice. I have quite a few 775 HSF (different brands), if I can reuse them it would be a plus for me.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Well I'm another in the same boat I have new case, PS, memory, and 2600k on the way.
Only thing I haven't bought is the MB. I am strongly leaning towards the Asus P8Z68-V PRO. I can pick that up at Fry's this week-end.

I like the BIOS, the overclocking features, 8 SATA. I use an Asus currently a P5E and its been pretty good though not without it's quirks.

Dave

I'd think y'all read the same reviews I found. I think Tech Report gave a three-way comparison between the ASUS, Gigabyte and AsRock boards. They leaned toward the ASUS P8Z68-V-Pro.

There was also a Tom's Hardware review, unless I'm mistaken. They (or . . . whoever) gave it a favorable conclusion, noting that it was still early in the game, and other boards would be released.

Few years back, I posted an idea of a strategy for picking parts, noting that it was sort of like surfing. You want to catch a wave just right that balances performance/features, BIOS maturity, price and other things in a trade-off with "being the first on your block."

The competition between manufacturers never stops. One board maker may lag behind in any given processor-chipset generation, and in their own "next wave" -- catch up or exceed the previous "winners-hands-down."

For lack of information beyond what I mentioned, the lack of a BIOS history, forum posts about problems, and other things, I regard my choice and purchase as a sort of gamble.

With that, I chose the ASUS board. But neither do I think the others have elicited any condemnation.

 

[dbrons]

Yes and I think all the boards have probably benefitted from P67 experience the z68 boards seem pretty similar to me, so hopefully most of the bugs already out

Wouldn't you know went to Fry's today and they had sold out. So I ordered from Amazon, I'll have it Wed. and that will be everything for the build
.

Dave

 

[SandyM]

Thanks for advice. I have quite a few 775 HSF (different brands), if I can reuse them it would be a plus for me.

You have to watch out for cooler / memory clearance - my Thermalrake Frio covers the first memory slot making it unsuable. I'm either going to have to do a little shaving on the fan shroud or memory heatsink if I every try to use that slot.

 

[RoyG]

UPDATE:

The ASRock Z68 PRO3-M board arrived yesterday. I built the new PC last night with 2x4GB G.Skill Ripjaw sticks. Yes, both the Intel 775 stock HSF and after market (OCZ?) HSF works without problem (and saves me $40), the display port should work with 27/30 LCD. It also has a eSATA port.

One pros with this board though, is that there are only TWO USB 2.0 ports on back panel. Compare to similar priced Gigabyte board, it does not support SLI/CF. But I am fine with that, I don't even plan to get a descrete video card anyway. The 2600K beats my old (passive) GT210.

My goal of PC is passive and silent. Current rig is passive QX9650 (Tuniq 120 with fan off) with Vcore down to 1.075v, GT210 passive HS, no case fan, only the quiet Antec PSU fan.

The new PC would have a large HS (fan off) for CPU, no case fan, just the pretty quiet OCZ PSU. I will play with Vcore to test OC and turn down the Vcore to minimize the heat from CPU.

 

[TomBk]

I thought you were giving advice. Please fix the thread title.

 

[you2]

Have you been able to drive a high resolution monitor with the display port ? I know it should but does it do the job for you?
-
I'm thinking about the extreme4 (need more sata ports than you); but if the display port turns out not to work (or work well) for 27/30 inch monitors I can get a cheaper board without it.

UPDATE:

The ASRock Z68 PRO3-M board arrived yesterday. I built the new PC last night with 2x4GB G.Skill Ripjaw sticks. Yes, both the Intel 775 stock HSF and after market (OCZ?) HSF works without problem (and saves me $40), the display port should work with 27/30 LCD. It also has a eSATA port.

One pros with this board though, is that there are only TWO USB 2.0 ports on back panel. Compare to similar priced Gigabyte board, it does not support SLI/CF. But I am fine with that, I don't even plan to get a descrete video card anyway. The 2600K beats my old (passive) GT210.

My goal of PC is passive and silent. Current rig is passive QX9650 (Tuniq 120 with fan off) with Vcore down to 1.075v, GT210 passive HS, no case fan, only the quiet Antec PSU fan.

The new PC would have a large HS (fan off) for CPU, no case fan, just the pretty quiet OCZ PSU. I will play with Vcore to test OC and turn down the Vcore to minimize the heat from CPU.

 

[bleucharm28]

How about this?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-760-_-Product

Really expensive for mATX, but has all the good looks.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

thats E-ATX...

 

[Patrick Wolf]

Getting the cold boot loop issue with the Z68X-UD4. Plenty of others getting the same thing so... avoid Giga at all costs I say. They're TouchBIOS is stupid and now they released new Z68 boards with iGPU support. Yeah, they've really got it together. I read ASUS has same boot issue too though so you may get it there. Not sure about ASRock and MSI, probably a safer bet though.

 

[Nemesis 1]

For my internet browser I went With MSI

HD 1T|WD 7K 64M SATAIII WD1002FAEX - OEM $89.99

MEM 4Gx2|GSKILL F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL ($84.99)

$44.99) CPU COOLER ZALMAN | 9500A R

$99.99) MS WIN 7 HOME SP1 64BIT 1PK -

($189.99) MB MSI Z68A-GD65 (B3) R

$94.99) SSD 40G|INTEL SSDSA2CT040G310 320 %

This is complete overkill for what I will use it for. Probably a 4ghz O/C

I want to really jack the IGP up . ON air

I thought I would try the Sata 3 HDD with a SSD sata 2 to see how it works out with Smart cache . On my gamer I went with SSD sata 3 and the same HDD . NO discrete until the 28nm NV show up . I wouldn't do that with the Gaming machine had to go Sata 3 on both HDD and SSD. Even tho I can only use 64G for cacheing NV 580. On water . I won't come on line with it until me and the authorities can figure out whats going on with Hacker I have . Should be online mabybe end of next week If all goes well with the authorities.

 

[Nemesis 1]

How about this?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-760-_-Product

Really expensive for mATX, but has all the good looks.

NOT a wise thing to buy this 2 8x are faster than 2 16x

 

[dyn2nvu]

ASRock Z68 Extreme4

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157250

 

[Nemesis 1]

8 pin power adapter

http://www.neweggbusiness.com/Produc...-002-_-Product

http://www.neweggbusiness.com/Produc...-459-_-Product

I haven't used New egg for along time until recently , We normally buy in qty. of 10-20 .So I gave new egg another shot . I put a Blu-ray Drive on my wish list . and It changed from Retail to oem, For the same money . Scrath new egg from order list. The part I had on the list Can't be found on retail now . All since last night. Explain that.

 

[Roy2001]

Have you been able to drive a high resolution monitor with the display port ? I know it should but does it do the job for you?

I'm thinking about the extreme4 (need more sata ports than you); but if the display port turns out not to work (or work well) for 27/30 inch monitors I can get a cheaper board without it.

I don't have a 27/30 monitor to test display port................ I have a DELL 2405.