Quote:
Originally Posted by vailpass
Are there any key features you look for in a mobo? There are 3 Z170 models that I have on compare in NewEgg, each one has a couple of different features but I can't tell if one is really better than another.
I'm not getting the unclocked K series Intel CPU so the overclocking features don't mean much to me.
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Overall size. But your case is large, so nothing to worry about there.
RAM capacity, both in number of slots and max RAM. Scour the reviews for user reports about RAM compatibility or issues.
If you have any current PCI cards, check to make sure the mobo will support it.
Chipset types and versions are the important part though. Especially the Northbridge. This has a Z170, which is currently the best you can get. The Z170 is great for overclocking by the way, even though you're not interested. But the jump from say a Z87 Northbridge to Z170 is pretty big. You're getting more PCIe lanes to work with, faster PCIe lanes, more SATA channels, more USB3 ports, etc.
The next generation is just right around the corner though. Releasing next month. The Intel Kaby Lake chips. Those will be 270/250 chipsets. And as of now, it looks to be another big performance boost. If you're interested, take a look here at the comparisons:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...psets#LGA_1151
Not sure what the differences are between the ones you're looking at. But usually that's function specific stuff that's mostly meaningless. If you don't know what the feature is, just ask.