Recommended Mini ITX Mobo for an i5-7500?

[LandDownUnder]

Hi,

 

I'm looking for an affordable mini ITX motherboard for my Fractal Node case that will be compatible with an i5-7500. The more SATA ports the better! It doesn't bother me whether I buy it new or used, as long as it doesn't break the bank.

 

Thanks guys. 

[Slottr]

Mini ITX, Micro ATX?

[LandDownUnder]

Mini ITX, my bad. I just woke up and my brain is still asleep. 

[Fasauceome]

What have you found perusing eBay?

 

Can't really make any exact recommendations because the hardware is old and there aren't any market prices to go on

[aisle9]

45 minutes ago, LandDownUnder said:

Hi,

 

I'm looking for an affordable mini ITX motherboard for my Fractal Node case that will be compatible with an i5-7500. The more SATA ports the better! It doesn't bother me whether I buy it new or used, as long as it doesn't break the bank.

 

Thanks guys. 

Here are the chipsets to look for:

H110, B150, H170, Z170, B250, H270, Z270

 

The 100-series boards might require a BIOS update to work, so when you're browsing eBay, it'd be a good idea to ask sellers what the BIOS version on their board is and/or if they've used an Intel -7000 series CPU on it. You're not going to find new stock for reasonable prices on those, so plan on used. With a locked i5, just about anything by the big four (AsRock, ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI) will be fine. I was running an i5-6500 on an AsRock H110M-ITX/ac board for a year or so without any issues. VRM heatsinks are nice, but on an old quad i5, not absolutely necessary unless you're running the thing in a cardboard box with no ventilation or cross airflow. I'm currently running an i7-6700T on a Gigabyte B150N-Phoenix Wifi without any issues whatsoever. If it's connectivity you're after, the B150N-Phoenix Wifi has four SATA ports and an M.2 slot on the back, but I don't remember if all five ports can be used at the same time, or if the M.2 eats up two of them.

 

At your price range, I'd start by looking at B150 and B250 boards. H110 is also an option, just be aware that H110 boards were generally very cheaply built and may be approaching the end of their lives. H170 and H270 are good if you find the right deal, and the Z-boards are way more than you need. Four SATA ports is fairly standard, and you shouldn't have a hard time finding a board with that many. Just remember the BIOS update for 100-series boards when you're shopping.