Question 7900x3d motherboard

Jan 18, 2023
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looking at two motherboards below. any difference between? all i care about is max fps in gaming and high quality audio. will prob get cheaper air cooler so no overclocking will be done on the 7900x3d when released. any reccomendations? not looking to spend over 250 on the motherboard alone. from what i understand i dont need any pcie gen 5 for any gaming benefits. so looking at the cheapest b650s that have good audio

https://www.amazon.com/GIGABYTE-B650-Warranty-EZ-Latch-Motherboard/dp/B0BH7GTY9C/ref=sr_1_1?crid=279V7329O201U&keywords=b650+am5&qid=1674419638&s=electronics&sprefix=b650+am5,electronics,85&sr=1-1&ufe=app_do:amzn1.fos.f5122f16-c3e8-4386-bf32-63e904010ad0&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BHN7GGBQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1
 

zx128k

Reputable
7900x3d is going to need a decent AIO cooler; if all you care about is maximum fps that will be your number 1 priority. Keep the CPU cool so it boosts ingame as high as possible. 3D chips like the 5800X3d get very hot. Also you are picking motherboards with enlarged VRMs and getting a cheap air cooler. Its pointless. Also good audio means mostly avoiding the onboard sound on cheap motherboards.

If you want to best FPS, then great cooling and go as high as possible with the DDR5 frequency. Get the best gpu. The really expensive motherboards have decent onboard audio but its not as good as a decent audio card. The cheapest B650 will have the decent but not very good onboard audio.

I would balance all this requirements. Decent cooling, VRMs, DDR5 RAM frequency and audio. Thats in line with max fps.
 
Jan 18, 2023
17
2
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7900x3d is going to need a decent AIO cooler; if all you care about is maximum fps that will be your number 1 priority. Keep the CPU cool so it boosts ingame as high as possible. 3D chips like the 5800X3d get very hot. Also you are picking motherboards with enlarged VRMs and getting a cheap air cooler. Its pointless. Also good audio means m6ostly avoiding the onboard sound on cheap motherboards.
If you want to best FPS, then great cooling and go as hih as possible with the DDR5 frequency. Get the best gpu. The really expensive motherboards have decent onboard audio but its not as good as a decent audio card. The cheapest B650 will have the decent but not very good onboard audio.

I would balance all this requirements. Decent cooling, VRMs, DDR5 RAM frequency and audio. Thats in line with max fps.
your right i dont need even those motherboards. i found https://www.newegg.com/asrock-b650m-pg-riptide/p/N82E16813162083?Item=N82E16813162083 and this is what im going for. i dont need wifi rgb or pcie 5. Can always upgrade ram and cooling later. Would the
NH-U14s work for the mean time, seen here, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C9FLSLY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1Z5H6ZGWCMTNX&psc=1 ? I guess audio doesnt matter as later i will upgrade headset to headphones with dac and amp. mainly i would just need to upgrade my 5600x to a 5800x3d for the performance im after but with the budget ddr5 ram the budget cooler with that asrock motherboard im willing to spend a bit more there for cheaper parts on top of the 7900x3d cost which seems a better option then just throwing the 5800x3d in replacement of my 5600x considering the am5 budget setup wouldnt be that much more after i ebay my current ram motherboard and 5600x.
 
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zx128k

Reputable
your right i dont need even those motherboards. i found https://www.newegg.com/asrock-b650m-pg-riptide/p/N82E16813162083?Item=N82E16813162083 and this is what im going for. i dont need wifi rgb or pcie 5. Can always upgrade ram and cooling later. Would the
NH-U14s work for the mean time, seen here, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C9FLSLY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1Z5H6ZGWCMTNX&psc=1 ? I guess audio doesnt matter as later i will upgrade headset to headphones with dac and amp. mainly i would just need to upgrade my 5600x to a 5800x3d for the performance im after but with the budget ddr5 ram the budget cooler with that asrock motherboard im willing to spend a bit more there for cheaper parts on top of the 7900x3d cost which seems a better option then just throwing the 5800x3d in replacement of my 5600x considering the am5 budget setup wouldnt be that much more after i ebay my current ram motherboard and 5600x.

Its all about your own priorities, you have to live with the end build and enjoy playing games on it. Research everything, watch every youtube video and read every review.
 

CeltPC

Honorable
Jun 8, 2017
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Is that the asus you would go with or another model? Im not to hip too different motherboard features.
It all comes down to what you value most in your use case. For example, I love great audio (I use headphones), so for me the MB audio is meaningless because I connect through USB to my external DAC (SMSL SU-9n), then an XLR connection to my amp (Singxer SA-1), then a balanced cable to my headphones. For many folk, this would be total overkill.

Here is a brief run down of what I prioritize when choosing a motherboard:
  1. Quality of the design/components (Layers, capacitors, VRM/Power delivery design, VRM cooling)
  2. Memory Stability / RAM overclocking
  3. Bios upgrade features (particularly for new platforms like AM5) i.e. does it have strong bios flashing features - I like a dedicated USG Bios port, a Bios flashback button, and a "Clear CMOS" button all on the backplate. This can save you untold grief / hassles.
  4. Decent troubleshooting / diagnostic features (Minimum of LED's that at least tells you if it is RAM, CPU etc. that is causing the problem. Better is display on MB that shows specific error codes.)
  5. Connectivity - do the quantity and types meet my immediate needs and give room for expansion of devices in the future.
  6. Smart allocation of PCI-e lanes - For example, I don't like how Gigabyte AM5 MB's prioritize having 4 Gen 5 NVME slots, but at the cost of cutting your PCIEx16 graphics card slot to PCIEx8 if you populate more than the first two M.2 slots. (See mobo PCB Breakdown: Gigabyte B650E Aorus Master)
  7. Bios Design - User friendly and good features
Hope that helps..
 
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zx128k

Reputable
Most boards are fine at stock settings. If you start overclocking then you don't want weak VRMs, weak VRMs when overclocking will hit 110c and turn the inside of your case into a furnace.
Also the more expensive boards have better RAM support and a design for high RAM speeds. If overclocking you want a DEBUG LED showing specific error codes and a dual BIOS motherboard. Bios flashback, a USB port on the back for this and a CMOS reset button/power button.

For boosting a 7950x will love better cooling. This way you can turn on PBO, set XMP and call it a day.

Most people into audio in a big way will get a sound card. Some of the expensive motherboard have decent sound cards builtin but these are basic and normally by realtek.

With motherboard you need to read reviews and browse the internet to find out about the known issues. For example there are lots of spreedsheets.

From the spreadsheet for Asrock the B650E Taichi has the best audio Realtek ALC4082 w/ESS SABRE9218 DAC DDL/DTS. Also the motherboard you are looking at has likely the weakest VRMs. Also other manufactures offer better audio for their more cheaper motherboards.

Any motherboard that lists the cpu as supported should be fine running said cpu at stock but you still need to read up on that motherboard and find its known issues. Read the reviews.
 
Jan 18, 2023
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Most boards are fine at stock settings. If you start overclocking then you don't want weak VRMs, weak VRMs when overclocking will hit 110c and turn the inside of your case into a furnace.
Also the more expensive boards have better RAM support and a design for high RAM speeds. If overclocking you want a DEBUG LED showing specific error codes and a dual BIOS motherboard. Bios flashback, a USB port on the back for this and a CMOS reset button/power button.

For boosting a 7950x will love better cooling. This way you can turn on PBO, set XMP and call it a day.

Most people into audio in a big way will get a sound card. Some of the expensive motherboard have decent sound cards builtin but these are basic and normally by realtek.

With motherboard you need to read reviews and browse the internet to find out about the known issues. For example there are lots of spreedsheets.

From the spreadsheet for Asrock the B650E Taichi has the best audio Realtek ALC4082 w/ESS SABRE9218 DAC DDL/DTS. Also the motherboard you are looking at has likely the weakest VRMs. Also other manufactures offer better audio for their more cheaper motherboards.

Any motherboard that lists the cpu as supported should be fine running said cpu at stock but you still need to read up on that motherboard and find its known issues. Read the reviews.
Good excel sheet. If only i understood vrms and the new 7900x3d use of them. My boards VRMs are "
3x4+2+150A SPS
Is that enough to run xmp and pbo for a 7900x3d? Your right i need a sound card. So im after the cheapest board that can simply run 7900x3d pbo and xmp. Thats it
 
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Just an FYI, the Realtek ALC4082 in NOT the successor to the ALC1220. How they connect to the motherboard is different, but performance is the same.

Be careful with cheaper motherboards. You may be limiting the performance of the 7900X3D. What is max budgeted for your motherboard?
 
Jan 18, 2023
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Just an FYI, the Realtek ALC4082 in NOT the successor to the ALC1220. How they connect to the motherboard is different, but performance is the same.

Be careful with cheaper motherboards. You may be limiting the performance of the 7900X3D. What is max budgeted for your motherboard?
200 really was budget. I don't care about the audio im going to get a dac. Will the asrock pg riptide limit the 7900x3d?
 
I am waiting to see the benchmarks before I start digging into details of which motherboard. I would suspect a board that can run a 7900x will easily do a 7900x3d. The x3d takes less power, likely because the base clock rates are lower.
What I want to see is how they manage to get the same boost clock rates and use less power. Something is fishy here.

So far I have not seen anything that indicates the x3d will need any higher end boards.
 

zx128k

Reputable
Just an FYI, the Realtek ALC4082 in NOT the successor to the ALC1220. How they connect to the motherboard is different, but performance is the same.

Be careful with cheaper motherboards. You may be limiting the performance of the 7900X3D. What is max budgeted for your motherboard?
Its more the DAC. The ALC4082 is still better.

The new ES9218 SABRE HiFi System-On-Chip (SOC) integrates 32-bit stereo Quad DACs, high-power headphone amplifiers, ultra-low noise DAC references and output switches to save both space and cost. It introduces advanced features previously found only in high-end audio equipment allowing, according to ESS, for “a supreme listening experience directly from your mobile device.”
OP has other plans.

You are right about bad VRMs limiting the 7950x but he should be fine with a decent motherboard. Just need a budge like you stated.

My motherboard uses the ROG SupremeFX ALC4082 with ESS ES9018Q2C DAC for audio. The Q2C is a DAC+Amp with 121dB DR, 115dB SINAD, 40-QFN package and 100mW power consumption. The ALC4082's major feature update over the ALC1220 is support for playback at up to 32-bit with a 384KHz sampling rate.

Just an FYI, the Realtek ALC4082 in NOT the successor to the ALC1220.
Mainboards equipped with ALC1220 are capable of 32-bit 192KHz signal as far as I can tell.

And no, the ALC4080 is NOT the successor of the ALC1220, as you could read in many media, but a completely new chip class with a fundamentally different technical solution and connection. To illustrate this, let’s look at the two block diagrams. On the left we see the ALC1220 with the bi-lingual interface and on the right the USB-based, new ALC4080.
here You can see in the block diagram that the ALC4080 supports 364kHz and the ALC1220 supports 192kHz.

There are issues with onboard sound with many motherboards. They can go to decent without a graphic load to poor with a graphics load.
 
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Pyrostemplar

Commendable
Aug 21, 2020
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I am waiting to see the benchmarks before I start digging into details of which motherboard. I would suspect a board that can run a 7900x will easily do a 7900x3d. The x3d takes less power, likely because the base clock rates are lower.
What I want to see is how they manage to get the same boost clock rates and use less power. Something is fishy here.

AFAIK the 3d cache is just on one CCD, that maxes out at a lower freq than the other regular CCD. The boost clock rates they are stating is only achieved by the second CCD.

So the less power comes from lower clock rates and possibly lower power limits and a bit of binning.
 
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