What is the difference between z68 and z77 boards?

arekgreenman888 · 16 Apr 2012 at 02:28

Hi planning to make gaming/multitask rig with k2500i and ati 7580. Originally planed to get Gigabyte Z68XP-UD3 but seeing many nice looking z77 boards was thinking that there might be something better than my original plan.

Please advise smart people. ta

RJC · 16 Apr 2012 at 07:13

A little info below:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/z77-express-virtu-mvp-benchmark,3174.html

I would go with the Z77 as there the same price as the Z68 boards.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-390-GI&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=2261

Krono5 · 16 Apr 2012 at 07:16

Z77 offer a couple of things more than Z68 and being the same price there's no reason not to go Z77.

arekgreenman888 · 16 Apr 2012 at 12:14

According to RJC these are main differences:

"Although Intel’s Z77 Express offers minor power reductions and management software updates, integrated USB 3.0 and the inclusion of Virtu MVP are the best reasons for users to care."

Seems like not that much...

RJC · 16 Apr 2012 at 12:56

As the boards are the same price range, you can't really go wrong.

Spenty · 16 Apr 2012 at 13:01

If you are planning on overclocking a Sandy Bridge CPU on the new z77 boards, I'd wait for a review first.

arekgreenman888 · 16 Apr 2012 at 13:17

Spenty said:
If you are planning on overclocking a Sandy Bridge CPU on the new z77 boards, I'd wait for a review first.

Thanks in mean time might just go with ud3... like suggest by smart people on this forum.

Spenty · 16 Apr 2012 at 13:21

arekgreenman888 said:
Thanks in mean time might just go with ud3... like suggest by smart people on this forum.

I'm getting this board for my 2500k, http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-364-GI

jeff6475 · 16 Apr 2012 at 13:26

Spenty said:
I'm getting this board for my 2500k, http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-364-GI

cant go far wrong with that board i was gonna get it but i liked the asrock e4g3 better but tbh wished i saved a few quid and got that 1

Spenty · 16 Apr 2012 at 13:39

jeff6475 said:
cant go far wrong with that board i was gonna get it but i liked the asrock e4g3 better but tbh wished i saved a few quid and got that 1

Yeah apparently a simple change of the multiplier to 46 will get most i5 2500k's running 4.6ghz on auto-volts on this board.