PC Hardware → Re: [Parts Check] Looking For Mobo

I'm just starting to think about it. I knew the next chip set was coming out soon but I wasn't sure when. That would not only give me another option but lower the Ivy's cost. Maybe waiting a couple of months may well be the best option.

Early indications point to an Intel launch debacle similar to Sandy Bridge's degrading SATA controller. Intel has forced vendors to accept flawed chips that will later be corrected in a future stepping version.

»Intel Haswell Platform Faces USB 3.0 Issue: Report
»First glimpse of a Haswell mobo

IF you decide to wait for Haswell, you may have to wait an additional 3-6 months for the USB3 sleep issue to be corrected. Unless you're OK with putting up with having to reopen everything when the PC wakes from sleep.

In your situation, I'd just go for Z77 + the i7-3770K. It's a well established product, great mobo options, and very stable (although it runs a little hot due to sub-par heat spreaders and its OC potential vs. Sandy Bridge is limited). The heat issue shouldn't matter to you, however, so I'd say Ivy Bridge is right for you.

I've built two IB machines with Asrock Z77/Z75 mobos and have been pleased. They are affordable, reliable, and come with a decent feature set. If I was going to buy for myself, I would (sadly) pass on EVGA mobos--I love the company to hell for their product support and support they give the OC market, but their motherboard product line is very underwhelming. Limited feature set, fewer bells and whistles, and higher price points.

This next time around, I plan to give Gigabyte motherboards a spin. Their current Z77 product options are here:

»www.gigabyte.us/products ··· p=2&v=24

Passing up on proven current boards for an as of yet unreleased new unproven platform is not without some degree of risk.

When I bought my Asus P8P67 Pro motherboard at or near the day of release of Sandy Bridge I eventually RMAed the board due to the recall of the initial P67 chipset release. However it was a relatively painless process and I wouldn't do anything differently now having gone through such an experience,....but that's just me. Although I did wait a little for C2 stepping when I bought my Sandy Bridge-E Core i7 3930K / ASUS P9X79 Deluxe platform due to VT-d errata in C1 stepping,....knowing of the problem well in advance,.....

Intel Haswell will use a new LGA1150 socket making a move away from LGA1155. We are hearing of minor issues with the native USB 3.0 on Haswell boards but if I were buying now I would still be more likely to buy Haswell rather then the current crop of Ivy bridge / Z77,.....

Actually I would be waiting for the price drop on Ivy. I rarely shell out money to be the first with any technology unless there is some overwhelming need.

How are the graphics on the 4000 for gaming? I know Intel says it's great but what are they going to say? It sucks? I have the 2000 on my i3 2100 and renders video well enough but I don't do any gaming on it. Mostly I play WoW but I do play the newer shooter games through their single player parts.

It's unsuitable. Get a discrete GPU.

If that's the case then I need to get a non-CPU/GPU i7/mobo combo with vid card... any recommendations? Let's cap it at around $500 or so.

what is a non-CPU/GPU?

One's that don't have a graphics processor built in them? Like this:

»www.newegg.com/Product/P ··· 19115229

Maybe I'm stating it wrong but that's how I saw it listed on another site.

LOL, now I get it. I said non-CPU/GPU as in there was no computer processor in it.

It doesn't matter, I believe most/all LGA 1155 (low-mid end) CPUs have an integrated GPU. You just install a discrete GPU and you're off.

If you truly MUST avoid an integrated GPU, you would have to buy an LGA 2011/x79 mobo with the i7-3820 or better.

Again, there is no reason to shoot for a CPU w/o the iGPU. They are bundled in most low-to-mid range Intel CPUs.

Already starting. I picked up the 3770K for CDN$279 at Christmas. Retail is $329-$349. List is just under $400.

It's $220USD if you drive into the U.S. and pick it up at a Microcenter store.

Warranty issues, though. And I still have to deal with taxes coming into Canada. And I live 4 hours from the US border at Buffalo or Sarnia. No brainer. No savings.

You're killing me, Kris.

»www.microcenter.com/prod ··· rocessor

There was talk when our local mall expanded to DestinyUSA that Microcenter might move up here that we'd get one but it hasn't happened yet. Damn but I'd love one up here.

Great price though, ain't it.

Mine is about 30 minutes away. I dunno, bribe me. Or take a trip to NOVA.

NOVA?

Northern VA.

LOL, I thought you meant Nova as in Villinova and I'm thinking, "they don't like us Syracuse fans much in Philly"

I'll wait. I'm sure the prices on all the Ivy related stuff should start falling fairly soon.

I agree, and for that reason I would recommend building a system around an Ivy Bridge-based Xeon processor, such as the E3-1230.
»www.newegg.ca/Product/Pr ··· 19117286

All the benefits of an i7 (minus the useless GPU, which means lower wattage as well) for 2/3 the cost. Plus they come with a more-than-good-enough heatsink and fan, further reducing the cost.

Throw it on a nice Z77 MB like this one and you're golden!
»www.newegg.ca/Product/Pr ··· 13130646

You can still use the iGPU to drive a second monitor without taxing your main GPU. It also can accelerate hardware encoding, I believe.

But yeah, for someone who would normally pay $320 from Newegg for the 3770K, this isn't a bad choice. The Intel Xeon E3-1230 V2 does have a locked processor, however, so you can't OC it very much.

The 3770K is still available for $220 from Microcenter, however.

I've tried running a second monitor off the integrated GPU on a different intel processor and it didn't run as well as running the second monitor off the discrete GPU. Hardware acceleration is highly dependant on the third-party drivers, and my experience hasn't been positive with that either. At best it didn't change anything. At worst it blue screened.The E3-1230 is $199, $30 cheaper than the 3770k ($229)

Are there unlocked Xeon's?

Tom's had this board the best of the price class it was in:

»www.newegg.com/Product/P ··· 13130643

I like the idea of reliability. Is it worth the price?

got the same board as well overclocks well even on water cooling.

Nope. Xeon processors are about efficiency, reliability and durability. All of which goes out the window when overclocking.

True. I hadn't thought about them being server CPU's. Probably don't want to mess with them.

They're a good option if you're using a socket that doesn't have tight restrictions on reference/base clocks (Xeons on Socket 1366=win). However, they're not viable on 1155 if you want to overclock.

I have had the opposite experience. Mind you, that LucidLogix Virtu software is pure crap.