Which Socket AM3+ 990FX Motherboard?

Roll · 25 Oct 2011 at 15:56

Been looking around at various AM3+ 990FX boards to upgrade from my AM2+ 790FX, obviously I'll also need DDR3 memory.

Could anyone tell me which to go for?

I've seen this Asrock board which seems a good spec for the price (£100) but I'm very open to suggestions:

http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=990FX Extreme3

Thanks

Martini1991 · 25 Oct 2011 at 16:15

What Processor do you have?
Bulldozer is pretty pathetic, buying into AM3+ isn't a wise move.

SeraphX · 25 Oct 2011 at 16:34

agree with Martini, just buy a Socket AM3 tbh, AM3+ is false economy

Dicehunter · 25 Oct 2011 at 17:06

I have the Crosshair V Formula 990FX and its an awesome board, no troubles overclocking, no troubles of any kind TBH

Martini1991 · 25 Oct 2011 at 17:10

DF1986 said:
I have the Crosshair V Formula 990FX and its an awesome board, no troubles overclocking, no troubles of any kind TBH

Except the fact it's a pointless platform as it stands right now.
There's no point "upgrading" to AM3+, when the AM3+ native CPU's are pathetic.

Roll · 25 Oct 2011 at 17:25

Cheers for replies.

Currently have a Phenom II X4 980.

I know that the first series of Bulldozers have been disappointing, but thought that AM3+ would give me a decent future upgrade route from my 2.5 year old AM2+ board?

Martini1991 · 25 Oct 2011 at 17:30

Do you really want to risk that sort of investment?
Piledriver is touted for AM3+, but that won't be a saving grace.
If you want an actual platform upgrade, that would be X79 or Z68.

Dicehunter · 25 Oct 2011 at 17:37

I still highly recommend the Crosshair V Formula as its a great board for overclocking, go read reviews and watch some videos, listening to people on a forum will only get you so far

Martini1991 · 25 Oct 2011 at 17:43

DF1986 said:
I still highly recommend the Crosshair V Formula as its a great board for overclocking, go read reviews and watch some videos, listening to people on a forum will only get you so far

We get it, you love your CH V.
But what will the OP see in going from his board to the CH V? Nothing.
AMD messed up big time.
You're on the "Future platform" flagship board, but the previous CPU generation flagship, because Bulldozer came out performing under par.

Roll · 26 Oct 2011 at 14:02

Thanks for more replies.

Might still consider upgrading to a 990FX board as it adds other features eg. SATA 3, USB 3.0 etc. and allows me to use DDR3 memory.

Martini1991 · 26 Oct 2011 at 14:08

Roll said:
Thanks for more replies.

Might still consider upgrading to a 990FX board as it adds other features eg. SATA 3, USB 3.0 etc. and allows me to use DDR3 memory.

Except 1155 would allow you that also, while being much faster.
AM3+ can use AM3 CPU's as you likely know, however BullDozer, the AM3+ native CPU isn't very good, the enhanced version ; Piledriver is due next year, but God knows how that'll perform, I think it's touted at 20% faster than Bulldozer, but for all we know that's a few percent IPC and the majority in clocks.

Phenom II CPU's clock for clock are better than Bulldozer.

1155 has Sandy Bridge, and then Ivy Bridge, which will allow you PCI-E 3.0 which the AM3+ set up won't.

Roll · 26 Oct 2011 at 15:21

That's what I mean.

I'd be able to carry over my AM3 Phenom II 980 to an AM3+ board, I'd just need DDR3 memory. It would then give a future upgrade path from the Phenom CPU.

Martini1991 · 26 Oct 2011 at 15:25

Roll said:
That's what I mean.

I'd be able to carry over my AM3 Phenom II 980 to an AM3+ board, I'd just need DDR3 memory. It would then give a future upgrade path from the Phenom CPU.

Except that the Bulldozer CPU's aren't performing any better than your Phenom II in the vast majority of applications, only ones which can utilise 8 threads, and even then it's not exactly anything short of "meh", and you'd have the added expense of that CPU, for lower performance than the 1155 in the long run, as well as the lack of PCI-E 3.0, which given you have an AM2+ board, you like to keep your boards a while.

I can't fault the Phenom II's, I just fault AM3+, stick with what you currently have as you will see nothing going to AM3+.

Hagar · 26 Oct 2011 at 15:35

Go for it, you are being suggested spending £350 on a CPU upgrade with mobo when all you want is a mobo upgrade for DDR3 and USB3, any mid range from Giga MSI or Asus at about £100-150.

Martini1991 · 26 Oct 2011 at 15:39

nkata said:
Go for it, you are being suggested spending £350 on a CPU upgrade with mobo when all you want is a mobo upgrade for DDR3 and USB3, any mid range from Giga MSI or Asus at about £100-150.

I'm suggesting he don't buy into it.
The "upgrade" will be 150 and net no performance increase and will lock him into AM3+, how much do you think the "upgrade" to Bulldozer would cost him? Or even PileDriver?
The upgrade to SB wouldn't be 350 at all either. The RAM would be the same price, Z68 board at about 89 quid, sell the 980, get the 2500k. Yet it would give much better performance, Sata 3, Usb 3 etc.

Hagar · 26 Oct 2011 at 16:23

To OP,

That board looks good and far better than a bottom range Z68. If you want to upgrade your motherboard from the 790 to 990 that appears the way to go.

others

Personally I believe 1155 P67/Z68 is not the best chipset out there and if I had the choice based purely on chipsets and features, AMD seems better to me. The Intel CPU is faster in benchmarks but in real world usage, there is little to differentiate my 1055T at 3.5GHz and my mates 2600k at 4.6GHz for 90%+ of all tasks including games. I seem to have far fewer problems though. No blue screens or lock ups ever and 100% compatibility with any hardware I attach to it, SSD, ram, cards and peripherals. I also appreciate the freedom to overclock systems using the busclock as well as multipliers and voltage. My next processor will probably be AMD although I shall wait a bit and see.

andy.

Roll · 26 Oct 2011 at 19:33

Cheers nkata, I think I'll go with a 990FX based board. The only question is which one.
I know the bulldozers are not an improvement on the AM3 Phenoms, but hopefully future AMD releases will be and that board should give me a reasonable upgrade path for the next couple of years at least.

Jokester · 26 Oct 2011 at 19:40

Wait, are you going AM3 to AM3+ on the off chance that you might be able to upgrade in a couple of years?

Just keep your AM3 and wait a couple of years!

Martini1991 · 26 Oct 2011 at 20:27

Jokester said:
Wait, are you going AM3 to AM3+ on the off chance that you might be able to upgrade in a couple of years?

Just keep your AM3 and wait a couple of years!

He doesn't have an AM3 board, he has an AM2+ board.

God knows why he's spending money, but I'm done trying to convince him to take the better platform

Hopefully AM3+ will die soon and make way for AMD to create a decent CPU. Piledriver hopefully will be the last AM3+ Native CPU.

Roll said:
Cheers nkata, I think I'll go with a 990FX based board. The only question is which one.
I know the bulldozers are not an improvement on the AM3 Phenoms, but hopefully future AMD releases will be and that board should give me a reasonable upgrade path for the next couple of years at least.

Your choice, but it's the wrong one

Roll · 26 Oct 2011 at 20:44

I suppose I'm just an AMD fanboy :rolleyes: