B450 Tomahawk or B350 PC MATE

[mv73gt]

Hello! I have a Ryzen 5 2600 and 8GB of g.skill F4-3000c16s-gisb memory. I'm trying to find which motherboard to buy and I'm torn between the b450 tomahawk which costs 115 euros and the b350 PC mate which costs 80 euros. The BIOS of the b350 board will be updated by the shop, so there is no problem there. So, my question is: is the b450 tomahawk worth the extra 35 euros or not? I don't really plan on overclocking I just want a reliable system that will last me for years.

 

[feelinfroggy777]

I like the tomahawk as a good midrange board. But if you are not gonna overclock and you dont have to work about bios updates, then the B350 board makes sense. The only thing you want to be careful of is memory support. The memory support is not great on the 300 series mobos. So I would check and make sure that your memory is on the motherboard QVL.

If the shop is going to build it, then I would just let them worry about that.

 

[ohenryy]

Dont buy a b350 as it wont support the boost on the newest CPUs. Even if you don't overclock, one of the reasons the new gen cpus perform so well it's because of their new boost.

Get a B450 Gaming K4, it's excellent.

 

[Rogue Leader]

Dont buy a b350 as it wont support the boost on the newest CPUs. Even if you don't overclock, one of the reasons the new gen cpus perform so well it's because of their new boost.

Get a B450 Gaming K4, it's excellent.

Not true. As long as the motherboard is updated to the latest AGESA BIOS update it will support XFR2 and PB2.

I like the tomahawk as a good midrange board. But if you are not gonna overclock and you dont have to work about bios updates, then the B350 board makes sense. The only thing you want to be careful of is memory support. The memory support is not great on the 300 series mobos. So I would check and make sure that your memory is on the motherboard QVL.

If the shop is going to build it, then I would just let them worry about that.

Also not true. This has been very clearly resolved by BIOS updates that have been out for quite a while. While B450 boards support slightly faster memory, on a midrange build this support is irrelevant.

 

[drea.drechsler]

Hello! I have a Ryzen 5 2600 and 8GB of g.skill F4-3000c16s-gisb memory. I'm trying to find which motherboard to buy and I'm torn between the b450 tomahawk which costs 115 euros and the b350 PC mate which costs 80 euros. The BIOS of the b350 board will be updated by the shop, so there is no problem there. So, my question is: is the b450 tomahawk worth the extra 35 euros or not? I don't really plan on overclocking I just want a reliable system that will last me for years.

Simply put: yes, the B450 is worth the extra expense. It has a much superior VRM design that will run much cooler and a cooler running motherboard lasts longer.

 

[feelinfroggy777]

Dont buy a b350 as it wont support the boost on the newest CPUs. Even if you don't overclock, one of the reasons the new gen cpus perform so well it's because of their new boost.

Get a B450 Gaming K4, it's excellent.

Not true. As long as the motherboard is updated to the latest AGESA BIOS update it will support XFR2 and PB2.

I like the tomahawk as a good midrange board. But if you are not gonna overclock and you dont have to work about bios updates, then the B350 board makes sense. The only thing you want to be careful of is memory support. The memory support is not great on the 300 series mobos. So I would check and make sure that your memory is on the motherboard QVL.

If the shop is going to build it, then I would just let them worry about that.

Also not true. This has been very clearly resolved by BIOS updates that have been out for quite a while. While B450 boards support slightly faster memory, on a midrange build this support is irrelevant.

Yep, its still true and will always be true for the 300 series motherboards. While bios updates have improved memory compatibility, it is still very poor for b350 boards and I would not recommend buying memory that was not a a 300 series QVL.

 

[Rogue Leader]

Dont buy a b350 as it wont support the boost on the newest CPUs. Even if you don't overclock, one of the reasons the new gen cpus perform so well it's because of their new boost.

Get a B450 Gaming K4, it's excellent.

Not true. As long as the motherboard is updated to the latest AGESA BIOS update it will support XFR2 and PB2.

I like the tomahawk as a good midrange board. But if you are not gonna overclock and you dont have to work about bios updates, then the B350 board makes sense. The only thing you want to be careful of is memory support. The memory support is not great on the 300 series mobos. So I would check and make sure that your memory is on the motherboard QVL.

If the shop is going to build it, then I would just let them worry about that.

Also not true. This has been very clearly resolved by BIOS updates that have been out for quite a while. While B450 boards support slightly faster memory, on a midrange build this support is irrelevant.

Yep, its still true and will always be true for the 300 series motherboards. While bios updates have improved memory compatibility, it is still very poor for b350 boards and I would not recommend buying memory that was not a a 300 series QVL.

Except that its not true because there have been a TON of BIOS updates for all 300 series boards eliminating virtually all of the memory compatibility issues. Yes I agree always recommend something on the QVL as its tested and hey you never know (but I do that with any board, intel or amd).

So you can stomp your feet all you want and say otherwise but, again, your statement is still wrong.

 

[feelinfroggy777]

No foot stomping here bud, just reality.

 

[logainofhades]

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/B350-TOMAHAWK

Version
7A34v1I
Release Date
2018-07-25
File Size
10.59 MB

Description
- Update AGESA Code 1.0.0.4C
- Improve memory compatibility.

https://community.amd.com/thread/231489


B450 supports faster ram. That is it's big advantage. For the OP's build that isn't really that big of a deal.

 

[feelinfroggy777]

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/B350-TOMAHAWK

Version
7A34v1I
Release Date
2018-07-25
File Size
10.59 MB

Description
- Update AGESA Code 1.0.0.4C
- Improve memory compatibility.

https://community.amd.com/thread/231489


B450 supports faster ram. That is it's big advantage. For the OP's build that isn't really that big of a deal.

Maybe you should have read where I said this:

bios updates have improved memory compatibility

But improvement does not mean that it is good.

 

[feelinfroggy777]

Additionally, after a review of the MSI B350 PC Mate QVL, GSkill F4-3000C16S-GISB is NOT on the compatibility list.

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/B350-PC-MATE#support-mem-14

 

[Rogue Leader]

Additionally, after a review of the MSI B350 PC Mate QVL, GSkill F4-3000C16S-GISB is NOT on the compatibility list.

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/B350-PC-MATE#support-mem-14

The QVL is written when the board is originally released and is simply a list of modules that were tested AT THE TIME. The manufacturers don't go back and update it and continue to retest random memory modules with all their boards. Thats why the QVL is useful but not the bible.

 

[drea.drechsler]

The QVL is written when the board is originally released and is simply a list of modules that were tested AT THE TIME. The manufacturers don't go back and update it and continue to retest random memory modules with all their boards. Thats why the QVL is useful but not the bible.

That is so true and makes perfect sense on the face of it since, to follow the logic, should mfr's feel compelled to update the QVL for every BIOS release that 'improved memory performance' (and there have indeed been 'tons' for Ryzen boards, although I'm curious if that's metric or long tons) of every board that's all they'd ever be doing. Add to that the simple fact that memory mfr's have the ability to change the 'formula' (memory dies/lots and SPD parameters) of their memory modules it gets even more interesting.

 

[feelinfroggy777]

Additionally, after a review of the MSI B350 PC Mate QVL, GSkill F4-3000C16S-GISB is NOT on the compatibility list.

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/B350-PC-MATE#support-mem-14

The QVL is written when the board is originally released and is simply a list of modules that were tested AT THE TIME. The manufacturers don't go back and update it and continue to retest random memory modules with all their boards. Thats why the QVL is useful but not the bible.

Now I will quote you:

Not true.

The QVL was updated for Raven Ridge and Pinnacle Ridge CPUs (take a look at the link). This was long after the initial b350 initial release. While I do agree with you, the QVL is not the bible, but for the 300 series chipsets, I would not steer away from it. I say this from my own experience with the chipset even after bios updates.

That is just my opinion and I have the right to change my mind at any time (lol). Just as you have the right to disagree. I think you have made your point known that you disagree and I am not sure if this back and fourth banter is staying on the OP's topic.

 

[Rogue Leader]

Additionally, after a review of the MSI B350 PC Mate QVL, GSkill F4-3000C16S-GISB is NOT on the compatibility list.

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/B350-PC-MATE#support-mem-14

The QVL is written when the board is originally released and is simply a list of modules that were tested AT THE TIME. The manufacturers don't go back and update it and continue to retest random memory modules with all their boards. Thats why the QVL is useful but not the bible.

Now I will quote you:

Not true.

The QVL was updated for Raven Ridge and Pinnacle Ridge CPUs (take a look at the link). This was long after the initial b350 initial release. While I do agree with you, the QVL is not the bible, but for the 300 series chipsets, I would not steer away from it. I say this from my own experience with the chipset even after bios updates.

That is just my opinion and I have the right to change my mind at any time (lol). Just as you have the right to disagree. I think you have made your point known that you disagree and I am not sure if this back and fourth banter is staying on the OP's topic.

The Memory QVL is NOT updated all the time past the initial offering. They are not sitting there testing new memory every bios update on old boards. of course the CPU QVL will be updated when they add BIOS support for new CPUs, this... clearly... makes sense.

And I agree at this point we have both said our piece, and the OP hasn't come back so when he does he has some reading to do and decisions to make.