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Z77 motherboard recommendations please

rageofthepeon

rageofthepeon

Member
I'm going to be pulling the trigger on a 3770k/3570k CPU sometime soon but I'm having a hard time choosing a motherboard.

Features I would like:
2x PCIe 3.0 x16 Slots (potential for 2x 7970s)
PCIe slot for a sound card
PCIe slot for a network card (optional but would like it)
Z77 Chipset

Won't be doing any crazy overclocking on the CPU but I'd hope it can get at least 4.0GHz with a CM Hyper 212+ push/pull config. If I can get it a little higher, that would be even better. By the end of the year hope to be setting up my first watercooling loop 😀.

If possible I'd like to stay away from MSI brands. Currently, I own a Gigabyte board so I wouldn't be opposed that that. Reading other forums I've heard great things about ASUS and ASrock so I wouldn't mind trying one from them.

Was originally looking at the ASUS Maximus V GENE but the PCIe 1.0 slot is way to close to the second PCIe 3.0 slot.

Anyways, thank for any help, it's much appreciated.
 
Last edited:
I'm going for the asrock extreme 6 just for what you wanted. I was going to get an pci-e sound card, but figured the more premium onboard sound seems good enough.
 
Amaru said:
I'm going for the asrock extreme 6 just for what you wanted. I was going to get an pci-e sound card, but figured the more premium onboard sound seems good enough.
Click to expand...

That's looking more and more like the motherboard I'll be buying. Hopefully Amazon will have the thing listed and in stock by the time IvyBridge is on sale.
 
rageofthepeon said:
That's looking more and more like the motherboard I'll be buying. Hopefully Amazon will have the thing listed and in stock by the time IvyBridge is on sale.
Click to expand...

I ordered mine today from newegg. I'm gonna start putting this water cooled behemoth together and drop that cpu in when it releases.
 
AsRock Fatality Performance Z77 ($160) is my first choice, the ASRock Extreme 6 would be second.

Gigabyte "boot looping" issues on many of their Z68 boards has scared me away from them.

Too bad DFI is gone.....also Epox......
 
Ya being introduced to asrock now since my 6 month old gigabyte decided to go boot loop on me.

At this point I would stay away from anything with gigabyte in the name, and they start taking the issue seriously
 
Upgrade_Itch said:
AsRock Fatality Performance Z77 ($160) is my first choice, the ASRock Extreme 6 would be second.

Gigabyte "boot looping" issues on many of their Z68 boards has scared me away from them.

Too bad DFI is gone.....also Epox......
Click to expand...

What made you put the Fatality over the Extreme 6? At a quick glance the Fatality offers "F-Stream – The All-in-1 Tuning Software" but only a single PCIe 3.0 x16 compared to the Extreme's 2x PCIe 3.0 x16.

Edit: At this point it looks like I'll have to the buy the CPU from Amazon and Motherboard at Newegg. /Sigh
 
I was in the same dilemma as you are; 2 GPUs, 1 sound card and 1 pcie raid card. I went for the asus p8z77 ws for future proofing slightly expensive but will be worth it once the pcie 3 std matures!!!!

rageofthepeon said:
I'm going to be pulling the trigger on a 3770k/3570k CPU sometime soon but I'm having a hard time choosing a motherboard.

Features I would like:
2x PCIe 3.0 x16 Slots (potential for 2x 7970s)
PCIe slot for a sound card
PCIe slot for a network card (optional but would like it)
Z77 Chipset

Won't be doing any crazy overclocking on the CPU but I'd hope it can get at least 4.0GHz with a CM Hyper 212+ push/pull config. If I can get it a little higher, that would be even better. By the end of the year hope to be setting up my first watercooling loop 😀.

If possible I'd like to stay away from MSI brands. Currently, I own a Gigabyte board so I wouldn't be opposed that that. Reading other forums I've heard great things about ASUS and ASrock so I wouldn't mind trying one from them.

Was originally looking at the ASUS Maximus V GENE but the PCIe 1.0 slot is way to close to the second PCIe 3.0 slot.

Anyways, thank for any help, it's much appreciated.
Click to expand...
 
rageofthepeon said:
I'm going to be pulling the trigger on a 3770k/3570k CPU sometime soon but I'm having a hard time choosing a motherboard.

Features I would like:
2x PCIe 3.0 x16 Slots (potential for 2x 7970s)
PCIe slot for a sound card
PCIe slot for a network card (optional but would like it)
Z77 Chipset

Won't be doing any crazy overclocking on the CPU but I'd hope it can get at least 4.0GHz with a CM Hyper 212+ push/pull config. If I can get it a little higher, that would be even better. By the end of the year hope to be setting up my first watercooling loop 😀.

If possible I'd like to stay away from MSI brands. Currently, I own a Gigabyte board so I wouldn't be opposed that that. Reading other forums I've heard great things about ASUS and ASrock so I wouldn't mind trying one from them.

Was originally looking at the ASUS Maximus V GENE but the PCIe 1.0 slot is way to close to the second PCIe 3.0 slot.

Anyways, thank for any help, it's much appreciated.
Click to expand...

Get the Maximus V
Use the Onboard Intel NIC
Use the Onboard Audio
Be Happy
 
Stochastic said:
What are the main differences between the ASRock Z77 Extreme 4 and Extreme 6?
Click to expand...

Honestly, not a whole lot. The VRM's appears to be the same. The "6" has the following extras: "cooler" cooling, firewire and display port.

If you don't need the additional stuff then the "4" may be for you.

Full Disclosure: I have the "6" and loved it at first but it is going back after running into several issues. I'm not an ASRock hater and just figured I got a bad board. Still I'm going back to Gigabyte (my bread and butter brand).
 
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