Gigabyte Z97X-SLI vs ASUS Z97-A

[Rafi Khan]

Hi,

I am about to choose my motherboard for my first pc build and would like some recommendations or suggestions based on the Gigabyte Z97X-SLI and ASUS Z97-A

Which motherboard should I go for?

My main concern is getting the best value for my money and after checking the price of both, in Canada, I know that both boards are easily within my budget. Originally I thought I would go with a Gigabyte H97-D3H but then changed my mind to get a Z97 motherboard as the price differences are minimal and therefore it would be the smarter choice to future proof myself.

To tell you a bit about my build, I am most likely using a Intel Core i5 4430 and a Zotac GTX 970. I do not need SLI or Crossfire since IF I do end up with an AMD Card in the future I will be using a single and not dual card configuration.

http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/8RqXdC

Here is my build so far. Most of what is there should stay the same, however I would like any feed back or suggestions regarding the build as well. Also, if you do recommend any component be replaced with another I would prefer if it was from BestBuy.ca

If it isn't on their website (like a lot of good stuff 😛) then you can still recommend it to me and I will see what I can do.

When giving reasons for either motherboard please provide both pros and cons and also if possible other sources where I can do some reading to learn even more about them. From what I have been reading so far, ASUS boards are more popular in that they are of higher build quality and also that they have better Customer Service. I have not heard too many bad things about Gigabyte but some people say that they receive boards that are DOA and then they have trouble getting it replaced and have to pay for shipping.

One more thing what do you think of MSI? Some people say that they like their boards while others say to not buy their boards, but I've definitely heard a lot of good things about their graphics cards.

I do not plan on overclocking my CPU because most likely I will be getting a locked Intel Haswell i5, but if you look at my build you will see I am using overclocked RAM so I would like to have overclocking potentiality anyways. What RAM speed is recommended for DDR3?

Thanks for Reading!

 

[volcanoscout]

Although Gigabyte makes some pretty good boards, the Z97X-SLI isn't one of their better ones. It's had some pretty good test reviews, but if you check customer reviews at the major US distributors, it does pretty poorly. A better match up would be the MSI Z97-G45 Gaming vs the Asus Z97-A. They're pretty close in features and performance, with the MSI getting slightly better customer reviews but with lower numbers of reviewers. I would vote for the Z97-A, but I'm partial to Asus boards because of the customer support as well as the software and driver support.

As for the rest of your build, it looks pretty solid. I have an R4 and think it's the best thing since sliced bread. If you're looking to spend more, I can make some recommendations, but at your current price points I'd stay with your current selections. The only thing missing is a CPU cooler - are you planning to use the stock Intel cooler? You can pick up a CM Hyper 212 EVO for around $30 CAD - much better than the stock cooler, relatively easy to install, and is quiet.

DRAM speed - the 1866MHz CAS9 you have selected should do you fine.

 

[Rafi Khan]

Although Gigabyte makes some pretty good boards, the Z97X-SLI isn't one of their better ones. It's had some pretty good test reviews, but if you check customer reviews at the major US distributors, it does pretty poorly. A better match up would be the MSI Z97-G45 Gaming vs the Asus Z97-A. They're pretty close in features and performance, with the MSI getting slightly better customer reviews but with lower numbers of reviewers. I would vote for the Z97-A, but I'm partial to Asus boards because of the customer support as well as the software and driver support.

As for the rest of your build, it looks pretty solid. I have an R4 and think it's the best thing since sliced bread. If you're looking to spend more, I can make some recommendations, but at your current price points I'd stay with your current selections. The only thing missing is a CPU cooler - are you planning to use the stock Intel cooler? You can pick up a CM Hyper 212 EVO for around $30 CAD - much better than the stock cooler, relatively easy to install, and is quiet.

DRAM speed - the 1866MHz CAS9 you have selected should do you fine.

Thank you very much for the descriptive reply! I will get the Asus Z97-A and the EVO 212 aswell. Does the EVO fit in the Define R4 Case? Do you have the side-panel version? I was planning on fitting out most of the R4 with 140mm fans.
The Asus Motherboard can support 4 Chassis fans so I am going to 2 on the top, 1 in the front and 1 on the bottom. How many fans does the case come with and how many more can it fit? I don't really need a quiet rig so I'll fill it up with as many fans as I can (140mm). What do you recommend for the PSU orientation. Should I have it facing downwards/upwards. If you look at my build you'll see I've chosen a decently powerful card which is likely to generate a moderate amount of heat.

I am also concerned about the CPU Cooler putting too much strain on the motherboard, this is my first build. Is there any chance that the motherboard will break? Also, when installing should I use the stock fan (as I have seen in many videos) or just install the fan after installing the motherboard.

Thanks!

 

[volcanoscout]

In no particular order:
- Yes, the EVO will fit fine in the R4. I've used an NH-D14 in it - it's 5mm taller than the EVO and had room to spare. As far as weight goes, the EVO is pretty light. My D14 is a lot heavier and I haven't had any issues with the mobo being able to support it. I would recommend installing all case fans first, then mobo, then cooler. This is mainly to facilitate access, but isn't critical. I've pulled and reinstalled my cooler several times, before and after installing the mobo - I've found that installing the cooler after the mobo is slightly easier, but frankly there's not a huge difference.
- I have both the windowed and the insulated. The windowed is not as quiet as the solid panel, but if you're not concerned with noise then it's not an issue. I like quiet, but I also like being able to see the guts of the machine.
- Fans: All of the fan mounts will support 120mm or 140mm. Unless you have a short PSU though, you probably will be limited to 120mm in the bottom mount. The R4 comes with two Fractal 140mm fans, which are quiet but don't push much air. I recommend two high static pressure 140mm in the front (helps to push air through the drive bay frame and to the back of a relatively deep case), and two high air flow 140s in the rear and top/rear. I used Noctua NF-A14s all around, but there are cheaper options available. Putting fans in the bottom, side, and/or top/front positions are an option, but unless you're running two GPUs they don't contribute very much. From what I've read, the 970 runs cooler that a 770 so the four case fans should be plenty.

 

[Rafi Khan]

In no particular order:
- Yes, the EVO will fit fine in the R4. I've used an NH-D14 in it - it's 5mm taller than the EVO and had room to spare. As far as weight goes, the EVO is pretty light. My D14 is a lot heavier and I haven't had any issues with the mobo being able to support it. I would recommend installing all case fans first, then mobo, then cooler. This is mainly to facilitate access, but isn't critical. I've pulled and reinstalled my cooler several times, before and after installing the mobo - I've found that installing the cooler after the mobo is slightly easier, but frankly there's not a huge difference.
- I have both the windowed and the insulated. The windowed is not as quiet as the solid panel, but if you're not concerned with noise then it's not an issue. I like quiet, but I also like being able to see the guts of the machine.
- Fans: All of the fan mounts will support 120mm or 140mm. Unless you have a short PSU though, you probably will be limited to 120mm in the bottom mount. The R4 comes with two Fractal 140mm fans, which are quiet but don't push much air. I recommend two high static pressure 140mm in the front (helps to push air through the drive bay frame and to the back of a relatively deep case), and two high air flow 140s in the rear and top/rear. I used Noctua NF-A14s all around, but there are cheaper options available. Putting fans in the bottom, side, and/or top/front positions are an option, but unless you're running two GPUs they don't contribute very much. From what I've read, the 970 runs cooler that a 770 so the four case fans should be plenty.

Haha, both your posts are so useful that I wish I could mark both as solutions!

Does the R4 have a built in fan controller and should I use it? I plan on using an Asus Z97-A and it has support for up to 4 Chassis fans. I would like to know how the fan controller works. How many fans can it support. What pins do the fans need to be? 2/3/4

1. Is this fan actually a case fan but wrongly labeled as a CPU fan?
http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/cooler-master-cooler-master-blade-master-120mm-cpu-cooler-r4-bmbs-20pk-r0-r4-bmbs-20pk-r0/10217983.aspx?path=79692b2a910af8be726817a5a633e11den02

Can I use that as a case fan? Also would you suggest/recommend it?

2. If the case supports fan control and I only end up with 4 fans, should I use motherboard control or case fan controller.

3. I have decided to use the Hyper 212 EVO for my CPU fan, should I get 2 fans for a push-pull configuration? How many fans does the cooler come with?

4. Is this actually a case fan or a CPU fan? Can I use it as a case fan?
http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/cooler-master-cooler-master-140mm-cpu-cooler-hf-cm-r4-l4s-10ab-hf-cm-r4-l4s-10ab/10217979.aspx?path=ae9f8a1abce4313a292b86037a9a278den02

5. Of the two fans I listed which one would you recommend?

6. Thoughts on this one?
http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/insignia-insignia-120mm-case-fan-ns-pcf1250-c-black-ns-pcf1250-c/10289690.aspx?path=27cce22be3d93c289348647409003f95en02

7. Thanks! 😀

 

[Rafi Khan]

Extra: For the Cooler Master Blade Master 120 I can see on the website that it uses it only on the CPU HSF, however the Cooler Master Silent Fan 140 is shown to be used in the Case. Does that mean only the second one can be used as a case fan?