Having difficulties choosing a motherboard

[blaznee]

So I'm about to do my new build, and I want to use Gigabyte as my motherboard platform.

It's going to be a Z68 board with an i5-2500K

I want to overclock it a bit - easily.. No bleeding edge stuff. Stability is more important that 2% performance.

I want to utilize the ability to use onboard graphics when I'm just surfing the web or watching a movie, and then my discrete gtx 580 for gaming. And that's without changing my current dvi cable between the motherboard and graphics card. My monitor has a free hdmi and displayport.

I want to use Intel Smart Response - preferably with an mSSD drive. (drive doesn't need to be included - as that would just default me to the issd board)

I want to use both Sata6 and Sata3 drives on it.

I need 2 pci expansion slots.

I want Erp LOT 6 support

And lastly I need an 8gb memory kit on it as well. The gigabyte memory compatibility list is like reading a magic scroll... I was thinking about just getting a pair of Corsair Vengeance pc12800 cl9 sticks, but I can't find them on the list. I need something that doesn't have a huuuuge heatspreader, as I'm putting a Noctua NH-D14 cooler on it.


Any help is much appreciated..

[Chike]

Re: Having difficulties choosing a motherboard

Looks like the GA-Z68XP-UD3(iSSD) is your board.

Just note that the CPU socket is much closer to the memory on the 1155 boards, the NH-D14 may not fit there.

[blaznee]

Re: Having difficulties choosing a motherboard

Good point with the cooler space.. I'll try to research that a bit.. Any other good silent coolers known to fit?

[Chike]

Re: Having difficulties choosing a motherboard

In two reviews of GIGABYTE Z68 motherboards X-Bit used Scythe Mugen 2 Rev. B which is far from being small. There is no photo of the setups so it's not possible to know how they install it, but the memory was highe Patriot RAM.
Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3: LGA1155 Platform in ATX Format with Video Outs
From UD3P to UD7: Four Gigabyte Mainboards for LGA1155 on Intel Z68 Express Chipset

[blaznee]

Re: Having difficulties choosing a motherboard

Oh dear, I'm usually very fond of xbitlabs, and that conclusion does not bode well for my choice of Gigabyte as motherboard platform :(.. Do I really need to seriously look at MSI and (shudder) ASUS?

[Chike]

Re: Having difficulties choosing a motherboard

Is the MSI board review more appealing to you?

[blaznee]

Re: Having difficulties choosing a motherboard

Is the MSI board review more appealing to you?

Heh, I didn't have time to check it out yet.. But from your comment I can determine it's not much better :)

[wazza300]

Re: Having difficulties choosing a motherboard

Corsair h60/70/80 cooler? No restrictions around CPU with those