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Help me pick a motherboard for i5-9600k


Marc_G

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Hi folks,

 

The good news is my trusty i5-6600 Emby server is still going strong with no reason to do anything to it. Live long and prosper.

 

On the other hand, an accumulation of annoyances in the i5-4670 desktop I use for just about everything else including to rip and occasionally (rarely actually) re-encode media has triggered me to go ahead and plan to upgrade it. The old CPU/MB/RAM parts will be transferred to an old box I have and serve as a Linux sandbox and home automation playground in its retirement.

 

I'll be keeping the drives (boot SSD, 2HDs, DVD, BluRay), power supply (vintage 2014, seems forward compatible) and case and plunking in a new CPU/MB/RAM package.  I'm rather fond of Intel; not interested in trying a Ryzen build this time. Probably next time.

 

Here's the toughie: The MBs I've seen have mostly been seriously expensive; and the ones I've found seem gaming oriented and have like 2-3 or 4 at most SATA ports. I need 5; I'm used to boards that have 5-6 SATA connectors.

 

So, I believe what I'm looking for to run the i5-9600k is a Z390 LGA 1151 board, microATX form factor to fit my case, with minimum 5 SATA ports.

 

Do well-SATA-provisioned microATX boards just not exist anymore? And what the heck is with these $200-400 boards? I'm used to paying $100, $150 for primo stuff. Maybe I've been under a rock? I'm not a gamer, I don't need LEDs or fancy marketing gimmicks..

 

Andy recommendations on boards and sources would be appreciated. Initially I was planning to keep the build (MB/CPU/16GB RAM/low profile cooler) under $400 but it looks like that's a pipe dream. I can spurge a bit if need be but I'm trying to keep this reasonably budget friendly.

 

Thanks guys!

 

EDIT: I know, I know, most folks use an M2 drive for boot, freeing up a SATA port. Well, I ain't got one. Obviously if spending $50 on a cheap megafast M2 boot drive saves me $50 on a more expensive MB that's good, but I'd rather not go down to a 256GB boot drive from my current 480GB SSD. On the other hand I do have an older mSata 256 drive, and I understand there are adaptors to use them, but that the width of the mSata may be a problem.

Edited by Marc_G
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Thanks guys. [emoji3] Maybe someone else will have relevant experience. Meanwhile tonight I will search some more. I can always get a SATA expansion board or consolidate to larger drives or give up an optical drive, but seriously... [emoji383][emoji383][emoji383]

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daedalus

shouldn't be to hard to find something with 6 sata ports for <100$

and i think if you don't by the cheapest board on earth there shouldn't be much difference in the middle class

simply choose the one wtih the features you need and go

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shouldn't be to hard to find something with 6 sata ports for <100$

and i think if you don't by the cheapest board on earth there shouldn't be much difference in the middle class

simply choose the one wtih the features you need and go

 

That's what I thought! But so far the cheapest Z390 board (which I believe is what is required) I've found is $124, and it was sort of sucky: two SATA ports and I didn't like the monitor out configuration (VGA/DVI/ 1 HDMI).

 

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157858

 

LATE EDIT: SOME OF THE SATA PORTS ARE FACING SIDEWAYS; DIDN'T SEE THEM!

 

For $140 I can get this one with four SATA ports:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813145096

Specs say 6 ports but two of those appear to be for the M.2; only four SATA connectors seem to be shown on the board. (EDIT, SIDEWAYS PORTS FOUND!)

 

I was kind of hoping for 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort output. Don't care about VGA/DVI.

 

Is there a best place to use with good search capabilties; I tend to haunt Amazon, Frys, and NewEgg, but maybe there's a better way to search through.

Edited by Marc_G
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Yup I think that's one of the two I quoted above. No I figured out some of the SATA ports point sideways and I wasn't seeing them!

 

Still $140 for a basic MB with no options under $100 makes me sad. [emoji24]

 

I'm considering getting a cheapo ATX case to have more board options; my 10 year old case was originally a gateway and there are some things about it that are annoying.

 

This started as "buy a cheap $250 used i5-6600 optiplex or elitedesk and shove my BluRay drive in it" and has been spiralling from there.

 

[emoji3]

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Right, Z370 can work but board may need an update; annoying if you don't have an 8-gen processor on hand to use.

 

I'll open the purse strings and get a $140 board I think. [emoji3][emoji3][emoji3]

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To cap this off, I decided to go a bit crazy on this build, in the end...

 

I got an ATX size board, the ASROCK Z390 Extreme 4.  About $140 or so. I chose it because:

 

-It has both DisplayPort and HDMI.  IT also has D-Sub output in case I need to connect to an old school monitor. I passed over lots of boards that had DVI instead of DP.

-It has USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type A and Type C outputs on the rear panel; always handy to have one of each of these, plus plenty of USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports. It has USB 2.0 headers so I can hook up anything that prefers an old style connection; some Android phones are funky this way and flashing ROMs is sometimes easier on older ports.

-I have a preference for Intel LAN; it comes with Intel LAN built in versus other vendors.

-It includes 2 M.2 ports and 8 SATA ports; each M.2 used takes out two of the SATA ports. I'll be using one M.2 boot drive (I broke down and bought a 500GB M.2 instead of using my existing 2.5" SSD). I will have plenty of SATA room!

 

I went with ATX because I decided to (again open the purse strings) and buy an ATX case. (inexpensive: Corsair 100R). One day this build will probably be my new Emby server, when the i5-6600 I'm using gets long in the tooth. So I made sure it would have lots of room for anything I would need, sort of future proofing.

 

I made one mistake of sorts in the build; I bought a single DDR4 16GB stick (2666 speed, no overclocking needed) instead of 2 8 GB sticks; I forgot the dual channel memory isn't activated with a single stick. Oh well, I will never notice the speed hit for my desktop apps. I could always buy another stick... :-)

 

I'm playing a bit risky by using an EVO Hyper212 that I have hanging around unused. It's not listed as compatible with the case due to height, but lots of reviews says it works because the side panel has a bulge-out that gives it clearance.

 

I have two power supplies to choose from. A more recent Thermaltake TR2-430W and a 2009-vintage Corsair 450W supply. Both are similar cables, both have the main ATX buss plus a splittable 8-pin to give me 2 4 pin power sources, which seems to be OK for the board.

 

Should be an interesting build; I'll have parts in a week or so. I didn't pay for rush shipping. Stuff coming from Newegg (most parts), Walmart (CPU), and Amazon for a few things.

 

You can see the build here:

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/FYQX7W

except for the extra fan I upped it to a 140 mm fan.

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Just be aware that if you intend using HDR passthrough, Windows requires DP 1.4, and that board is DP 1.2

Thanks for this. Good to know!

 

Hey one other question: I'm looking for a part but don't know what it's called, so I'm having trouble finding it.

 

I want something that will plug onto the motherboard USB 2.0 header, and give me an external-to-case set of USB 2.0 ports. The case has a pair of 3.0 ports out front, plus of course the ones in the back with all the other connectors, but currently no obvious way to go from the 2.0 header to an exposed set of ports.

 

In my mind I'm thinking it would look like a molex or whatever plug to connect to the header, a cable, and an external box I could sticky tape to the outside of the case.

 

Any ideas? USB 2.0 for those finicky devices that prefer it.

 

Thanks

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You probably just want a splitter. How many ports do you want?

One would probably be sufficient, though two would be preferable. The MB has a USB 2.0 header but no 2.0 ports on the back and the case only has front mounted USB that will connect to USB 3 header.
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I found on Amazon the "NZXT Internal USB hub." Connects to USB 2.0 Header plus a molex for power, provides two USB 2.0 ports I could plug into and run cables to outside the case. Seems a bit overkill but would do what I need.

 

Any more basic options?

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arrbee99
arrbee99

Perfect! The first link is exactly perfect. I will order one tonight!

 

Course might be worth checking out the many variations I should imagine there are on Amazon, especially cable length...Edit - unless its a guaranteed one size fits all thing.

Edited by arrbee99
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Hi guys, in the end I bought this one:

 

https://www.amazon.com/MMNNE-Female-Mainboard-Bracket-Adapter/dp/B06XVCCK13

 

I have two USB 2.0 headers, equating to four USB 2.0 ports, so this one is optimal. I will likely only use one of the ports, for Android ROM flashing, but it's nice to know I have extra ports. And things like keyboards or bluetooth mice and such work fine in 2.0 ports, leaving the USB 3.1 ports for things like backup drives and other higher speed applications.

 

Thanks for all your help. Now begins the agonizing wait for things to arrive for the build. The NewEgg stuff I bought Saturday is already on its way (albeit via UPS ground because I was too cheap to pay for expedited shipping), but I'm still waiting on Walmart to ship the CPU.  Some stuff I bought from Amazon has already arrived.

Edited by Marc_G
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arrbee99

Can never have too many usb ports. I seem to have 11 disks plugged directly into usb ports on the main PC here, and that doesn't include the two portable drives plugged into drives that also have usb ports and the 4 drives inside the PC (plus the SSD). Don't think I'm storing stuff very efficiently somehow...

 

Anyway, good luck, hope you're suitably impressed with you're new toy  :)  

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Guest asrequested

Can never have too many usb ports. I seem to have 11 disks plugged directly into usb ports on the main PC here, and that doesn't include the two portable drives plugged into drives that also have usb ports and the 4 drives inside the PC (plus the SSD). Don't think I'm storing stuff very efficiently somehow...

 

Good lord! Set them free! lol

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rliepins

Just curious, why the i5-9600K.  Didn't they do away with hyperthreading?  I'm interested in this generation, but feel the i7-8700K might be good for Emby and ancillary ripping and remuxing than the Coffee Lake procs.

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This will primarily be my desktop machine for general use, at least for the next two years or so. I compared the prices of the two processors and with the i7-8700 a bit more expensive than the i5-9600 I stuck with the latest generation i5.

 

I'm replacing an i5-4670 and initially was going to buy a used business optiplex or the like with i5-6600, but one thing led to another [emoji3][emoji3]

 

At some point I had to stop the scope creep and draw a line.

 

Parts are on their way as we speak. Yea!

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