Do I need to spend extra money on my MOBO?

[oxrufiioxo]

MSI X570S Ace Max was more aesthetically pleasing but the Unify was insane for 3 electrically wired PCIe slots. They really made up for the gaffe with those boards. Of course the God like is pure PC porn.

Unify and ACE were awesome.

The X570 Ace was one of the best boards I worked with right there with the Aorus Master and Crosshair 8 hero

Shame they now carry a very premium price.

 

[AntiX3DGlazer]

Hi All,

I build my list as follows:

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/BNjgFZ

I mainly use this PC for daily work (Video editing, Gaming (CS2, Planet Zoo, Planet Coaster)

Everything is fine....except the MOBO part...I don't know if it is a good idea to spend 300 CAD more on a MOBO.

In the list, I choose the 9800x3d bundle (option 1)

Option 1:

AMD R7 9800X3D CPU + MPG X870E CARBON WIFI Motherboard + CORSAIR RGB 32GB D5 6000MHz Black RAM $1498 CAD​

but I saw another 9800x3d bundle that is 300 CAD cheaper, the only difference is the MOBO (option 2).​

option 2:

AMD R7 9800X3D CPU + GIGABYTE X870 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 ICE Motherboard + CORSAIR RGB 32GB D5 6000MHz White RAM $1099 CAD​

My question is: is it a good idea to spend 300 more on MOBO?

For one, I really see no reason to go X3D when in reality you're going to be GPU bound in most things that you do. For video editing, I'd suggest going with a Ryzen 9 7900X plus a 7800 XT (that being said if you're already set on the parts that you have then disregard this part of the message
For your use case, you'd be perfectly fine in a budget B650 motherboard, no need to spend over 300 CAD on it.

 

[Dragam1337]

I agree but you should never buy a board that can't handle every cpu in the socket supports that being said most anything 200+ its a none issue and even the asrock 130$ use B650 boards have a good enough vrm.



Its a problem with similar or even cheaper boards can handle it with ease and that was stock it's because MSI in their infinite Wisdom copied their b450 tomahawk vrm on everything below the AC which was 350 usd and wasn't till they released the tomahawk later that they had a semi decent 200 usd ish X570 board later they fixed them all with the X570 max boards thankfully and have been pretty great since.

True, you should never buy a crappy board - but absolutely no reason to overspend on a board either for 9800x3d

 

[oxrufiioxo]

True, you should never buy a crappy board - but absolutely no reason to overspend on a board either for 9800x3d

Yeah it's why I think the 250-280 boards are the sweet spot features wise with both the gigabyte and msi having a post code and the msi having 5Gb lan....

But if those 130-140 B650 asrock boards tick all the boxes for sure no need to spend a $ more.

 

[A Computer Guy]

But if those 130-140 B650 asrock boards tick all the boxes for sure no need to spend a $ more.

I'm 100% satisfied with my B650 LiveMixer for $150. Not bad at all if you don't need the features other boards provide. Don't be afraid of B650 as an option.

 

[Dragam1337]

Yeah it's why I think the 250-280 boards are the sweet spot features wise with both the gigabyte and msi having a post code and the msi having 5Gb lan....

But if those 130-140 B650 asrock boards tick all the boxes for sure no need to spend a $ more.

Indeed, if b650 gives you the features you need, then there is no reason to spend more - i am perfectly happy with my b650e board

 

[oxrufiioxo]

Indeed, if b650 gives you the features you need, then there is no reason to spend more - i am perfectly happy with my b650e board

I will say B650E boards tended to cost the same as X670 boards although I'd argue some of them are better than X870 boards.

 

[Dragam1337]

I will say B650E boards tended to cost the same as X670 boards although I'd argue some of them are better than X870 boards.

Ye, but b650e is also better than x670, but have fewer ports - so it's kinda what you want

 

[freeagent]

I just went with X670E because price mostly

X870 is B650E iirc.

 

[oxrufiioxo]

I just went with X670E because price mostly

X870 is B650E iirc.

Although somtimes worse if you don't need the 40Gb type C.

I did the same I have 2 X670E boards...

Wait you have a board but no cpu again this guy....

 

[ir_cow]

I asked MSI for the X870E Carbon WiFi. That's what will be on the test bench with the 9800X3D next week.

No complaints with either Gigabyte or MSI for AMD. Just depends on how many M.2 slots you want and if you'll use USB4 or Wifi7, etc. if not probably the Gigabyte is the better choice. Just my opinion.

 

[Dragam1337]

I asked MSI for the X870E Carbon WiFi. That's what will be on the test bench with the 9800X3D next week.

No complaints with either Gigabyte or MSI for AMD. Just depends on how many M.2 slots you want and if you'll use USB4 or Wifi7, etc. if not probably the Gigabyte is the better choice. Just my opinion.

I personally vastly prefer asus - especially their bios.

 

[oxrufiioxo]

I personally vastly prefer asus - especially their bios.

Yeah, that's the other thing it can somtimes come down to the bios. Historically I've been fine with MSI/Asus/Gigabyte bios wise at least since 2018/19 prior to that I really only liked Asus/Msi bios wise.

Asrock bios has gotten a lot better over the last couple years during the B450/X470 days some settings wouldn't even enable for me with their boards and they consistently didn't like 4x8GB at 3600CL14 while the others I could do with my eyes closed.

Thankfully since 2022 I've used them all enough to the point it doesn't really matter.

I've noticed better boot times with asrock and better memory timings on Gigabyte with am5 but otherwise they are all fine.

 

[ir_cow]

I personally vastly prefer asus - especially their bios.

They are pretty much all the same to me in that regards, just where the stuff is located changes and the naming convention. The search function is great and the favorite menu too.

Took me a bit to find stuff on the Intel side when switching from Apex.

Of those two bundles the op picked, either is fine for what it is. Also if your not into overclocking, I don't think it really matters which brand you pick. Easy Mode is all you will ever need.

 

[oxrufiioxo]

They are pretty much all the same to me in that regards, just where the stuff is located changes and the naming convention. The search function is great and the favorite menu too.

Took me a bit to find stuff on the Intel side when switching from Apex.

Of those two bundles the op picked, either is fine for what it is. Also if your not into overclocking, I don't think it really matters which brand you pick. Easy Mode is all you will ever need.

My experiences is the same once you know the layout they are all pretty much the same with minor differences. What audio chip or lan chip they offer and if they have a post code is the largest difference to me. On AMD a post code isn't overly necessary imo it's just a nice to have.

 

[freeagent]

I haven't tried MSI yet, but Asus, AsRock, and Gigabyte have worked well for me.

I have been using Asus steady since 2009 or so. No need for warranty thankfully lol

 

[Dragam1337]

I haven't tried MSI yet, but Asus, AsRock, and Gigabyte have worked well for me.

I have been using Asus steady since 2009 or so. No need for warranty thankfully lol

Being in eu means you don't have to deal with asus (or any other manufacturer) directly - shop is responsible for your warranty, which is a minimum of 2 years by law. So that makes asus a much more appealing option... lol.

 

[oxrufiioxo]

Being in eu means you don't have to deal with asus (or any other manufacturer) directly - shop is responsible for your warranty, which is a minimum of 2 years by law. So that makes asus a much more appealing option... lol.

That's what I was going to say your government helps you with Asus.... I only buy them here in the states when I like their products much better than any of the alternatives but to be fair they all suck here when it comes to CS at best they try every chance they get to blame you for whatever they can. It's why I lol when I see 5 year warranty on Aorus boards...I'm like if you're lucky...

That's why I've always say decide what you want to spend and just get whoever offers you the most of what you want at that price beyond that it's a lottery which one is going to last longer or if the company is actually going to help if you have an issue... Asus might even charge you more than it cost to buy the board lmao to fix it.

 

[LabRat 891]

Neither of those are luxury motherboards lol.

Prices are in CAD.

Get the board that has a good VRM and connectivity.

Agreed.

My condolences to OP. Even the budget options are gonna hurt.

MSI seems to be the only brand focusing on expansion but,
I'm not sure as to their overall quality these days.

AM5 boards list + detailed specs:

AM5 Motherboards Sheet (X870/X670/B850/B650/B840/A620)

docs.google.com

Gigabyte is a common affordable brand, but personally one I actively avoid. The firmware issues me and my friend have had with his B650 board (alone), has Gigabyte *solidly* on my "No Buy" list.
(The myriad of other issues w/ Gigabyte/their products over the last 2 decades, nonwithstanding)

For example:
My last 'foolhardy try' with Gigabyte, screws were loose and missing from the product (BNIB, sealed; factory floor smells included).
I would actively advise against Gigabyte's products.

 

[oxrufiioxo]

Agreed.

My condolences to OP. Even the budget options are gonna hurt.

MSI seems to be the only brand focusing on expansion but,
I'm not sure as to their overall quality these days.

AM5 boards list + detailed specs:

AM5 Motherboards Sheet (X870/X670/B850/B650/B840/A620)

docs.google.com

Gigabyte is a common affordable brand, but personally one I actively avoid. The firmware issues me and my friend have had with his B650 board (alone), has Gigabyte *solidly* on my "No Buy" list.
(The myriad of other issues w/ Gigabyte/their products over the last 2 decades, nonwithstanding)

For example:
My last 'foolhardy try' with Gigabyte, screws were loose and missing from the product (BNIB, sealed; factory floor smells included).
I would actively advise against Gigabyte's products.

If you google any brand you'll find countless stories about terrible QC and CS from all major brands

I've personally have had the most issues with Asus but somtimes that just comes down to bad luck Alternatively some of their products have been amazing for me.

Gigabyte has the only two boards that have ever outright died on me but that's 2 out of probably 40-50 boards over the last decade and one they replaced with a brand new board.

Msi has been pretty solid but I did have some B450 tomahawk/pro carbon boards I did builds with that gave me nothing but problems.

Asrock had a janky ass bios pre 2020 I had difficulty with them and memory that while was at the edge on what the cpu could handle worked fine on other similar boards.

The reality is you can find bad shit about all of them if you look hard enough.

 

[Dragam1337]

If you google any brand you'll find countless stories about terrible QC and CS from all major brands

I've personally have had the most issues with Asus but somtimes that just comes down to bad luck Alternatively some of their products have been amazing for me.

Gigabyte has the only two boards that have ever outright died on me but that's 2 out of probably 40-50 boards over the last decade and one they replaced with a brand new board.

Msi has been pretty solid but I did have some B450 tomahawk/pro carbon boards I did builds with that gave me nothing but problems.

Asrock had a janky ass bios pre 2020 I had difficulty with them and memory that while was at the edge on what the cpu could handle worked fine on other similar boards.

The reality is you can find bad shit about all of them if you look hard enough.

My experiences mirror yours - me and friends have had issues with msi boards, where we had to do workarounds to get them to work, and likewise we've had gigabyte boards die. Asus boards have been solid.

 

[freeagent]

I bought an Asus TUF B550 m/atx board a couple of years ago. Oh my gosh. That board was a total POS. And I don't meant point of sale.

The board was just so cheaply made, it was a joke.

The board was DOA anyway.. I replaced it with a Strix.

Midrange Asus is like low end.. P8Z77-V lost contact with southbridge, no SATA for me.

Still boots though.. like that's helpful

 

[Waldorf]

@oxrufiioxo
yeah, you will always be able to find problems will all brands, but at least to me the only one consistent is Gb, at least for fw/bios, where basically all upper tier coming with dual bios had problems,
with things like enabling ErP disables wifi/bt chips to the point you need to clear cmso to be able to use it again, no other brand i ever used for builds did that.

adding to that is things like releasing a gpu with brand A (for vram) then basically 6 month in after basically all reviews are done, change to cheaper brand B, resulting not only in less oc,
but game/crashes/instabilities because the lower tier ram needed more voltage when ramping up clocks (vs brand A), which i only found as cause for my troubles,
after trying to figure out why there were 2 different bios updates for the same card (v1.0 vs 1.1), basically adding some V thru the update, while Gb didnt mention it anywhere they had switched to lower perf vram.

i get that brands switch chips/parts, but my problem is with companies that dont even care to test the "new" product or the impact on users, with ppl having no clue whats going on or how to fix it, probably not even considering fw update, or lowering vram clock by 2-3 MHz, to get the card to work properly (as some later reviews suggested).

 

[oxrufiioxo]

@oxrufiioxo
yeah, you will always be able to find problems will all brands, but at least to me the only one consistent is Gb, at least for fw/bios, where basically all upper tier coming with dual bios had problems,
with things like enabling ErP disables wifi/bt chips to the point you need to clear cmso to be able to use it again, no other brand i ever used for builds did that.

adding to that is things like releasing a gpu with brand A (for vram) then basically 6 month in after basically all reviews are done, change to cheaper brand B, resulting not only in less oc,
but game/crashes/instabilities because the lower tier ram needed more voltage when ramping up clocks (vs brand A), which i only found as cause for my troubles,
after trying to figure out why there were 2 different bios updates for the same card (v1.0 vs 1.1), basically adding some V thru the update, while Gb didnt mention it anywhere they had switched to lower perf vram.

i get that brands switch chips/parts, but my problem is with companies that dont even care to test the "new" product or the impact on users, with ppl having no clue whats going on or how to fix it, probably not even considering fw update, or lowering vram clock by 2-3 MHz, to get the card to work properly (as some later reviews suggested).

100% companies need to be more transparent but we generally need to have better consumer protections in the US and I'm sure there are countless other countries as well.

That doesn't change the fact that I've had way more issues with Asus and you've had way more issues with Gigabyte the only real difference is I haven't stopped recommending asus when it makes sense.

Bottom line is nobody should box themselves into any brand and somtimes Gigabyte will do somthing better and somtimes they will be the worst option but that goes for all of the above board makers as well.

Right now I lean asrock if given the choice with Gigabyte and Asus bringing up the rear and msi somewhere in the middle and that has changed generation to generation.

I've only worked with a couple hundred boards so that's just a spit in the bucket so what I've dealt with locally isn't enough for me to champion or demonize a specific brand to me they all kinda suck it just comes down to which one I think sucks the least in a given generation.

I still wouldn't recommend anyone buy or not buy a specific brand based on my very limited hands on experience with each board maker with most coming from Asus/Gigabyte.

 

[Visible Noise]

why would you spend a single dollar extra for a motherboard if it has everything you need?
does it have enough (speed and quantity) USB/M.2/PCIe Ports?
does it suit your needs when it comes to audio, Network and maybe a specific feature you want?
if yes, why would you buy anything beyond that? i still use the cheapest b650 board i could find.

Checkboxes are cheap, while quality is expensive. Buying cheap boards will get you exactly what you paid for.