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Z97 Motherboard Died - Get a Used One or Sell i7-4790k

Leyawiin

Diamond Member
I'm pretty sure I know what the consensus is going to be, but I'll ask anyway. I have an i7-4790k with a Z97 motherboard. Never really OC'd it - just set it to run at 4.4 Ghz all the time in Windows power management. A few days ago I thought I'd replace the TIM. It was stuck on and in the process I manage to bend/break a number of pins. Yeah, upset with myself. Anyway, I suppose I could get a Z97 or H97 motherboard used or I could just sell the i7-4790k (think they're still going for around $200), plus the 16 GB of DDR3 2400 and build new. I just had no issues with its performance right now - played all my games fine @ 1080p.
 
An i7-4790K is still a fairly competitive gaming chip. I've got a Z97 PC Mate (MSI) that you could have for a fair price. BNIB. PM me if interested.
 
I'd personally just get another motherboard (as long as they are reasonable in price).

Last I knew, @VirtualLarry had some new ones he wanted to move, so maybe send him a PM about it.

Edit: I see we hit "reply" at the exact same moment. 😛
 
Here's another option for you as well, this just came out by AsRock:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157613&ignorebbr=1

$109.99 after coupon code. It supports all 4th Intel cpu's including the 1150 Xeon's.

But it's a "throwback" look with no RGBs or shiny plastic pieces with "gamerz" branding. Who in the hell would want that? 😛

Seriously though, I'm just surprised they are still making those. Usually they stop using older chipsets around a year after its replacement arrives, but Intel must have a lot of them (or is still producing some).
 
But it's a "throwback" look with no RGBs or shiny plastic pieces with "gamerz" branding. Who in the hell would want that? 😛

Seriously though, I'm just surprised they are still making those. Usually they stop using older chipsets around a year after its replacement arrives, but Intel must have a lot of them (or is still producing some).

Agreed, fugly and VRM cooling is poor. If I had a 4790k I'd want something at least respectable.
 
Agreed, fugly and VRM cooling is poor. If I had a 4790k I'd want something at least respectable.

I think you should get your sarcasm meter recalibrated. 😛

It's a server board, and that's how the majority of them look. And they hold just fine with all the pretty board dressings. They're just designed to work reliably,
 
I think you should get your sarcasm meter recalibrated. 😛

It's a server board, and that's how the majority of them look. And they hold just fine with all the pretty board dressings. They're just designed to work reliably,

I know you were joking about the rgb crap but in all seriousness it has only 2 usb 3.0 and it is really weak for a CPU like the 4790k.
 
I'm pretty sure I know what the consensus is going to be, but I'll ask anyway. I have an i7-4790k with a Z97 motherboard. Never really OC'd it - just set it to run at 4.4 Ghz all the time in Windows power management. A few days ago I thought I'd replace the TIM. It was stuck on and in the process I manage to bend/break a number of pins. Yeah, upset with myself. Anyway, I suppose I could get a Z97 or H97 motherboard used or I could just sell the i7-4790k (think they're still going for around $200), plus the 16 GB of DDR3 2400 and build new. I just had no issues with its performance right now - played all my games fine @ 1080p.


https://forums.anandtech.com/thread...ce-ddr3-2133-16gb-2x8gb.2563454/post-39784873
 
I know you were joking about the rgb crap but in all seriousness it has only 2 usb 3.0 and it is really weak for a CPU like the 4790k.

Hell, I bet any people who want to keep using their Haswell CPUs (like the OP) are just happy enough to be able to still buy a new z(h)97 motherboard and keep using their CPU. I wasn't so lucky when my z77 motherboard went out, and I couldn't get a replacement board to keep using my 3770k outside of buying way overpriced used units on Ebay.

And that was maybe 4 years after Intel discontinued that chipset.
 
Hell, I bet any people who want to keep using their Haswell CPUs (like the OP) are just happy enough to be able to still buy a new z(h)97 motherboard and keep using their CPU. I wasn't so lucky when my z77 motherboard went out, and I couldn't get a replacement board to keep using my 3770k outside of buying way overpriced used units on Ebay.

And that was maybe 4 years after Intel discontinued that chipset.

True. I think I'd pay an extra 20 or 30 bucks and just get a used really good Z87/97 board on ebay though. I know there's typically no warranty left on them but if they're in excellent condition they can last a long time.

What did you do with the original board OP?
 
If the motherboard bios has sufficiently been updated, that i7-4790K CPU would also work in an H81 chipset board, as well as any of the other Intel 8 or 9 series motherboards.
 
If the motherboard bios has sufficiently been updated, that i7-4790K CPU would also work in an H81 chipset board, as well as any of the other Intel 8 or 9 series motherboards.

H81 is so lackluster and being a previous owner i can certainly vouch on how bad it is for features.No usb 3.0,no sata 6 and i actually believe they cut support for pci e 3.0 as well lol. Its as plain jane as a 775 technically.
 
Hell, I bet any people who want to keep using their Haswell CPUs (like the OP) are just happy enough to be able to still buy a new z(h)97 motherboard and keep using their CPU. I wasn't so lucky when my z77 motherboard went out, and I couldn't get a replacement board to keep using my 3770k outside of buying way overpriced used units on Ebay.

And that was maybe 4 years after Intel discontinued that chipset.

I've been in a similar situation.

To bad Intel sued all 3rd part chipset makers out of the market. We'd probably have some merely acceptable but easily available motherboards with Via chipsets. Instead Intel merely has to shut off the supply of old chipsets and eventually the serviceable cpus will make their way to the landfills where they'd prefer them to go.

I ended up buying some overpriced z77 motherboards that cost as much as if they were new at one point. The trouble is DDR4 ram was so expensive that it still made it a better option to keep the old system going.
 
I'd say it depends what requirements u have. Me personally I'd use it for excuse to upgrade. Got a 2700x to replace a z97 8 core intel. Uses less power, faster encodes usb c (needed also). Grab the asrock 100$ board and give it away is my vote
 
The main reason I would use your predicament to upgrade is heat. That 4790k has plenty of power, but I would love to have something this runs cooler. Even at 4 GHz the chip is quit a heater under load.
 
Similar situation. I am typing away on a ASROck Extreme6 Z87/i5-4670K, but with only the integrated CPU graphics enabled.
The PCIe channels just went belly up, and it can no longer recognize any GPU in any of the slots. Bummer as I just got a Vega 56 to upgrade from my 7850, which has served faithfully for the last 5 years. A like-for-like used MB replacement is about $80 for me.

But in my case, I think I am just going to upgrade the CPU/MB/Memory, as the cost to replacing the MB and upgrade the memory (I've been thinking of going from 8 to 16gb) gets me real close to to a new MB and 16gb of ram at today's prices. Leaving just the cost of the CPU as the 'true' cost to get me back on track, but with updated gear that is up to 2x more powerful/faster. I just hope the next MB lasts more than 5 years 🙂
 
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