Seven Sub-$160 Z77 Express Motherboards, Reviewed

by
67 Comments

Z77A-G45 UEFI

MSI’s UEFI hasn’t changed noticeably in the past year, still placing the greatest visual priority on the system clock and the least visual priority on truly useful settings. Fortunately, the array of available settings is plentiful.

Base clock and CPU multiplier controls top the Z77A-G45’s OC menu. We were able to reach 4.65 GHz at our target 1.25 V when pairing these settings with a Vdroop Offset Control of 100%.

Unfortunately, we found that set voltage levels weren’t accurate whatsoever, requiring 1.235 V CPU core and 1.6330 V DIMM settings to reach our desired 1.25 V and 1.65 V. Using the 1.25 V setting with a lower Vdroop Offset Control simply allowed the CPU voltage to drop under load while remaining high at idle.

The Z77A-G45 allows the CPU multiplier to be raised as other features of Intel Turbo Boost technology are disabled.

Individual memory timings can be left in auto mode, while others are manually configured. MSI also allows XMP profiles to set the timings baseline by choosing the profile first, then manually altering other values (including memory ratio).

Up to six custom firmware configurations can be saved on the Z77A-G45 as overclocking profiles.

Previous Next
Summary
  1. Seven Affordable Z77 Express-Based Motherboards Get Dissected
  2. ASRock Z77 Extreme4
  3. Z77 Extreme4 Applications
  4. Overclocking With ASRock Extreme Tuning Utility
  5. Z77 Extreme4 UEFI
  6. Asus P8Z77-V LX
  7. P8Z77-V LX Applications
  8. Overclocking With Asus TurboV
  9. P8Z77-V LX UEFI
  10. Biostar TZ77XE3
  11. TZ77XE3 Applications
  12. Overclocking With Biostar Toverclocker
  13. TZ77XE3 UEFI
  14. ECS Z77H2-A2X Deluxe
  15. Z77H2-A2X Deluxe Applications
  16. Overclocking With ECS eOC
  17. Z77H2-A2X Deluxe UEFI
  18. Gigabyte GA-Z77X-D3H
  19. Z77X-D3H Applications
  20. Overclocking With Easy Tune6
  21. Z77X-D3H UEFI
  22. Intel DZ77SL-50K
  23. DZ77SL-50K Applications
  24. Overclocking With Intel Extreme Tuning Utility
  25. DZ77SL-50K UEFI
  26. MSI Z77A-G45
  27. Z77A-G45 Applications
  28. Overclocking With MSI Control Center
  29. Z77A-G45 UEFI
  30. Benchmark Settings And Peripheral Compatibility Testing
  31. Benchmark Results: 3DMark 11
  32. Benchmark Results: PCMark And Sandra
  33. Power, Heat, And Efficiency
  34. Overclocking
  35. Three Sub-$160 Motherboards Rise To The Top
About the author
Thomas Soderstrom

Thomas Soderstrom is a Senior Staff Editor at Tom's Hardware US. He tests and reviews cases, cooling, memory and motherboards.

Read more
Create a new thread in the US Reviews comments forum about this subject
This thread is closed for comments
67 comments
Comment from the forums
    Your comment
  • SpadeM
    LAN performance .. ISC performance ... USB 3 .. well that's it then.
  • Crashman
    SpadeMLAN performance .. ISC performance ... USB 3 .. well that's it then.
    Tom's Hardware has several controller comparisons, and publishes new ones frequently. So unless you think one of the boards has a broken controller, wysiwyg.

    The things that actually get screwed-up are typically related to the clock generator, multiplier control, memory timings and power options.
  • nikorr
    I would place the ASRock and Gigabyte on the top as well : )

    Nice review.
  • jaquith
    I always appreciate your Articles! :) I know how much work you do to get them done.

    You're kidding - Biostar. I guess this article is not about the 'Best Sub-$160 Z77' MOBO's but about the best manufacturers sent you. The cheapest MOBO I recommend for the SB/IB (K) is the ASUS P8Z77-V which pops your 'unique' budget cap depending where you shop; found it here for $159.99 - http://www.gadgetneeds.net/asus-p8z77-v-atx-intel-motherboard/

    Interesting you didn't get an ASUS P8Z77-V LK ~$120 which offers SLI. The ASRock Z77 Extreme4 and Gigabyte Z77X-D3H for the price aren't bad.

    There's NO WAY I'm recommending Biostar in the forum, folks and myself would thing I've lost my mind.
  • jimishtar
    It would be nice to see the CPU voltage for every board when overclocking.
  • Crashman
    jimishtarIt would be nice to see the CPU voltage for every board when overclocking.
    1.25V
  • gorillagarrett
    No peripherals performance tests? Those are the only tests that differentiate those motherboards from each other.

    Would really like to see how the UD3X Atheros Ethernet controller fares against the Intel and broadcom ones.
  • Crashman
    gorillagarrettNo peripherals performance tests? Those are the only tests that differentiate those motherboards from each other. Would really like to see how the UD3X Atheros Ethernet controller fares against the Intel and broadcom ones.
    I'll let the integrated controller guy know you'd like to see those parts compared :)
  • gorillagarrett
    Quote:
    I'll let the integrated controller guy know you'd like to see those parts compared


    Thank you!
  • rolli59
    I would have liked to see the Asus P8Z77V-LK version instead of the LX since it is better equipped.
  • Crashman
    rolli59I would have liked to see the Asus P8Z77V-LK version instead of the LX since it is better equipped.
    It's also mentioned in the article. It was over $160 (at $165) when the comparison was set up.
  • nevertell
    Why are there no DCP latency tests ? These differentiate the motherboards
    This is what differentiates them performance wise.
  • pacioli
    Wow, Biostar...? I wonder what the longevity of that board is...
  • Crashman
    pacioliWow, Biostar...? I wonder what the longevity of that board is...
    It's hard to tell, but the last Biostar board I had in a system lasted 12 years before it got dismantled for its entire processor selection being too slow.
  • CaedenV
    Nice to see a Mobo review where the charts are not all identical bars lol. It has been a long time sense the stock performance has had much of any variance between brands, and we are getting much more feature variety as well. I thought as more and more parts became integrated into the CPU that the bars would become more and more similar, and mainstream features would become more and more homogeneous.

    Also, I love the True Studio Pro software, if you are running digital audio it really makes any idea of a dedicated sound card a thing of the past. Every computer I build now either has True Studio Pro with the mobo, or I purchase the MB2 software suite, it makes such a difference if using headphones or quality speakers, and much less buggy that Creative's sound cards and driver issues that we all know and love.
  • jamie_1318
    On-motherboard start buttons are a useless feature. Anyone who could actually use it should know they can just short across the power switch header using any piece of metal.
  • delaro
    At this point SATA 6GB, USB 3 and PCI-e 3.o should be a standered and not a side option.
  • g-unit1111
    As good as Asus motherboards are - why do they include such poorly made I/O brackets? Even Biostar and ECS include ones that are better made than Asus does.
  • goinginstyle
    Another comment about why the P8Z77V-LK board was not reviewed. I own this board now after a total disaster with one of the boards you awarded so why is it missing? The ASUS P8Z77V-LK was priced at $149.99 when I purchased it and is now $139.99 with a rebate down to $119.99 after a quick check this morning. Based on your comments about the Biostar and ASRock boards having additional features like SLI/CF or additional USB 3 ports it is hard to understand why this board was not reviewed. The P8Z77V-LE is priced at $165 not the LK board. As to the 4-dimm testing, did you try the DDR3-2666 ratio or is the test overclocking the 2400 ratio?
  • Crashman
    goinginstyleAnother comment about why the P8Z77V-LK board was not reviewed.
    Because it was priced at $165 two months ago when the invitations went out. End of story.
Display more comments
Most Popular
  1. Silent Running: Two Fanless Power Supplies And A Quiet One, Tested
  2. Prismatic Lithium-Ion Battery to Become Notebook Standard?
  3. ODROID-X: The $129 Quad-core Alternative to Raspberry Pi
The Latest On Tom's Hardware
Edition
Subscribe to our newsletter
Company
Resources
Other Purch sites
  • © 2018 Purch All Rights Reserved.