Downsizing. Motherboard options?

[phantommaggot]

Hi guys.
So, as of now, this is my system.
LINK LINK

I also have a node 304 and h97m itx and was planning to OC my 3258 and put all my HDDs in. Use it for linux games. Etc.

I havent even turned the node on since I found out Intel shit on h series pentium overclocking.

I think I'm gonna shelf the h97 and the ram I have for it. Buy a z97 itx motherboard and put my 4790k in there. Go down to 1 pc for now.
Sell my matx stuff. Maybe as a complete, working pc with the 3258.

Later I can grab a tiny case and move my gaming stuff to it and get a 4370 for the node and use the node as intended with the h97.

Anyways, here's where I'm stumped.
I can buy a brand new asrock z97e-itx and mod the backplate to accept one of the new 1tb m.2 2280 drives.
I have an opportunity to buy an asrock z87e-itx for 100 and I could buy a 1tb msata.. but those have gotten more expensive and it's a used board... I do however like the black.
I could get a z97 stinger core 3D, they also use msata. It's 75 bucks.. but ive read about it having stability issues

My goal will be to, eventually, move the 4790k to a tiny case with as few cables as possible. Something both pretty and mobile. Which is why I want 1tb m.2 or msata. Ive looked at modded hadron air setups or maybe do my own custom thing.


All the other suitable motherboards aren't something I'm interested in. Maybe I could go x99 but that comes with its own issues.


What do you guys think?

 

[Aircoookie]

How about the Asus Z97i-Plus? It has m.2 2280 native and also a good feature set. Before going with X99, I'd consider selling the 4790K and going Skylake Z170 could be a good idea... Also msata is way slower than m.2 unless you use m.2 sata. Another problem is that the m.2 on the Z87/Z97 uses the slower PCIe 2.0 protocol which could bottleneck the newest NVMe m.2 drives

 

[phantommaggot]

My issue with the z97i plus is the limited sound card
That's why I didn't buy it to begin with (as opposed to the asrock z97m oc formula I have now)
I have a powered sub I run out of the sub port. It sounds a lot better ran that way than with a shitty splitter out of the green port.
If I make the plunge into x99 I'd pick up a 4370 and run it in my h97 while I pieced it together.
I've also considered taking this route and saving for zen.
My other big plus for x99 is the m.2 being mounted on the front of the board where I could put some little heat sinks on it.
The down side, for me anyways, would be having to over clock the chip to get 4 ghz. As of now I locked my 4790 in at 4ghz on 1 volt.

I know m.2 will be faster than msata. But not that much slower. And either would be leaps faster than a platter drive.

I'm honestly hoping someone that has modded a z97e itx board for m.2 2280 will chime in. I'd love to see pics.