a

[activeboot]

a

 

[mda]

Motherboards should generally last you a long time. I manage about 80-100 computers at work ranging from Pentium 3s to Haswells. Aside from a bad batch of core2 motherboards (specifically one model -- Asus P5K-PL-AM), most motherboards die only after the crappy unbranded PSUs we use at work but before everything else. By then, it will be cheaper to just upgrade the whole platform entirely.

If you have any mission critical work with that PC and want minimum downtime, then it may make sense for you to get a spare. If not... with the cost of the X99... Assuming you don't get a dud motherboard, by the time the board actually dies, the Z870 or whatever mainstream platform Intel is on will thoroughly outperform your current machine and will be relatively cheap to build.

 

[jardows]

While I have replaced several malfunctioning motherboards in my time as a PC technician, I have yet to have a personal motherboard fail. I killed one once, but that was my fault, not a "failure" per se. While others have different experiences, I wouldn't bother unless as stated before, you cannot afford any downtime at all and you don't have a local shop that would carry them in stock.

 

[rgMekanic]

With the price of decent X99 boards this seems like a terrible idea

 

[Dreamerbydesign]

With the price of decent X99 boards this seems like a terrible idea

I agree. By the time a motherboard dies (assuming you have quality components) there would be reason enough to upgrade to newer technology.

 

[rgMekanic]

Back to the question about the motherboard. What if the local shops don't carry that specific motherboard (ie it's discontinued as a first release X99 motherboard)?

Then get a different one if it dies?