Motherboard Wars! This or that or is another one "better"?

fex905fex905 Join Date: 2009-12-21 Member: 69744Members
in Off-Topic
I'am looking at mobos for the haswell chipset. I have two options at the moment but I'am wondering if the 80$ Asrock will do the trick.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007583&IsNodeId=1&bop=And&ActiveSearchResult=True&CompareItemList=-1|13-157-371^13-157-371-TS,13-131-979^13-131-979-TS
Above: The two in question. I'm looking to spend under 200 $USD at the max. If a cheaper motherboard works. Wooo!!! I do not think I will overclock.

Loosely using this article for some mobo education. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/z87-haswell-motherboard-review,3524.html
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Comments

  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    The cheapest one that has the features you want (SATA 3.0, USB 3.0, eSATA, PCIe3.0 ports, etc) that are from ASRock, Asus, MSI, or Gigabyte are typically fine.
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  • fex905fex905 Join Date: 2009-12-21 Member: 69744Members
    What are the Z87 H87 and other chipsets?
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  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_chipsets#Series_8_chipset_.28Lynx_Point.29

    Basically, the different chipsets offer different features. For example, here is how they compare for Sandy/Ivy Bridge: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGA_1155

    Don't know the details yet, but my guess is if you ever plan on overclocking you'll want Z87 or Z85, but if you don't care than H87, Q87, or Q85 are fine.
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  • TalesinTalesin Our own little well of hate Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7710NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators
    Speaking from a manufacturer standpoint, I only use ASUS for my own builds. Full stop.
    They're solid, dependable, and I have never received a defective one yet... and I've built (literal) hundreds of systems. Between those two, cheaping out to save $40 on something you're going to be using for 4-5 years at least is just dumb.

    MSI tend to skimp on features (like only allowing 3/4 of the fan-headers to be controlled via PWM, or using weird monitoring chips), Gigabyte used to have problems with their caps a few years back (leaky caps SUCK; all KINDS of problems, and the only fix is a new mobo or soldering on new caps). ASRock I haven't used, but from what I gather they're a cheaper/lower-quality off-brand trying to ride the collateral ASUS brand-recognition.
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  • fex905fex905 Join Date: 2009-12-21 Member: 69744Members
    edited June 2013
    Do you have any articles or data to say that ASRock is really that terrible? I think realistically I'am aiming for something sub 100$ USD.
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  • TrustMeImADentistTrustMeImADentist Join Date: 2013-04-27 Member: 185014Members
    edited June 2013
    I only buy MSI. I have gotten 2 MSI GPUs and 1 mobo and I've never had problems with any of them.

    I ended up going with a MSI ZH77A-G43 ($89 on newegg) because I was also getting a i3 3.3GHz duo (actually there was a newegg combo for the processor and mobo that saved $10, I was like "... amazing.") and I have a microATX case. This has no OC ability, but it's enough to play NS casually even in b248. I won't be able to play b249 til tomorrow (PORT TO OSX PLEASE!!!) but I'm sure the game will run even better.

    What to know when buying new mobo (in a nutshell):
    1. What socket type do you want/need for the processor you have/are getting. Your processor needs to fit into the motherboard. There are different socket types. Makes sure you don't get the wrong socket for your processor.
    2. What form is your computer case (ATX, microATX, other, I suppose...). In other words, you gotta get the right motherboard which can actually mount in your computer case.
    3. Make sure the mobo you are getting has the correct slot type for your GPU. If you have a big graphic card, try to do as much research as you can to make sure you can fit it into your case with the mobo. You probably won't have issues, but it's cool to check, I suppose.
    4. Any other feature you are looking for (OC ability, RAM slot capability, etc.).

    I've read awful things about ASRock.
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  • fex905fex905 Join Date: 2009-12-21 Member: 69744Members
    edited June 2013
    Thanks for the info! Has anyone ever heard of PSUs blocking a mobo? I read the case I got was sometimes a tight squeeze despite being labeled Mid tower. Sounds like Mid towers can be in a bracket of sizes instead of one standard.

    The case is a Rosewill redbone U3 Black if that means anything.
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  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    fex905 wrote: »
    Do you have any articles or data to say that ASRock is really that terrible? I think realistically I'am aiming for something sub 100$ USD.
    Can't speak regarding others but I've personally owned and run ASRock mobos just fine. I did have to RMA one, but that was from me trying to do some high overclocking so I don't think its really the mobos fault. However, the Team156 Servers are running on a 2500k OC'd to 4.6GHz on an ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 and my work PC is a 2500k OC'd to 4.7GHz on an ASRock Z77 Pro3. ASRock is probably lower quality than ASUS, MSI, or Gigabyte, but they have worked just fine for my purposes.
    fex905 wrote: »
    Thanks for the info! Has anyone ever heard of PSUs blocking a mobo? I read the case I got was sometimes a tight squeeze despite being labeled Mid tower. Sounds like Mid towers can be in a bracket of sizes instead of one standard.

    The case is a Rosewill redbone U3 Black if that means anything.
    Presuming the mobo and case are certified for ATX, everything should fit just fine. The most typical sizing problems for gaming comps are whether the GPU is too long for the case (they've gotten pretty big over the years) and does the aftermarket CPU cooler have enough clearance for the RAM.
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  • fex905fex905 Join Date: 2009-12-21 Member: 69744Members
    That sounds like a crazy work computer! If you don't mind me asking would you happen to be a 3d artist or video production that you would need so much power? What is your gpu? I'm looking for one thats around 200$. Seems that EVGA might fit in there but looks like there are a lot of overclocked and superclocked iterations. x.x
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  • TrustMeImADentistTrustMeImADentist Join Date: 2013-04-27 Member: 185014Members
    edited June 2013
    My Budget Build

    i3 3220 3.3GHz duo core (http://www.amazon.com/Intel-i3-3220-Dual-Core-Processor-Cache/dp/B0093H8HXS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371326157&sr=8-1&keywords=i3+3220)

    H77MA-G43 MSI Motherboard (DDR3, 1155 socket) (http://www.amazon.com/MSI-Computer-Corp-Motherboards-H77MA-G43/dp/B007QWI368/ref=sr_1_18?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1371326252&sr=1-18&keywords=msi+motherboard)

    G. Skills DDR3 2 x 2gb 1600 Hz (http://www.amazon.com/G-SKILL-Ripjaws-240-Pin-Desktop-F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL/dp/B002RPCLH6/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1371326412&sr=1-1&keywords=g.+skills)

    MSI nVidia GTX 650 ti Power addition (http://www.amazon.com/MSI-OC-PCI-Express-N650TI-1GD5/dp/B009K1PY5Q/ref=sr_1_19?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1371326078&sr=1-19&keywords=gtx+650+ti)

    E-3lue Cobra Type-M EMS131BK High Precision Gaming Mouse (http://www.amazon.com/EMS131BK-Precision-Controls-included-Authentic/dp/B005CPGHAA/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1371326641&sr=1-1&keywords=gaming+mouse)

    Logitech K120 Keyboard (http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-920-002478-Keyboard-K120/dp/B003ELVLKU/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1371326702&sr=1-1&keywords=logitech+keyboard)

    SteelSeries QcK Gaming Mouse Pad (Black) (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000UEZ36W/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

    HP 2009m 20" Display (http://www.amazon.com/HP-2009M-20-Inch-LCD-Monitor/dp/B001UHOX2S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371494279&sr=8-1&keywords=hp+2009m)

    Windows 7

    HP Pavillion Case from a couple of years ago.

    Basically, I gutted my Pavillion, got new mobo, processor, ram, and video card. Got a gaming mouse and a keyboard which was comfortable and not large. I really like my build - it runs NS around 60-80fps with dips into the 40s in end game (used to get as low as 28 fps in really heavy fighting before b249). I'm ok with that though, NS is very playable... on the old Athlon X2 2.5ghz that came with my original computer could not handle ns at all. 35fps at the start of a game in an empty room.

    If it means anything else to you, my build runs WoW on ultra, 1600x900 (native for my monitor). 95fps in cities.
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  • fex905fex905 Join Date: 2009-12-21 Member: 69744Members
    edited June 2013
    Fun build! I was tempted to make one in a really old case to mess with people but I decided to get a new one. I think Blizzard games are usually pretty easy to get high fps. I've been checking reviews with BF3.
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  • TalesinTalesin Our own little well of hate Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7710NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators
    edited June 2013
    Oh, not saying that ASRock are bad or anything, but ASUS is the gold standard in my mind. They're not ECS or some similar trash-maker; just not the tippy-top, which is what I go for on machines I build... I plan for them to last as close to forever as I can possibly make them. So spending an extra $100 on a system that I'm going to keep/use for 10 years minimum just makes sense, to make SURE it's absolutely rock-solid.
    Hell, I still have a few 486es that come up and run just fine... one which has been running for about 20 years now through various incarnations; workstation, server, fileserver, and put out to pasture as a IPMasq router/mailserver. ...I really should decommission that thing; I'm sure it's eating more power than it's worth at this point, when a Raspberry Pi could do almost the same job, aside from the lack of a second NIC. Still, nostalgia.
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  • WhiteWeaselWhiteWeasel Join Date: 2012-11-25 Member: 173197Members
    I have biostar A85w, is that one good?
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  • fex905fex905 Join Date: 2009-12-21 Member: 69744Members
    I think this thread is dead but I'm looking at case fans. I just need one more but it seems like a lot of them can plug into the Asus Z87-A's fan plugs. Anyone have know of a sub 10$ 120mm case fan that I can put in it?
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  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    If you just want any old case fan, here's a 4-pack of 120mm ones for $8 after $5 MIR: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103052

    However, if you want quality, I'd spend a little more ($14) and go for one of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835553002
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  • fex905fex905 Join Date: 2009-12-21 Member: 69744Members
    edited June 2013
    Cool! I like the fact that non of those fans have leds in them. The one I got in the front is enough for me. Now I'am just wondering about the flow of the air. I just need a side fan. Does a side fan work best as an intake? I only have 2 slots left for fan power if I wanted more.

    It doesn't look like you play any combat servers bobscardy?! :-O
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