Picking the best motherboard for a gaming rig

Technaut1

Honorable
Nov 5, 2013
3
0
10,510
I can't decide what motherboard to get with all the mix reviews I've been reading. My budget is somewhere in the $200-$240 with shipping and tax included but if a great mobo comes below then its welcome as well.

Ive been deciding on whether to get the MSI z87 Mpower or Asus Maximus VI Hero. I prefer the MSI because for me its got a better look.(Real sucker for color schemes....my bad) But Ive been reading that MSI has got bad reputation, Im from the Philippines and I can't shake the feeling of getting a DOA product. Gigabytes on the other hand have bad BIOS software. Can someone help me?

Build:

Intel Core i5-4670k
Evga GTX 770 w/ACX
Cooler Master storm stryker
Mobo????
Corsair Vengeance 8 gb(2x4gb)
Raidmax 1000AE (It was on sale for $70 so I took it. Dont hate. :)
Corsair k95 mechanical keyboard
Razer Mamba


THANKS!

Note: Also I'm planning to overclock, run SLI and upgrade rams here and there in the next few years. But I don't want to change the Mobo in the long run due to cost reasons. I want it future proof.
 

CCapG

Honorable
Dec 10, 2013
48
0
10,540
When it all comes down to it, there are only a few differences that should really tip you over on whether or not you should buy a motherboard.
One of those is the onboard wireless card. More likely than not, onboard wireless cards will pickup a 2.4GHz connection, which is what about 90% of routers use, meaning that you shouldn't have to upgrade the card. If it has Dual-Band support on the wireless card, that is a big plus.
Another factor is the on board Sound Card. If you don't intend to spend another 50-100 dollars on an additional part, then look for an HD sound output with at least 7.1 surround sound. Anything additional is just a benefit.
The third factor that only really hardcore enthusiasts will go for is the color scheme. It may sound weird to the casual computer guy, but it will make or break a sale in many situations. For example, most asus products go for a Red Color Scheme, while Corsair usually goes for a black with a hint of blue. In your case, I doubt it will make or break the sale, but in the future you may want to keep this in mind.
The final thing you want to take a peek at is the amount of USB 3.0 to USB 2.0 outputs there are. Typically, the more USB 3.0's the merrier, since they are faster, yet not everything has support for it yet. So a decent balance between the two is something you should shoot for.

All in all, the motherboard you are probably looking for is either the Asus Maximus Hero Z87; http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131989
or the Asus Sabertooth Z87; http://www.microcenter.com/product/414757/Sabertooth_Z87_Socket_LGA_1150_ATX_Intel_Motherboard
*Note, the Asus Sabertooth I listed at Microcenter just for the sake of they have it a bit cheaper, as to most other products. If you ever want to look for a better deal on a product, check Microcenter. Nine Times out of ten they will have the product, as well as have it cheaper than newegg.

Hope I helped!
~Chris