$100 red Z97 motherboard

[Mao_Zedong]

Is there a Z97 motherboard that is all black or red and black that costs $100 or less? I will get it will a 4690k, so a combo deal with that is ok. A brown pcb is fine if it is needed, but it needs to cost way less.

[Altaren]

I believe the msi gaming 3 is the cheapest. Dont know if you can get it at under 100$ though. I have the h97 version of it and it works well and looks good. 

You also might want to consider the GA-Z97X-Gaming 5.

[Aniallation]

Is there a Z97 motherboard that is all black or red and black that costs $100 or less? I will get it will a 4690k, so a combo deal with that is ok. A brown pcb is fine if it is needed, but it needs to cost way less.

Not really, but there's the B85-G43 Gaming, which is pretty close.

[Held657]

No chance under 120$:

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-motherboard-gaz97xsli

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asrock-motherboard-fatal1tyz97killer

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-motherboard-z97g45gaming

 

 

EDIT: There is a combo with the ASrock Fatal1ty Z97 Killer : http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1735210&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

 

And a combo with the MSI Z97 Gaming 3: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1795162&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

Edited August 3, 2014 by Held657

[austin541]

try and push your budget up to 125, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128714&cm_re=Z97-_-13-128-714-_-Product.

 

You dont really want to cheap out on your motherboard.

[Mao_Zedong]

try and push your budget up to 125, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128714&cm_re=Z97-_-13-128-714-_-Product.

 

You dont really want to cheap out on your motherboard.

 

 

No chance under 120$:

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-motherboard-gaz97xsli

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asrock-motherboard-fatal1tyz97killer

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-motherboard-z97g45gaming

 

 

EDIT: There is a combo with the ASrock Fatal1ty Z97 Killer : http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1735210&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

 

And a combo with the MSI Z97 Gaming 3: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.1795162&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

 

 

I believe the msi gaming 3 is the cheapest. Dont know if you can get it at under 100$ though. I have the h97 version of it and it works well and looks good. 

You also might want to consider the GA-Z97X-Gaming 5.

i was hoping you could find one, the one i have picked out now is the msi gaming 3 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-motherboard-z97gaming3 but I was hoping to cut back on cost, as I am slightly over budget @Altaren can you overclock with that h97 board? I heard most h97 boards won't overclock (I am hoping to get to 4.5ghz, what did you get?).

sorry for the delayed response. 

[Held657]

i was hoping you could find one, the one i have picked out now is the msi gaming 3 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-motherboard-z97gaming3 but I was hoping to cut back on cost, as I am slightly over budget @Altaren can you overclock with that h97 board? I heard most h97 boards won't overclock (I am hoping to get to 4.5ghz, what did you get?).

sorry for the delayed response. 

 

Normally you can't use the unlocked multiplier with H97 mainboards (and I don't know any board that doesn't fit this), else nobody would buy Z97^^. And without using the multiplier you won't get anywhere near 4.5 GHz.

[Mao_Zedong]

Normally you can't use the unlocked multiplier with H97 mainboards (and I don't know any board that doesn't fit this), else nobody would buy Z97^^. And without using the multiplier you won't get anywhere near 4.5 GHz.

ok, thanks

[Altaren]

i was hoping you could find one, the one i have picked out now is the msi gaming 3 http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-motherboard-z97gaming3 but I was hoping to cut back on cost, as I am slightly over budget @Altaren can you overclock with that h97 board? I heard most h97 boards won't overclock (I am hoping to get to 4.5ghz, what did you get?).

sorry for the delayed response. 

Looking at this it seems to be possible, however i wouldnt recommend it. If youre on a budget go with a locked cpu and call it a day. Thats what i did (i5 4690) and im getting wonderful performance in all games, boosts to 3.9 pretty much constantly on a very cheap cooler. If youre doing video editing or something really cpu intensive you might want to wait and save up some if you really want to overclock. 

Most of the time i dont think overclocking is worth it (on the cpu at least), if youre just playing games. 

Also another option if youre on a budget is to get a high end z97 board and put in a pentium G3258 and have that for games until broadwell comes out. You can then buy that if you saved up enoug and sell the dual core. Its pretty powerful for its price so it should retain value.

[Mao_Zedong]

Looking at this it seems to be possible, however i wouldnt recommend it. If youre on a budget go with a locked cpu and call it a day. Thats what i did (i5 4690) and im getting wonderful performance in all games, boosts to 3.9 pretty much constantly on a very cheap cooler. If youre doing video editing or something really cpu intensive you might want to wait and save up some if you really want to overclock. 

Most of the time i dont think overclocking is worth it (on the cpu at least), if youre just playing games. 

Also another option if youre on a budget is to get a high end z97 board and put in a pentium G3258 and have that for games until broadwell comes out. You can then buy that if you saved up enoug and sell the dual core. Its pretty powerful for its price so it should retain value.

I think i'll just go with a blue build, it won't look quite as nice and the keyboard will be different or cost way more, but red motherboards are too expensive. 

[Altaren]

I think i'll just go with a blue build, it won't look quite as nice and the keyboard will be different or cost way more, but red motherboards are too expensive. 

Usually price reflects features not color, you cant get similar motherboards for much cheaper. What blue models were you looking at?

[Mao_Zedong]

Usually price reflects features not color, you cant get similar motherboards for much cheaper. What blue models were you looking at?

this one in particular http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-motherboard-z97pcmate its z97, has 4 ram slots that support 3000mhz ram, pcie 3.0 x16, and has great reviews, it has a brown pcb, but I may get a similar one. msi is being weird and making their red motherboards cost more for no reason I can see.

[Altaren]

this one in particular http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-motherboard-z97pcmate its z97, has 4 ram slots that support 3000mhz ram, pcie 3.0 x16, and has great reviews, it has a brown pcb, but I may get a similar one. msi is being weird and making their red motherboards cost more for no reason I can see.

Seems alright, audio is ALC887 vs ALC1150 but i wouldnt know how much of a difference that is. I wouldnt do any heavy overclocking on that though. In the end low budget and oc dont mix.

I would still stand behind my recommendation of a non-k cpu and the h97 chipset. You can either save money or get a better motherboard if you go that route. I hope others can give you more advice so you can make the choice thats right for you.

[Trik'Stari]

Gigabyte GA-Z97MX-Gaming 5 was $117 when I got it. Everything else is blue (ugh). Although it is an Matx board.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128714

That's the cheapest black/red one I can find. If you wait around a bit one might go on sale like my Matx board, which I like better because it has better looking heatsinks.