Z87 best board?

[neliz]

MSI has been impressing me overall lately. I sent them a little note of appreication to their support email praising them but with a small suggestion, and they said thank you and we'll look into it Literally got that response an hour later.

Hey man, can you PM me that suggestion as well? I'd like to track that

Which in your opinion is the cherry, considering I will be getting a I5 4670k and will probs want to have a bash at oc'ing it?

IMHO the 4670K is not the best choice if you want to do some nice OC. Intel has done their CPU binning very well and it's rare to see a 4670K out-OC a 4770K. just my $0.02

I don't like MSI that much

I you too Dave

 

[Deleted member 24505]

With the Hero review being so close, I don't want to talk about it, or I might end up repeating myself in the review, and that's not cool.

I don't have the deluxe, so no comments there, either (I strive to not comment about stuff I haven't got in my house, period).

I'm a little torn; I want to answer your question, but really, it's not possible for me to do so fairly right now. I love ASUS. I owe some of their staff more than I'll ever admit. I don't like MSI that much, honestly, but these Z87 GAMING boards are damn good, regardless of how I feel about other things. I gave the Z87-GD65 GAMING a 9/10 and editor's choice, and for a sub-$200 board, that is a very high award. Computex recognized the board with an award as well. You'll find many many Haswell buyers already got this product, it actually really surprises me a bit that it is so successful, and if I didn't have one, I'd think they'd be pulling some questionable marketing...but they aren't.

I will wait to read your Hero review at least. I love Asus too, all my last board buys have been Asus and I have never been dissapointed. I am torn you see, the MSI sounds so good but it's not Asus, and for me to not buy Asus is quite something.

Hey man, can you PM me that suggestion as well? I'd like to track that



IMHO the 4670K is not the best choice if you want to do some nice OC. Intel has done their CPU binning very well and it's rare to see a 4670K out-OC a 4770K. just my $0.02

I know what ya saying, but I just cannot afford a 4770k, remember I am coming from a Q8200 The last PC I had before this was a I5-2400, so whatever I get is going to be stellar compared to what I have/have had previously. A massive OC is not really that important tbh, if I can get 4ghz out of the 4670k I will be happy.

Personally, running these modern cpu's at 4ghz+ I find a little pointless nowadays, I have done my share of overclocking in the past and enjoy it, but a good modern cpu will run anything now even stock.

 

[cadaveca]

I you too Dave

I could talk about my issues in public, but that won't go over well for either of us.


That also gives some perspective for the respect I have your products, don't ruin that.

I will wait to read your Hero review at least. I love Asus too, all my last board buys have been Asus and I have never been dissapointed. I am torn you see, the MSI sounds so good but it's not Asus, and for me to not buy Asus is quite something.

I hear your "pain". Much respect for waiting; it will be worth it. Testing on that board is done, jstu gotta edit pictures, make graphs, write it up..oh yeah, that's more than half the work. XD

 

[neliz]

if I can get 4ghz out of the 4670k I will be happy.

I thought that when you said OC, you wanted to aim for 4.6 and up

4 GHz is pretty basic, I think your issues will start at 4.3 and up hen OC'ing.

 

[Deleted member 24505]

I thought that when you said OC, you wanted to aim for 4.6 and up

4 GHz is pretty basic, I think your issues will start at 4.3 and up then OC'ing.

I used to go for max oc's, look at the e6300 in my sig, but now I'm not so fussed. I just want a K cpu to have a play with, not to crank the max. Don't get me wrong, I will see what I can get out of it, but it will not be running maxxed out 24/7, I just think there is no need anymore.

 

[Boozad]

Loving my Sabertooth Z87. Fantastic board.

 

[SonDa5]

have I told you..I love Dragons?

Gigabyte Z87X-OC is not a good choice for best Z87. It offers limited features with highly marketed claims of being an Over Clocking grade mother board yet uses cheap VRM parts found on much less prices mother boards from Gigabyte. If gigabyte would have used the IR3550 VRM power part then it would be worth the price.

 

[LAN_deRf_HA]

I have several boards here that OEMs asked me what I wanted, and now I see what I wanted directly in these products. Either they gave me what I want, or what I asked for many others were asking for as well. That said, there are clear and obvious design choices to me that reflect this with every board...like each brand went to sites like here, asked reviewers what they wanted, and then made a product directed at that site's traffic.

When I report stuff to OEMs, I report what you guys tell me, with my own "technical" spin added on to justify why you guys want those changes.

If that's true can you ask MSI to switch to true black for their pcb dye on cards and motherboards? I find this dark brown really unappealing. I stopped considering their cards because of it, the exception being if it had a backplate.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/GeForce_GTX_760_TF_Gaming/images/back.jpg
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/Z87-GD65_GAMING/images/socket_coolers.jpg

Compared to:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Z87X-OC/images/renesas_usb3.jpg
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/EVGA/GTX_760_SC_ACX_Cooler/images/back.jpg

 

[MxPhenom 216]

If that's true can you ask MSI to switch to true black for their pcb dye on cards and motherboards? I find this dark brown really unappealing. I stopped considering their cards because of it, the exception being if it had a backplate.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/GeForce_GTX_760_TF_Gaming/images/back.jpg
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/Z87-GD65_GAMING/images/socket_coolers.jpg

Compared to:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gigabyte/Z87X-OC/images/renesas_usb3.jpg
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/EVGA/GTX_760_SC_ACX_Cooler/images/back.jpg

Its because the top layer of the PCB is thin and the copper layer is showing though. They just need to make the top layer thicker and itll be the matte black PCB like all the rest. AsRock needs to do the same thing.

 

[Knight091]

There are very few reviews for Z87 boards at the moment because it's only been a few days since it's release. Particularly, the high end boards have had almost no reviews yet. I've seen a brief review of the Asus Maximus Extreme VI, by Techtomorrow (formally motherboards.org). Looks like a very good board as we would expect. I've seen a review of the G1 sniper MATX. It did very well in the review and gives an idea of how well the full ATX board will perform. But so far no review of the full ATX board. Also no review of the Gigabyte Z87 GA-Z87X-OC Force, can't wait to see a review of this. I expect the guys here at TPU will be working on some reviews and I'm really looking forward to reading their opinion because I feel the TPU guys do the best most thorough reviews and for me their opinions hold a lot of weight.
But for now, what do think are potentially the best Z87 2 or 3 OC boards available to man? With out considering price or demographical appeal. Also if anybody can point me to their favourite review site that would be appreciated.

It would be this... NEVER cheap out on a motherboard....it will bite you in the ass later.....

ASUS MAXIMUS VI EXTREME LGA 1150

ASUS MAXIMUS VI EXTREME LGA 1150 Intel Z87 HDMI SA...

 

[zocksi]

I am personally trying to decide between the Msi GD65 Gaming and the Asus Pro. I am waiting to the see the Asus Pro being reviewed here to be able to have a good article/review comparision to the existing GD65.

Going from other Sources, seems the Asus Pro is winning the edge.. I know they are both actually aimed to different People, but still overall seems the Asus Pro is being the winner by a slight margin.

Beside that, some talk about msi not bein reliable and people loving Asus.

Desicions, Desicions

 

[springs113]

I am personally trying to decide between the Msi GD65 Gaming and the Asus Pro. I am waiting to the see the Asus Pro being reviewed here to be able to have a good article/review comparision to the existing GD65.

Going from other Sources, seems the Asus Pro is winning the edge.. I know they are both actually aimed to different People, but still overall seems the Asus Pro is being the winner by a slight margin.

Beside that, some talk about msi not bein reliable and people loving Asus.

Desicions, Desicions

I don't know about msi not being reliable. I've bought over 50 something msi board and owned at least 20 ranging from amd thoroughbred/Pentium 3 days to now phenom2/haswell. from amd chipsets to nvidia to Intel and have only had one board failed on me DOA.
The Msi gd65 can't be beat for its features at that price,I think only Asrock comes close to the bang for your buck. if you have a microcenter bar by then that board can be had for 120 with the purchase of a haswell processor

 

[maijaron]

It would be this... NEVER cheap out on a motherboard....it will bite you in the ass later.....

ASUS MAXIMUS VI EXTREME LGA 1150

ASUS MAXIMUS VI EXTREME LGA 1150 Intel Z87 HDMI SA...

Umm. of course you should look for quality at all. But honestly it feels that many manufacturer are just overloaded with their blast of features they are offering. WHat does a good motherboard help if the software is not stable at all to use it all day long?

I think you could still buy a decent board from biostar or asrock that is not highend and provides stable experience including the software.

regarding Z87: there are not many boards available yet

 

[maijaron]

Read my review:

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/Z87-GD65_GAMING/

Nice one! but the price is ouch too

 

[WHOFOUNDFUNGUS]

What's so Great about Haswell?

They promised us better energy efficiency. We barely got it. They promised us better performance. That is debatable. They promised us a cooler chip. That really depends on what it is compared to. Sure, the 22 nm die and tri-gate transistor technology is a great advancement — for them. Now they can cut more chips out of the same material to maximize production. How does this benefit the consumer? To boot, an 1150 socket can only handle four dims of ram. So much for the 64GB memory bank. Definitely not a desktop chip.

My Thermaltake Level 10 GT case has been sitting in the closet, vacant, for months, waiting for a worthy motherboard and processor along with a collection of other brand new components. It could be a long wait. All this for an improvement of barely a 10% increase in performance I THINK NOT. Looks like I'll be using this i7 920 in my X58 mobo for some time yet.

 

[cadaveca]

Now they can cut more chips out of the same material to maximize production.

Actuallyy, no, since Haswell-based chips are LARGER than IVB chips, and are on the same process as IVB chips. Any of the rest, to me, is due to poorly set expectations. But I personally didn't have these expectations

How does this benefit the consumer?

Greater functionality and performance at the same cost?

Definitely not a desktop chip.

Definitely not a desktop HIGH-PERFORMANCE chip. This is a mainstream chip. IT's not meant to be Intel's fastest, never was. 1155/1150, they have iGP for a reason...when has a real PERFORAMNCE chip had an IGP?

All this for an improvement of barely a 10% increase in performance I THINK NOT. Looks like I'll be using this i7 920 in my X58 mobo for some time yet.

920 is a good chip, for sure. But I think my Haswell chips WILL outperform your 920, by quite a bit. The question is what will sue that added grunt, and you'd be right to think that it won't really be much.

The biggest difference, is that with a 920, at stock, it's a bit underperforming. They are pretty good at 4 GHz and up, however. Yet I find that Haswell performs like a 4 GHz 920...at stock.

 

[petedread]

It would be this... NEVER cheap out on a motherboard....it will bite you in the ass later.....

ASUS MAXIMUS VI EXTREME LGA 1150

ASUS MAXIMUS VI EXTREME LGA 1150 Intel Z87 HDMI SA...

This was the fist Z87 board I got. I sent it back because it didn't have much to offer me personally. I don't know anything about overclocking memory and I'm only looking for a decent CPU overclock using the basic bios controls. As far as I could see this board was for hardcore overclockers, granted it would be a solid board too but I wanted a bit more so I sent it back and got the G1 Sniper 5. For my money I got 2 16x PCI lanes. Great audio. Good Ethernet. Durable board. And as much (or as little) overclocking capability as I like.
If I had decided to get a overclocking board I would have got the Gigabyte OCx Force, just to try something other than Asus for a change. It seems to me like Asus aren't the only option anymore.

 

[SonDa5]

I have just about given up on the Z87X-OC. It doesn't over clock well on ambient temp cooling and the VRM uses the same parts found on much cheaper mother boards like the Z87X-UD3 and Z87X-UD4.

 

[cadaveca]

I have just about given up on the Z87X-OC. It doesn't over clock well on ambient temp cooling and the VRM uses the same parts found on much cheaper mother boards like the Z87X-UD3 and Z87X-UD4.

You're not going to really get better air-based clocking on other boards. Haswell is all about BCLK and memory OC, not so much CPU speed. Where CPU speed is lacking, AVX2 instructions make up for the lack of performance. You really need phase-based cooling to get the most out of Haswell.

Haswell has 153 W limit, so VRM isn't actually that big of a deal for OC any more. IOT matters a bit, of course, but I think it's more about keeping the heat from the VRM soaking into the CPU, with high-end VRMs today, than anything else. Better VRm might also make FIVR work a bit less, and make for less heat at CPU package...

 

[SonDa5]

You're not going to really get better air-based clocking on other boards.

I think more VRMs working less would help. The best ambient cooled boards for haswell have more than 8 phases for the CPU.

I'm still tweaking this MB but if I don't see some improvements I'm going to try something different.

 

[cadaveca]

The best ambient cooled boards for haswell have more than 8 phases for the CPU.

Says who?


Because I have most mid-high-end boards here, have reviewed many already, and I don't find VRMs to really have any effect in OC potential. I am also NOT having issues with high-speed CPU and memory at the same time, as others report, nor do I find AIDA64 testing to be bad, as others report, nor do I find Haswell underwhelming, as others do. There's lots of BS floating around. That's a big part of why I LOVE Haswell.


Do please keep in mind that 153W. There are boards out there with just three or four phases this time around, FYI, so really, 8-phase boards, pushing what is really 20W per phase at high load, are not something that is really a problem.

When you enable LN2 mode on these boards, OCP and OVP limits are removed, and at that point, VRM may play a role, but we are talking at the extreme max, not 24/7 use. 24/7 use shouldn't exceed that 153 W.

Overclocking with Haswell is very difficult, however. If you are having problems, it is more likely to be the chip, not the board. For me, it is OTHER features of boards that include more phases that make them better, IMHO. It really depends on what you are looking for. The Z87X-OC is a benching board, not a 24-7 board. I call it "the racer" for a reason. It wasn't ME that told you this was a great board for 24/7 OC. It's a cheap board for benching, so you don't have to pay $400 for similar capabilities like we've had to with past paltforms. All brands have similar boards, and I have them here on my shelf.

 

[SonDa5]

How exactly is 153 watt electrically calculated for 4770k and how does extreme cool and low resistance vrm effect 4770k? What conditions were set for 153 watt rating of 4770k? How does DC power with multi phases harmonically balanced effect 4770k?

 

[petedread]

@SonDa5, I said the Z87x OC Force. But even the Z87x OC is being praised by professional overclockers (Sin, Dinno).

I'm looking forward to seeing Dave's review of the G1 Sniper 5. Gigabyte have made it seem like a great board but I've read some horror storeys. Mine is fine. But I want to see if it lives up to Gigabytes hype.

 

[cadaveca]

How exactly is 153 watt electrically calculated for 4770k and how does extreme cool and low resistance vrm effect 4770k? What conditions were set for 153 watt rating of 4770k?

If you don't know where I got that info from, well, it's from Intel documents, so you'd have to ask them those questions, or read the platform whitepapers yourself. Something like that...I got from somewhere, or simply I just make stuff up as I please. As an overclocker, it's your duty to read this stuff.

 

[WHOFOUNDFUNGUS]

What's so Great about Haswell?

Actuallyy, no, since Haswell-based chips are LARGER than IVB chips, and are on the same process as IVB chips. Any of the rest, to me, is due to poorly set expectations. But I personally didn't have these expectations

I was comparing to Sandy Bridge.

Greater functionality and performance at the same cost?

Really??? By what slim margin, given the current rate of inflation and so-called "progression" in technology with respect to Moore's Law?

Definitely not a desktop HIGH-PERFORMANCE chip. This is a mainstream chip. IT's not meant to be Intel's fastest, never was. 1155/1150, they have iGP for a reason...when has a real PERFORAMNCE chip had an IGP?

oops, I sit corrected again. My bad. Okay, we're talking low performance then. *whew* Glad I didn't buy it.


920 is a good chip, for sure. But I think my Haswell chips WILL outperform your 920, by quite a bit. The question is what will sue that added grunt, and you'd be right to think that it won't really be much.

Of that I have little doubt. I can't even clock this excuse for a motherboard, never mind overclock it, but the price was right at the time and it has served me well in spite of its obvious limitations. Alas, my XMP memory is overkill in this crate and I need a board I can put at least 6 dims of ram into, preferably 8. In this respect Haswell motherboards have failed me miserably :::shrugs::: Okay, okay, I expected too much for a low performance combination. At least THIS time I didn't buy it. *whew*²

The biggest difference, is that with a 920, at stock, it's a bit underperforming. They are pretty good at 4 GHz and up, however. Yet I find that Haswell performs like a 4 GHz 920...at stock.

Can't wait to gift it to the wife. She's starting to push the envelope on her old duo core and nearly ready for an inheritance. Looks to me like that X79 still has promise after all. I'm wondering if the native USB 3 will be an available option on the newer boards. Ayeeup... The LGA 2011 IBE = proactivity for me! Cheers, comrade! This Canuck can wait.