Best 1155 Gaming Mobo?

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xRayne

xRayne

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Hi there! I've started construction of my first system (buying bit by bit at this point) and I got my motherboard decision stonewalled by a last minute socket change thanks to a sale and the good gaming reputation of the i5-3570k CPU. At this point I'm looking for an 1150 motherboard good for overclocking; SLI is preferable but not a requirement. Form factor of ATX or mATX is preferable, but I don't mind upping to a full ATX tower for a good board. One thing I am calling a requirement is decent on-board audio. I do most of my gaming with a headset so I see little point in getting a sound card. I'm fairly new to building and pushing systems (this is my first build), so all help would be greatly appreciated. My budget is around $250, but I'm willing to go above and beyond if the argument shows better bang for buck.

I've set up an interim build to get this up and running as soon as possible with a final build down the line as I can afford components. If anything seems iffy or could use a change, feel free to say so. Anything that I haven't already purchased is free game.

Interim build:

Case: Storm Scout II Advanced
CPU: i5-3570k Ivy Bridge (Purchased) + Xigmatek Dark Knight Heatsink (Purchased)
GPU: Asus DirectCU II OC Nvidia GTX 780 (Purchased)
PSU: 750W Corsair
RAM: 16GB DDR3 G.SKILL Sniper @ 1600MHz (4x4GB) (Purchased)
Storage: 4TB Seagate SSHD
OS: Win7 or Win8, still undecided
Monitor: 60Hz Asus sitting in my basement

Final Build:

Case: Storm Scout II Advanced
CPU: i5-3570k Ivy Bridge + Xigmatek Dark Knight Heatsink (Considering water cooling as well; but if so a self-enclosed unit, not a build-it-break-it-blow-up-in-your-face-it unit.)
GPU: Asus DirectCU II OC Nvidia GTX 780
PSU: Undecided 1000W/1200W Platinum Certified
RAM: 32GB DDR3 G.SKILL Trident X @ 1600MHz (4x8GB)
Storage: 250GB Samsung SDD + 2 4TB Seagate SSHD
OS: Undecided
Monitor: ASUS VG248QE 24" 144Hz

So yeah. That's what I've got. If I've derped somewhere, by all means, please point it out. I'm a complete greenhorn, but I'm a greenhorn willing to learn. Thanks to all who take a look!
 
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H
http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/parts/motherboard/#m=7,8,18,27&f=2&s=14&c=52&sort=a7

take your pick. plenty of good boards above the $130 point with dual SLI support. though going for the $150-170 price point for a little quality assurance can't hurt considering your budget. an Asus P9Z77-V (non-pro) for example wouldn't be a bad compromise.

as for your RAM question; no. plenty of people here probably go through a whole build's lifetime without ever using the other two slots. if there's a problem, it's definitely not because the other two slots aren't in use.

EDIT:
Also; can anyone comment as to the P8Z77-V Pro in comparison to the ASrock Fatal1ty? Any real differences with performance or OCing? I'm snooping around the net but I can't...
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Hazle

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http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asus-motherboard-p8z77vpro

or any mobo from Asus, Gigabyte, Asrock or MSI within that price range. I reckon a first timer isn't going to OC extremely high, unless you really want to get into enthusiast OCing right off the bat. seeing as you don't sound like a massive audiophile, onboard audio in most mobos are more than plenty for the casual user.

unless you're aiming for bragging rights or aesthetics, some other suggestions;
considering SLI is not a major requirement, i assume at worst you plan to run a dual SLI config? if so & you prefer to save up, forget getting a 1000W+ PSU. 850W for dual SLI, 650-750W for a single card, Bronze certified, unless you plan to fill up the whole drive bays with HDDS and/or add other assorted bling. if you're planning to keep this PC on at all times & extremely worried about the bills, getting Silver or Gold cert is understandable, if you're willing to spend.

really no good reason to get 8GB+ solely for gaming alone. if anything, with DDR4 around the corner, ram speed may matter more than capacity in the future, though not anytime soon, so stick with the 1600 kit for the time being. if capacity does become a concern, it's a matter of adding another 2x8gb 1600 kit in the future.
 
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xRayne

xRayne

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Dec 10, 2013
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I've been glaring at the Sabertooth but that's a bit cheaper and honestly, I don't give two craps about the TUF. The PRO is $40 more expensive in Canada for some reason, though...Bleh. And at this point, dual would probably be the highest. 780's are stupidly expensive and I don't intend to buy another one until I've finalized the build and maaaaybe added another monitor. Plus spent some time using it and fine-tuning. Thanks for the power advice; I'll just sit myself on a 750 Gold supply and bump that if I decide to get another card. As for RAM, maybe I'll only get a dual-kit of the 8GB Trident X's for now. Is there any implicit long or short term stability issues in running a board while only utilizing two RAM slots as opposed to all four?
 
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xRayne

xRayne

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Dec 10, 2013
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Also; can anyone comment as to the P8Z77-V Pro in comparison to the ASrock Fatal1ty? Any real differences with performance or OCing? I'm snooping around the net but I can't find much information.
 
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Hazle

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Oct 28, 2011
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http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/parts/motherboard/#m=7,8,18,27&f=2&s=14&c=52&sort=a7

take your pick. plenty of good boards above the $130 point with dual SLI support. though going for the $150-170 price point for a little quality assurance can't hurt considering your budget. an Asus P9Z77-V (non-pro) for example wouldn't be a bad compromise.

as for your RAM question; no. plenty of people here probably go through a whole build's lifetime without ever using the other two slots. if there's a problem, it's definitely not because the other two slots aren't in use.

EDIT:
Also; can anyone comment as to the P8Z77-V Pro in comparison to the ASrock Fatal1ty? Any real differences with performance or OCing? I'm snooping around the net but I can't find much information.
Click to expand...

the difference between $200+ & $170-200 boards usually all comes down to additional OC features like an easy Boost/BIOS button and the likes that simplifies OCing, as well as better OCing potential as they come with higher quality parts, though these are usually put to good use by enthusiasts and competitive OCers. other additional features includes 8x/8x/8x tri-SLI support, built-in onboard wifi adapter, sound card, or a supposedly superior ethernet card, built in water blocks, etc. Expensive boards like Asus' Sabertooth & Maximus/Rampage (or whatever they call it nowadays) series are usually meant for really high OCs, which is why i only recommend them for those going for looks, those with a $500 budget on the mobos, or experienced OCing enthusiasts looking for a better OC (not that they ever need me help).
 
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