Hi. Recently I just purchased a MSI Tomahawk Z720 Motherboard along with an i7 7700k, 16gb DDR4 Vengence RAM, and a Kraken x62. I am rather tech-savvy but I don't understand exactly what im looking for in a motherboard. I wasn't looking on paying for a motherboard that is just as expensive as the 7700k just because it has plates on it that make it look cool. Is this Motherboard http:// missing anything that I would probably use (Feature wise) now or later on? I currently use a 1070 variant from ASUS and I found online even though the motherboard only supports crossfire, through software SLI is possible if I ever went that route. I am trying to upgrade to the best I can get on the Intel path (Moving from an old AMD 8350) and I don't want to cut myself short on a motherboard. Just rephrasing, is there ANYTHING this motherboard is missing/doesn't have that the more expensive ones do (other than built in bluetooth/wifi and RGB/Metal "Armor")? Thanks in advance!
Is the MSI Tomahawk a good 7700k Mobo?
- Thread starter TheMrIggs
- Start date
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Geekwad
Admirable
- Sep 25, 2015
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It is just fine.
To be honest, with as high as the 7700k is clocked with boost from the factory....an H110 or B250 board with standard speed RAM does almost as well as an overclocked 7700k with faster RAM.
I'd always recommend something closer to this option:
CPU: Intel - Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($308.87)
CPU Cooler: Deepcool - GAMMAXX 400 74.3 CFM CPU Cooler ($22.79)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-B250M-DS3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($69.89)
Memory: G.Skill - Flare X 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($107.99)
Video Card: Gigabyte - GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB AORUS Video Card ($744.98)
Total: $1254.52
Versus this one:
CPU: Intel - Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($308.87)
CPU Cooler: NZXT - Kraken X62 Rev 2 98.2 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($159.99)
Motherboard: MSI - Z270 TOMAHAWK ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($119.99)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($126.99)
Video Card: Asus - GeForce GTX 1070 8GB Video Card ($499.99)
Total: $1215.83
For significantly better game performance for the money.
I will say, if you do think you may want to SLI in the future, do make sure to get a motherboard that supports that natively (which does mean Z270 for sure). If SLI is out, then the rest of the features are really not make or break (versus a better GPU).
To be honest, with as high as the 7700k is clocked with boost from the factory....an H110 or B250 board with standard speed RAM does almost as well as an overclocked 7700k with faster RAM.
I'd always recommend something closer to this option:
CPU: Intel - Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($308.87)
CPU Cooler: Deepcool - GAMMAXX 400 74.3 CFM CPU Cooler ($22.79)
Motherboard: Gigabyte - GA-B250M-DS3H Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($69.89)
Memory: G.Skill - Flare X 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($107.99)
Video Card: Gigabyte - GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB AORUS Video Card ($744.98)
Total: $1254.52
Versus this one:
CPU: Intel - Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($308.87)
CPU Cooler: NZXT - Kraken X62 Rev 2 98.2 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($159.99)
Motherboard: MSI - Z270 TOMAHAWK ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($119.99)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($126.99)
Video Card: Asus - GeForce GTX 1070 8GB Video Card ($499.99)
Total: $1215.83
For significantly better game performance for the money.
I will say, if you do think you may want to SLI in the future, do make sure to get a motherboard that supports that natively (which does mean Z270 for sure). If SLI is out, then the rest of the features are really not make or break (versus a better GPU).
Seanie280672
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- Mar 19, 2017
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Trouble is, you cant overclock on a B250 motherboard, Z270 is the only board that supports overclocking, so if you're going to get a B250, no point getting the 7700K, may as well save a bit more money and get the 7700, and for that CPU at stock speeds, theres defo no need for an aftermarket cooler.
So by switching to a better motherboard (Some ASUS $200+ one), is my FPS going to be increased significantly? I ALREADY have purchased these parts (currently waiting for the delivery of the i7) and my GPU is a 1070. Im not looking for a fresh new build. This is mine currently:
Processor: AMD FX-8350
CPU Liquid Cooler: Kraken X61
RAM: x3 8Gb Kingston DDR3
System: Windows 10 Pro x64
Case: NZXT Phantom 820
Graphics card: ASUS STRIX GTX 1070
MotherBoard: MSI 970 GAMING
Primary: Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250Gb
Secondary Drive: WD Black 2Tb
Tertiary Drive: WD Blue 500Gb
I'm not big on overclocking (all I'll do occasionally is use the MSI interface to OC my CPU or ASUS gui to OC my GPU) and before I can see myself buying another $600 gpu, I'd prolly be upgrading my Motherboard/cpu again before that so I'm not too worried about the SLI. I'm not trying to future proof but I am dropping $600 for a GOOD i7 7700k and I don't want to cut myself short with a motherboard as I said. Money isn't too big of a concern but I just need a SOLID reason why a $200 motherboard would outpreform the MSI Tomahawk Z720- Better FPS (By how much), better OC'ing (How much better), etc.
Geekwad
Admirable
- Sep 25, 2015
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Paying and extra $10-20 to go to 7700K from 7700 for 3.6GHz base to 4.2GHz base is worth it (even having to pay $25 for a cooler).
What isn't worth it is $250 in faster RAM, overpriced cooling, and a beefier motherboard that even if you do overclock it from 4.5GHz to 5.0GHz doesn't increase performance noticeably. That money is better invested in a much better GPU (for the gamer), always. Always.
The 7700k was on sale on Prime Day for cheaper than the 7700, which is why I jumped on it. As I stated in my replay above, I have already purchased these parts and money isn't an issue. I got the x62 upgrade for free through a broken x61 under warrenty. I just don't want to spend another $200 on a motherboard if it isn't necessary. I just asked this to the other user but I'll quote myself
Thanks
Geekwad
Admirable
- Sep 25, 2015
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If it doesn't have SLI support, then the bulk of what you're getting (aside from a few I/O differences) is support for faster RAM speeds and the ability to try to overclock....and looks
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/compare-products.html?productIds=98089,98086.
Geekwad
Admirable
- Sep 25, 2015
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Oh absolutely. You're going to be very happy going with the processor upgrade. Given what you have, and have already purchased, you're on a good track.
Don't take my musings as criticism, just conversation (and point of reference to others reading along). I have a 7700k in a $25 B150 board as a HTPC right now with a $10 cooler, which is how I came to my conclusions above.
Sorry for not clarifying. Is the Motherboard worth the upgrade? Or is the TomaHawk parfectly suitable? Given how little of a difference the other users were stating (couple hundred MHz more in OC'ing and lack of native SLI which I probably won't use anyways) it doesn't seem the extra $200 is worth the upgrade.
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