Best z77 motherboard for gaming 2012

This site is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. All products and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Reproduction in whole or in part, in any form or medium, without express written permission of Hot Hardware, Inc.

All rights reserved. Yeah, there are quite a few features for motherboards, as we all know well. The list goes on, but the above should present a good overview for what's worthy of attention. If you think we've missed something, comment below and we'll add it or explain why it was left out! Many of the features that motherboards sport are meant to improve ease-of-use, so they aren't necessarily immediately useful or even noticeable when the system is running.

Chances are, assuming Newegg is used for shopping, anything listed in the "features" section is - for a budget build - mostly optional; for mid-to-upper range builds, it's a bit more important to keep an eye on these features.

Always ask us below or research a particular feature before letting it become a deal breaker. It's tough to limit motherboards -- cases are easy: There's a point of diminishing returns or zero gain; only so much can be spent on a case before the advantages become grossly disproportionate to the investment. A motherboard, while it follows the standard model of practical-use-to-investment as many components, still can offer valuable improvements as the price increases.

An additional PCI-e 3. It comes down to what your build needs. So then, as mentioned in our " define your requirements " part of our PC build guide, it's important to lay-out the following requirements for your system there are always more, of course, but these are the basics :. These questions should help narrow down options.

Keep our by-build price range for motherboards above in mind as well. As "no" is answered to questions, options can be eliminated and the price will come down; "yes," of course, will more-than-likely increase the price, but such is the price paid for being an enthusiast. Keep in mind that we're assuming a Windows OS will be installed to these -- for Linux variants, more research will need to be done to ensure driver support is available for components.

And now comes time to ultimately answer the question: Choosing a motherboard is easy, actually, and normally chooses itself. For purposes of this article, we're going to use Newegg for its easy motherboard search functions -- feel free to purchase from your favorite retailer, we're just going to use Newegg for searching.

You'll want to get as new a chipset as possible either Z68 or Z77 , but don't spend money on a chipset that won't be utilized by your everyday use or components -- you can learn more about what a chipset actually is here , with some additional info on the differences between them.

When results are presented, sort them first by 'featured items' to see what is new , checkmark a few of the ones that have reasonable user review distribution and seem to have promising specs, then sort by 'most reviews' to find the boards that have had the most long-term success in the community.

Checkmark one or two of these, then hit the 'compare' button and look at the hard specs; let the overall look-and-feel and additional features determine your final decision. Utilize user reviews and warranties as the deal breaker if two boards are otherwise tied.

Disclaimer: Keep in mind that there are a lot of unhelpful people on the internet -- read through a few one-egg reviews to see if they all complain of DOAs these are acceptable to an extent, as it happens frequently , then check the two- and three-egg reviews to see what people complain of. If the complaints seem like they won't affect you, great, just make sure to read a few to ensure a reasonable sample size that allows for the occasional moron you know, the guy who zapped his board and then rated it as a terrible product because it doesn't work.

Don't be too brand loyal - it's always possible for a company to turn around, however unlikely, so if a motherboard looks exceedingly more promising than your favorite brand's closest competitor, consider giving them a shot.

Have questions about picking a motherboard, specific features, or anything we've missed? Post 'em below and I'll make sure we answer all of your questions, as always. Specifications: Numbers always help you measure the quality of a product in a quantitative way.

We try to find products of higher specifications, but with the right balance. Better ratings mean better service experienced by a good number of people. Seller Rank: Now, this is interesting! It serves two objectives. Firstly, the growing number of users indicates the product is good.

Secondly, the manufacturers will hopefully provide better quality and after-sales service because of that growing number. Value For The Money: They say you get what you pay for.

We try to measure how much value for the money you can get from your Z77 Motherboard For Gaming before putting them on the list. Durability: Durability and reliability go hand to hand. A robust and durable Z77 Motherboard For Gaming will serve you for months and years to come.

You have two PCIe 3. The maximum achievable frequency using the Core iK is 4. By slightly tweaking the voltage at 1. The board is available at a bargain price making it the most valuable Z77 motherboard you can have.

Personal Finance. How To Get a Meditative State. Rock Music of The s. Why Learning English is Important. Related Articles. By Ryan Jarvis Cornelius. By Mark Caruthers. By Jeff Shirley. By Jack Jenn. By Jason B Truth.