Question 1

Is this overclockable for the i5 6600k?

Accepted Answer

You more than likely could. BUT.....  This board has very few power phases so you would probably fry the board pretty quick.  Remember that the board is only 1 part of the equation. A quality power supply and a win on the silicon lottery with the CPU are also required.  In all honesty, if you are already looking to save money on a mobo like this, but are seeking to overclock (save money but try to get better performance) your budget probably won't allow for a machine that you can overclock well. I would keep the 6600k stock in a machine that has quality parts and aim for stability. In the 12 years I've built and modded computers, overclocking is a waste. It does not return much in the way of reliable useful power or performance for gaming, mainly because of the added heat issue. It is better to have a stock stable computer that you don't have to worry about corrupt saves and random crashes on. It can happen all the time and it's just not sorry it. This motherboard is decent for the price, good features and the lot, but I would recommend you spending a bit more if your going to let a 6600k on it. Z170 meng

Question 2

would this system memory work with this motherboard? I already purchased it while it was on sale.. https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231941

Accepted Answer

Yes. Any ddr4 memory should *work* with this board. You may, however, be unable to run it at its rated speed. Given that your looking at a budget board, you are probably looking at a budget CPU as well, which will lock your memory speed to 2133 (Skylake) or 2400mhz (kabylake). My suggestion is to get the max memory speed that your CPU will allow you to run natively. If your getting an unlocked CPU then it doesn't matter. But for heaven's sake if your getting an unlocked CPU get a better board. Asus z170 boards only run around 120-150 bucks for some of their more budget friendly boards.  This board is crap compared to them. This board is really just made for your moms  mini computer to browse the web and watch movies lol.

Question 3

What BIOS version comes installed? According to the ASRock website my processor is only compatible with BIOS P7.00 and up. My processor is the core i5-7400(B0) Kaby Lake.

Accepted Answer

I honestly don't remember mine, but I suggest going to Intel's Desktop Compatibility Tool. I know that some of the 7th-gen i3's are compatible, but some or all of the higher-end processors are not.

Question 4

How is Linux support with this motherboard?

Accepted Answer

I briefly tested Mint 18.1 on it from a USB3 stick (i3-6100, 16GB, no HDs). Tried 3 different full screen youtube video on 3 monitors simultaneously. Worked nicely.

Questions & Answers