The final puzzle piece: Choosing a motherboard for my system.

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CitizenKing

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Jul 31, 2013
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So after doing quite a bit of research, I've nearly completed my build for my new non-overclocked gaming PC.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1oJBD

The last step is finding a decent motherboard. I've been looking at boards from Asus, but I have a conundrum: Since I'm not overclocking, the knee-jerk response is an H87. The problem with this is that it doesnt allow for SLI, which limits my upgrade potential in the future.

It also is limited to 1600 RAM, which while not an issue now, is a potential issue with the next gen of gaming (I can just get cheap high-tier 2300-2800 RAM when DDR4 is released and get the same performance, without having to buy a new Motheboard).

At the same time, a Z87 is more expensive and its main bullet point, overclocking, is something I am not at all interested in. On the other hand it supports up to 2800RAM and allows for SLI. It is a more expensive option, and with my budget of $1200 it will likely take me over that limit. Not the end of the world, but I figure it doesnt hurt to see if anybody here knows of a reliable alternative.

So, what are your thoughts?
 
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CitizenKing

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I'm looking to cap the build at $1100 to $1200. My biggest source of wiggle room is the RAM, since I can downgrade to 8gb if necessary. I can also downgrade the case. Everything else is pretty set in stone, though I am always open for suggestions.
 
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David Lugarov

David Lugarov

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Sorry, I didn't notice the link with the components, yeah, no games really uses more than 4GB, so 8 is plenty. You can always add 8 more later on, but you won't have to in the next 1 or 2 years.
 
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CitizenKing

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Sounds about right. So, any suggestions for a motherboard?
 
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David Lugarov

David Lugarov

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My internet isn't cooperating with me right now so I'm struggling with the loading of some pages but I'll get back to you very soon with a good build.
 
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mastrom101

mastrom101

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PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($199.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z87X-UD3H ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($154.99 @ NCIX US)
Memory: Patriot Viper 3 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($121.10 @ TigerDirect)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($122.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card ($399.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: NZXT Phantom (White) ATX Full Tower Case ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1139.03
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-08-06 23:20 EDT-0400)
Your best option. You're not spending much more, and you may want to overclock down the road. That was the case with me. I chose a 2500K because it was only marginally more than the other CPU choices. Since then, I've made a modest overclock.


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4570 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($159.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: ASRock H87 Performance ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($112.86 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper 3 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($121.10 @ TigerDirect)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($122.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 770 2GB Video Card ($399.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: NZXT Phantom (White) ATX Full Tower Case ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $1056.90
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-08-06 23:23 EDT-0400)

If you insist!
 
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Solution
David Lugarov

David Lugarov

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Here you go man, full build, just need to add an OS of your choice. Preferably Windows 7. http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1p8NO This is as good as it gets for your budget.
 
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David Lugarov

David Lugarov

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You're missing a PSU.
 
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CitizenKing

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Any reason you swapped a bunch of the brands? As far as I can tell, Patriot is simply cheaper with the same specs than Corsair.
 
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David Lugarov

David Lugarov

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I have had the chance to test many components over time and I know their quality and what they're worth. Actually, the Corsair GS outperforms just about every other SSD in the market, one thing is the specs, the other thing is how close the realtime performance of the SSD gets to the specs, the specs are the maximum speed the SSD will reach, but most SSD have a hard time reaching their max, Corsair gets the closest to its limit. Also, Corsair has an overall better build quality and their components are much more reliable as they are aimed toward enthusiast gamers and professionals.
 
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