What do the numbers on motherboards mean?

[Curly Jefferson]

I've been looking at motherboards to fit a i5 3570k and I noticed that some motherboards have a different number sometimes, such as z77 or z77a or z78. What do those numbers mean and will they work? I know the socket it 1155, but what about these numbers?

 

[Skeefers]

That sounds like the model number; basically it just differentiates between boards with different options.

 

[Curly Jefferson]

That sounds like the model number; basically it just differentiates between boards with different options.

Which one is better for overclocking? I want to overclock my i5 3570k to 4.4GHz

 

[Skeefers]

I'd have to know the full model number and brand to tell you that, and even then I'd be hard pressed to say for sure unless it's a board I have experience with. Unfortunately, I use AMD CPUs mostly, so I probably won't be able to tell you much about the Intel boards.

 

[Tradesman1]

It designates the Chipset the mobo is running, Z77 will be the best for your CPU, the others have limited features, _ and just for info the MOSEL # comes after the chipset designation

 

[Boutchoo]

Don't look on Numbers, but on the specs.

But to answer your question, it's sometime important and sometimes not.

Here: ASUS Sabertooth Z77 = 3th gen Intel core processor (i7 3770, i5 3570, etc) with socket LGA 1155/1156
BUT an ASUS Saberooth Z87 = 4th gen Intel core Processor( i7 4770, i5 4670, etc) With socket LGA 1150 (5 less pins, so a 3th gen won't even physicly fit in the socket on the Mobo)
So, sometimes you need to read the numbers, sometimes not.

Some have USB 3.0, some not, some have PCI-E 3th gen, some not.
So you need to know the specs to know what Number is better then the other.

HERE: It's like a book title. Once you know the story, you just say the title, no need a resume anymore.
So if you know the specs of the Z78 and the H77, you can just say the Number instead of the whole specs!
It's like a game Version, it's to difference them by NAMES instead of specs, but sometimes its like just the number of ram slots that changes...
So no big deal

 

[Tradesman1]

Z87 is not only a different chipset, but an entirely different socket which is the key to CPU selection, a 3570K will not even run on a Z87 which is socket 1150, while the 3570K needs n 1155 socket mobo - so yes, those designation numbers are important