Which motherboard for my new Skylake CPU? I've narrowed it down to 2 boards.

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Noirgheos

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I'm planning on getting a 6700K.

Choices for me are the MSI Z170A Gaming M7 or the GB Z170X Gaming 7.

I honestly have no preference, and they are both within $10 of each other, so price is a moot point.

I've been told some horrid things about MSI's quality control (but this was in AMD land with the 970 boards), and I've heard recently they've taken a real 180° and are pumping out very high quality motherboards now, some of the best. Their support is also top notch from what I hear on this forum and others, close to EVGA. Not quite, but close.

Gigabyte I've heard always makes quality, but their support is Asus-tier, otherwise known as garbage. I've had this experience first hand with a GPU, but I'm willing to wave it if the Z170X Gaming 7 is a really good motherboard.

I'm mainly looking for looks, BIOS quality, and (yes I know this sounds silly) BIOS splash screen quality. Tired of low res. ones.
 
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Tradesman1
I think everybody has their favorite(s). For me, in large part it's a business decision on builds, so I don't use components I don't have faith in. Can get burned by any brand or component. Have found narrowing things down helps a lot, years back I built on AMD and Intel and on about most any any mobos, I've cut down on builds to about 50 or less a year and am much more selective in those I choose to build
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Noirgheos

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Asus has horrid support, which I've experienced myself. The PCB is also brown. Call me a kid but I care about looks.
 
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Noirgheos

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They are only $20 cheaper here than their 7 versions, and that I/O cover is ever so nice. So, what I get from this is... it doesn't matter? Either will do fine?
 
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Noirgheos

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Except, are your clients using low end MSI's? Mid range? High end? Its been the opposite with my brother's store. Thing is, he only does builds with high end boards, and rarely any he's used ever need to be sent back. Asus, MSI, or GB.
 
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Tradesman1

Tradesman1

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That's all I do, Intel only and K model CPUs. I do a lot of repair and upgrade work also, that's where I come into contact with MSI mobos (and other brands). I used to use MSI but they started coming apart back around 2009/10 and soon fell behind ASRock in sales, dropping to number 4, ASRock has been widening the gap ever since. Asus and GB remain 1 and 2 as they have been going back years. When Sandy Bridge was released and slightly before, MSI really started pushing their advertising more and more and QC really started falling off.
 
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Noirgheos

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The GB, MSI, and ASUS Hero are similar priced on Newegg. MSI has the least reviews, but have a 48% five star rating, ASUS has more reviews, but only 40% are 5 star, and the average is 3. GB has the most reviews, like 100 more than the others, and has 4 star average and 50% are 5 star.

I just checked the GB BIOS and splash, and its really, really ugly. Not a lot of options compared to ASUS and MSI, and also much uglier. I'd give ASUS a try again, as I've heard the RMA process has improved, but the 3 star rating is scaring me off. So many issues with less reviews...

 
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Noirgheos

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That's true, but the ASUS Z170 Hero has 3 stars, and has only like 20 more reviews, and the MSI has a better average with 4 stars.
 
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Tradesman1

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I've got the Hero and it's a great mobo, in the reviews many of the problems can be attributed to the people not updating the BIOS or getting latest drivers (same with other mobos) not to mention, new chipset, new CPUs, new DRAM and for many new OS. The 1150 Heros were the best selling enthusiast mobos which draws many to them that aren't really ready to be building a higher end rig. I know I throw more at my rigs than most - i.e. I've run a half dozen coolers on the CPU, a variety of GPUs up through 290Xs in XFire and 980Tis in SLI, about a dozen sts of DRAM (lowest end 2x8 2666 Red Tesla). Not a single problem with anything, OCs well, runs cool, great BIOS. I've also done 6 client builds with it and they all love theirs. NewEgg, Amazon customer reviews you have to takke all with a grain of salt, NewEgg used to have reviewers rate themselves which could tell you even more, most everybody rated themself an expert, then complained about things like (got 2666 RAM and it only runs at 1333' i.e. didn't enable XMP ;) Doesn't recognize my USB devices (didn't load latest drivers) etc...Additionally many don't know where to go for help ;) Reviews from publications and websites as 'official' reviews all pretty much seem good on the mobos, though there's an art to reading those also ;)
 
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Noirgheos

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Just said screw it and grabbed the MSI and GB from the local store.

I just tested my 6700K in both. My MSI OCs higher, but voltage is weird, drops a little too much. LLC seems to suck on the MSI, but nonetheless I got a higher OC than the GB.

I also don't know what you mean about MSI's QC falling behind. Feels very sturdy (and don't tell the store, I kind of dropped it trying to put it on the test bench, and it still works fine. Looks straight still). GB one feels the same. The I/O cover is flimsier than the GB one, but eh, moot point.

When's the last time you worked on an MSI? The quality is just as good as GB, if not better.

 
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Tradesman1

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Did a DRAM upgrade on an Gaming M7 last week (4x8GB 3000), the BIOS was out of date and the CPU needed a slight OC. About 3 weeks ago had a call on a G45 gaming, mobo had just crapped out, when they called thought it might be the wake from sleep problem many have had but this was just basically dead - he RMAed and is waiting for a replacement mobo
 
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Noirgheos

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So is the BIOS being out of date and the CPU needing a slight OC for high speed RAM (which is normal afaik) constitute a bad board or low QC? Could easily happen to a GB or an ASUS.

A friend of mine has screwed the BIOS on his GB Z170X Gaming 3 multiple times by just letting Windows put the PC to sleep. Had to reset CMOS each time.

The G45 was unfortunate, but Z97 was a different time, and need I remind you how poorly the ASUS Maximus VII Hero Z97 did against the MSI Z97 Gaming 5? Albeit not all games suffered, some did, so did Unigine Valley. http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cpu_mainboard/msi_z97_sli_krait_motherboard_review/12

80FPS on the Hero and 95FPS on the Gaming 5 from MSI. Huh. Odd, right? Anyway, the GB one is good, just as good as the MSI, but doesn't OC as high. I'll return the GB.

 
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Tradesman1

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___________

No those are the last two I've had in, nothing wrong with the last, that was simple, the dead board is another matter, I've had believe about 7 this year with complete failures that have varied, a couple with bad DRAM slots, one each with dead ethernet port, USB header, a bad PCI-E slot, and one with a loose 24 pin connector (might have been the client, but don't think so, he's been building for about 10 years or so (these were from new builds). This doesn't mean all are bad, many are good and people swear by them, I just see TOO many to use them, if they arrive DOA or break shortly after, it's on me...I supply a loaner, handle the RMA, tear down, rebuild, etc. Jusrt not worth it to me to take a chance with them ;)
 
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Noirgheos

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Well, you yourself said to trust official review sites, and all give the MSI Gaming M7 good reviews, as well as the Asus Hero. I think I'll stick with the MSI, experience them and see how it goes.
 
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Samer1970

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I had bad experience with MSI motherboards to the point I never looked at them again (lost trust) .. but their Graphics Cards are Good .

I Like Gigabyte the most .

Asus/Asrock are also good but not as good as Gigabyte .
 
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Tradesman1

Tradesman1

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I think everybody has their favorite(s). For me, in large part it's a business decision on builds, so I don't use components I don't have faith in. Can get burned by any brand or component. Have found narrowing things down helps a lot, years back I built on AMD and Intel and on about most any any mobos, I've cut down on builds to about 50 or less a year and am much more selective in those I choose to build
 
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