First build,need help with MOBO

[yeehc]

Approximate Purchase Date: This week

Budget Range: $800-900 CAD

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Gaming, surfing the internet,watching movies

Parts Not Required: Monitors, OS, keyboard, mouse

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: DirectCanada,newegg.ca,ncix.ca

Country: Canada

Overclocking: Yes on the GPU only

SLI or Crossfire:No

Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080

CPU: i5 3550 $205.93

GPU: EAH6850 $131.84 (Already bought)

Motherboard:ASRock Z68 EXTREME3 GEN3 ATX $143.64/ ASRock Z77 Pro 3 ATX $127.44/ ASUS P8Z77-V LX Z77 ATX $134.79

HD:Seagate Barracuda 1TB 7200RPM 64MB SATA 6Gbps 3.5IN Internal Hard Drive - OEM (Already bought)

Optical Drive: ASUS DRW-24B1ST 24X SATA DVD Writer OEM Black (Already bought)

Case: Cooler Master HAF912 $59.23

PSU:Antec Basiq BP550 Plus 550W 24PIN ATX 12V V2.2 80PLUS Modular Active PFC Power Supply $62.25

RAM:G.SKILL Ripjaws X F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL 8GB 2X4GB DDR3-1600 CL9-9-9-24 Memory $51.23



Additional Comments: I am new to this forum and this is my first attempt building a PC. I was hoping this PC can last 2+ years, except the GPU, I will get a better one when then HD7xxx/GTX 6xx series prices drop.If you saw something wrong please point out to me, I am really confused with all the motherboard model name. ASRock seems popular around maybe because they have the best price/performance?I want to know the difference between the Pro and Extreme, as well as the Z68/Z77, I will add a SSD and a sound card in the future tho. As I said, I am open to suggestion!

 

[ilikegirls]

Hey Yeehc and welcome to the forums!

Your new build looks really nice, I am looking at the CPU and cant help but notice that it is an Ivy Bridge so this makes your choice in motherboards a lot easier.

To understand the difference between the Z68 and the Z77 look here
http://www.pugetsystems.com/blog/2012/04/12/z68-z77-and-h77-whats-the-difference/

To make things easier, the z68 was designed with Sandy Bridge in mind where the Z77 is the successor to it and was made for Ivy Bridge.

Get a Z77 mobo (motherboard) and if you want my recommendation i'd get this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157295&Tpk=ASRock%27s%20Z77%20Extreme6

Ohh and read this article, it can really help you understand motherboards better!
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/z77-extreme6-z77a-gd65-z77h2-a2x,3187.html

Sorry about the long post but I think it will really help you!
Enjoy and again welcome!

 

[yeehc]

Thanks for the info, was some nice reading there, definitely help me a lot on choosing the Mobo. The Z77 extreme6 is a too expensive for me tho, price in Canada is $229..Finally I bought the Gigabyte Z77-D3H, will be ship in a day..I am so excited

 

[yeehc]

Best answer selected by yeehc.

 

[ilikegirls]

Thanks for the info, was some nice reading there, definitely help me a lot on choosing the Mobo. The Z77 extreme6 is a too expensive for me tho, price in Canada is $229..Finally I bought the Gigabyte Z77-D3H, will be ship in a day..I am so excited

Happy I was able to help!
Feel free to PM me if you need anything else!

enjoy your new rig