Is an expensive motherboard worth it?

[Joxeon]

Yeah I know, doesn't mean that I myself in 5 years won't pick up a 5000 series chip off the bay for 20 quid. That is what I did before, replaced my i7 920 with a Xeon 5650, for 20 quid. It could be a 16 core or more chip, so need to make sure my board from now can handle it, even with the degradation of power components.

I doubt the 3950X / 5950X will be 20 quid in 5 years though. the xeons were that cheap because they were ex server chips and there were tonnes of them floating about whereas the 16 core zen chips will be much rarer.

Look at the i7 980X which is the desktop version of the xeon and even now that goes for 80 quid or the top of the range 990X @£150 after 10 years.

 

[M1k3H]

Doesn't change my argument though... Could be £1,000,000,000, but when I pickup another CPU in future, I can be certain the motherboard can take it, plus the extra features future-proof me for longer.

 

[Joxeon]

Doesn't change my argument though... Could be £1,000,000,000, but when I pickup another CPU in future, I can be certain the motherboard can take it, plus the extra features future-proof me for longer.

Well my take is I picked up a cheap b450 and will be dropping in an 8 core zen 3 in, then in 5 years time I will have another cheap motherboard with a 12 core which will probably be the budget CPU offering by then and it will beat the pants off an aging 16 core AM4 chip with a similar total net spend.

 

[EsaT]

Yeah I know, doesn't mean that I myself in 5 years won't pick up a 5000 series chip off the bay for 20 quid. That is what I did before, replaced my i7 920 with a Xeon 5650, for 20 quid. It could be a 16 core or more chip, so need to make sure my board from now can handle it, even with the degradation of power components.

There won't be more than 16 core chips on AM4.
And could see it take quite few years before any desktop gets more.
For example might take quite few years before Intel can match AMD.

And you don't need any rape&robbery priced board to get strong VRM.
£200 level X570 boards have overkill VRMs doing barely any work except with fully loaded 12/16 cores.
MSI X570 Tomahawk even has one of the strongest VRMs of X570 boards.
It's such overkill that its powerstages won't even achieve best efficiency with stock CPUs without controller (hopefully) disabling some phases!

Instead you should put that last extra into top quality PSU (which anyway lasts even longer than any motherboard) to give components clean power.

 

[M1k3H]

So you’ve focused on only one of arguments to say it’s not worth it. Right. You do what you want, I’ll focus on my use case and what I’ve estimated to be the best value for money for me.

My previous PSU is 11 years old, and just sold it off when I built my PC in sig, so is still working. I always invest in a good PSU. However the issue was it did not have 2 8pin CPU power sockets, plus was semimodular with molex etc, plus was not standard ATX length, so opted to change it.

 

[Joxeon]

A 3600 with a £270 motherboard offers neither value for money or performance per $.

 

[EsaT]

So you’ve focused on only one of arguments to say it’s not worth it. Right. You do what you want, I’ll focus on my use case and what I’ve estimated to be the best value for money for me.

My previous PSU is 11 years old, and just sold it off when I built my PC in sig, so is still working. I always invest in a good PSU. However the issue was it did not have 2 8pin CPU power sockets, plus was semimodular with molex etc, plus was not standard ATX length, so opted to change it.

11 years old PSU was most likely some 80+ Bronze model with 80+ Silver being rare expensive model at that time.
Also most likely it lacks DC-DC design, which appeared in few 80+ Silvers and become common only in 80+ Gold PSUs year or two later.
With the way of spending excess in mobos you should have replaced such PSU already like five years ago.
Even if it was "first gen" DC-DC 80+ Silver model.

And that second 8 pin EPS12V connector is the most god damnedest worst excuse for choosing board and PSU!
Single EPS12V connector is rated for IIRC 384W.
With Ryzen you would need LN2 cooling far before exceeding that.
That's with CPU with 2(+) times the cores of your 3600!

Just getting Ryzen to draw 200W requires pretty extreme cooling, because of manufacturing node not made for easy overclocking.
(unlike Intels capable to drawing 200W or more even at stock)

 

[M1k3H]

A 3600 with a £270 motherboard offers neither value for money or performance per $.

No but a £270 motherboard which will be kept for 10 years will.

 

[M1k3H]

11 years old PSU was most likely some 80+ Bronze model with 80+ Silver being rare expensive model at that time.
Also most likely it lacks DC-DC design, which appeared in few 80+ Silvers and become common only in 80+ Gold PSUs year or two later.
With the way of spending excess in mobos you should have replaced such PSU already like five years ago.
Even if it was "first gen" DC-DC 80+ Silver model.

And that second 8 pin EPS12V connector is the most god damnedest worst excuse for choosing board and PSU!
Single EPS12V connector is rated for IIRC 384W.
With Ryzen you would need LN2 cooling far before exceeding that.
That's with CPU with 2(+) times the cores of your 3600!

Just getting Ryzen to draw 200W requires pretty extreme cooling, because of manufacturing node not made for easy overclocking.
(unlike Intels capable to drawing 200W or more even at stock)

Just a standard 80+. No bronze or other such terms at the time I bought it.
Zalman ZM-1000HP if memory serves me right.

Why should I have changed it? It was running at maximum 50% of its rated output (well below most times), so even with degradation of components well capable of running my PC. In fact I know this, as the fan was barely on and temps very low, suggesting that the components were still performing without breaking a sweat.

When did I say it was the sole excuse for choosing a PSU? Make your mind up, do you want me to change my PSU or not?

 

[EsaT]

Just a standard 80+. No bronze or other such terms at the time I bought it.
Zalman ZM-1000HP if memory serves me right.

That PSU was more than little outdated already decade ago with fast evolution of PSU designs in few years at that time.
Plain 80+ was basically 2006-2007 level with high end moving to 80+ Bronze in 2008 and first 80+ Golds coming to sale mid 2009.

Also layout wasn't exactly good for minimizing component degradation:
Most secondary filtering capacitors were under wire spaghetti minimizing airflow.
Every 10C increase of ambient halves (inside specification working) life time of electrolytic capacitors, so caps should be positioned where air can circulate at least little.
Especially DC-DC designs started cutting down clutter inside PSU opening area for better air circulation.

 

[BigBANGtheory]

surprised we've not heard more about motherboards given the Zen3 reveal is tomorrow, is X670 even a thing or do we see pre-flashed BIOS support for B450, 550 and X570 cos not everyone is comfortable about DIY bios flashing and will a MB even boot with a Zen3 chip installed in order to perform the update?

 

[Quartz]

It would be interesting - and useful - if Z3 chips booted into a compatibility mode.

 

[bris]

I've never had a failed motherboard at any price so no, it's not worth it. Higher price is more profit and it's the enthusiasts that buy them for them for a few extra features the vast majority of us will never know even notice.

I don't extreme overclock and am happy with a little extra when I use the easy software option that usually comes bundled with them.

The manufacturers make for all level of customers, they know there are people who will pay a bit extra but also know their bread and butter comes from the likes of me.