Looking for MB advice Z77/Z68 with 2600k

[strawnr]

I have done a couple of searches and gone thru the first new pages of threads to see if anyone else has asked this question.

I am looking for advice on a MB for a new box that I am preparing to build.

I have a new i7 2600k that I will be using.
I am looking at Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 1866 (PC3 14900) Model F3-14900CL9D-8GBSR memory.
Cooling: ZALMAN CNPS10X Performa 120mm Long life CPU Cooler

I haven't OC'd anything for a couple of HW Gens, it looks like it's completely changed with the multiplier method. I plan on OC'ing to somewhere in the 4.2 - 4.4 area.

From what I've read I want to go with one of the new MSI Z77 boards. Does PCI-E 3.0 work with a Sandy Bridge?

Does anyone have experience with the Z77 chipset and Sandy Bridge? Gotchas? Things to be aware of?

[Tradesman]

You primarily have three choices for the 2600K using the 1155 socket.....(actually 4 if you include the limited H67 chipset, which you probably wouldn't want with the 2600K), so, what's available is the P67, Z68 and Z77. The P67 is the original of the 3 and is indeed a powerful platform designed for the 2nd gen CPUs like the 25,26,2700Ks (and other variants), the Z68 is consider the next step up as it basically is the P67 with the added capabilities (in some mobos) to use the on-board GPU (graphics) and also to utilize Intel Smart Response Technology, which in effect is you can add a SSD as a cache (while many like this, I personally have no use for it as a cache typically entails many writes to the drive and that is the bane of SSDs which can lead to premature failure), and the latest is the Z77 which uses both the 2nd Gen CPUs like the 2600K and also can use the latest 3rd Gen CPUs oft referred to as IB or Ivy Bridge CPUs like the 2570K and the 3770K...of the three for a new build I'd suggest a Z77, it is the newest line, will utilize either the SB (Sandy Bridge) CPUs or the newer IB CPUs, has better thermal controls and and a more advance PCI-E architecture. As a side note, I currently am running a 2500K/P67 as one of my primary rigs, but should be getting a Z77/3570K delivered in about 2 hours is UPS drives by at about their normal time.....Am hoping to be up and running this evening and to start running some comparisons between the 2 by Thur evening (most reviews say the 3570K doesn't OC as well as the 2x00Ks, but we shall see, I've been able to run the 2500K to 5+ GHz, but at 24/7 ops keep it to +/- 4.7GHz depending on what all I'm doing