Looking for best <$400.00 X-99 mobo that meets my criteria outlined below...

[RGone]

...I have mind made up as to much of what I want. Just not some of the junky issues some users are seeming to have with X-99.

Never not never going to have more than two video cards. Likelihood of only one video card forever is 95%.

1. Want onboard WiFi. IF you suggest anything without onboard WiFi you absolutely need to justify such position.

2. Will likely send my SS out for tuneup and readying for socket 2011-V3 at some point. Otherwise likely air/water/cold water > SS.

3. I don't give a shett about color. Function over Fashion.

4. Right now eyeing a 980GTX for use as the only card for a good while.

5. 5820 is affordable.

6. Currently have big-eyes on 4 x 4Gig DDR4-2666 CAS 15.

7. What is most likely the best board to have a decently useable bios (color in bios not an issue) and not have sata, Usb 3.0 issues on Win7 64 bit at least until Win 10 is deemed usable. Would prefer Raid 0 to be usable without glitches on X-99 as will have 256G SSD and probably 2 Raid 0 arrays. I do not care for stuff that does not work when board is received. Period.

RGone...ster.

 

[bob4933]

Far be it from me to give you advice, but with the proliferation of pci wifi (amd their cheap cost....) is that really a check mark you require? Especially since you will more than likely have pci lands open right?

 

[RGone]

From what I can tell the mobo makers can put wifi ac on the board cheaper or as cheap as it can be bought separately and I don't have to have that single wifi card sticking up out of the board and thru the rear of case. It is a thing that I want. Just me.

Like I said if one can make a "real" case for an X-99 board that does not have sata and Usb 3.0 issues and some of the other odd stuff going on with these X-99 boards, then I might plug PCI-e WfFi in but I have not heard anything but something against my choice to have board mounted wifi. All this is me. I am unlikely to build another rig like this in my lifetime...pretty much want what i feel I want.
RGone...ster.

 

[Woomack]

Every X99 board has the same base so SATA, USB etc. Most of the boards cost below $400 and the main difference between them and most expensive series are additional options in BIOS ( not always required ), additional controllers ( not always working good ) and additional PLX lanes ( not required for 1-2 gfx cards, or even 3 what depends from used cards ).

So far what I know:
- ASUS - has this magical CPU socket which let you OC cache higher - main memory performance factor. All their boards seem fine.
- ASRock - all seem fine and you can find OC Formula in good price ( below $400 ) which seem one of the best OC boards
- MSI - some BIOSes have problems with performance but so far I haven't seen other issues. MSI X99S-Sli is cheap and everything is working fine, also OC good. Higher series are about the same with additional features ( which are generally useless for most users )
- EVGA - has some issues with BIOS but maybe they will fix it
- Gigabyte - I haven't heard about any issues with their boards but are also not really popular ( maybe because other brands were released faster )

I have ASUS Rampage V Extreme and MSI X99S-Sli Plus. Both are overclocking almost the same and have similar features ( except these directly designed for OC ). Main difference is price as MSI costs 1/2 of RVE - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130796&cm_re=x99-_-13-130-796-_-Product

Most motherboards will support memory ratios up to x26.66. Only ASUS supports x30 and x32. In real most memory kits set 125 bclk @2666+ so on nearly every board is possible to make 3200+ memory clock.

Some boards with WiFi below $400:
- GIGABYTE GA-X99-GAMING G1 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128746&cm_re=x99-_-13-128-746-_-Product
( SOC cost $20 more but has no WiFi, probably better for OC but hard to say in real as I has no chance to test it )
- GIGABYTE GA-X99-UD5 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128750&cm_re=x99-_-13-128-750-_-Product
- ASUS X99-DELUXE - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813132260&cm_re=x99-_-13-132-260-_-Product
- ASUS X99-PRO - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813132286&cm_re=x99-_-13-132-286-_-Product

Most better boards in lower price have no WiFi - ASRock X99 OCF , Gigabyte X99 SOC, etc. but adding pcie card will cost like $10-15.

 

[bassnut]

This board sounds interesting ........ hard to say as most od these boards just have not been out that long.

 

[Ajay57]

For 10c if i was doing a build again this would my choice here!

1, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813132286

Ajay.

 

[bassnut]

Thanks AJ that's the same board I was trying to link....... That's what I get for letting Tina rush me...... dang but I forgot the link.

 

[Ajay57]

OK buddy bassnut nice to be of service as they say, Happy New Year my good friend, see you later Alligator and in a while Crocodile lol!

Ajay.

 

[RGone]

Well the ole faht is getting better informed...

...better informed so much that I am now very much in a holding pattern of my own mis-understanding and evaluation.

ASUS X99-PRO LGA 2011-v3 Intel X99 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

GIGABYTE GA-X99-UD5 WIFI LGA 2011-v3 Intel X99 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Extended ATX Intel Motherboard

I think it is down to one or the other of those two boards. But there was a BIG mis-understanding on my part. I figured the BCLK could be utilized in the same manner as on earlier Socket 775 Intel cpus and have a wide range of use. I am now beginning to understand that there is only a very few BCLK ticks for each strap that are usable since the PCIe and such are not isolated from the BCLK as was the case with the much earlier socket 775 Platform.

This leaves me with a bad-taste in my mouth and little real need to go the expensive X-99 platform; since there is little more "play" settings to utilize with overclocking. X-99 to my mind now is little more than some more cores with little more adjusting for fun than a Z97 board. My bad in thinking and living in a past platform and hoping todays Intel had the same quotient of fun as in days gone bye. Powerful I would think. Fun for the likes of me...nope.
RGone...ster.

 

[Ajay57]

I think the X99 PRO would keep you happy it has one of the most stable bios out there from what i have seen around the Web, also a good layout for all your parts. I am like you in away i hate throwing money around when its not needed, most of the Pro boards i have had was not that far away from all the bells and whistles in difference.

Only when you start to hit the ROG Boards do you gain extra things in the Bios that can help you to go further on OC, but like everything else there is always a cost for that and that my good friend R--Gone is your decision alone.

A bit of info plus eye candy to look and ponder over for you!

1, http://www.asus.com/uk/Motherboards/X99PRO/

Check it out it only takes a bit of your time, by the way i forgot to say Happy New Year to you and the Family there.

Good hunting,

Ajay.

 

[Woomack]

...better informed so much that I am now very much in a holding pattern of my own mis-understanding and evaluation.

ASUS X99-PRO LGA 2011-v3 Intel X99 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

GIGABYTE GA-X99-UD5 WIFI LGA 2011-v3 Intel X99 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Extended ATX Intel Motherboard

I think it is down to one or the other of those two boards. But there was a BIG mis-understanding on my part. I figured the BCLK could be utilized in the same manner as on earlier Socket 775 Intel cpus and have a wide range of use. I am now beginning to understand that there is only a very few BCLK ticks for each strap that are usable since the PCIe and such are not isolated from the BCLK as was the case with the much earlier socket 775 Platform.

This leaves me with a bad-taste in my mouth and little real need to go the expensive X-99 platform; since there is little more "play" settings to utilize with overclocking. X-99 to my mind now is little more than some more cores with little more adjusting for fun than a Z97 board. My bad in thinking and living in a past platform and hoping todays Intel had the same quotient of fun as in days gone bye. Powerful I would think. Fun for the likes of me...nope.
RGone...ster.

Bclk is working at about +/- 2-3MHz max from each strap so ~100-103, ~125-128, ~167-170. It's almost only required for higher memory ratios as above 2666 clock almost all DDR4 are working at 125bclk strap.

Mentioned cache frequency is giving you additional performance ( visible mainly in benchmarks ) so picking ASUS board will give you that one more option. Probably all other brands will make max ~3700MHz while special ASUS socket let you set it higher. Depends from CPU, can run it stable between 3700-4700MHz. Most CPUs won't make more than ~4200 without stability issues.

Memory manufacturers are already preparing DDR4 kits for Intel 100 chipsets so dual channel kits ( today I got mail from Team Group ).
If you aren't convinced to X99 then you can wait for Z107 or something similar. However I doubt we will see 6 core CPUs on Z chipsets and new quad core i7 will be probably in similar price as 5820K.

 

[Oldschool_OC]

I would have to recommend the Asus X99 Pro. Personally just built an X99-A system and it is rock solid in Win 7, but if you want the built-in wifi the X99 Pro has it, and I have read that it is built on the same PCB as the X99-A, but with extra features (like built-in wifi).

From what I hear the X99 Deluxe is built on a different PCB and seems to be the one having problems.

 

[Socket eh?]

I would have to recommend the Asus X99 Pro. Personally just built an X99-A system and it is rock solid in Win 7, but if you want the built-in wifi the X99 Pro is built on the same PCB as the X99-A with extra features (like built-in wifi).

From what I hear the X99 Deluxe is built on a different PCB and seems to be the one having problems.

The question is, does a board revision exist between the two?

 

[RGone]

The question is, does a board revision exist between the two?

My question is between the two 'whats'? The X99-A has its own PCB revision as do all of the 5 X99 boards that Asus has released. And no one that I know has heard of any of the 5 board models being revised as of yet. I believe that all 5 are in Rev 1.0 currently.
RGone...ster.

 

[Oldschool_OC]

I apologize if what I wrote was not correct. I thought I had read that on a motherboard review, but as it turns out it was a users review on Newegg for the X99 Pro (it is currently to most recent user review by "Joseph Q." posted 1/8/2015 on Newegg for the X99 Pro where I read that).

Again, my apologies.

I guess what I was trying to say is:

a) The X99-A is very stable but has no Wi-Fi
b) The X99-Pro is a LOT like the X99-A and has Wi-Fi

Sorry if it was confusing.