Gill01's Corner

Roughly a month ago, one of the RAM slots on my motherboard completely burned out.

I took the board into Best Buy for service; it’s an ASUS P8Z68-V / GEN3, and they informed me that the specific RAM slot is beyond repair since they have to outsource the actual work to an external repair center.

Currently, my status on their online service portal shows "Inquiry sent regarding a replacement model" and "Status 3 - Awaiting customer response."

What exactly do they intend to offer me as a replacement? Given that the original unit was fully paid for$567, and considering this particular motherboard model isn't even available on the retail market anymore, what should I realistically be demanding from them as a suitable substitute?

For context, the processor is an Intel Core i5-2320.

They aren't even stocking 1155 motherboards anymore. 😬

Maybe there's some kind of trade-in deal? Like, maybe you get a 240GB or 250GB SSD plus cash for the difference, though I guess I'm not entirely sure how those things actually work.

crimsonstag84 said:It seems they’ve completely pulled the plug on 1155 motherboards. You just can't find them anywhere anymore. 😬

Some kind of compensation? For instance, maybe a 240GB or 250GB SSD if they don't pay out the rest of the balance. I am not entirely sure how that mechanism actually works.

The S1155 motherboards are available everywhere, and there is a massive selection out there. I have no idea where you got that information from. If you look at the link provided, there are plenty of models currently in stock. In this specific situation, they’ll likely just offer a replacement board—probably not even the exact same one, but some other model from a different manufacturer with similar or slightly lower value, provided there is proper compensation involved.

I just checked the link. Right now, they only have one entry-level model listed, so they’ll definitely need to pull some stock from a supplier, which I'm sure they have on hand.

crimsonstag84 said:It seems we have reached a point where LGA 1155 motherboards have completely vanished from the market. Is it even possible to find decent stock anymore? 😬

What exactly does this "compensation" entail? Are we talking about receiving a 240GB or 250GB SSD as a substitute if they refuse to pay out the remaining balance? I find myself wondering how such an arrangement would even function in practice.

Is it not glaringly obvious to you that they have completely abandoned the LGA 1155 motherboards? It appears they are aggressively pushing the LGA 1150 platform instead, despite the fact that it is technically an older socket architecture. Why would they insist on such a move? 🤔

What is the point of an SSD if what I actually need is a motherboard? Are they phasing out the LGA 1155 socket entirely? Even if retailers like Best Buy and others are still stocking processors for that platform, does that even matter if the boards are nowhere to be found?

Where exactly can one find the most extensive selection of LGA 1155 sockets currently available on the market?

All I really need is for someone to offload a decent piece of hardware on me. If it’s available, I’m specifically looking for an MBO with CF support, especially since I'm currently sitting on two 7770 Vapor X cards that I need to put to good use.

It won't be a total disaster for you. They’ll likely swap in a Z77 chipset instead. As far as I can see, Micro Center has the best selection available right now. By the way, the LGA 1150 socket is actually newer than 1155, which is why they're pushing it. It might seem counterintuitive since the number is lower, but 1150 is the more recent socket.

mellowtiger83 said:It won't be a total waste of money; they'll likely hook you up with a Z77 chipset instead. From what I can see, Micro Center currently has the widest selection, though they're pushing the s1150 platform because it's actually newer than 1155. It’s easy to get confused since the number is lower, but don't let that trip you up—the 1150 socket is the more recent architecture.

Fine, that was precisely my confusion. Historically, a higher number has always indicated a newer socket or processor generation, yet suddenly everything has been flipped on its head.

Micro Center claims that the ASUS P8Z68-V / GEN3 is the premium model for the 1155 socket, but since Best Buy doesn't carry it, there isn't much else left in the high-end 1155 category beyond $400 (high-end motherboard)🤦

It seems I am about to be stuck with some subpar junk from ASRock. After waiting a month already, am I really expected to spend another full month hunting down a decent motherboard? 🤔

ASRock isn't garbage.🙂 First off, the Z77 is a top-tier chipset. Since they don't make many boards in this specific price bracket for this socket anymore, you’ll likely either get a refund for the difference or they'll offer something from their current lineup to make up for it.

From what I can gather, you don't even have a processor yet, so there's really no reason to go hunting for some overpriced flagship board. You just need Crossfire support, and that's really it. Besides, looking at your example, a price tag of $567 is hardly a guarantee that the board will actually function properly.

How on earth did you manage to fry a memory slot? As far as I'm aware, if they find out you were overclocking, your warranty is effectively void.

mellowtiger83 said:First off, ASRock isn't garbage.🙂 The Z77 is a top-tier chipset; since they don't make many boards in this price bracket for that socket anymore, you’ll likely either get a refund for the difference or they'll offer something from their current lineup to make up for it.

From what I can gather, you don't even have a processor yet, so why bother with some ultra-expensive motherboard model? All you really need is CrossFire support, and that’s it. Besides, your situation clearly shows that paying $567 doesn't guarantee the board will actually function properly.

How on earth did you manage to burn out a memory slot? As far as I know, if they realize you were overclocking, your warranty is void anyway.

I am not an overclocking enthusiast, and frankly, I kept my RAM at 1333 MHz because when I tried running it at 1600 MHz, my motherboard would freeze the screen.

The RAM was specifically purchased to run at 1600 MHz, but unfortunately, I have dealt with issues regarding this motherboard since day one.

I had to reseat every single component twice just to get the motherboard to recognize them—not to mention the fans I bought; a colleague working at MSI connected those exact same cooling fans on the first try and they worked perfectly.

What do you all on the forum suggest? Which LGA 1155 motherboard should I pick up?

It really depends on what kind of deal I can put on the table for you. Honestly, if you’re just sticking with that Intel Core i5-2320, a B75 motherboard would actually be a decent choice since you aren't going to be able to overclock it anyway. But, if you're planning on running two graphics cards in CrossFire, then you're definitely going to need something more high-end like a Z68 or a Z77 chipset. What else are you running in your build right now?

EDIT: I just noticed you've got dual 7770s. In that case, you'll need a board that supports that specific socket (either Z68 or Z77) and specifically one that offers at least two PCIe x16 slots capable of running in x8/x8 mode. For instance, this ASRock model should handle that just fine.

http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Z77%2...Specifications

Ryan Hayes82 said:It really depends on what kind of options are on the table. To be perfectly honest, if you're sticking with that i5, a B75 motherboard would actually suffice, given that you won't be attempting any overclocking anyway. However, if your intention is to run dual graphics cards in CrossFire, then you absolutely require a high-end Z68 or Z77 chipset. What else are we working with in terms of components?

I have successfully overclocked my processor to 3.8 GHz, and it is running quite stably.

2x CF 7770 Vapor X
Cooler Master: Silent Pro Gold 1000W
16 GB RAM (Corsair)
1 TB HDD WD Black
500 GB WD Green
Intel Core i5-2320

Ryan Hayes82 said:It all depends on what’s actually on the table. Honestly, if you're sticking with that i5, a B75 motherboard is perfectly adequate since you won't be overclocking it anyway. However, if your intention is to run dual graphics cards in CrossFire, then you absolutely require a high-end Z68 or Z77 chipset. What other components are currently sitting in your build?

EDIT: I see now that you have two 7770s. You need a board that supports that specific socket (Z68/Z77) and provides at least two PCIe x16 slots capable of running in x8/x8 mode. For instance, this ASRock model handles that configuration just fine.

http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Z77%2...Specifications

I find myself skeptical regarding that ASRock option; I have little desire to deal with a motherboard failing after only two months of use. I frequently hear accounts from colleagues regarding reliability issues and frequent RMA requests with that particular brand.

ASUS remains my premier choice for quality, though I might even inquire with the service department about an MSI alternative if that doesn't provide the level of confidence I require.

Brian Campbell36 said:I overclocked my CPU to 3.8 GHz (it's stable)

If you overclocked a non-K processor using BCLK, you basically overclocked your RAM too...😉

Dear fellow enthusiasts, I have been offered an ASUS P8Z77-V LX 🤔

http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/P8Z77V_LX/

Does it truly make sense to acquire this specific model, or would I be better served by continuing my search for something more robust and capable? 🍿

Honestly, it’s a step down from your last one. It’s just a low-end ASUS Z77 board, so the VRM isn't exactly impressive, there's no passive cooling, and I guess CF doesn't scale very well on it either.

crimsonstag84 said:It’s a massive step down from your previous setup; this is just a low-end ASUS Z77 board with mediocre VRMs, lacks passive cooling, and the overclocking potential on it is honestly pretty pathetic.

So, what am I supposed to do—just walk into Micro Center tomorrow and demand they swap it out for a different board?

That Dell they're offering you isn't bad either, but honestly, if you have any choice at all, just pick something else from the stock or look for something in hand.

Otherwise, the MSI Z77 Gaming Series is your best bet; I’d specifically hunt for those if they can get them in.

I have a few questions for you. How did you manage to overclock the CPU without bumping up the memory voltage?🙂 How much did you actually raise the voltage on the RAM slots? Come on, tell mellowtiger83—this is a forum, after all—you aren't seriously suggesting you fried a memory slot by accident, are you?🙂🙂🙂🙂 It was probably a smart move on your part to reset the BIOS to default settings so the folks over at Links wouldn't catch on.

And that power supply in your build... what kind of nonsense is that? Why? For what purpose? You could have easily bought a high-end CPU and overclocked it like a gentleman instead of burning through motherboard slots from $567

mellowtiger83 said:That Dell they’re offering you isn't half bad, but if you actually care about performance, why settle? Pick something else from their stock or just hunt for it elsewhere.

Ultimately, the MSI Z77 Gaming Series is your premier choice, and if I were in your shoes, that is precisely what I would demand they stock.

I have a few pointed questions for you: how exactly did you attempt to overclock the processor without adjusting the memory settings? 🙂, and just how much voltage did you pump into those memory slots? Come now, tell this man—this is a community forum, not a private chat—are you seriously suggesting you might have fried a memory slot? 🙂🙂🙂🙂, it was a wise move on your part to revert the BIOS to default settings; otherwise, the folks over at Links wouldn't have stood a chance of figuring out what happened.

And that power supply in your build? What on earth were you thinking? Why? For what purpose? You could have easily purchased a decent K-series processor and overclocked it like a gentleman, rather than risking the destruction of motherboard slots from $567

I didn't manually adjust anything; I used a software utility within win that I found on an old motherboard DVD, simply pushing the turbo boost from 3.4 to 3.8 GHz (noting that 3.8 GHz is the turbo limit).

That 3.8 GHz is merely the turbo boost; the base clock sits at 3.1 GHz, which is how it functions straight out of the box.

If they are going to insist on offering such junk, my plan is to just grab the MSI Z97 Gaming Series instead.

http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Z87A/

Intel i5 4690K processor

What do you think I could get for that old i5? Would it be worth trading up for the $267? Also, any idea if there's still some warranty left on it? A buddy might be interested, so just checking.

Honestly, if I were you, I’d skip the new CPU entirely. I'd grab that Dell motherboard they offered you and toss in a 250GB SSD instead. Then, just keep your current processor on that new board and sell off those two HD 7770 Vapor-X cards to fund a GTX 970. You’d see way better performance that way.

Sean Garcia3 said:What kind of value could I realistically get for that old i5? Would it be worth trading it toward the $267 deal, and does it happen to still be under warranty? A friend might be interested, so I’m just checking.

If I were in your shoes, I would prioritize taking that motherboard they offered from Dell along with a 250GB SSD; instead of splurging on a new processor, why not simply keep the old one on the new board and sell off those two HD 7770 Vapor-X cards to fund a GTX 970? Wouldn't you agree that such a move would yield significantly better performance?

The issue remains that it lacks a passive heatsink. I intend to contact them tomorrow to see if they can provide a superior option, perhaps an Intel Z77 Extreme Motherboard or an MSI B85-G43.

The B85 chipset isn't going to work with your processor