Most reliable Z97 board

[vadumis]

Hello there, mates!

As my HP HDX 18 is slowly but surely deing on me, I decided to build myself a desktop rig this time (not in college anymore so don`t need the portability that much).

 

Things you should be aware of:

1) i`m not a gamer

2) therefore videocard is NOT a priority.

3) i want best air cooling/noise ratio

4) got a brand new LG Ultrawide 25 inche display (because the display on the laptop crapped out on me)

5) will get a video card in the end as I would like to have diecent video experience

6) maybe I`ll want to go 1440P in a few years or maybe even 4 k (my main concern however is accuracy of the colours, not the display size)

7) want it to last atleast 3-4 years ( never used a PC for less than 3 years - and the HDX is 5,5 years old - so I`m not upset with it crapping on me )

 

This is the aproximate build i`m aiming for. Description/reasoning after each component:

 

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor

I will be doing video rendering from time to time and I will be doing decent photo editing (in LR mainly, later might learn other software like Photoshop - also planning on a geting a FF DSLR ). Do not have the budget to go 2011-3, wont do me much good either.

CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler

I don`t care too much about the closed loops/water cooling atm because I don`t particularly enjoy the water in the case... if you know what I mean. BUT I do want the best air cooling in terms of performance AND noise. This one is the one I consider to suite me the best ( I have also looked into the Cryorig R1 and others. Cryorig is 2 degrees better than the D15, but somewhat noisier and I do not want noise!)

Memory: G.Skill Trident X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-2133 Memory

CL 9 with 2133 MHz... I think you know what i mean!

Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($91.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 840 Pro Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($91.99 @ Amazon)

I want 2 SSDs in RAID, I just don`t want to wait when I got big files bihihihi

 

Storrage: 2 x 2-3-4 TB in RAID 1.

I want to keep safe the pictures I take, especially because my daughter is 3 months old atm

Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB WINDFORCE 3X Video Card  ($349.99 @ Amazon)

I`ve chosen this one because of the windforce cooler. I do not plan on overclocking. I am not a gamer either (Pretty much everything I play can run on the CPU graphics )

I want bigger heatsinks for better heat dissipation and therefore lower RPMs and therefore less noise.

Case: Corsair Air 540 ATX Mid Tower Case  ($139.99 @ NCIX US)

I just love the air possibilities on this one! And the NH-D15 seems to go in just fine!

Power Supply: EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($114.99 @ NCIX US)

Looks diecent, ae?

 

 

I want a motherboard.

1) Not interested in high OC tweaking.

2) Not interested in more than 2 SLI capabilities.

3) Am interested in RAID capabilities, but the Intel controller seems to be enough.

4) DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE LOOKS OF IT!   It can be pink from where I stand!

5) I will be running up to 5-6 hard drives (SSDs andHDDs) - eg need atleast 6 SATA III ports

6) would like to have the SATA express port available, but then again, 2 x SSD in raid > 1 SDD SATA e (and it takes away 2xsata ports anyways so "d"uck it! )

 

Question is:

Which are the most reliable motherboards specs, manufacturing and company wise (lifespan? DAO ratio?) ?

Which would you recommend?

I do not want to have to RMA a DOA board and stay like 324923480 hours on the phone with the support etc etc etc. Willing to pay up to 200 bucks just to avoid this kind of crap.

 

Extra question: will the broadwells have the 1150 LGA?

 

If you have any other suggestions regarding the build, please jump in. I do alot of research before actually buying something, so any input is going to add up to my final decision.

[Oshino Shinobu]

Probably going to be the Asus Z97 WS. 

[Faa]

Every board is equally reliable.

[Rheinwasser]

sabertooth z97.

btw, just leave out the gpu, it wont make your pc quieter.

[vadumis]

@Faa

When I see 15% of user reviews with DAO, equally reliable is hard to digest.

 

@Rheinwasser

I didn`t mean that What i meant was that I wanted the quietest GPU.

Thanks for the input.

[Rheinwasser]

-snip-

 

@Rheinwasser

I didn`t mean that What i meant was that I wanted the quietest GPU.

Thanks for the input.

but its useless if you are not gaming 

it will still be louder than if you hadnt put a gpu in..

[Aristocrates]

Probably going to be the Asus Z97 WS. 

This ^

[Trik'Stari]

I have a suggestion if you plan on getting all of that with the corsair air 540 case (good choice btw ). Definitely get a 240mm radiator AIO water cooler, or a single 120 or single 140mm radiator.

 

Reason:

The case is a loud one if you do just air cooling, but if you put a 2x120mm radiator in the top, you will be able to run it in push/pull with lower rpm's (and thus less noise) than just a plain air cooler. The reason I say go 2x120 is because I have a 2x140 and because of the width of the radiator, I have to have 2 of my fans on the outside of the case, on top, in able to run push/pull because of the heatsink on my motherboard blocks the push fans on the radiator. You honestly do not want to know how hard it was to get it all on there the way it is now.

 

If you don't want a big radiator like that however, you could easily put a single 120mm or single 140mm radiator on the rear exhaust in push pull. Either way, I think if you use an AIO water cooler you will get better temps with lower fan speeds (and thus less noise) with this case, than if you just did plain old air cooling. While you typically do need water cooling for OC, even if you aren't OC'ing there is something to be said about having better temps and lower noise than with air cooling (at least I that's how it seems with my non oc'ed 4690k running on a 280mm radiator.)

 

As for the motherboard, I would go with the Gigabyte 168 hour server tested motherboard. Z97 lga 1150 is supposed to support broadwell.

[vadumis]

@Aristrocrates and @Ashino Shinobu

 

Well, I don`t need quad SLI and the reviews are terrible. I mean, 30 % of them are DAO :unsure:

[Anthony10]

@Aristrocrates and @Ashino Shinobu

 

Well, I don`t need quad SLI and the reviews are terrible. I mean, 30 % of them are DAO :unsure:

Honestly any >$100 motherboard from a reputable company (asus, msi, gigabyte, asrock, etc) should be fine. Just pick the one which meets your needs (e.g. sli capable) matches your rig the best and comes in at the lowest price.

 

Use the "Quote" button at the bottom right of a post to reply to people

[vadumis]

I have a suggestion if you plan on getting all of that with the corsair air 540 case (good choice btw ). Definitely get a 240mm radiator AIO water cooler, or a single 120 or single 140mm radiator.

 

Reason:

The case is a loud one if you do just air cooling, but if you put a 2x120mm radiator in the top, you will be able to run it in push/pull with lower rpm's (and thus less noise) than just a plain air cooler. The reason I say go 2x120 is because I have a 2x140 and because of the width of the radiator, I have to have 2 of my fans on the outside of the case, on top, in able to run push/pull because of the heatsink on my motherboard blocks the push fans on the radiator. You honestly do not want to know how hard it was to get it all on there the way it is now.

 

If you don't want a big radiator like that however, you could easily put a single 120mm or single 140mm radiator on the rear exhaust in push pull. Either way, I think if you use an AIO water cooler you will get better temps with lower fan speeds (and thus less noise) with this case, than if you just did plain old air cooling. While you typically do need water cooling for OC, even if you aren't OC'ing there is something to be said about having better temps and lower noise than with air cooling (at least I that's how it seems with my non oc'ed 4690k running on a 280mm radiator.)

 

As for the motherboard, I would go with the Gigabyte 168 hour server tested motherboard. Z97 lga 1150 is supposed to support broadwell.

 

I`m unable to find the board you`re talking about.

Could you please provide a link or something?

Thanks

[vadumis]

Honestly any >$100 motherboard from a reputable company (asus, msi, gigabyte, asrock, etc) should be fine. Just pick the one which meets your needs (e.g. sli capable) matches your rig the best and comes in at the lowest price.

 

Use the "Quote" button at the bottom right of a post to reply to people

 

You might have a point. Get 100 ucks one, keep it for 2 years, than buy another one. Would make the 200 bucks for the Sabertooth one hehe

[Trik'Stari]

I`m unable to find the board you`re talking about.

Could you please provide a link or something?

Thanks

This one

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128722

 

each board is tested for 168 hours with server grade testing (extreme conditions like 90% humidity, etc). Not to mention it has Gigabyte's Dual Bios which is nice for bios updates and stuff.

[Anthony10]

You might have a point. Get 100 ucks one, keep it for 2 years, than buy another one. Would make the 200 bucks for the Sabertooth one hehe

Overspending on a motherboard is a common problem, the bulk of your money should be going on your GPU(s) and your CPU. You should open a thread in "New Builds and Planning" asking for pc part builds. The responses will help you get a better idea on what your budget can translate into in a price:performance perspective. Makesure you read this sticky-d thread first.

 

P.S. refrain from posting paragraphs upon paragraphs in your OP (original post) because people just won't read it

[vadumis]

Overspending on a motherboard is a common problem, the bulk of your money should be going on your GPU(s) and your CPU. You should open a thread in "New Builds and Planning" asking for pc part builds. The responses will help you get a better idea on what your budget can translate into in a price:performance perspective. Makesure you read this sticky-d thread first.

 

P.S. refrain from posting paragraphs upon paragraphs in your OP (original post) because people just won't read it

 

But I already made my mind about the overall system specs. I wanted to do what you are suggesting but i`ve already invested quiet some time into research. At this point, I know what specs my mobo should have for me. My problem is in terms of reliability, stability and durability.

 

Marketing gimmiks i`ve already read quiet a few as each mobo (or any other piece of hardware) has some shiny pictures with absolutly beastly performance and durability specs. You get DOAs nontheless.

 

So let me put in this again and highlight some other stuff:

I want a motherboard.

0) Price between 100-200 bucks

1) Not interested in high OC tweaking.

2) Not interested in more than 2 SLI capabilities. (2x16 is more than enough)

3) Am interested in RAID capabilities, but the Intel controller seems to be enough.

4) DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE LOOKS OF IT!   It can be pink from where I stand!

5) I will be running up to 5-6 hard drives (SSDs andHDDs) - eg need atleast 6 SATA III ports

6) I would love 3-4 PWM fan headers on it

 

And the question again is: Which one would be most reliable?

[Anthony10]

But I already made my mind about the overall system specs. I wanted to do what you are suggesting but i`ve already invested quiet some time into research. At this point, I know what specs my mobo should have for me. My problem is in terms of reliability, stability and durability.

 

Marketing gimmiks i`ve already read quiet a few as each mobo (or any other piece of hardware) has some shiny pictures with absolutly beastly performance and durability specs. You get DOAs nontheless.

 

So let me put in this again and highlight some other stuff:

I want a motherboard.

0) Price between 100-200 bucks

1) Not interested in high OC tweaking.

2) Not interested in more than 2 SLI capabilities. (2x16 is more than enough)

3) Am interested in RAID capabilities, but the Intel controller seems to be enough.

4) DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE LOOKS OF IT!   It can be pink from where I stand!

5) I will be running up to 5-6 hard drives (SSDs andHDDs) - eg need atleast 6 SATA III ports

6) I would love 3-4 PWM fan headers on it

 

And the question again is: Which one would be most reliable?

Here are my recommendations: http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/motherboard/#c=99&s=24&f=2&m=7,8,14,18,27&l=2&qq=1&K=6,10&sort=a8

 

After re-reading your OP, I would recommend you switch to a 5820k, for rendering and video editing it will perform much better than the 4790k. This will be more expensive in the motherboard and RAM realm, however. I personally think it would be worth it.

I would get the 5820k, the ASRock X99 Extreme 3 motherboard, and 2x8gb of Crucial RAM

It looks like this would only cost more for RAM and of course the processor by ~$75

[harharri]

I would say it would be the Asus sabertooth or Asus maximus vii formula with having thermal armour and really awesome boards but if not gaming then sabertooth might be better but still awesome.

[runit3]

As a general rule, manufacturer warranty from a reputable company will be all you need to know about reliability. ASUS's TUF boards (sabertooth and gryphon) come with 5 years. If they didn't feel confident in the board working for an additional 2 years in comparison to nearly every other board out there they wouldn't issue it.

You could come up with all the insane MOBO stress tests in the world but it really means nothing if it's not backed by a solid full coverage warranty.

[dRnRcR]

just my opinion but i honestly don't find Raid 0 for ssd's worth it. I've had it before and i didn't find it to impact performance enough to justify. I would just double up on the size of ssd you get.

As far as MB go i don't think you can go wrong with any thing from Asus or Gigabyte.

[RLJY]

Gigabytes z97x UD5H -BK. It's been tested for 168 hours so chances of getting a board DOA are probably lower . If you don't want to tpend so much you could go with the UD3H-BK.

[TwOne]

Gigabyte GA-Z97X-UD5H

Gigabyte GA-Z97X-GAMING 7

 

Personally I'd go for the UD5H.

[CostcoSamples]

Ditch the GTX 970, its a gaming device.  Spend that money on an education fund for your new baby!

[CostcoSamples]

Ditch the GTX 970, its a gaming device.  Spend that money on an education fund for your new baby!  just my humble opinion here.

[vadumis]

just my opinion but i honestly don't find Raid 0 for ssd's worth it. I've had it before and i didn't find it to impact performance enough to justify. I would just double up on the size of ssd you get. As far as MB go i don't think you can go wrong with any thing from Asus or Gigabyte.

Well, then I would go for a M.2 PCIe SSD. A little bit more trouble when booting from it, but otherwise consistent read/write speeds from Sumsung XP941.

 

And because the Sabertooth doesn`t have an M.2 slot, i`m inclined to the Gigabyte UD5H.

 

Someone has any opinions about the Asrock Extreme6?

[Daniel91]

^{One word: sabertooth MK1 z97}