Need expert advice on which mobo to get for i5 4690k/gtx970

[KingProof]

Hello all. This will be my first self built pc, therefor I am new to all of this and this part is hard for me to choose. I've done some research on different motherboards and kinda what I'm looking for, but still confused. I plan to definitely get an i5 4690k and a gtx 970. Now, on the gtx 970 I think I will be going will gigabyte (best guess so far, not 100% sure on the brand & open to suggestions there also). I don't mind going full size atx (I believe it is) to fit the gigabyte card and also a full size motherboard. The 200 range or so will be alright, I don't have a set price in mind for the motherboard. I just want it to be a great motherboard in terms of quality and life span. I will be gaming on this pc, and as for now I will not be OC'ing anything or going sli just yet. I want to build this pc for that though, because that is my future goal with the pc. So I really want a motherboard that's going to last so I can OC in the future (and handle the oc just fine) and one that will have plenty of ports, etc. Like I mentioned above, I don't wanna spend $300+ on a mobo, but price isn't really an issue so I'd rather not get a $100 mobo either. I will be active in this thread but thank you to everyone in advance for all the help! Feel free to ask any questions you may have also... as for the rest of the parts of the pc, well, I've yet to get to those. Thanks!

 

[MystoPigz]

For a higher price board, get the Asus Maximus VII Hero ATX motherboard. It has 4.9 out of 5 stars that supports SLI and Crossfire, RAID, and USB 3.0. It also has eight SATA 6gb/s ports and can support up to 32GB of ram. This motherboard overclocks well. If you want something less pricy, get the MSI z97 MPOWER, MSI Z97 Gaming 5 or the Asus Z97-A. For more options, go here: https://pcpartpicker.com/parts/motherboard/#s=24&f=2,7&c=99&l=2,1000&u=1&sort=d6&page=1.

 

[KingProof]

Thanks for the info MystoPigz. I like the Asus hero board from what I know about motherboards. Is Asus leading in motherboards currently? And what's up with all the "gaming" motherboards? Are they actually better for gamers or is it just a marketing tactic? If they are in fact better than the hero, which one of those is best for around $200ish? As I look around online, most people seem to compare the hero to some msi/gigabyte gaming motherboards.

 

[MystoPigz]

Currently, the Asus Maximus VII Hero is the highest rated and most popular Z97 motherboard. Most "gaming" motherboards have better ethernet connections and higher quality audio. You just have to check the motherboard's official site to see if it lives up to its "gaming" name. I would only get the Asus Maximus VII Hero if you are going to SLI/Crossfire and use at least half of its extra features. Although for a first build, the Maximus VII Hero might be overkill. Basically every motherboard starting from the top to bottom until the Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SOC Force is great for your needs (http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/motherboard/#sort=d6&page=1&s=24&c=99&X=0,21000&f=2,3,7&qq=1). Last note: Do not get the ASRock Fatal1ty Z97 Killer. Trust me.

 

[KingProof]

Thank you for all of your help MystoPigz. I will put the hero to the top of the list and then compare a couple to find what suits me best. A+ advice.