CPU/Mobo Suggest Best Z68 Gen3 ATX Board

^^ Not sure what he quoted for. Asus P8Z68 Pro costs a bit shy of 16k and Deluxe is 18k. There isn't any other board in between.
 
Not really true, you don't Have to buy ASus. Msi gd55 is mainstream for sub 10k, gd65 is mid end for sub 12k and high end is gd80 for sub 14k

Even gigabyte ud3 which is mid range is like 12-13k

If you are he'll bent on Asus then launch price will be 17-18k but gigabyte ud5h and msi gd80 will be that much or less than that and they are high end boards, not ultra high end but high end
 
@ Ajay, I guess its the Pro. How is this board? Given that I would probably look at not more than 16K for the board max. Since Z68 would also support Ivy Bridge I don't see a problem.

I do find that ASUS has diluted a lot of the quality their boards had, but I dunno about Gigabyte also. Will check online, shortlist 2 models per brand and get costing.

MSI I don't trust now, although some people say they're pretty good. I've used all 3 brands, but ASUS I've bought 3 boards, Gigabyte 1. All 4 mobos are still running, albeit with different owners...
 
I have had the least problems with MSI boards, then with Gigabyte and most with Asus.

Anyway, all 3 are pretty good but I don't really trust Asus because of the issues me and others seem to have with them, from time to time, and often something which even they can't explain. However, had I been in USA, Asus might have been my first choice as well
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Anyway, if you are on a budget:

MSI Z77A GD55 or GD65

Gigabyte Z77 UD3H

If you have a good room to spare

MSI Z77A GD80

Gigabyte Z77 UD5H

Asus Pro

If you want the best and can spend around 20k+ on your board

then Asus Deluxe, or Gigabyte Sniper G1 etc
 
Still on topic, SMC reports they only have one motherboard from ASUS in the Z68 series. The Z68 Pro, and it's for 16.5K, unless I buy it with a 2600K in which case its 33K all inclusive for the pair.

I get the feeling that I'm being ripped off, especially since he says there are no Gigabyte boards in stock...Can someone help me with a better dealer?
 
16.5k is way too overpriced for the Pro. Prime has it for 15.2k

http://www.primeabgb.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=4670&category_id=58&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=53

I cannot say much about the Pro as I haven't used it myself, but it does have good reviews. Compared to the Deluxe board that I bought, Pro has Output ports (VGA, DVI and HDMI) for the onboard video, one less lan port, two less USB 2.0 ports on the back, no PS/2 port at all and lastly lacks some other premium not so mandatory features.
 
Screw SMC, he's a piece of money grabbing sh*t. I'm trying to get a friend who's coming down to pick up the board from Prime ABGB, who I've dealt with when I was in Mumbai. BTW any difference in the number of SATA ports, particularly 3.0 ports? And do both boards have reset, power and CMOS reset buttons? Do you reckon there is a big difference in build quality between boards?
 
Just order whatever you want from SMC's website. Will be cheaper than what he quotes you in shop. And as long as it is genuinely in stock it will be delivered. If the Asus Pro is in stock it is for 15700 on the website.
 
No difference in terms of SATA ports Z68 provides 2x SATA600 + 4x SATA300 while a Marvel controller provides two more SATA600. eSATA are facilitated by a JMicron controller. Power/Reset/MemOK are available in both, but CMOS reset in back panel and the Q-CODE 7 SEGMENT LEDs are only available in Deluxe. Build wise, AFAIK both boards use the same PCB and cooling design. According the specs on website both boards have 16 + 4 Phase power regulation design, but according to some reviews, Z68 Pro has only 12 + 4 design. This was how it was with the P8P67 Pro, but I am not sure of it with Z68 Pro due to conflicting info.
 
Vandal said:
Well, what I normally do is upgrade my CPU/mobo, and then just keep upgrading my GPU. I'm aiming at a GTX 680 ATM, but currently am on a GTX 460 that has gotten me by just fine, mainly because work and other priorities kept me away from my rig for a whole year. I've been playing Skyrim, which is looking really sweet even on my GTX 460 and relatively ancient Q6600. So you can understand, that I've not upgraded since 2009. Which is how I justify spending 16-18K on the CPU. My budget would be around 35K for the CPU/board/RAM, and another 30K for the GPU. Then I'll sit put till March 2014
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Dear #[member='Vandal'] .... I have followed with interest your desire to "upgrade" and I somehow get the feeling that you are in one big hurry to do it
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. Of course, this would involve spending at least 35-40K just on the CPU/board (not counting the RAM). Why not hold on for just 3-5 more weeks, the Z77 boards are out already.

see

http://techreport.com/articles.x/22755

Z77 motherboards from Asus, Gigabyte, and MSI

Although, the Z68 gen3 boards are compatible with Ivybridge.... It is the Z77 boards that will utilise the full potential of the Ivy procs.

Meanwhile lets keep our fingers "crossed" that we in India are not looted with the Z77 pricing
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Cheers
 
Gigabyte and Asus Z77 mobos will be available within 3-5 days MAX. MSI mobos within 2 weeks or less. Only MSI GD80 will take time. The rest will be available soon. Some of them are already out of stock in Flipkart.com though were available in the morning.
 
I am getting the Deluxe version most probably. If you want to save some money, get this. The problem with MSI and Gigabyte offerings this round is the absence of adequate USB ports and I sort of use at least 8-10 at any given point in time. So only Asus offerings are adequate this time for me, so considering the Deluxe.

If USB ports isn't an issue and if you don't plan to overclock past 4.5-4.6 then you can also consider MSI GD65 which will be like 11-12k and performs just as good if not a bit better but will overclock 100-200Mhz less and will have fewer ports besides not having WLAN, bluetooth etc.

So if you want more features, you are in for the right motherboard
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Make sure they have it in stock before you order... Not a bad price though going by the previous trend. Just 1.5k higher than the Z68 Pro
 
Can you guys please check the prices locally, i.e. with your regular B&M store guy and update here or in some Z77 thread or something?
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Vandal said:
Aha, what about this: http://www.flipkart....11-b1aa0168c753
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Whoaaaa ... time to pop the champaigne. Now as most of the other folks have suggested .... HOLD on to your "reins & steady that galland steed of yours" for a few more days/weeks .... when most of the remaining Z77 flavours will roll out.

Btw .... does asrock board's have any support here in India (their prices rock & one of them also has the "thunderbolt" port).... wot say TE folks

Now as suggested by

BIKeINSTEIN said:
Can you guys please check the prices locally, i.e. with your regular B&M store guy and update here or in some Z77 thread or something?
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maybe we can merge/follow-up on this thread here

http://www.techenclave.com/topic/511140-list-of-z77-motherboards/

Cheers
 
terence_fdes said:
Dear #[member='Vandal'] Although, the Z68 gen3 boards are compatible with Ivybridge.... It is the Z77 boards that will utilise the full potential of the Ivy procs.
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Cheers
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Been meaning to ask this from awhile now. Since I'll not be using onboard graphics (so PCIe 3.0 and IGP on CPU is essentially useless to me), and the TDP of 95W to 77/75W is a small one too, how exactly will IB unleash me the real potential of the Z77 mobos. Other than a 100 MHz jump in clock speed, what will a 3770K do that a 2600K can't?
 
Ivy has intel hd4000 which along with your discrete gpu makes MVP lucid much better compared to current SB. Besides ivy is about 5-15% faster depending on the app, at the same clock. And with high end water it overclocks better if you can keep temps down. Main is pci e 3.0 for future setups or current dual gpu high end setups along with lucid mvp for single setups
 
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