Recommendation / check time: motherboard and RAM

Quartz · 22 Mar 2018 at 11:37

This PC is becoming too flakey and it's time for an upgrade anyway.

The main uses are (not in any order) gaming, browsing, and MS Office. I will not be overclocking.

I'm thinking of Z370 / i5-8400. I may indulge in an 8700. As I game at 4K with two Maxwell Titan X cards I need SLI support. I expect to be dropping mGPU with my next GPU upgrade, but for now I need it.

I need recommendation for the RAM. I want 32 GB - and preferably 2x 16 GB sticks - and the RAM has to fit underneath my CR-95C CPU cooler, so none of those fancy ram coolers please. I know RAM is expensive right now and 32 GB is an indulgence.

I'm looking at the Gigabyte Z370 Aorus Ultra Gaming. On my GA-Z77 motherboard there is a gap of 2-3mm between the CPU cooler and the first GPU. So on the Z370 mobo I need the mount points for the CPU cooler and position of the primary x16 slot to be in exactly the same places. Can anyone check this? Paging @GIGA-Man . I'm aware that on the Nofan compatibility page it says that it won't fit, but it says that about my GA-Z77 too and as long as there's no backplate it's fine.

PS The CPU cooler means that Ryzen is not possible.

Quartz · 22 Mar 2018 at 13:32

The RAM needs to be less than 40mm high as measured from the motherboard surface.

Quartz · 22 Mar 2018 at 15:58

orbitalwalsh said:
yeah, I won't use that with any 6 core coffeelake ! specially if 8700 non K boosts up to 4.3ghz on all core via MCE ...

Why not? All that's important is the TDP. The non-K 8700 has a TDP of 65W so I'll be fine.

GIGA-Man said:
The info I have says it wont fit either, I don't want to recommend it if it's not going to fit..

Thanks. Could I impose upon you for the exact distance on the Z370? I can check my Z77 myself. Preferably measured on the back so I don't have to dismantle my PC just yet.

Quartz · 22 Mar 2018 at 17:57

GIGA-Man said:
Just to be clear, you want the distance from bottom of the CPU socket to the first PCIe slot?

From the CPU cooler retention holes to the first PCIe x16 slot, please.

Quartz · 23 Mar 2018 at 00:36

orbitalwalsh said:
See some reviews, you'll see it actually pulls a lot more, specially when your abkento set all cores to run at full 4.3ghz !

I've read a couple and am uncertain of their methodology and measurements. The ones I've found (e.g. this one) don't detail the source of the measurements. Are they measuring power draw at the wall, for instance? Do the measurements include the motherboard power draw?

And then there are articles like this one in which the CPU is shown to limit itself.

Quartz · 27 Mar 2018 at 17:40

Bump. The crashing has got really silly and I'm taking a chance on the motherboard. I'm also treating myself to an 8700 (non-k).

Quartz · 27 Mar 2018 at 21:55

orbitalwalsh said:
Non K is a nice little chip! Seems some Aorus boards selling with farcry 5 codes !
Lots of ram on sale to .. think there's team group 32gb going for £270 and £300 on sale

Unfortunately I require low profile RAM and had to order from the river as OCUK were out of stock.

If it helps, Intel's new boards should be next week

Too late for me. But if they're that much better I'll upgrade.

Quartz · 1 Apr 2018 at 14:49

Well, it was a gamble that hasn't paid off. I needed an extra 2mm to fit both GPUs, but it wasn't there so I'down to just one.

Quartz · 2 Apr 2018 at 13:55

I'll survive with just one GPU. And my CPU doesn't overclock. To use a CLC that large I would need a new case unless the pump was in the radiator as in the FT05 the CPU would be the highest point.