Mobo Recommendation?

I want to replace the Mobo/CPU on a DriveBender box that has been giving
me fits.

My 24-7 PC has a Gigabyte Z87X-UD4H-CF in it.

I am perfectly happy with that board and would buy a second one except
they do not seem tb available.

My only requirements:

- Full-sized ATX

- At least 5 SATA headers

- At least 1 PCI Ex16 slot

- Accept Intel i7 CPU.


i7 is probably wretched excess for the application at hand, but my
rationale is that, if the 24-7 PC goes belly-up, I will have a capable
backup machine.

I see something called Z97X-UD5H that sounds like it might be the
successor to my UD4H... and it certainly has the SATA headers...

Can somebody offer a recommendation?
--
Pete Cresswell

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
I want to replace the Mobo/CPU on a DriveBender box that has been giving
me fits.

My 24-7 PC has a Gigabyte Z87X-UD4H-CF in it.

I am perfectly happy with that board and would buy a second one except
they do not seem tb available.

My only requirements:
- Full-sized ATX
- At least 5 SATA headers
- At least 1 PCI Ex16 slot
- Accept Intel i7 CPU.

i7 is probably wretched excess for the application at hand, but my
rationale is that, if the 24-7 PC goes belly-up, I will have a capable
backup machine.

I see something called Z97X-UD5H that sounds like it might be the
successor to my UD4H... and it certainly has the SATA headers...

Can somebody offer a recommendation?

I have had good luck with Gbyte.
This machine has a GA-X58A-UD3R. Got it 5 years ago and have had zero problems with it so
far. It is 30% overclocked and runs hot. It also has an IDE socket that comes in handy
for old HDD's.
My son has a GA-X79-UD5. 3 yrs old, water-cooled. He has not had any problems with it.

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
I want to replace the Mobo/CPU on a DriveBender box that has been giving
me fits.

My 24-7 PC has a Gigabyte Z87X-UD4H-CF in it.

I am perfectly happy with that board and would buy a second one except
they do not seem tb available.

My only requirements:

- Full-sized ATX

- At least 5 SATA headers

- At least 1 PCI Ex16 slot

- Accept Intel i7 CPU.


i7 is probably wretched excess for the application at hand, but my
rationale is that, if the 24-7 PC goes belly-up, I will have a capable
backup machine.

I see something called Z97X-UD5H that sounds like it might be the
successor to my UD4H... and it certainly has the SATA headers...

Can somebody offer a recommendation?


These would probably be in the wretched excess category.
I selected these because they happened to have 8 SATA,
Note that the M.2, SATA Express, SATA usage, interacts
a bit. But for the intended application of running a server
with eight HDD, this should work fine.

GIGABYTE G1 Gaming GA-Z170X-Gaming 7 LGA 1151, 8 SATA (6 Intel, 2 from Asmedia 1061) $180
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16813128835

Asrock Fatal1ty Z270 Gaming K6 LGA 1151, 8 SATA (6 Intel, 2 from Asmedia 1061) $170
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16813157739

"Yup it's a motherboard alright

Pros: Works with 7700k out of the box just fine."

The Asrock looks to have polymer caps on most of the buard,
with a collection of electrolytics only in the Creative Audio
section of the motherboard.

This is a top of the line CPU for the era. Just
introduced recently (represents a new bin on the
fabrication line).

Core i7-7700K $350
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16819117726

Note that, of the four high end ones, two come with CPU
coolers, and two do not. In some cases, an existing cooler
might work. Note that, Intel had a problem with "bending"
of the new CPUs, caused by older coolers pressing too hard
in down-force. I'm sure a cooler with screw adjust, will
take that variable out of the picture. That's what I buy,
is stuff I can adjust with a screwdriver, for a non-excessive
down-force.

(Two have coolers, two do not have coolers...)
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...rder=BESTMATCH

There is a picture of a bent processor in this article.

http://www.pcgamer.com/intel-skylake...-some-coolers/

This is an example of a cooler, showing some of the clearance
issues you have to work out.

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/467...ew/index6.html

The idea with the Noctua, is it comes with two fans,
but you only run it with one fan. Some of my other favorites
have gone missing from the market. On my last build,
I bought a Noctua (one more expensive than this), because
it was really the only thing that fit at the time. Mine
is way too heavy as coolers go. This shouldn't
be quite as bad.

Noctua NH-L12 120mm & 92mm SSO Bearing PWM Fans CPU Cooler ($57 on sale)
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...82E16835608025

When you buy RAM modules, you have to be careful not to
buy the ones with the "knife blades on the top edge", because
if a module is tall enough, it could conflict with the clearance
provided. The modules I have currently, the top section of the
DIMM cooler unbolts, so you can actually reduce their profile
if needed. My Noctua had so much clearance, I could leave the
knife blades in place. But the L12 example, is entirely different
from mine, so take your time checking dimensions before
buying stuff like that.

The Intel cooler will generally fit into the keepout area
(white chalk-line around the CPU socket), so an Intel cooler
should not conflict with DIMMs. The only problem with Intel coolers
(the ones on the non -K processors), is they use the plastic
pushpins. I've successfully used push-pins, on my Asrock LGA775
build, but if you take them off a couple times, they start to
get a bit ratty. The screw based mounting systems, you don't
have to worry so much. The screw mounts are only an issue,
if you decide the backplate has to come off.

If you need video of pushpins, there is an example here.

http://web.archive.org/web/201501020...267_456267.zip

Paul