Most cost efficient Motherboard for a 3770k?

[iRetrospect]

I am currently trying to upgrade my gaming rig and I have bought most of the parts that I need already. Given my budget, I am unsure which motherboard would fit my build best while also keeping it cost efficient. Although I have read the Seven Sub-$160 Z77 Express Motherboards, Reviewed, the current standing price for the boards that were mentioned have drastically changed and I wanted new input in response to the new costs. Below are the lowest prices I have found for the four motherboards I am currently deciding on:

• 
  ■ Asus P8Z77-V Lx - $73.99
  ■ MSI Z77MA-G45 - $86.99
  ■ Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H - $122.64
  ■ ASRock Z77 Extreme4 - $129.99

The current setup for my rig is (parts I am upgrading and have already bought are followed by an asterisk):

• 
  CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core*
  CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus
  Motherboard: Undecided
  Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB)
  Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 760 2GB*
  Power Supply: OCZ ModXStream Pro 600W
  Case: Zalman Z9

Any responses or additional advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

 

[David Lugarov]

Since you have a gaming rig in mind I would strongly recommend the MSI G45 out of those models listed. But if you have the extra cash, the G65 version is a better option, and if you're willing to spend more, you should look into the new generation of Intel Processors, the Haswell gen. A 4770K is far more efficient than a 3770K and is not at all more expensive. If you decide to get a new processor, there's the G45 and G65 available for that socket as well.

 

[iRetrospect]

Can you explain your reason for the MSI board over the others? I am concern on that board especially seeing it has the least ocing potential in comparison to the other 3 as shown in the review article. Also, I already bought the 3770k because of a discount I got for it, so a change in CPU is highly unlikely.

 

[David Lugarov]

Can you explain your reason for the MSI board over the others? I am concern on that board especially seeing it has the least ocing potential in comparison to the other 3 as shown in the review article. Also, I already bought the 3770k because of a discount I got for it, so a change in CPU is highly unlikely.

If it says that mobo has the least OC-ing potential, I'd be looking at some other website, because this motherboard was made for overclockers, that is completely wrong, this motherboard is made to fill in the gap between extreme motherboards and budget motherboards, and it does it well. Trust me, overclocking with this will be as smooth as possible.

 

[iRetrospect]

Can you explain your reason for the MSI board over the others? I am concern on that board especially seeing it has the least ocing potential in comparison to the other 3 as shown in the review article. Also, I already bought the 3770k because of a discount I got for it, so a change in CPU is highly unlikely.

If it says that mobo has the least OC-ing potential, I'd be looking at some other website, because this motherboard was made for overclockers, that is completely wrong, this motherboard is made to fill in the gap between extreme motherboards and budget motherboards, and it does it well. Trust me, overclocking with this will be as smooth as possible.

In spite of cooling differences, Asus’ hot-running P8Z77-V LX tops our CPU overclocking chart, while MSI’s cold-blooded Z77-G45 falls to the bottom. - Link

 

[David Lugarov]

Can you explain your reason for the MSI board over the others? I am concern on that board especially seeing it has the least ocing potential in comparison to the other 3 as shown in the review article. Also, I already bought the 3770k because of a discount I got for it, so a change in CPU is highly unlikely.

If it says that mobo has the least OC-ing potential, I'd be looking at some other website, because this motherboard was made for overclockers, that is completely wrong, this motherboard is made to fill in the gap between extreme motherboards and budget motherboards, and it does it well. Trust me, overclocking with this will be as smooth as possible.

In spite of cooling differences, Asus’ hot-running P8Z77-V LX tops our CPU overclocking chart, while MSI’s cold-blooded Z77-G45 falls to the bottom. - Link

Look at the G65 in more famous websites like Guru3D or TechPowerUp, you'll see what I'm talking about.

 

[iRetrospect]

Can you link me to these articles and more importantly the specific G65 board from MSI youre talking about. I've searched and the only thing that came up on newegg was this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130663&Tpk=msi%20g65

 

[iRetrospect]

Also on another note, is the power supply that I currently have good enough to hand the newly upgraded GTX 760 I bought?

 

[David Lugarov]

Also on another note, is the power supply that I currently have good enough to hand the newly upgraded GTX 760 I bought?

The power supply is the minimum required power supply so it will be enough, but don't even think about overclocking, if you still haven't bought the PSU, you should look into a decent 700watt power supply with a good rating. 80+ Gold if possible.

 

[iRetrospect]

I am currently trying to upgrade my gaming rig and I have bought most of the parts that I need already. Given my budget, I am unsure which motherboard would fit my build best while also keeping it cost efficient. Although I have read the Seven Sub-$160 Z77 Express Motherboards, Reviewed, the current standing price for the boards that were mentioned have drastically changed and I wanted new input in response to the new costs. Below are the lowest prices I have found for the four motherboards I am currently deciding on:

• 
  ■ Asus P8Z77-V Lx - $73.99
  ■ MSI Z77MA-G45 - $86.99
  ■ Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H - $122.64
  ■ ASRock Z77 Extreme4 - $129.99

The current setup for my rig is (parts I am upgrading and have already bought are followed by an asterisk):

• 
  CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core*
  CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus
  Motherboard: Undecided
  Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB)
  Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 760 2GB*
  Power Supply: OCZ ModXStream Pro 600W
  Case: Zalman Z9

Any responses or additional advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

Also on another note, is the power supply that I currently have good enough to hand the newly upgraded GTX 760 I bought?

The power supply is the minimum required power supply so it will be enough, but don't even think about overclocking, if you still haven't bought the PSU, you should look into a decent 700watt power supply with a good rating. 80+ Gold if possible.

It was part of my rig already and going by your comments, it seems like I would need to sink even more money now just to overclock my new gpu.

 

[David Lugarov]

Yes you will. However, if you don't overclock you'll be fine. But even without another PSU, you can still do a small OC, maybe 50 mhz, and 100 on the memory.

 

[MadRetch]

yeh if not gd45 but i would recommend atleast the msi gd55 if you wanna overclock

 

[iRetrospect]

[strike]Back on topic though, I have seen a lot of good reviews on the Asus Sabertooth Z77 and I found a place selling for $169.99 - http://www.ascendtech.us/asus-sabertooth-z77-lga1155-ddr3-hdmi_i_mbasusabrtz77io.aspx

Although this price is way over my initial budget, if it is legit, would it be worth it to shell out an extra couple of banks for that over any of the ones I have mentioned earlier?[/strike]

Nevermind, I just noticed it is a re-certified item, hence the low price tag.

 

[MadRetch]

i picked my MSI z77a-gd55 for $135 about 5months agao so see if you can find one on newegg or whatever you use sorry i live in australia so im not good with over sea's computer stores sorry did the looking for you here it is really good features and overclocking aswell for the money 10/10 omho http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130644&Tpk=msi%20gd55

 

[iRetrospect]

i picked my MSI z77a-gd55 for $135 about 5months agao so see if you can find one on newegg or whatever you use sorry i live in australia so im not good with over sea's computer stores sorry did the looking for you here it is really good features and overclocking aswell for the money 10/10 omho http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130644&Tpk=msi%20gd55

Thank you for the input, but I would really like to know if its even worth it to spend that amount on that board since the reviews for most of the z77 mobos seems to show theres not much difference between each other at the sub $160 range.

 

[David Lugarov]

i picked my MSI z77a-gd55 for $135 about 5months agao so see if you can find one on newegg or whatever you use sorry i live in australia so im not good with over sea's computer stores sorry did the looking for you here it is really good features and overclocking aswell for the money 10/10 omho http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130644&Tpk=msi%20gd55

Thank you for the input, but I would really like to know if its even worth it to spend that amount on that board since the reviews for most of the z77 mobos seems to show theres not much difference between each other at the sub $160 range.

You're partially right, usually, mobos like the GD65 are built to last much longer, built for OC and for gaming. It's once you get those CPU and GPU numbers going higher that you'll see a difference between the boards. And that's why I've been saying the GD65 is a great choice, MSI have been into the board business for a long time.

 

[iRetrospect]

i picked my MSI z77a-gd55 for $135 about 5months agao so see if you can find one on newegg or whatever you use sorry i live in australia so im not good with over sea's computer stores sorry did the looking for you here it is really good features and overclocking aswell for the money 10/10 omho http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130644&Tpk=msi%20gd55

Thank you for the input, but I would really like to know if its even worth it to spend that amount on that board since the reviews for most of the z77 mobos seems to show theres not much difference between each other at the sub $160 range.

You're partially right, usually, mobos like the GD65 are built to last much longer, built for OC and for gaming. It's once you get those CPU and GPU numbers going higher that you'll see a difference between the boards. And that's why I've been saying the GD65 is a great choice, MSI have been into the board business for a long time.

So besides paying more for stability and the assurance of a long lasting board, what other features makes the GD65 actually an attractive offer over other boards of the same price range?

 

[David Lugarov]

i picked my MSI z77a-gd55 for $135 about 5months agao so see if you can find one on newegg or whatever you use sorry i live in australia so im not good with over sea's computer stores sorry did the looking for you here it is really good features and overclocking aswell for the money 10/10 omho http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130644&Tpk=msi%20gd55

Thank you for the input, but I would really like to know if its even worth it to spend that amount on that board since the reviews for most of the z77 mobos seems to show theres not much difference between each other at the sub $160 range.

You're partially right, usually, mobos like the GD65 are built to last much longer, built for OC and for gaming. It's once you get those CPU and GPU numbers going higher that you'll see a difference between the boards. And that's why I've been saying the GD65 is a great choice, MSI have been into the board business for a long time.

So besides paying more for stability and the assurance of a long lasting board, what other features makes the GD65 actually an attractive offer over other boards of the same price range?

That's about it really, with an amazing UEFI coupled to the mobo and a bunch of useful tools there's nothing so outstanding, all those mobos you looked at are great, the Maximus VI Hero and the GD65 are definitely 2 of the best.

 

[iRetrospect]

i picked my MSI z77a-gd55 for $135 about 5months agao so see if you can find one on newegg or whatever you use sorry i live in australia so im not good with over sea's computer stores sorry did the looking for you here it is really good features and overclocking aswell for the money 10/10 omho http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130644&Tpk=msi%20gd55

Thank you for the input, but I would really like to know if its even worth it to spend that amount on that board since the reviews for most of the z77 mobos seems to show theres not much difference between each other at the sub $160 range.

You're partially right, usually, mobos like the GD65 are built to last much longer, built for OC and for gaming. It's once you get those CPU and GPU numbers going higher that you'll see a difference between the boards. And that's why I've been saying the GD65 is a great choice, MSI have been into the board business for a long time.

So besides paying more for stability and the assurance of a long lasting board, what other features makes the GD65 actually an attractive offer over other boards of the same price range?

That's about it really, with an amazing UEFI coupled to the mobo and a bunch of useful tools there's nothing so outstanding, all those mobos you looked at are great, the Maximus VI Hero and the GD65 are definitely 2 of the best.

If thats the case, I am probably just gonna save up more/wait for a sale to buy a high end board since I am in no rush to overclock my cpu anyways. Just wondering though, at what price range would there simply be diminishing returns for motherboards in general?

 

[David Lugarov]

i picked my MSI z77a-gd55 for $135 about 5months agao so see if you can find one on newegg or whatever you use sorry i live in australia so im not good with over sea's computer stores sorry did the looking for you here it is really good features and overclocking aswell for the money 10/10 omho http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130644&Tpk=msi%20gd55

Thank you for the input, but I would really like to know if its even worth it to spend that amount on that board since the reviews for most of the z77 mobos seems to show theres not much difference between each other at the sub $160 range.

You're partially right, usually, mobos like the GD65 are built to last much longer, built for OC and for gaming. It's once you get those CPU and GPU numbers going higher that you'll see a difference between the boards. And that's why I've been saying the GD65 is a great choice, MSI have been into the board business for a long time.

So besides paying more for stability and the assurance of a long lasting board, what other features makes the GD65 actually an attractive offer over other boards of the same price range?

That's about it really, with an amazing UEFI coupled to the mobo and a bunch of useful tools there's nothing so outstanding, all those mobos you looked at are great, the Maximus VI Hero and the GD65 are definitely 2 of the best.

If thats the case, I am probably just gonna save up more/wait for a sale to buy a high end board since I am in no rush to overclock my cpu anyways. Just wondering though, at what price range would there simply be diminishing returns for motherboards in general?

I'm not quite sure I'm following you, what do you mean?

 

[iRetrospect]

As in, at what price point is it just a waste to spend more money for a motherboard?

 

[David Lugarov]

As in, at what price point is it just a waste to spend more money for a motherboard?

Check the price of a Maximus VI Extreme, it's the best ROG mobo for Z87 chipset, and anything over that is just a waste of money.

 

[MadRetch]

well the only reason why i like gd55 is i can get my 3570k upto 4.6ghz stable which is really good for a 130 odd motherboard imo i suggested to my friend when he built his 3770k rig with 670 sli and he has it overclocked at 4.7ghz stable so im just saying that board is good bang for your buck looks good and the gd65 has only a couple more features from it http://motherboard.findthebest.com/compare/614-620/MSI-Z77A-GD65-vs-MSI-Z77A-GD55