What AM5 motherboard for new build

HankSc0rpi0 · 18 Jan 2024 at 15:44

Have not posted here in 14 years and so had to setup new account as forgot my username and password and email address has changed since. Anyway, finally got around to building a new PC (part list below) for gaming and general use. The only thing I am short is a Motherboard.

But other then AM5 motherboard I am stumped which model. I would like some advice on what I should go for. Budget not really a concern. However I hate rgb. I am not interested in overclocking so I guess 18+2 power stages @110amps and heavy duty heatsinks won't matter.
I also don't need a dozen usb ports, thunderbolt/usb4, latest ethernet or wifi7. So I should probably be looking at B650/B650e. Gen 5 NVME support would be nice down the road though when the things run cooler and have better random r/w performance.

Are boot time issues still a thing with expo turned on or has this been ironed out in bios's. I made sure to buy memory that are on the QVL for these boards I read up on

Gigabyte B650E Aorus Master - bit thread on reddit a year old complaining about black screen on heavy work loads
MSI B650 Tomahawk
MSI x670e Tomahawk
MSI MPG x670e Carbon
Asus Prime x670e Pro Wifi
Asus ROG x670e-f Gaming Wifi

There are the parts I have bought and I am connecting to an LG C2 42 OLED :
7800x3d
32gb corsair ddr5 6000mhz cas30 expo
Crucial t500 nvme 2tb
Sapphire 7900xtx Nitro+
Corsair 5000d airflow case kitted out with Noctua NF-A12x25 fans
Corsair RMS Shift 1200w PSU
EK Nucleus CR360 Dark AIO

HankSc0rpi0 · 21 Jan 2024 at 15:53

Thanks.

Is an AIO needed to cool a 7800X3D. I also happen to have an unused Noctua NU21A gifted from a friend and was thinking of air cooling instead. Just a thought.

HankSc0rpi0 · 23 Jan 2024 at 21:23

Thanks for the replies. I thought the 7800X3D chip runs hot ? Can it be air cooled or must it be an AIO ? I am thinking of going for the Asus Prime X670E Pro WiFi. It's the bottom rung of Asus's X670E's but I like the silver / white colour scheme. Seems to have all the connectivity I would need. 14+2 70a power stages so not as good as the ROG Strix 670e-f's 16+2 90a but like above poster said it won't matter for AMD. So the only benefit of ROG boards is the RGB, fancier heatsinks and overclocking ability ?

One thing I always wonder about with Asus AM5 boards, Asus always say to fit the m2 rubber pad for single sided m2 storage devices but I never seen anyone do this on Youtube. Is the rubber pad required to make contact and support the ssd so the heatsink doesn't bend it ?

Btw, I have a chance to buy an MSI x670e MPG Carbon board for the same price as the entry level Asus Prime board. It usually retails for around the 500 euro mark but a bricks and mortar near me has it on sale. Would MSI x670e be problematic or no different from other brands. The memory I have is on the QVL for the Asus and MSI.

Thanks

HankSc0rpi0 · 24 Jan 2024 at 10:42

Thanks. Also I see some boards have External Clock Generator and some don't. Is this only useful when you want to overclock which I won't be doing anyway ?

HankSc0rpi0 · 24 Jan 2024 at 10:56

So looks wise I like the Asus Prime x670e Pro the best. Nicest colour scheme. https://www.asus.com/motherboards-components/motherboards/prime/prime-x670e-pro-wifi/

But for same price I can get the MSI MPG Carbon x670e which seems a higher end board. https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MPG-X670E-CARBON-WIFI

The MSI has 16x or 2 x 8x PCIe lanes, 2xM2 5th gen and 2xM2 4th gen. The Asus gets a single 16x and 1 4x PCIe lane, with 1xM2 5th Gen, 2 M2 4th Gen and 1 M2 3rd Gen. If you use the 3rd gen is knocks out sata ports, neither which I care about.
The Asus also gets the quick release latch for GPU.

I have 2 Gen 4 nvme's and down the road may get a 5th Gen when they run cooler, so I guess either board is fine. Regarding GPU, my card is so massive I won't be using and 2nd PCIE-e slot.

Both have enough connectivity on the back. Undecided which to get.

MSI
2x USB 2.0
6x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type A
1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type C
1x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type C
Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5Gbps LAN
Supports S/PDIF output

Asus
2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2
(1 x Type-A, 1 x Type-C)
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
Realtek 2.5Gb Ethernet
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C
4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A

HankSc0rpi0 · 24 Jan 2024 at 11:20

Thanks. Any difference in stability and support for 7800x3d between Asus and MSI ?

HankSc0rpi0 · 24 Jan 2024 at 11:41

Thank you. The main reason I am considering the MSI is price and it seems to be a level up compared to the Asus Prime. I can get both for the same price. I would expect the competing board for the MSI to be the ROG Strix.
As it happens the Corsair DDR5 I bought is on the QVL for both manufacturers. Will decide today.

Neither boards have external clockgen and the MSI has 18+2+1 90a power stages versus a 14+2 70a on the Asus. Does that make any difference whatsoever for stock 7800x3d ?

Considering aesthetics, I am running a black 5000D airflow (though considering the Phanteks NV5) with black chromax noctua NF-A12x25's with white rubber grommets. I am also using Black and White Corsair PSU Type 5 PSU cables. So was thinking the Asus might look nicer

HankSc0rpi0 · 12 Mar 2024 at 15:06

Went with strix x670e-f in the end. No issues. Now to decide on gpu as the AMD I came into possession of was DOA. Am thinking 4080 or maybe stretch to 4090 but could do without coil whine or 12vhpwr cable issues. For that reason was considering a Gigabyte Windforce V2 or MSI Gaming X Slim. Anyone have experience of either ? From what I have read on forums, very little coil whine reported unlike MSI Suprim or the Asus Strix or Tuff gaming.