Intel's release of 4th Generation Core processors back in June not only ushered in a slew of new CPUs but also introduced a number of associated chipsets and motherboards. The enthusiast-grade Z87 got much of the attention, yet look further down the stack - Q87, Q85, H87, and B85 - and there's good value to be had elsewhere.

Focussing on the value-conscious chipset, B85, Intel simplifies the features by removing the multiplier overclocking support for the K-series chips, limiting the PCIe lane sharing for graphics cards (so no official support for SLI or CrossFire), reducing USB 3.0 support from six ports to four, reorganising the SATA ports into four SATA6 and two SATA3, and removing the RAID capability inherent in the Z87.

The reductions, though many, actually make a lot of sense for a lower-cost motherboard. Most cheaper systems run with a single discrete graphics card, no more than two storage drives, and are rarely overclocked. Starting at below £50 for the cheapest B85s, value is very much key.