Which MB should I chose?

Enthusiast29 · Nov 19, 2013

Hey guys, I'm looking forward to get into PC gaming. I've done alot of homework on many parts and performance, but I don't wanna buy an incompatible peice of hardware. Here is my build:
Case: CM Scout 2
CPU: i5 4670K
GGU: MSI GeForce GTX 770 OC 2GB
RAM: 8GB Corsair Vengeance @ 1600Mhz
HDD:1TB WD Black
PSU:Corsair HX 80+ Gold,650 Watt ATX

There is a motherboard thread on Tom's Hardware at http://goo.gl/7KRq5B which shows many cheap but good motherboards which have the Z87 chipset, which supports Haswell CPUs.

By looking at the charts, the Gigabyte Z87X-UD3H looks like the best. Could you check if it is, or suggest a change in my PC specifications or recommend a different setup?

Your help is greatly appreciated!

Blaise170 · Nov 19, 2013

The UD3H is a good motherboard. I would get the i5-4670K though, it is better for gaming and will save you some money that you can put into a better GPU. As for the HDD, the WD blacks are not that much faster than blue especially when using an SSD, and you could save quite a bit by just getting the blue.

Swordkd · Nov 19, 2013

Get the Samsung Evo over the Pro. Less money, and not a significant performance drop. Also, for a new system, get a better quality Psu. Some good info: http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/thread/323050.aspx

Enthusiast29 · Nov 19, 2013

Blaise170 :

Basically, the only difference between the CPUs is that the 4770K has hyperthreading and is 100Mhz faster than the 4670K, which doesnt have hyperthreading. Thanks for the tip, you saved me and my friend who are both planning on getting gaming PCs alot of money!

Enthusiast29 · Nov 19, 2013

Swordkd :

Which Corsair PSU series is the best of these three?
Corsair HX,TX,VX

Blaise170 · Nov 19, 2013

Enthusiast29 :

They are all really good.

http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/thread/323050.aspx

Enthusiast29 · Nov 19, 2013

Blaise170 :

The UD3H looks like a great board, but many people say that the quality and reliability that ASUS provides makes them have the best motherboards. I'm torn between the ASUS Z87 plus that was mentioned in the motherboard comparison link (http://goo.gl/7KRq5B). Can you tell me what are the pros and cons of each board, and what I will be missing out on if I go with one board instead of the other?

Also, I have changed my specifications. Do the new specs make anything incompatible?

Blaise170 · Nov 19, 2013

For motherboards, either one will be just fine. The UD3H and PLUS are nearly identical, but the Asus motherboard supports up to 2800 MHz RAM as opposed to just 1600 on the GB board.

On a quick aside, this RAM is faster and probably cheaper than the Corsair Vengeance you've picked out.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231666&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

Enthusiast29 · Nov 19, 2013

Blaise170 :

Is there a single 8GB stick version of this RAM?

Blaise170 · Nov 19, 2013

There is a 2x8GB set, but they do not sell single sticks at these speeds.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231672&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

Enthusiast29 · Nov 19, 2013

Blaise170 :

Both of those RAM modules are amazing deals, especially since RAM is very complicated to overclock. the 4670K's bandwidth and the motherboard's (ASUS and Gigabyte) should be able to handle 32GB of this stuff, right? ( I don't plan on getting more than 16GB of RAM anytime in the near future, but I just want to know.)

Blaise170 · Nov 19, 2013

Yeah, by the time you needed 32GB though you will probably have a new system.

Enthusiast29 · Nov 19, 2013

Blaise170 :

Will the Corsair Professional Series HX650 80+Gold ATX power supply have enough cables/pins for 3 or 4 case fans and one CPU fan?

Blaise170 · Nov 19, 2013

The CPU fans are powered by the motherboard so you don't need to worry about it. If you plug your case fans into the motherboard, they will be the same; otherwise you can use MOLEX, which there are plenty of those.

Enthusiast29 · Nov 19, 2013

Blaise170 :

Which case do you think is better, considering air flow, expand-ability, cable management,durability,and space for components?
The Corsair Carbide 300R or the CM Scout 2?

Swordkd · Nov 19, 2013

I know both of those have plenty of reviews to read, so I'm going to wait on giving a recommendation on either one. I'd like to give another option however, Fractal Design Define R4 w/window.

Enthusiast29 · Nov 20, 2013

Blaise170 :

ATX Connector: 1
EPS Connector: 1
PCI-E Connector: 2
4 Pin Peripheral Connector: 8
SATA Connector: 8
Floppy Connector: 2

These are my power supply's cables. Is it enough for my whole build and 3-4 case fans?

Swordkd · Nov 20, 2013

Should be plenty. The 4 pin Peripheral Connectors are otherwise known as Molex connections.

Enthusiast29 · Nov 20, 2013

Swordkd :

Ok, thanks to everyone who has participated on this thread and my other thread! You have solved my problem and assured my compatibility, and gave me plenty of options and saved me money! You've solved my problem, but if I've got any more questions, I'll refer to this thread or ask a new one.

Which MB should I chose?

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