Need Help Choosing a Z170 Motherboard for My First Gaming Build

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
S

Sharknat0

Reputable
Jul 1, 2015
13
0
4,510
I am currently choosing parts for my gaming build. I plan to use this build to play the latest games and plan to upgrade it in the future. I will be starting with just one GPU and 16 GB RAM (2x8 GB). I would like to add additional GPUs and either add more RAM or get better RAM later on. Future VR and 4K capability are both pluses. This is my first time building a PC and I am torn between several different motherboards and would really appreciate some help with choosing one. Sorry if I have a lot of questions or if they seem like stupid questions. I'm just very new to this and want to ensure that I can build a working gaming rig ASAP.

Here are the motherboards I am torn between:
MSI MSI Gaming Z170A GAMING M5 LGA 1151 Intel Z170 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.1 ATX Intel Motherboard

MSI MSI Gaming Z170A GAMING M7 LGA 1151 Intel Z170 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.1 ATX Intel Motherboard
I have read on this site's forums that MSI has poor QC. Is this true? If so, I assume that I should avoid buying MSI motherboards.

GIGABYTE G1 Gaming GA-Z170X-Gaming 7 (rev. 1.0) LGA 1151 Intel Z170 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.1 USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

ASUS Z170-A LGA 1151 Intel Z170 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.1 USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

ASUS SABERTOOTH Z170 MARK 1 LGA 1151 Intel Z170 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.1 USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

ASUS SABERTOOTH Z170 S LGA 1151 Intel Z170 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.1 USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard]

ASUS ROG MAXIMUS VIII RANGER LGA 1151 Intel Z170 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.1 USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

ASUS ROG MAXIMUS VIII HERO LGA 1151 Intel Z170 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.1 USB 3.0 ATX Intel Gaming Motherboard
I've noticed that this board has received very mixed reviews on Newegg. I have also noticed that it's been recommended a few times on this site's forums, and it seems to have done well in the reviews I have found on some other websites. Which sources should I trust? If it comes down to this board vs. the Ranger VIII would prefer this one to the Ranger VIII, but I am concerned about buying it due to some of the negative reviews it has received on Newegg.

I am open to suggestions of other boards. I only listed ASUS, MSI, and Gigabyte boards because they are the manufacturers people have recommended to me the most. Are any of the other manufacturers' boards worth it?

Also, I know that some of these boards support memory speeds above 2133MHz if overclocked. Should I stick with 2133MHz for now, or should I get memory with a higher speed?

Here is a link to a list of the components I currently plan to use in my build, if you need to refer to it: http://pcpartpicker.com/user/Sharknat0/saved/tTswrH

Thanks! And again, sorry if I'm asking a lot of questions.
 
Solution
Tradesman1
I went with the Hero and love it, looked at a lot of mobos, but came down to Asus, they have been leading the way since Haswell was introduced. Also looked strongly at the Asus Z170 Pro Gaming, but decided on the Hero as I go through a lot of testing other components. Already a half dozen coolers, a number of set of DRAM, a dozen GPUs up to and including 290Xs in XFire, 980s in SLI, currently a 980Ti Strix. The board runs cool, OCs very well and has a grreat BIOS
Sort by date Sort by votes
Tradesman1

Tradesman1

Legenda in Aeternum
Jun 5, 2013
67,883
40
126,960
I went with the Hero and love it, looked at a lot of mobos, but came down to Asus, they have been leading the way since Haswell was introduced. Also looked strongly at the Asus Z170 Pro Gaming, but decided on the Hero as I go through a lot of testing other components. Already a half dozen coolers, a number of set of DRAM, a dozen GPUs up to and including 290Xs in XFire, 980s in SLI, currently a 980Ti Strix. The board runs cool, OCs very well and has a grreat BIOS
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
S

Sharknat0

Reputable
Jul 1, 2015
13
0
4,510


Okay, thanks! I don't know much about motherboards, but the Hero looks like it has some nice features. I'm just a bit concerned about buying it due to the negative reviews it's been getting on Newegg. I'm just worried that I'll end up in the same boat as them. And I don't want to waste money on a motherboard that ends up not working or having serious issues for whatever reason. Should I take the reviews seriously? Why or why not?

Also, I know it supports memory speeds above 2133MHz if overclocked. At the moment, I am considering getting a set of 2x8 GB RAM at 2133MHz. Should I get something a bit faster, or should I stick with the 2133? If I were to get something faster, would it cause any problems?

Thanks again!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
D

dreamalittle

Reputable
Mar 26, 2016
117
0
4,710
I guess if it's quality control or buying a lemon that worries you most then buying from a brick and mortar store would really help. Being able to take faulty stuff back to a proper store that isn't too far away always gives me peace of mind which is why I always support local businesses that have good customer service in this regard -even the best companies in the world have faulty products from time to time.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Tradesman1

Tradesman1

Legenda in Aeternum
Jun 5, 2013
67,883
40
126,960

_____________________________

I'd look to 2400-2666 as a minimum the way prices are for the extra bandwidth
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
S

Sharknat0

Reputable
Jul 1, 2015
13
0
4,510


Sorry for the late reply. I was busy with school events.
I think I'll pick one up at Fry's. I checked the nearest location the other day and they had the Hero (most of these looked like the box had been opened before, so I'm assuming they were returned or something), the Ranger, the M5, and the M7. They also had this one Gigabyte board that looked like it could be a good choice: GIGABYTE GA-Z170XP-SLI (rev. 1.0) LGA 1151 Intel Z170 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.1 USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard. Of those motherboards, which would you recommend?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
S

Sharknat0

Reputable
Jul 1, 2015
13
0
4,510


Okay, I think I'm gonna go with 2666. How important are timings and voltages? How high is too high for a CAS rating? Should I be concerned if I buy RAM with a voltage above or below the specifications for my CPU? And would you recommend that I get Corsair or G.Skill? Or are there other manufacturers I should check out?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom