Intel Core i5-3570k + MSI - Z77A-G43 $179 AR YMMV B&M

Built mine with stock fan for now. Installed win8 on a vertex 4. Smooth sailing. Clean device manager.
Bios is 2.3 and will update later.

Quote from hodaddy : It's a motherboard only rebate, so only that upc. Could you please also comment on your bios. Did you update to 2.7 and what was your original

Pretty sure it shipped with 2.1 but I flashed it on the first boot didn't even install windows first. Just put the bios file on the flash drive and flashed it from the bios.

Finally here is my computer build details. Comments please...

Quote from SlidingBike : Finally here is my computer build details. Comments please...

LOL. I think every one of mine had an MIR also

Quote from manguard : Pretty sure it shipped with 2.1 but I flashed it on the first boot didn't even install windows first. Just put the bios file on the flash drive and flashed it from the bios.

Do you know if all of them have version 2.1? or 2.3?

Been having problems trying to get my GTX260 working with this mobo. Finally solved it, for anyone that is having similar problems with a pci-e 2.0 GPU. First upgrade firmware to 2.7, then turn off PCI-E GEN 3.0 at bios. Took a while figuring that out, hehe.

Returned the Intel i5-3570k + Asrock Z77 Extreme4 Motherboard for $235 + tax at MicroCenter and saved $55. Thanks.

This was my first MSI board, and I'm pretty happy with it so far considering the price.

Definitely update the bios to the latest, mine came with 2.3 and flashed it to 2.7 and was able to hit 4.6GHz stable at +.10 offset voltage. I couldnt get 4.7GHz stable at +.12 offset voltage although I might be able to get it stable under water, currently using a H50 in push/pull which is performing pretty mediocre.

The 2.3 bios version only included voltage offsets to +.06 while version 2.7 lets you go up to +.12 which is plenty for most, but a little more would have been nice.

Has anyone found the LLC settings int he BIOS? I'm not sure if they have it, but I am getting quite a bit of vdroop that I would prefer to minimize.

I'm not near a fry's and missed out on this package. Would anyone that possibly got multiples be interested in parting with it? PM me please. THX

Quote from ChewyBTC : I'm not near a fry's and missed out on this package. Would anyone that possibly got multiples be interested in parting with it? PM me please. THX

Check Ebay as someone was selling this combo recently.

Finally built my PC with this package. Installed the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing cooler on the CPU. It is coming over the first memory block. I have moved the fan bit high and it is good now. Planning to buy 5 more fans (one for the Hper 212 and the rest for the box). So far so good..

Here is my latest config: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/tpOr

Still waiting for my MSI rebate

Completed build link: http://pcpartpicker.com/b/zfG

Ick. Anyone else have problems with their MSI motherboard? I've had it running for just under two months not (took awhile to transfer over data/programs and whatnot). I started noticing an issue with my keyboard cutting out for a few seconds every so often, but thought it was just problems with the wireless signal and ignored it. Then my wired mouse started to go 'off' every so often (lights on top would actually turn off, some times maybe 30 minutes apart, other days not at all), but it's 4 years old and I figured the cable/connector was finally dying. Then finally last week both stopped working completely. I tried other hardware and it's not the mouse or keyboard, it's EVERY ONE of the USB 2.0 connectors on the back of the motherboard that have gone flaky on me.

I'm still using it, as the computer is working fine otherwise. I had to switch to a combination of the USB 3.0 ports and, as it turns out, the USB 2.0 ports on the PC case that are connected to a header on the MB and still work. For some reason they still work. Just the USB 2.0 ports hard wired on the back of the motherboard (all of them) seem to be dead.

Any opinions on what I should do? I can probably get by with just the USB ports I have now (2 USB 3.0 + 2 USB 2.0 from USB1 header (+ maybe more from the addition USB 2.0 and 3.0 header that I don't currently have connectors for.)

So it's getting by VS. the downtime for pulling apart and shipping off the motherboard (+ possible shipping charges??) all for a MB with less than 2 months use... for which I get in exchange... what??? Possibly a refurb that might end up being less reliable than the one I have now?!?!

Any thoughts?