Custom build needs a new mobo/CPU. Any input appreciated!

Zibeltor · 02 Jan 2017

Hey guys, related to the going-on's in another thread I started ( Motherboard power light (PS_SW) is flashing and system wont boot up ) it's become clear to me that my current build (described in my profile) needs a new CPU/motherboard and I was hoping one of the brilliant people here could offer some guidance. My budget is ~$1,000 for both. I want to run Witcher 3 (and similar games) at max settings--maybe at 4K, but otherwise it's going to be boring office/home usage.

I was planning on getting an Intel Core i7-4790K, but I don't really know any reputable motherboards for that generation of CPU's. I've heard someone recommend the ASROCK Z97 Extreme9, but that's pretty pricey/difficult to find. Any input is greatly appreciated!

pparks1 · 02 Jan 2017

I just did an i5 build for my son using the Gigabyte Z170x-UD3 and it's solid. Friend of mine did an i7 build using the z170x-ud3 Ultra and he was very happy with his build as well.

Zibeltor · 02 Jan 2017

Thanks, those are way more reasonably priced. Much closer to what I was thinking. I was just hoping that you could confirm the LGA 1151 socket (i.e. the kind the Z170x-UD3 Ultra has) is backwards compatible with a LGA 1150 processor like the i7-4790K? I don't know as much about some of these hardware compatibility issues as I probably should. :x

Zibeltor · 03 Jan 2017

I've done some of my own research, and it appears as if a LGA 1151 motherboard, like both versions of the GA-Z170X-UD3 board, is not interchangeable with a i7-4790k (which has a LGA 1150 socket). i7 4770k LGA 1150 vs LGA 1151 - [Solved] - Components

Any input on good LGA 1150 boards would be more than welcome--otherwise, I'll probably just go by Newegg reviews. :x EDIT: For example, I found this ASRock board ( ASRock H97M Pro4 LGA 1150 Intel H97 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - Newegg.com). It looks pretty basic, but what would you really need from a motherboard? I don't plan (or know how to) overclock.

One concern is that I do have a sound system I like to plug into my computer--do I need to look for a motherboard with a special kind of built in sound card? My understanding is that people stopped buying dedicated sound cards for their custom builds in the 90's--is that accurate?

pparks1 · 05 Jan 2017

Yes, the new motherboards have an LGA-1151 socket. The new Intel skylake CPU's all use the new LGA-1151 socket, which is what I figured you would get. Like a Core i7-6700k. Intel Core i7-6700K 8M Skylake Quad-Core 4.0 GHz LGA 1151 91W BX80662I76700K Processor-Newegg.com

If you aren't going to overclock you don't need a processor model which ends in K. The k says it's unlocked and better suited to overclock. You can save a few bucks by not doing the K model.

Onboard sound today is much better than it used to be. If you are a high-end audio guy, you will still want to run a standalone sound card. But many people are perfectly happy with onboard sound these days.

Zibeltor · 07 Jan 2017

I see. Thank you for that explanation. I did some research and actually bought that exact processor. Although I didn't plan to overclock, I'm certainly willing to learn, and I'm sure there's a good tutorial somewhere on here. Thank you for that info though. I'll probably just do a "safe" overclock without putting too much effort into it. (I hear some guys will run tests for days and calibrate like 10+ times before picking a final clock speed).

Got all the parts, including that motherboard you recommended, supposed to be delivered this afternoon. Can't wait to put it all together. Thanks for your help!