I am also preparing to build a Z77 system, so I read a LOT of MB reviews. Like you, I want the cheapest board that has the features I need, as long as it has no issues. After reading the NewEgg reviews on every Asrock Z77 board, I came to the conclusion that Asrock quality control sucks, their designs are iffy, and I will never buy a board from them. About half of the reviews are negative, with a full 25% D.O.A. Every manufacturer ships a certain percentage of DOA boards but 25% is ridiculous. As for the rest of the negative reviews, most pertain to inherent design flaws and boards that die after a week or a month. To me it looks like Asus has the best track record, and even so their customer service really sucks. These days I don't trust ANY board to arrive with zero issues, so if you get a good one, you're very lucky. My MSI board has issues as well, but at least it works. Good Luck!