Seven Sub-$160 Z77 Express Motherboards, Reviewed

Asus P8Z77-V LX

For about $5 less than ASRock’s competing model, the P8Z77-V LX gives users access to Asus' legendary support structure, including frequent firmware updates long after a product has left production. You'll need to give up a few luxuries to get that lower price, however. You can start with the board's rear panel, which hosts only two USB 3.0 ports and three 1/8" analog audio jacks.

Budget builds are often stuck with old analog speaker system, and three jacks are still enough for 5.1-channel surround sound. While Asus relies on its front-panel header to support an eight-channel output claim, most users use those two additional channels to plug in a headset.

Also missing are any PCIe 3.0 pathway switches, which would have made x8/x8 mode possible for the P8Z77-V LX’s two x16-length slots. Instead, users get one slot locked into 16-lane transfers and a second locked into four-lane PCIe 2.0 transfers through the Z77 PCH. That limitation still allows for CrossFire configurations, but crosses SLI off the feature list, unless you get your hands on a single-card, dual GPU solution. Fans of Nvidia's multi-card rendering technology might want to consider the better-equipped P8Z77-V LK, though that model was priced above our $160 cut-off when review invitations went out.

Asus also omits on-board power and reset buttons, which other vendors use to woo bench testers without adding any real value to the average enthusiast. After all, those buttons become redundant once a motherboard is mounted into a case with its own externally-accessible buttons. This reviewer does miss the Port 80 diagnostics display that Asus fails to include, however. Asus believes its less informative pass/fail LEDs are easier to read.

Asus' MemOK and GPU Boost features are engaged using two switches along the P8Z77-V LX’s front edge that some builders will find useful. MemOK temporarily underclocks poorly-programmed memory to get you into the UEFI, where problematic modules can be configured manually. GPU Boost goes the other direction, overclocking the HD Graphics engines built into Intel’s LGA 1155-based processors.

We always look for layout problems that could hinder a build, and the worst thing we could find on Asus' P8Z77-V LX was that none of the fan connectors were located within easy reach of a case’s front panel. This complaint is trivial, since so many cases come with four-pin Molex power connectors. Asus even moves the P8Z77-V LX’s front-panel audio connector forward about an inch from the corner in which we usually find it, heading off any complaints we might have lodged about short cables. Bravo!

Two SATA cables are enough to complete the simplest builds. The P8Z77-V LX doesn’t include an SLI bridge because the board doesn’t have the hardware required to support two cards rendering cooperatively in SLI.

Thomas Soderstrom
Thomas Soderstrom is a Senior Staff Editor at Tom's Hardware US. He tests and reviews cases, cooling, memory and motherboards.
TOPICS
  • SpadeM
    LAN performance .. ISC performance ... USB 3 .. well that's it then.
    Reply
  • 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.
    Reply
  • nikorr
    I would place the ASRock and Gigabyte on the top as well : )

    Nice review.
    Reply
  • 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.
    Reply
  • jimishtar
    It would be nice to see the CPU voltage for every board when overclocking.
    Reply
  • Crashman
    jimishtarIt would be nice to see the CPU voltage for every board when overclocking.1.25V
    Reply
  • 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.
    Reply
  • 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 :)
    Reply
  • gorillagarrett
    I'll let the integrated controller guy know you'd like to see those parts compared

    Thank you!
    Reply
  • rolli59
    I would have liked to see the Asus P8Z77V-LK version instead of the LX since it is better equipped.
    Reply