Suggest an Asus / MSI motherboard please

mikeyparkster · 10 Nov 2011 at 12:25

Looking for an MSI or ASUS gaming motherboard

SSD caching is so what but if its on there thats fine...
Don't care about video editing.
Don't care about image manipulation.
Don't want to extreme overclock, but I may consider overclocking my i5 to around 3.8 - 4.4 ghz at some point...

Requirements

Must be Asus or MSI - NOT the asrock

Must be compatible with DDR3 1600mhz ram 1.5v

Must be compatible with the intel i5 2500k

Must be PCIE3 ready - I have an MSI twin frozer II gtx 580

Must be Ivy Bridge compatible

Must have on-board audio

Don't care about onboard video as I have a dedicated graphics
Looking to spend somewhere between £120-180
Please don't recommend a board plagued with problems... I want a stable board

~Mike~ · 10 Nov 2011 at 12:35

Go with a MSI board.

I'm very happy indeed with my MSI Z68-GD80.

Not sure without looking which current MSI board meets you requirements so I'm just recommending MSI.

mikeyparkster · 10 Nov 2011 at 12:57

Ok I may aswell choose a board with the VAT special offer on....

which one is best for my needs?

Nelly · 10 Nov 2011 at 15:49

Asus have more LLC options within the BIOS, MSI only has Low Vdroop / Auto.

Asus also has Offset feature within the BIOS, which can mean lower voltages needed for a specific overclock using Auto CPU Voltage along with power saving features.

The MSI boards are very easy to overclock and for the cost are very good value for money, especially with the 20% discount currently running.

You will easily reach 4.4GHz and probally 4.6GHz easy enough depending on CPU and tweaking the BIOS, that is using Auto Voltage along with power saving features.

mikeyparkster said:
Ok I may aswell choose a board with the VAT special offer on....

which one is best for my needs?

MSI Z68A-GD55-G3 Intel Z68 (Socket 1155) DDR3 Motherboard

Davefran · 10 Nov 2011 at 16:13

mikeyparkster said:
Looking for an MSI or ASUS gaming motherboard

SSD caching is so what but if its on there thats fine...

Don't care about video editing.

Don't care about image manipulation.

Don't want to extreme overclock, but I may consider overclocking my i5 to around 3.8 - 4.4 ghz at some point...

Requirements

Must be Asus or MSI - NOT the asrock

Must be compatible with DDR3 1600mhz ram 1.5v

Must be compatible with the intel i5 2500k

Must be PCIE3 ready - I have an MSI twin frozer II gtx 580

Must be Ivy Bridge compatible

Must have on-board audio

Don't care about onboard video as I have a dedicated graphics

Looking to spend somewhere between £120-180

Please don't recommend a board plagued with problems... I want a stable board

MSI P67A-GD55
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18328798

Asus Z68
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18338002

I have an Asrock Extreme4 Gen3 with NO problems superb board.
If you're ruling out Asrock because you think they're less reliable than Asus or Msi you're deluded.
Asus boards have problems too as do Msi, see links above.

Just get this one, it's the cheapest one in your range
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-191-MS&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=1990

Surveyor · 10 Nov 2011 at 16:36

Davefran said:
I have an Asrock Extreme4 Gen3 with NO problems superb board.
If you're ruling out Asrock because you think they're less reliable than Asus or Msi you're deluded.
Asus boards have problems too as do Msi, see links above.

Read this thread and you'll see why he doesn't want an ASRock.

Personally I have no problem with them but once bitten....

Surveyor · 10 Nov 2011 at 16:39

mikeyparkster said:
Looking for an MSI or ASUS gaming motherboard

SSD caching is so what but if its on there thats fine...

Don't care about video editing.

Don't care about image manipulation.

Don't want to extreme overclock, but I may consider overclocking my i5 to around 3.8 - 4.4 ghz at some point...

Requirements

Must be Asus or MSI - NOT the asrock

Must be compatible with DDR3 1600mhz ram 1.5v

Must be compatible with the intel i5 2500k

Must be PCIE3 ready - I have an MSI twin frozer II gtx 580

Must be Ivy Bridge compatible

Must have on-board audio

Don't care about onboard video as I have a dedicated graphics

Looking to spend somewhere between £120-180

Please don't recommend a board plagued with problems... I want a stable board

I take it you've not asked for a replacement then

How's the RMA going?

mikeyparkster · 10 Nov 2011 at 16:55

Surveyor said:
I take it you've not asked for a replacement then

How's the RMA going?

Tried to negotiate the re-purchase whilst RMA for refund but they refused to do it for the same price... I lose out on my Bulk buy pruchase (5% discount) + don't wanna wait 4 weeks ... so I'm going down the refund route and buying a new MSI board.

went for this
MSI Z68A-GD65-G3 Intel Z68 (Socket 1155) DDR3 Motherboard
http://overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-188-MS

Davefran · 10 Nov 2011 at 17:12

Surveyor said:
Read this thread and you'll see why he doesn't want an ASRock.

Personally I have no problem with them but once bitten....

I think it's more a case of a P.I.C.N.I.C rather than the Asrock.
I'd suggest the OP pays you to go and build the new Msi up for him, before we get an Msi won't boot thread and tarnish Msi's reputation aswell

Nelly · 10 Nov 2011 at 17:24

Davefran said:
I think it's more a case of a P.I.C.N.I.C rather than the Asrock.
I'd suggest the OP pays you to go and build the new Msi up for him, before we get an Msi won't boot thread and tarnish Msi's reputation aswell

Maybe their was something genuinely wrong with the motherboard?

Elevon · 10 Nov 2011 at 17:34

mikeyparkster said:
Looking for an MSI or ASUS gaming motherboard

SSD caching is so what but if its on there thats fine...

Don't care about video editing.

Don't care about image manipulation.

Don't want to extreme overclock, but I may consider overclocking my i5 to around 3.8 - 4.4 ghz at some point...

Requirements

Must be Asus or MSI - NOT the asrock

Must be compatible with DDR3 1600mhz ram 1.5v

Must be compatible with the intel i5 2500k

Must be PCIE3 ready - I have an MSI twin frozer II gtx 580

Must be Ivy Bridge compatible

Must have on-board audio

Don't care about onboard video as I have a dedicated graphics

Looking to spend somewhere between £120-180

Please don't recommend a board plagued with problems... I want a stable board

I've this board ie Asus P8Z68 V/Gen3 http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_1155/P8Z68VGEN3/ and using SSD as cache drive,no issues and 100% stable with my 2500k cpu.

Average price is around £140 on the net.

mikeyparkster · 10 Nov 2011 at 18:23

so what were the differences between the GD 55 and 65? apart from £20.00

Also re deivery.... My Order has been packed and is in the process of being shipped ... as of 15:30 today. The option selected is DPD next day....
does this mean Friday or Monday?

Surveyor · 10 Nov 2011 at 19:04

The GD65 has 2 more SATA 3 ports (Marvell controller) and a dual BIOS.

If it says your order has been shipped today then you'll receive it tomorrow.

You should receive an e-mail with a DPD tracking number and DPD will send you a 1 hour time slot for delivery.

Don't forget you can get 20% cash back on the motherboard:

NEW! Get 20% Cash Back on MSI Z68 Motherboards!

mikeyparkster · 10 Nov 2011 at 19:47

dual bios sounds very clever.. so for example like on my failed Asrock the bios is being a lame- it would avoid that problem on a dual bios motherboard?

Nelly · 10 Nov 2011 at 20:12

mikeyparkster said:
dual bios sounds very clever.. so for example like on my failed Asrock the bios is being a lame- it would avoid that problem on a dual bios motherboard?

This is what it says in the manual, basically when it loads up the secondary BIOS, you go into the Security part of the BIOS and set Multi BIOS Auto Update [Enabled]