[SOLVED] Choosing a reliable Intel chipset

[dtjones369]

I'm trying to build a new machine for not a lot of money. I just keep getting hung up on motherboards and reviews. I've been using PCPartPicker, but then checking out unboxings on YouTube. It's not a gaming machine. It's pretty much a tower that sits there for streaming and storage. So my only real requirement is having 6 sata connections.
I've created 365s, 460s and 560s. I keep seeing that the 560s are a disaster. Other 460s are just cheap... Can always seem to find bad reviews to make you wonder about your choices.
I don't really want to go AMD, just don't need the extra price and the machine just sits. Totally comfortable with an Intel. Fond of MSI, but really just need reliability.

Current machine is pushing 12 years now. Intel 3rd generation. MSI B75-45, handling 5 internal drives (4 hdd, 1ssd). Been running for quite some time, which is why I am somewhat loyal to the brands. Far from a gamer, so built in video is just fine. I mostly interact with it through another machine, MS remote desktop.

Thank you.

 

[Lafong]

Any over-riding reason you aren't considering 12th generation Intel, the most recent, using a 600 series chipset...such as B660.

"Disaster" stories are anecdotes and a dime a dozen. What specifically are you hearing about the 560 series?

 

[dtjones369]

No reason at all about the 12th generation Intel. Never thought about it and don't think I've seen it on PCPartPicker.

Some content I've seen on the 560s:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkiTA0XvXUM

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3AEj3x39vQ&t=733s

Intel B560 is a Disaster: Huge CPU Performance Differences and a Power Limit Mess

Recently I found testing Intel B560 boards so frustrating that I had to stop to warn readers of the possible pitfalls when buying one such board. Our...

www.techspot.com

I realize that none of these tests/reviews may have anything with the simple tasks I am asking of the machine. Or maybe this is just a bad source. The machine I have now, I assembled 12 or so years ago and not being a gamer, I don't really follow along with components. Machines I've built in the 90s sure are not what is possible today.

 

[Lafong]

The average Youtube motherboard review is highly concerned with gaming and temps, as opposed to reliability and functionality.

Why? Because of their fan base, their subscribers...vast majority are "enthusiasts" or "gamers" or hardware junkies of one type or another.

That's not you, based on your stated requirements.

You're not a gamer. I'd think you'd have minimal concern with temps and overclocking and heavy loads and the rest of it.

I'd go with current 12th gen Intel, such as a 12400 if in your budget. Maybe a B660 or B660M (micro ATX) motherboard. Major brand....Asus, Gigabyte, MSI, Asrock.

DDR 4 variety, not DDR 5.

16 GB of RAM if budget allows; 8 if not.

SSD for sure. WD, Samsung, Crucial.

500 bucks? 600? 450?

Plus case, Windows, whatever else you need.

Don't get wound up in that Youtube stuff.

Look for a motherboard with the ports and functionality you need. You don't need a Z series board for instance. Maybe you want an NVMe boot drive...or two?

Cross your fingers REAL HARD to ward off bad luck and DOA hardware.

 

[geofelt]

If you are buying new, go with a 12th gen intel processor and ddr4 ram.
The B660 motherboards are largely an updated 11th gen B560 motherboard with a more mature B660 chipset.
Yes, you may find some bios glitches, but that should be sorted out by now.

With the popularity of faster m.2 drives, motherboards are cutting back on the number of sata ports.
Sometimes 4 vs. 6, depending on the chipset.
Here are what the different chipsets offer:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGA_1700
Sometimes, using very fast m.2 devices necessitates the disabling of two sta ports.
Read the specs carefully.

But, if push comes to shove, you can always use a add in pcie sata expansion card.
Then, also, you can use much larger Drives.

 

[dtjones369]

The average Youtube motherboard review is highly concerned with gaming and temps, as opposed to reliability and functionality.

Why? Because of their fan base, their subscribers...vast majority are "enthusiasts" or "gamers" or hardware junkies of one type or another.

That's not you, based on your stated requirements.

You're not a gamer. I'd think you'd have minimal concern with temps and overclocking and heavy loads and the rest of it.

I'd go with current 12th gen Intel, such as a 12400 if in your budget. Maybe a B660 or B660M (micro ATX) motherboard. Major brand....Asus, Gigabyte, MSI, Asrock.

DDR 4 variety, not DDR 5.

16 GB of RAM if budget allows; 8 if not.

SSD for sure. WD, Samsung, Crucial.

500 bucks? 600? 450?

Plus case, Windows, whatever else you need.

Don't get wound up in that Youtube stuff.

Look for a motherboard with the ports and functionality you need. You don't need a Z series board for instance. Maybe you want an NVMe boot drive...or two?

Cross your fingers REAL HARD to ward off bad luck and DOA hardware.

Excellent information. Thank you. I haven't really settled on a budget, but I'd like to keep it under $500. I have an ATX case with a good amount of space, so I am probably just going to swap out the parts. I may update the power supply. Got a WD SSD in the machine now which added so much speed to the old hardware. Just looking to swap out the motherboard, memory and processor.
Thank you once again. This was very helpful. I'll look into some of the newer options of components.