Argh!! - Which Z170 motherboard

WYNIR0 · 7 Aug 2016 at 20:17

Been reading reviews, looking at features and forum posts and am more confused than I started. :confused:

My Criteria

Z170 Board
Good Overclocking and thermals
Good Fan control and headers -
Sub £150 Ideally
Minimum 6 Sata 3
Reliable
Will use the audio from the GFX card so not worried about onboard audio, switchable MOSFETS etc.
I'm a bit of a Gigabyte whore when it comes to Mobos.

Currently favoring the Gigabyte Gaming k3, Gaming 3 and Gaming 5 boards, but the Asus Z170 Gaming Pro looks interesting too and I could be swayed by a MSI board and and and and and .......ARGH!!!!

What are your recomendations OCUK?

Thanks in advance.

Doogles · 7 Aug 2016 at 20:27

I liked the look of the Asrock z170 OC Formula. £220 though but I think it is excellent.

Borealis · 7 Aug 2016 at 20:29

I would go with either Gigabyte or Asus. The Z170 Pro Gaming is a very good board, but so are the Gigabyte boards. I'm not so sure about MSI. My main issue with them in the past has been their BIOS update tools.

I've always tended to get Gigabyte boards because they've worked out cheaper than the Asus equivalent.

peahead · 8 Aug 2016 at 01:45

Hi

I bought this one just last month and so far so good its been great running all whats in my sig

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/giga...r4-atx-motherboard-mb-54c-gi.html#description

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=5808#ov

The lights can be turned off if its not your thing

WYNIR0 · 8 Aug 2016 at 15:33

peahead said:
Hi

I bought this one just last month and so far so good its been great running all whats in my sig

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/giga...r4-atx-motherboard-mb-54c-gi.html#description

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=5808#ov

The lights can be turned off if its not your thing

Thanks, think this is my front runner . Seem like a lot of board for the money.

MOOGLEYS · 8 Aug 2016 at 16:08

I have the Ultra Gaming and have been very impressed with it as well. Had no issues running anything I have tried. The bios is straightforward and easy to use with some overclocking profiles built in as well.

Troop · 10 Aug 2016 at 14:13

I'd say Gigabyte K3, the money saved can be used towards a fast NVMe M.2 HD

U4iK · 12 Aug 2016 at 21:00

I am currently running an Asrock Z170 Extreme 4.

Its running my i5 6400 @4.5Ghz easily. Seems to have regular bios updates since new too.

Covers everything you are looking for and comes in around £115 mark, unfortunately not on OCUK.

Efour · 15 Aug 2016 at 00:13

Asus pro gaming just got its 19th bios update.
I've owned it for a few months and right now I'm having stuttering issues which maybe motherboard related from some research on the net.
If I could turn back time I don't think I'd pick this board again. It has no real redeeming features over other manufacturers. It feels and looks like a poor man's ROG.
Seriously thinking of dumping it in the cupboard and spending another wedge on something else.

Randomface74 · 15 Aug 2016 at 00:16

+1 I recently got the Asus Pro Gaming and wouldn't get it again.

SimBoy · 16 Aug 2016 at 18:27

I'm too been deliberating over which board to opt for for a new z170 chipset build.

I have the z97A MSI Gaming 7 and love it - loads of usb ports and the software bundel is very good overall - I just can't see the same offered in the new z170 boards, so have been leaning towards the Asus Hero, but wonder what the difference in bios user interface between the two?

The OP mention must have 6 SATA 3's - I'm the same liking a lot - but will opt for an addin card to provide sufficient if the board offers everything else I'm looking for.

U4iK · 20 Aug 2016 at 03:05

SimBoy, MSI do a Z170A gaming 7 board. Is that not along the lines of what you are running just now?

SimBoy · 20 Aug 2016 at 13:03

U4iK said:
SimBoy, MSI do a Z170A gaming 7 board. Is that not along the lines of what you are running just now?

No, still on a Z97A MSI Gaming 7 - not upgraded to Z170 yet - still looking - split between the ASUS Hero and MSI Gaming 7.

I'll be keeping the Z97 rig - love it to bits - it's an old Intel 930 rig I'll be updating.

Always run two rigs, so if one goes down, I have a backup to get me out of trouble and basically consists of the last technology I purchased.

CaptainBlack · 20 Aug 2016 at 14:18

Is the MSI BIOS still a problem? I am planning on getting this board for my upcoming rig.
My basket at Overclockers UK:

1 x MSI Z170A Gaming Pro Carbon Intel Z170 (Socket 1151) DDR4 ATX Motherboard= £127.99

Total: £138.49
(includes shipping: £10.50)

clone · 22 Aug 2016 at 13:05

Had the gigabyte gaming 7 had a few problems getting my 6600k stable with low volts,changed it for the Asus sabertooth Mark 1 got my cpu stable @ 4.5gz 1.26v I've found the Asus board to be more stable .

w00dy85 · 22 Aug 2016 at 14:32

I have the MSI Gaming 7, it's a good mobo and currently have my 6700K running at 4.7GHz and had it about a year now.

I also got a free cooler with mine, worth £70 when I bought it

SimBoy · 22 Aug 2016 at 19:41

w00dy85 said:
I have the MSI Gaming 7, it's a good mobo and currently have my 6700K running at 4.7GHz and had it about a year now.

I also got a free cooler with mine, worth £70 when I bought it

Is that the Z170 MSI - I've been pondering buying one?

Also interested in what's in the offing for the X270 Kaby Lake due end of 2016, possibly beginning 2017.

w00dy85 · 22 Aug 2016 at 23:28

SimBoy said:
Is that the Z170 MSI - I've been pondering buying one?

Also interested in what's in the offing for the X270 Kaby Lake due end of 2016, possibly beginning 2017.

This is the one I have https://www.overclockers.co.uk/msi-...cket-1151-ddr4-atx-motherboard-mb-304-ms.html

SimBoy · 23 Aug 2016 at 07:10

w00dy85 said:
This is the one I have https://www.overclockers.co.uk/msi-...cket-1151-ddr4-atx-motherboard-mb-304-ms.html

That's the one

- it has a very good review on Hexus and I really like what MSI have done with their software package - apart from the lack of usb ports on the back plate (which can be sorted with a PCI expansion card), I like it very much.

w00dy85 · 23 Aug 2016 at 08:36

SimBoy said:
That's the one - it has a very good review on Hexus and I really like what MSI have done with their software package - apart from the lack of usb ports on the back plate (which can be sorted with a PCI expansion card), I like it very much.

Yes I remember reading the Hexus review, the software package is good. But I really like how easy it was to overclock my 6700K, I just set the OC to number 6 and my 6700K was running at 4.7GHz and then it was a matter of just tweaking a few settings. I have also heard good things about the M5, it's just a cut down version of the M7.

I even got my 2400MHz ram running at 2856MHz with no problem at all. And I thought overclocking my old 2500K was easy, but this was even easier and I got better results