OK been thinking about build a new rig looking at z170 boards and seeing tons of DOA's in reviews

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losttech

Limp Gawd
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Feb 9, 2004
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OK been thinking about build a new rig for me and my son been rocking the same boxes for maybe 4-5 years now did update the video cards got a GTX970 and he has a 7950 they do good but are starting to show there age.
Been looking at z170 boards and seeing tons of DOA's in reviews seems every brand has this problem.
Is there some issue with the Z170 chipset or can someone recommend a solid board I cant find straight reviews that don't have a bunch of DOA's in them.

I am planning on going with a single video card GTX 1060 an I7 or i5 6700k or 6600k SSD drives and 16GB of ram both of us are gamers.
Don't game over 1920x1080 max of my current big screen and happy with it.

So recommend me a nice simple solid board for a one video card setup prefer ATX in a midtower case.
I don't care for flashy just need a fair amount of USB ports and a solid board. Doesn't even need to be the best overclocking just solid for one card and good support and warranty.

thanks for any help you can give just don't want to have a flakey board done that before and it sucked.
 
I've had best luck with gigabyte and asrock z170 boards in the builds I've done.
 
I've built two PC's on Asus Maximus VIII Hero boards over the last year and they have both been fine. I did have a Maximus VIII Extreme that was a dud though. I'd recommend the Hero but at $230 the Gigabyte boards might give you better value for your money.
 
OK thanks for the input guess I will keep looking at them trying to stay within a budget so 230 is to much for a board as I may be building two of them still not sure might just do my sons for Christmas.
Still weird I see 10 DOA's and then 20 that are 5 star reviews in almost every brand I do like gigabyte but I don't really have a brand I stick with just go with what has good reviews and maybe a sale.
The update I did with mine and the SSD drives with the 970 added a lot to my rig really not much I cant do just a few games I wish I could max all features hairworks and all the little new things like on witcher3,tomb raider and a couple others but most things still look really good.

I usually don't but a system all at once I try to find good sales on the items I want and pick them up over a few months helps with paying it off too lol.
 
What CPU's are you currently using? You might be better off just getting new GPU's and holding off on the board and CPU. It seems most i5 and i7 chips 2600k and up do just fine with games at 1080p. You could potentially get new GPU's now for a boost in game play and they get a board and CPU in a few months when Kaby Lake hits the shelves. From what I've read about Kaby Lake it isn't anything hugely groundbreaking so you might be able to get a 6600k or 6700k Skylake at a good price without really missing out on much once Kaby Lake goes on sale. That is something I would consider if I was in your position.
 
Mine is a i5-2500k and my sons is the i7-2600k I think whatever the I7 next step up was.
His video card is dated and runs hot as hell so I am thinking of doing his first and maybe waiting on mine.
Hard to tell just looking for a good solid board to start with and the reviews are so all over the place.
He is pretty good with computers and knows how to really build his own if needed I am just helping out while I can I may not be long for this world have been having cancer eat at me for 6 years now 2 without chemo when I said no more and I just would like to leave something nice for him and maybe have some fun with what time I have left.
Its all good had way more years then what I thought I would just think I may be on my last year and my son is grown just trying to get back into school after everything sort of blew up long story that I don't feel like typing out lol.
So just sort of looking at a good upgrade now while I can help rather then 6 months down the road when I may not to able to.
 
SliceT said:
Yeap, pretty much on the same boat! Asrock boards have been treating me well these years.
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yeah, for all the crap they get about being "cheaply" built. I've(knock on wood) never had a DOA or board fail through 4 builds now spanning, Z77, 990FX AMD, and 2 skylake systems.
 
I have built maybe 15 computers for myself and family over the years and only had one bad board due to that old bad capacitor issue back in 2003 ish I think and two bad video cards.
Just thought it was strange to see so many DOA's but that could be right just want to build a solid system for my son doesn't need SLI or lots of bells and whistles just a good solid board around 150$.
I will keep looking trying to catch things on sales and have it built by Christmas.
 
Astral Abyss said:
You see lots of DOA reviews because people don't know what they're doing and screw up the installation. I like when they exchange it and strangely enough the replacement has the same issues! Weird!
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Pretty much this. With something you BUILD, you have to factor in user error. I have seen so many people who claim to know how to build computers, and a number of them have, but I have also seen the builds and how these were done and handled, and in 80-90% of those cases, something was done wrong. Had one friend who kept on having issues with the build and posting to FB how hard building a computer was. I ended up going over to help him, RAM not fully seated on 2 out of 4 sticks, HSF was not tight, the clips were in JUST enough to keep it from falling off, so much thermal paste it was gushing out the sides, missed a few connections on the mobo, had a SUPER cheap 1500W PSU, that probably on its best day could pump out 300W etc etc. while he didn't even have a dedicated GPU, made him return it a few weeks later, after I got the system up and running after a few days of it being on it kept on power cycling and BSODing, told him to return it for a 400W Seasonic which he cried about, I told him about power requirements and that was more than enough and BAM, BSODs gone.

That is not to say DOA does not happen, they do, but DOA, if it really is, is a simple return and get another. Out of all my builds, from super cheap used ebay boards, to higher end Gigabyte and ASUS server tested boards, I have never had a single issue.
 
There's always a chance for DOAs, hardware isn't perfect and is prone to defects just like genetics. With that said, I was always spooked by that too when it came to reviews but usually as long as you stick with quality parts, such as a strong, reputable PSU, QVL RAM, etc. you're typically good to go. As others have said, a lot of issues are caused by user error. At one point or another, we've all been there. I don't think I've had a board since 2000 that had a problem that I couldn't definitively blame on myself and even that one was an issue with RAM compatibility.

I'm running a similar setup as you with the system in my sig (MSI Z170A SLI Plus) and have been perfectly happy. I haven't done any overclocking yet, and honestly might not but the board was given a solid review by the [H] and does pretty well. Only downside is that it only has 4 rear USB ports but it does have headers for front mounted and I ended throwing in an additional card for more USB 3 ports anyway. Anyway, thus far it's a board that I'm happy with and I think NewEgg periodically puts it on sale for $109.99 or something, which is why I bought it over the non SLI version even though I don't plan on SLI.

Additionally, select MSI boards have the MAFIA III promotion going through December 31st which I wish was going on when I bought mine. Instead I got Warhammer: Total War which I'll probably never play.
 
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