Overclocking with MSI Z77A-G43

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Emir

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Hi, I want to buy MSI Z77A-G43 with 3570k cpu, but some one told me the motherboard isn't proper for overclocking, I want to know if he is right? totally what do you think about this main?
by the way I'll also buy 1*8G ram 1600 (will add another one later for dual channel) is 1600 bus good enough for gaming?
Thanks
 
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Madn3ss795
Those problems were solved with time through BIOS update and revisions. For one who claim this board to be bad:

OC-02.jpg


1 week stressing with a 3770k and things are still cool:

z77a-G43-168hjpg.jpg
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with the same price what do you suggest?
I myself think I have these choices:
MSI Z77A-G43
ASRock Z77 Pro3
ASRock Z77 PRO4

which I think MSI Z77A-G43 would be better.
 
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Z77A G43 supports setting CPU voltage up to 1.4v only if I'm not mistaken, which is enough to push any i5/i7 to 4.5ghz. Going beyond that depends on your luck with the CPU you got. And yes 8gb ddr3, regardless 1333 or 1600mhz is good enough for gaming.
 
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It is not a great board and if you are comparing it to the AsRocks, then the [strike]Pro 3 should be your choice as the pro4 tends to run a bit warmer than it[/strike]. With the AsRock boards, you can expect between 4.5-4.7 GHz OC with a good water cooling unit.

There was a bit-tech review which rated the MSI very poorly and it trailed other boards due to a problem with turbo-boost function related BIOS setting. It was apparently cleared with a BIOS update but I came across a user who still could not get the max performance out of it even after updating the BIOS (That was on Anandtech forum).

The board may have improved over the period of one year, but it still does not inspire a lot of confidence.

as has been suggested earlier, 1600 ram would be good for your system.

good luck
-Satyam

Edit note> scratched out that part as it may not be true and coz my knowledge is way dated here.
 
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thanks mates,
I'm not professional overclocker, I just want to buy the best main in my budget, with high support and upgrade possibilities for future and for sure high performance especially for games! and I also consider that later I'll overclock cpu, then if main would have better potential for it, that will be fine.

I forgot to say with a little increasing in budget I also can buy MSI Z77A-G45
what do you think about this one?
 
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just one more question how can I know the main is suitable for overclocking? how much the voltage must be at least to considered as a good potential for overclocking? is G45 good for it?
by the way there are 2 types of G45, normal one and gaming, which one you think is better?
thanks
 
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Depends on its power design and sometimes OC features under BIOS also.
Depends on each CPU, since some of them need higher vcore than others, some need lower.
Yes the G45 is good for OC-ing.

G45 Gaming has better LAN controller for online gaming, plus should have solved most of the bugs seen on the normal G45.
 
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Virtu is not not important so long as you go for a mainstream gaming card. I have tested Virtu MVP trial version with my low end card (HD6670 GDDR5).

Virtu is a software that helps you run the integrated graphic device (IGD) on your cpu parallel with your discrete card. This helps bump up your system's overall graphic performance by sometime considerable amount.

I have HD 2000 (GT1) graphic device in my i5 2400. Normally, when you are using a discrete GPU, the Integrated device is not active. Typically, you can only run one of them. Virtu is a software that can activate and simultaneously run bout the Integrated and Discrete gpus.

In my case, 3D Mark11 Demo version bench at 720p yield 1805 score with only HD6670 at default speeds.

With AMD overdrive setting of core/memory clock at 875/1135, the score goes up to 1942.

With virtu enabling the IGD, my score gets a further boost and reaches 2791.

In gaming this difference translates to me playing Crysis Warhead @ 1366x768 at Gamer settings (second highest setting) with 40+ fps.
Without Virtu though, I am around 34-35 fps or reducing my settings to mainstream.

That is how virtu helps. However, had I had a GTX 660 Virtu would not have mattered as I would be playing at enthusiast settings at 1600x900 with 50-60 fps (cant say for sure but I am guessing it would be that much atleast).

Bottom line is Virtu is important only if you have a weak graphic card.
 
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but as I got from your illustration, it has considerable effect on boosting graphic power, when with HD2000 and that card it had such effect, then in better and higher integrated and discrete cards must have so higher effects, don't you think so?
I will buy 3570K (HD4000) and 7870 (for now maybe change it with gtx760 later)
then I suggest virtu must take great boost in my system's graphic power, right?
you know totally MSI Z77A-G43 is more suitable to my budget, it doesn't have virtu but has some specs like military III and OC Genie II which is said can boost 3D gaming performance at least 36% , do you think this spec can be as good as virtu? and totally is this main good in supporting my VGA, cpu at good ratio and give me a well performance and support?
thank you so much for helping me and taking time
 
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DON'T CARE ABOUT VIRTU, JUST DON'T. Even if your motherboard support that, skip it. FPS gain is only good in benchmark. In actual gaming, using virtu will increase frametime, which leads to more lags and micro shuttering. You should get the G43, OC your CPU and skip anything that's related to the CPU's IGP.
 
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7870 is a mainstream card. It will not benefit from Virtu that much though there will definitely be some incremental boost that you may get. The idea that Virtu will hamper frame rates is at least not true in my experience with Far Cry2 or Crysis Warhead. Lucid also released a new 2.0 version and it's revision around March this year and if there was any frame rate hampering with any earlier release, it is not present now.

I think madness and I are both telling you nearly the same thing. Virtu should not matter to you with a 7870. I would however maintain that Virtu MVP 2.0 and later do not cut your frame rates in the games I mentioned with a low end card.
 
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thanks,
tomorrow or maybe the day after it I'm going to buy, concluding your guidance, this will be my priority:
ASRock Z77 Extreme4 of course if I can afford, if not will go for:
MSI Z77A-G45 and if it would be out of my budget I will go for MSI Z77A-G43
by the way I may buy ASRock Z77 Pro3 too but don't really know if it's more worthy or MSI Z77A-G43 ?!
do you think this priorities would be fine?
and may I know at maximum how much 3570k would be overclocked at? (not as professional overclocker) then you said with MSI Z77A-G43 we can overclock 3570 to 4.5 can this be considered good enough? especially I want it to respond well for gaming during the next 5-6 years at least.
and my last question is as MSI Z77A-G43 would be almost the best choice for my budget I want to make sure about those problems you mentioned about it, are they solved by bios updates or they still exist? you know, I just don't want to get in trouble, I can't pay twice for motherboard and just like to buy a reliable main.
 
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Nope, Z77 Pro3 doesn't worth the money. Your other priorities are fine. And yes 4.5ghz is good enough for just any i5.

Those problems are with the normal Z77A-G45 and not the G43. Mostly RAM slots related ones. Just on the non-gaming G45, not on the G43.
 
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I pray you didnt go with the g43... LOL I currently have that with my 3570k and ohhhhh boyyy never buying MSI product again. As the MSI forum admin told me you shouldn't expect much from a 125$ board. But my asrock z68 BIOS is much better. You can overclock but your stuck with their vdroop and voltage setting. Anyways recommendation if your looking for a new board is asrock or asus.
 
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