Top OC motherboard options in the ~100-150 price range.
Top OC motherboard options in the ~100-150 price range.
This is quite a lot to consider... my usual references for VRM and board parts have started to disappear. Still, the phase count isn't a solid measure of quality—some suppliers employ phase doublers that let them show 11 phases as 22.
If I want to push overclocks further, I typically rely on:
a) A PSU with top-tier build quality and performance ratings from jonnyguru.
b) A MoBo in the $275 - $300 range.
My preferred boards are... (the phase numbers in reviews were inconsistent, so I went with the most common count).
$290 - MSI Gaming Z170A XPower Titanium (16 Phase Design) – an outstanding board, perfect for overclockers, appealing to both seasoned and beginners.
$190 - ...
The level of success in overclocking an I7-6700K depends largely on the specific chip you're using. You can generally choose any motherboard that fits your needs.
This is quite a lot to consider... my usual references for VRM and board parts appear to be limited. Still, the phase count doesn't really reflect quality. Some suppliers offer phase doublers so they can list more phases than they actually have.
http://sinhardware.com/images/vrmlist.png
If I'm aiming for maximum overclocking, my usual setup includes:
a) A power supply with solid 10,0 build and good ratings from jonnyguru.
b) A motherboard in the $275–$300 range.
My preferred boards are... (phase numbers varied across reviews, so I went with the most common)
$290 - MSI Gaming Z170A XPower Titanium (16 Phase Design) – an outstanding board, beautiful... a real joy for overclockers, appealing to both seasoned users and beginners.
$190 - Gigabyte G1 Gaming GA-Z170X-Gaming 7 – (12 Phase Design) – the next best option with a price under $200.
Once you drop below $175... you'll likely have to compromise on board design. If you really want to chase that final 0.1 GHz, I think it's better not to spend heavily on a good motherboard and PSU. Understand what I mean? You can still run a "Validated CPu-Z OC" on a cheap board, but using it regularly for various apps, programs, or games isn't ideal.
Some good options under $150:
Gigabyte GA-Z170XP-SLI (6 phases)
MSI Z170A SLI Plus (11 phases)
There are a few Asus boards with decent power delivery, but almost all under $150 come with basic audio setups.
Hey guys, just wanted to share how the budget is shaping up. I'm stuck with a maximum of 150 for the mobo since the specs won't allow any extra cost. The PSU should probably be an Evga 750 Gold, which isn't too expensive. I'll check out the MSI board and ASUS options—I really appreciate the support!