Picking my first Mobo

[SippyKupp]

Ok, first time poster, first time builder. I'm preparing to buy all the parts to my first build, and I'm having trouble picking an appropriate mobo for my needs. I'm looking to build a gaming rig, I have no intentions of running any triple A titles like BF4 or assassins creed. More for counter strike and WoW. I settled on the Intel i5-4690, as it seems to be plenty for what I need. I also have no intentions on overclocking anything. What I'm having issues with is finding a solid mobo that gives me what I need for a decent price. The only thing I really would like is that it has built in wifi, other then that I'm not looking for much else. I'm also curious as what chipset I should be looking at? Z97? Z87? I'm not sure what the differences are.

Thanks ahead of time for all the help. It's been rough trying to figure all the technical stuff out lol

[blackadder]

Z87,the z97 has features for overclocking, only real tangible difference.

O no my mistake. The posters below are correct, i was thinking of h97. Any board that has #87 or lower than 97 will most likely need a bios update, so you need a older cpu to update the bios.

[SippyKupp]

Z87,the z97 has features for overclocking, only real tangible difference.

Thanks for the help good sir!!

[Sam Z Man]

Thanks for the help good sir!!

Why are you not overclocking?

[STRMfrmXMN]

Why are you not overclocking?

The 4690 is a locked CPU so he couldn't even if he wanted. If he got the 4690k however, that would not be how that works.

 

@SippyKupp, shameless self promotion! http://linustechtips.com/main/classifieds/item/1921-gigabyte-b85-matx-motherboard-lower-48-usa-only/

 

I recommend you get one that fits in your case and, if you're not overclocking, get an H97/B85/H81 series of boards.

[blackadder]

Thanks for the help good sir!!

no problem. If you post your full build in "new builds and planning" us nerds can help out with build over all before you buy.

[stconquest]

Ok, first time poster, first time builder. I'm preparing to buy all the parts to my first build, and I'm having trouble picking an appropriate mobo for my needs. I'm looking to build a gaming rig, I have no intentions of running any triple A titles like BF4 or assassins creed. More for counter strike and WoW. I settled on the Intel i5-4690, as it seems to be plenty for what I need. I also have no intentions on overclocking anything. What I'm having issues with is finding a solid mobo that gives me what I need for a decent price. The only thing I really would like is that it has built in wifi, other then that I'm not looking for much else. I'm also curious as what chipset I should be looking at? Z97? Z87? I'm not sure what the differences are.

Thanks ahead of time for all the help. It's been rough trying to figure all the technical stuff out lol

 

H81/B85/H87/Z87 motherboards might not work with an i5 4690 out-of-the-box.

 

There were two release of Haswell CPUs:

 

1.  Haswell along with 8-Series motherboards.

 

2.  Haswell Refresh along with 9-Series motherboards.

 

 

To ensure 100% compatibility with a Haswell Refresh (i5 4690):

 

1.  Buy a H97 or Z97 motherboard.

 

2.  Contact a retailer to inquire whether any particular 8-Series motherboard is updated to Haswell Refresh specifications.

[dadasmithywinkle]

Z87,the z97 has features for overclocking, only real tangible difference.

 

Thanks for the help good sir!!

... Z87 is the older version of Haswell that isnt sold too much anymore. Z97 is it's newer counterpart. Both can overclock. If not overclocking, get an H81/B85/H97 motherboard.

[Sam Z Man]

The 4690 is a locked CPU so he couldn't even if he wanted. If he got the 4690k however, that would not be how that works

Well I'm not that stupid, I know the non k 4690 won't overclock but why not spend the extra 10$ for a k series and overclock the thing.

[blackadder]

... Z87 is the older version of Haswell that isnt sold too much anymore. Z97 is it's newer counterpart. Both can overclock. If not overclocking, get an H81/B85/H97 motherboard.

yes, my mind slipped. I edited my post. You guys are correct, i hope op re reads these. Even some of the z97 were getting hard to find last time i checked.

[SippyKupp]

Whoa lots of responses lol, one at a time...

@STRMfrmXMN thanks for the tip!

Why are you not overclocking?

to be honest, i don't feel comfortable pushing a cpu past its limits. Does it not put the cpu under more stress? Does it effect the longevity of the cpu? I'm genuinely ignorant on the subject

@stconquest thanks for the tip!!

@dadasmithywinkle thanks for the tip!

yes, my mind slipped. I edited my post. You guys are correct, i hope op re reads these. Even some of the z97 were getting hard to find last time i checked.

I'm reading everything don't worry lol you guys are the bomb

[blackadder]

Whoa lots of responses lol, one at a time...

@STRMfrmXMN thanks for the tip!

to be honest, i don't feel comfortable pushing a cpu past its limits. Does it not put the cpu under more stress? Does it effect the longevity of the cpu? I'm genuinely ignorant on the subject

@stconquest thanks for the tip!!

@dadasmithywinkle thanks for the tip! I'm reading everything don't worry lol you guys are the bomb

it does have a effect of lifetime but, it really hard to say how much. If you overclock and its within safe temps it will decrease your cpu by a minor amount. Say if you cpu was going to last 5 years, overclocked it might only last 4 years 11 months. 1/60 less. Chances are it will last longer but, you will upgrade before it dies. Voltage is what kills it,you see this indirectly in temperature by it increasing. Its all super complex, im not a computer engineer, clearly. Semi conductor gate theory is something you should check out. Somewhere is there they will talk about the substrate all the gates are "embedded" into. This is what we are concerned degrading overtime.

[SippyKupp]

@blackadder gotcha. Idk the way I see it, is I'm not really gonna play very intensive games. So 3.5 ghz should be enough right? Isn't gaming more dependent on the gpu?

[stconquest]

@blackadder gotcha. Idk the way I see it, is I'm not really gonna play very intensive games. So 3.5 ghz should be enough right? Isn't gaming more dependent on the gpu?

 

I am still running my i5 3570K at stock after 2.5 years of use.  One day I will need to overclock.  I get the urge, but I have not given in.

[SippyKupp]

@stconquest do you ever feel like it's under powered? What do you use your rig for?

[blackadder]

@blackadder gotcha. Idk the way I see it, is I'm not really gonna play very intensive games. So 3.5 ghz should be enough right? Isn't gaming more dependent on the gpu?

yes, it should be. depending on games it could be more than 3 years before you even feel like you need to upgrade probably longer.  "battlefield 6" might give you some trouble in the long run but, it might give all of us trouble.  some games depend mmore on cpu some more on gpu, then you always have games that just don't use your hardware great too (arma3 )

[stconquest]

@stconquest do you ever feel like it's under powered? What do you use your rig for?

 

I game. I watch video/surf the net.  I don't do any content creation or live stream which is maybe why I do not feel the need for speed.  Playing single player games is like a joke for my 3570K, purely limited by my GPU.

 

I used to play a lot of online shooters, not any more.  That used to use up CPU resources.

 

I think Dying Light was the biggest resource strain recently, but I do not know how much CPU power it really used... again GPU limited.

[Sam Z Man]

@blackadder gotcha. Idk the way I see it, is I'm not really gonna play very intensive games. So 3.5 ghz should be enough right? Isn't gaming more dependent on the gpu?

Unless it's Minecraft, it should be more GPU intensive.

Also never look at GHz being all equal they are not.

[SippyKupp]

@blackadder lol that's what I like to hear, thanks man!

@stconquest yeah you've basically described exactly how I want to use my rig. Although I'd probably invest in a few online fps, but only things like counter strike and team fortress 2.

.

Also never look at GHz being all equal they are not.

can you elaborate on this? That's a very interesting point

[Sam Z Man]

Can you elaborate on this? That's a very interesting point

https://youtu.be/wfoI-m-3vOk

This is why when a quad core FX-4350 and a quad core i5-4690K both clocked at 4.2 GHz face off, the i5 kicks the fx in the face, steals his wallet, and then goes and screws his girlfriend, while making him watch.

[SippyKupp]

@Sam Z Man first of all, your response was golden lol I applaud you sir  :lol:  but also very informative. Is there a processor you would recommend over the i5-4690? preferably around the same price point

[Sam Z Man]

@Sam Z Man first of all, your response was golden lol I applaud you sir  :lol:  but also very informative. Is there a processor you would recommend over the i5-4690? preferably around the same price point

i5 4690K and Z97 mobo you can overclock the thing to 4.4 while still having the voltage stay at safe levels.

[blackadder]

@Sam Z Man first of all, your response was golden lol I applaud you sir  :lol:  but also very informative. Is there a processor you would recommend over the i5-4690? preferably around the same price point

nope not at this time. not really anyways (if you don't want to oc). you may in all well be fine with a lower clocked cpu but, over the long term it will be less so. higher end cpu you wouldn't use hyperthreading and the difference is minor for 100 usd. both cpu will be obslete in the same yearish. 

[SippyKupp]

@Sam Z Man I still feel somewhat uneasy about overclocking, mostly due to my utter lack of experience in such things. Is it difficult? I plan on using an air cooler, would that be enough to keep temps in check? 

 

@blackadder you brings up very good points

 

I just put up my part list in the build section, for anyone whose interested in seeing what i have so far.

[stconquest]

@Sam Z Man I still feel somewhat uneasy about overclocking, mostly due to my utter lack of experience in such things. Is it difficult? I plan on using an air cooler, would that be enough to keep temps in check? 

 

@blackadder you brings up very good points

 

I just put up my part list in the build section, for anyone whose interested in seeing what i have so far.

 

You don't have to overclock.... but... would you not want the option available to you?  There is very real (hidden) performance in the i5 4690K.