Hello everyone, I've been thinking doing a upgrade my MOBO and my CPU. My main use of the PC is for gaming andlive streaming. Photo/video edits (side job) secondary. Here is what I was thinking of picking up:
CPU: Intel I7-4790k
And here is where my problem lies. I am really confused on picking one. My list of choices are:
MSI Z97 MPOWER
Gigabyte GA-z97x-UD3H-BK or Gigabyte GA-z97x-UD5H-BK
FYI: OPEN FOR OTHER OPTIONS FOR MOBOS, BUT I AM TRYING TO STAY AWAY FROM THE BLACK/RED COLOR SCHEME. And I'm not willing to paint my mobo, and budget is not an issue.
The i7's hyperthreading could help out in streaming and video editing but depending on what you have right now it may not make sense.
Do you plan on OCing? If no then look at the Xeon 1231 V3. It is an i7-4770 without the iGPU. It is much cheaper than the i7 and pretty much just as fast.
Sorry guys, my mistake. Right now in my current rig I've got an AMD FX-6300 clocked at 3.81Ghz cooled with just a CM hyper 212 evo, on an Asus M5A97 R2.0. Still got to do some homework on OC'ing but yeah I'm planning to oc the I7 up and cool it with a swiftech H240x
I wouldn't spend that much on a mobo unless you are OCing a bit, what is your price range and where are you from (I'm in Aus so prices here are terrible and backwards)
I wouldn't spend that much on a mobo unless you are OCing a bit, what is your price range and where are you from (I'm in Aus so prices here are terrible and backwards)
As I stated in the post, pricing really isnt an issue as long as I do get the right pick and yes I'm planning on doing some OC'ing, location is the UK and imo the prices here are ok, I think.
Do you need specific features? You will only make use of the higher end boards if you are going to really OC it and pump juice through it (i.e. serious liquid cooling/phase change/LN2)
Edit: I'd personally save a little dough, even if budget is not an issue. Perhaps get into serious overlocking if you have money, the wide world of LN2 is more lonely than you think and always needs more recruits.
As far as I'm aware of, nothing in special is required, and as for cooling I think my line would be liquid cooling, and as far as customizations I would start off with the swiftech AIO cooler since I could always tweak it and swap stuff around, but wouldn't be really going for something as far as LN2 as for what I do, like I said gaming + streaming, video+photo edit,renderin on the side
atm got a gtx 970, might get a second one and go sli or just jump to a 980, still thinking on that, and tbh not too keen on the ROG mobo line, and been on the look for an alternative option, I mean it can't be the only one out there, because apparently asking in other forums the same question, all I get for an answer is rog, rog, rog. I might be a total misjudging their mobos but, I'm seeking alternative mobos.
So, I guess this is a repost? The AsRock Z97 Extreme 4 had a few issue because of a hardware defect I think, when this sort of thing happens I would just skip the entire line because generally there are only minor things changed as you go up tier, the basic layout isn't changed too much things are just added/moved a little. This said I haven't heard bad things about it. Mpower is good, same with the UD5H.
Other decent boards without red/black scheme that are good: Asus Z97-A (the AR edition is almost identical), the Sabertooth Mark 2, z97 pro wifi/ac, gigabyte UD3H is good too, the little brother of the UD5H.
If money really isn't an issue I would grab the M Power, has great PCB layout and a really good quality VRM and a decent PWM. And 12 phases.... Which makes me drool at the mouth. Love me some phases. And its just a really nice looking board
Well the Mpower is indeed a decent board, however its allot of market what Msi does with these boards basicly. The Mpower isnt any diffrence then their Gaming 7 wenn it comes to the vreg design, its not a true 12 phase board by the way. But a 6+1 phase with dual mosfets, doublers, and 45A ferite chokes, making it a 12 pwm phase board. The Gaming 7 has exactly the same vreg layout. still both these boards are totaly fine, and so is the slightly cheaper gaming 5 basicly.
It just depends a bit on how much connectivity op basicly needs. If op needs allot of sata connectivity then i would recommend going with a board with 8 sata ports for example. Or if op needs some amount of usb 3.0 connectivity, then you could look for a board that has more usb 3.0 ports for example.
Are you sure its not a true 12 phases power board. I have heard people say that it was a 6 phases with doublers and then someone argued something and in the end it came to the conclusion that it was in fact a 12 phase. I could be wrong. If you're right I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot stick. I'd go for the gigabyte if thats the case. Those dirty MSI bastards....
yes im sure. But its not a big deal realy wenn we talk about Z87 and Z97 platforms. Because they have the voltage regulation on the chip it self mainaly, so any decent 4+1 true powerphase board, or lets say 8 pwm phase, (as most brand will marketing them), will be totaly fine for overclocking.
If you wish i have a specific list of diffrent boards, and their true vreg designs if you are interessted in that.
There are offcourse also true 8 powerphase boards, like the Maximus 7 Hero for example, But they mainaly come with a little premium price.
Yeah its fine, I also have a list I've pulled off the net, I just haven't check it in a while... Should probably do that a little more... I still feel like I'm being ripped off.
Edit: This is the list I generally use. Sin's is good. Where do you source yours?
I don't think people appreciate the new platforms with VRM's on the chip. You sound like you've been around for a while so you can sympathise with me when I say that I've lit a few inductors on fire. Well, the inductor lit the mosfet on fire but you know what I mean.
Also on overclock.net, there is a full topic about vreg designs, that also linked to the sins page. Its very complex and technical study, But its realy informative and enjoyable to read.
the Mpower boards are basicly decent, so you dont realy have to feel ripped off.
overclockers enthusiasts mainaly where not realy happy with the movement intel made, to bring the VR to the chip, for powersaving on their Z87 and Z97 platforms. basicly any decent board with a 4+1 true phase, = 8 pwm phases, will be totaly fine for overclocking, wenn it comes to intel MS Z87 / Z97 platforms.
However if we gonne talk about powerhungery chips like AMD 8 cores or X79 / X99 cpu´s then yeah in my opinnion a board with a decent vreg design is very important. especialy on the AMD side, 6+2 true powerphase design, is the minimum i would recommend for an FX 8 core chip.
X99 cpu´s consume even more power then AMD 8 cores, so for this platform, i personaly realy recommend a decent board. with 8 true powerphases and digi vrm. BUt offcourse most X99 boards are well designed for those power consuming beasts. The only failing board that i have seen till now is the Msi X99S Sli +, this board seem to have realy quality issues.
Back to op´s question, basicly any decent Z97 board will be perfectly fine for your needs. Do have some specific feutures in mind which you would like to have on your board?
Some good non black red boards.
Gigabyte Z97 Soc Force
Msi Z97 Mpower
Asrock Z97 OC Formula
Asus Z97 Sabertooth Mark 1 / 2
Asus Z97 AR
I personaly realy like the aesthetics of the Asrock Z97 OC Formula, but yeah it might be a bit on the expensive side.