Motherboard question?

[Sorndar]

So I am working on a new computer build and I am considering an Asus Maximus V Formula board. Most likely going with an I5-3570K or if I can get in on Microcenter pricing a I7-3770K.

I am wondering if there is another board on the market by another manufacturer that has similar features. I won't be taking advantage of all the features when first built but I hope to within a year.

I haven't built a system in about 5 years and normally I only stick with Asus boards, but am curious as to the build quality of newer brands like ASrock.

If I can find something similar I can add more parts into my current purchases.

[chazus]

I am considering an Asus Maximus V Formula board.

Is there a reason for a $200 board?

if I can get in on Microcenter pricing a I7-3770K.

Is there a reason to get the i7? I know it's only $40 more, but that may well be $40 wasted.

that has similar features. I won't be taking advantage of all the features when first built but I hope to within a year.

What features?

[Sorndar]

Is there a reason for a $200 board?


Is there a reason to get the i7? I know it's only $40 more, but that may well be $40 wasted.


What features?

I like the better Supreme FX audio chipset that is in the board, will allow me to not install a separate sound card, at least for now.

Definately like the 8 fan inputs available on the board, all the others I can find max out at 6.

The fusion thermal seems like a nice feature for later when I get to adding a water cooling system.

Also like the included wifi/bluetooth mpcie addon.

Plus there is all the software the gamefirst LAN, wifi GO, the ability to control all the installed fans through asus pcsuite 2.

More sata 6 and USB 3 ports than most boards.

The Formula just seems that it's a board that I won't have to replace for a long time. My current computer build has lasted me 6 years, and I am looking to make another quality build to last that long. Asus just seems to have more features and included software overall for a better MB experience.

I just don't want to do myself a disservice by not finding out about other boards from other manufacturer's. I see a lot of people recommending ASrock boards, but they don't see to have anything that compares with the formula. At least that I can find.


As far as the I7, I wasn't even considering that until I saw the microcenter price, and for $40 more than the I5 it just seems like a good investment.

[slasher0161]

All those extra features are meh at best. With fans if you care about them so much you will be using fan controllers or molex to 3x 3pin (voltage reduction cables) the more fans you have the more noise you get and there is only so much for thermals throwing fans at a problem can solve... I'm looking at you HAF-X.
The audio card while better than stock is still meh compared to a proper sound card, the extra usb 3.0 ports is a gimmick considering the only thing that makes use of usb 3.0 really is flash drives (external drives if you care about speed will be on esata, though then again if your spending that much on a board I would imagine you would have multiple drives internally so external drives is a meh point.
As for sata 3.0 ports only SSD's can saturate sata 2.0 ports so unless your looking at an SSD raid array that is irrelevant.

Honestly its your money but to make the most of that board you are looking at such a stupidly overkill system that buildng a reasonable $1500 rig now and then another one in 3 years time is a better investment than trying to throw the money at a rig to make use of that motherboard.

[chazus]

Yeah.. I gotta say. I think you might be a victim of good marketing. All that stuff just seems a waste of money to me. I can't imagine any of that software (outside of the fan controller) being useful. 8 fans? Are you really going to have -8- fans in your system?

Sorry, I know you want it, and you didn't ask if it was a good board. It still seems like a waste of money, just tossing out my opinion, i guess.

for $40 more than the I5 it just seems like a good investment.

A good investment for what? Gaming? What do you do, because unless you're doing a decent amount of rendering/recording, it's not a good investment. The i7 is not an upgrade from an i5. It suits a different task.

[slasher0161]

Just to add to chazus' point about i5 vs i7 with rendering my i5 at a modest 4.2ghz can render a 25min 1080p (@30fps) video in about 30mins (with sony vegas) while i'm using the computer or 23mins when the computer isn't doing anything. Most of the time I would just leave rendering to happen overnight anyway, this is probably also limited by the fact i'm pulling the raw data from the same hard drive i'm rendering to which is only a 5400rpm drive.

I do just want to clarify we aren't saying the board is bad by any means we are just trying to give you as much information as we can before you go spending money.

[Sorndar]

Ok I think I can understand the points being made. I mostly game on my computer. A wide variety of stuff, WoW, NBA 2k, Skyrim probably take up most of my time. Which is why I had originally planned on just the I5 proc which is going $220 on newegg. That is before I realized the prices at microcenter, but have to send money to my mother, have her ship whichever proc etc.

With all that being said on the board, do you guys have any recommendations? Probably will stick with the I5, and want to at least be able to dual sli at a later point. Going to most likely stick this build in the CM Storm Trooper or Azza Genesis 9000 case so either has room for any type of board.

[chazus]

Pretty much any Asrock or Asus board around the $130 mark is usually a good choice. Any more than that is really not necessary. I'm currently using an $75 MSI Z77A-G41, which is considered one of the cheapest good boards there is, and my only complaint is that I can't overclock past about the 4.5ghz mark... But 99% of the community doesn't anyway so.. no biggie?

Also, if you do have access to a microcenter... They have the i5-3570K for $190

[Idrinkwhiterussians]

Ill chime in about Microcenter too... You get a discount deal if you get the MB/CPU at the same time. I am not sure what it is atm, either $40 or $50.

[slasher0161]

The Asrock extreme 4 should fit your needs.

[Lemmiwink]

To be honest, the Supreme FX is the best onboard sound card on the market. If you really want all the features of a Maximus board, but can live with 2xPCI-e slots, you should look into a Maximus V Gene instead. There will only be one answer here if you ask about hardware, Asrock Extreme 4 and a 3570K, all good hardware of course but not exactly premium, in any way.

[slasher0161]

Lemmiwink you understand full well why we harp on about them, yet you say that like we do it blindly. They are just plain and simply great value for money and cover the needs of almost everyone that asks here. Those who will use the features of the premium hardware will generally know it or will come with a list of needs that justify the hardware.

[Lemmiwink]

I know they're good value, the OP wanted the fusion thermo and the onboard graphics. If you take those out of the equation I don't see why he would want a M5F either. The fusion thermo saves you a bit of money if you want to watercool and the onboard sound card is really in a league of it's own on the Maximus boards. Value for money, no, the M5F isn't anywhere close if you aren't looking for special features. I bought this board myself because of Fusion Thermo, sold my M5Extreme so I would save 100$ on the MB block. Also got AC3 and 2 Noctua NF-F12's in addition to the MB for what I sold my extreme for.