Any feedback on ASRock Z77 Pro4?

[futurefields]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157296

Hey guys, I am looking for any feedback from users of this motherboard. I will be putting together a system on Wednesday based on this motherboard with an i5 2500k and Coolermaster Hyper 212+

In hindsight, I should have bought the Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 for the same price, but with better power regulation and I assume better overclocking potential, but for some reason I was thinking I wanted native USB 3.0 support, oh well live and learn. The Extreme3 definitely looks cooler with the bigger heatsinks and so forth.

But I am hoping the Pro4 will get me by, and let me overclock to 4.4-4.5ghz with the Hyper 212+

So has anybody used this thing? Reviews are slim...

Thanks!

 

[futurefields]

Apparently nobody uses this thing. Should I send it back to newegg and get something else?

 

[Madmick]

Yeah, seems like the Pro3 and the Extreme 4/6 are much more popular.

 

[futurefields]

Well then I guess *I* will be the test monkey, since its coming on Wednesday.

 

[buggers]

Please post a review after you get it running. I was looking at this board also but wasn't sure if it's good or not. I hear the Asrock Z77s are picky about certain graphics cards and memory.

 

[Avalon]

No experience with it, at the time the Extreme4 was just $10 more so I went for that. It's supposed to have better power delivery. No issues with it.

 

[Rvenger]

I have a $170 Z77 Extreme 6 and it provides no benefit over an Extreme 4 for what I use it for. I bought it because the layout is better for cable routing in my case and because its a full sized ATX. When I do my Haswell build, I will be going cheaper on the mobo for sure.

 

[futurefields]

Build is up and running today. So far so good, just installing all the drivers and everything. I really like the UEFI thing, my first motherboard with it.

CPU temp is 32 at idle right now, which is on the good side from what I've read. That's with a Hyper 212+ installed, using the stock thermal compound and with the heatpipes horizontal (busted my ass to get it installed like that)

 

[futurefields]

Beware that this mobo is only good for 1 GPU, hence the difference between the Extreme and the Pro boards.

 

[futurefields]

@ 4.0 ghz, cpu temp 33, mb temp 25

i love this processor

 

[buggers]

Beware that this mobo is only good for 1 GPU, hence the difference between the Extreme and the Pro boards.

The Asrock Z77 Pro4 is listed as supporting Crossfire. So it won't support more than one GPU?

 

[lehtv]

Technically Crossfire will work but there is only one x16 bandwidth slot, the other full length slot is PCIe 2.0 x4, it'll limit the performance of most graphics cards. So it's not really optimal to run CF on that board even though it is technically compatible.

Crossfire compatibility is free to the motherboard manufacturer, but for NVIDIA SLI, they have to pay a license fee so you only see it on boards that can run two PCIe slots at x8/x8 bandwidth.

 

[Don Karnage]

Z77 boards all pretty much behave the same. The more you pay the more features it has

 

[buggers]

How much of a performance hit will there be if you use crossfire in a PCIe x4 slot compared to x8?

 

[Rvenger]

How much of a performance hit will there be if you use crossfire in a PCIe x4 slot compared to x8?

~10 - 15% + Microstutter


Get the Z77 Extreme 4 for $20 more

 

[buggers]

Thx for the tips

 

[futurefields]

I would also recommend the Extreme. I *sort of* made a mistake getting this board.

That being said, if you only plan to run a single GPU, this board has been working for me.

This was my first computer build in 10 years, so I wasnt super up to date with the Crossfire specs. I saw Crossfire support advertised on this board, and figured that was enough. I did not know that I had to look for the x4, x16 etc...

I think its kind of ridiculous that this motherboard actually has 2 x16 slots, but one of them is limited to x4.

But ASRock needs to build a product line where more $$$ gets you more features so I understand that. I just wish they didn't advertise Crossfire for this particular board.

 

[Batmeat]

I would also recommend the Extreme. I *sort of* made a mistake getting this board

So why is this board a mistake? Were you planning on a dual GPU setup? Did you get to 4.4-4.5Ghz?

 

[futurefields]

Well because this was my first build in 10 years, I didn't realize that I could have gotten the Extreme board which is Z68, for some reason I thought I wanted Z77, even though my processor is Sandy Bridge.

The Extreme Z68 board is the same price as the Pro4 Z77 board and has true SLi/Crossfire and better power phase than the Pro4.

That being said, the Pro4 has been performing fine, and will suit anybody as long as they plan on sticking to a single GPU.

 

[setia86]

Well because this was my first build in 10 years, I didn't realize that I could have gotten the Extreme board which is Z68, for some reason I thought I wanted Z77, even though my processor is Sandy Bridge.

The Extreme Z68 board is the same price as the Pro4 Z77 board and has true SLi/Crossfire and better power phase than the Pro4.

That being said, the Pro4 has been performing fine, and will suit anybody as long as they plan on sticking to a single GPU.

what max oc you can get with this mobo, z77 pro 4. because i have a plan to build a new rig and similar as yours, 3570k, z77 pro 4, cm 212 +, im not planing to running dual gpu, i just curious the max oc this mobo could get, thx.

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

Sorry for bumping a slightly dated thread, but just wanted to add my $0.02 regarding the Pro4.
Just picked up a 3570K (Costa Rica) and open-box Pro4 at MC (worked out to be $25 for the mobo ). So far, managed to get 4.6GHz IBT + Prime95 stables with LLC @ 100% and a Vcore under load of 1.24V.

A better board might be able to push the set voltage lower (Pro4 seems to droop a fair bit and the Vcore under load fluctuates), but I'm happy with the OC (max 82C using IC Diamond and a Hyper 212+).

 

[FreeAtLast2012]

I have the z77 Pro3, and wish I would have bought the Extreme4. Better overclocking and higher quality. As far as SLI/Crossfire...I don't care.

Also, I think I should have bought z68 since I bought 2500k. I'm sure I'll want a whole new computer in 3 years anyways.

 

[blastingcap]

How much of a performance hit will there be if you use crossfire in a PCIe x4 slot compared to x8?

Right now you are okay for the most part. PCIe 3.0 4x is actually enough bandwidth for most cards up to the 7970/680.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Intel/Ivy_Bridge_PCI-Express_Scaling/24.html

Down the road, I dunno. If you plan to use the mobo with dual top-end cards years from now, you may want to pay a little more for at least PCIe 2.0 8x/8x. If you plan to tri-SLI or tri-Fire top-end cards years from now, then get at least PCIe 3.0 8x/8x.

 

[rug]

@ 4.0 ghz, cpu temp 33, mb temp 25

i love this processor

I have the i5 3570K and your mobo. I would like to OC to 4.2 ghz, and was recommended 1.2 vcore. thing is, there is no fixed mode for the vcore so I can only go by offset voltages, which by default is +.005. do you think I could leave that and just raise the cores to 42? how did you do it?