ASRock Z77 Extreme 4

[VIzMAN]

So in about 2 months I am going to go duel 670 (EVGA SIgnature 2 for any interested) and I need to get a new motherboard as the one I currently have (ASRock Z77 Pro4) doesn't support SLI.

So my question is: Is the extreme 4 any good + is there any better alternatives for around the same price that I should get instead? Preferably with a black PCB

 

Thanks in advance.

[Nineshadow]

I have the Z87 version and I like it.

[Vitalius]

So my question is: Is the extreme 4 any good + is there any better alternatives for around the same price that I should get instead? Preferably with a black PCB

I have this motherboard. It's good for 90% of all uses. 

The 10% of uses it's not good for is overclocking. Particularly extreme overclocking (it can overclock ok). ASRock isn't known for higher quality VRM's, which is what hinders the overclocking ability, but that will only affect you if you go for records. You would be able to get to 4.2-4.4GHz on a 3570k (assuming the chip isn't a dud) just fine with it. It's 4.6+ that starts to get iffy I believe.

I'm going to tell you right now, in 99% of cases (pun intended), the PCB is going to look black. It won't look black if you shine a very bright light on it, and it will have a very slight brown color look to it when it's out of the case, but if your case is fairly unlit, or your lights are colored, the brown won't be seen at all. At all. It will be black in all intents and purposes.

[VIzMAN]

I have this motherboard. It's good for 90% of all uses. 

The 10% of uses it's not good for is overclocking. Particularly extreme overclocking (it can overclock ok). ASRock isn't known for higher quality VRM's, which is what hinders the overclocking ability, but that will only affect you if you go for records. You would be able to get to 4.2-4.4GHz on a 3570k (assuming the chip isn't a dud) just fine with it. It's 4.6+ that starts to get iffy I believe.

I don't plan on extreme overclocking but my chip is at 4.4 at the minute with the pro4 so that's not too bad. 

The only other thing I was thinking of was to go for a gigabyte board, maybe a mATX one though I don't know how that will look in the new case that I am getting (Corsair 750D), I think It will look pretty empty.

[Nineshadow]

I have my 4670k at 4.2 without a problem.I have no need to go further than that.

[Guest GRRigger]

Gigabyte has black OC mobos.

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-motherboard-gaz87xhd3 is this good? i only searched pcpartspicker quickly

[VIzMAN]

Should of mentioned before that I'm running a 3570k so ivy bridge boards

[Vitalius]

I have my 4670k at 4.2 without a problem.I have no need to go further than that.

 

To be fair, I don't think we can judge the Z87's overclocking potential because the VRM's are on the chip now. So that's an Intel thing, not an ASRock thing. But it's cool (reverse pun intended) that you got it that far. Good job.

Should of mentioned before that I'm running a 3570k so ivy bridge boards

We know. 

Z77 = Ivy Bridge

Z87 = Haswell

Same motherboard Chipset and manufacturer. The only thing that throws a comparison off is the placement of the VRM that I mentioned above.

[VIzMAN]

 

We know. 

Z77 = Ivy Bridge

Z87 = Haswell

 

Only reason I said was because GRRigger posted a z87 board

 

Though thinking about it it was probably just an example 

[slasher0161]

The extreme 4 is a quirky board, vrms seem weak when the volts start going above 1.3 and the llc is alright. Only other quirk with mine is it refuses to post while my printer is plugged in the bios seems to hate it, once it has finished its post though doesn't seem to give a damn (this honestly still has me scratching my head).