Question I need to replace my motherboard, looking for suggestions.

[dinterzic2016]

So my motherboard is dead, and I’m looking for another one, and that’s why I’m here, for suggestions on a similar (but better) motherboard

GPU: GTX 1050 (PCIe 3.0)
Cpu: AMD FX 4300 ( Am3+ socket)
Motherboard: MSI 760GMA-P34 (Fx)

Budget: 80-125$

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

Ebay or a similar used market is the best place to find AM3+ boards.

 

[dinterzic2016]

Ebay or a similar used market is the best place to find AM3+ boards.

Do most of them have a PCI-e 3.0 slot for my GPU?

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

ONLY 1 AM3+ board had 3.0 PCIE and it hasn't been available for years. PCIE 2.0 won't hold a card back at all.

 

[Calvin7]

ASRock 970M Pro3
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157582

 

[ElectrO_90]

ASRock 970M Pro3
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157582

It says unavailable to me

 

[dinterzic2016]

ASRock 970M Pro3
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157582

Thanks! I’ll probably get that one!
Also, on most almost all motherboards I look at, instead of a 4 pin connector (in the top left corner) it was 8 pins. Would that be a problem??

 

[dinterzic2016]

ASRock 970M Pro3
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157582

It’s either the one you sent me or Ga-97A-DS3P
Which one???

 

[ElectrO_90]

If it has 8 pin, you are going to need an 8 pin PSU - but there are adaptors around, although people don't recommend them.

 

[drea.drechsler]

Thanks! I’ll probably get that one!
Also, on most almost all motherboards I look at, instead of a 4 pin connector (in the top left corner) it was 8 pins. Would that be a problem??

8 pin CPU power would be useful for an 8 core FX (and even then only when overclocking). A 4300, however, shouldn't need one even overclocked.

 

[dinterzic2016]

If it has 8 pin, you are going to need an 8 pin PSU - but there are adaptors around, although people don't recommend them.

In that case I’ll get 970A-DS3P
Also what’s the difference between the 2 motherboards I talked about

 

[dinterzic2016]

8 pin CPU power would be useful for an 8 core FX (and even then only when overclocking). A 4300, however, shouldn't need one even overclocked.

👍👍👍
What’s the difference between the motherboard I talked about and the one that was recommended

 

[drea.drechsler]

👍👍👍
What’s the difference between the motherboard I talked about and the one that was recommended

The biggest and most meaningful difference is one's an mATX (970M Pro3) and the other's an ATX (970A-DS3P) . They both have 4+1 VRM setups with heatsinks on the FET's, they both have a couple USB 3 ports. Audio's probably not much difference..neither one top of line and same with NIC's.

I'd go with the one that fits your case best. If you have an mATX case then the ATX definitely won't fit, if you've an ATX case it will seem a bit empty inside with an mATX board in it. As I said, lack of 8 pin CPU power is not a big deal for an FX4300...i even ran a heavily overclocked FX6300 (6 cores @4.5Ghz) on an M5A88M, also 4 pin CPU power, for several years with nary a peep. Well, the VRM would throttle the CPU when it overheated; Asus was one of the first to make pretty good hardware that way.

If you've any special requirements or out of the ordinary needs in your motherboard you best tell us so we can help.

 

[dinterzic2016]

The biggest and most meaningful difference is one's an mATX (970M Pro3) and the other's an ATX (970A-DS3P) . They both have 4+1 VRM setups with heatsinks on the FET's, they both have a couple USB 3 ports. Audio's probably not much difference..neither one top of line and same with NIC's.

I'd go with the one that fits your case best. If you have an mATX case then the ATX definitely won't fit, if you've an ATX case it will seem a bit empty inside with an mATX board in it. As I said, lack of 8 pin CPU power is not a big deal for an FX4300...i even ran a heavily overclocked FX6300 (6 cores @4.5Ghz) on an M5A88M, also 4 pin CPU power, for several years with nary a peep. Well, the VRM would throttle the CPU when it overheated; Asus was one of the first to make pretty good hardware that way.

If you've any special requirements or out of the ordinary needs in your motherboard you best tell us so we can help.

How do I know if my case is an AFX, or mAFX, or anything else

 

[drea.drechsler]

How do I know if my case is an AFX, or mAFX, or anything else

If that '760GMA-P34 (Fx)' is the model of your current motherboard, it is an mATX motherboard. That doesn't mean you don't have an ATX case though.

The best way to know is count the number of slots. The slots are the rectangular openings that add-in cards will protrude through and line up (roughly) to sockets on the motherboard itself. Unused ones will probably have a blanking plate covering them. If there are 4 slots (which includes the slot/s the GPU is sitting in if you have one) it's an mATX case. If more than 4...say 6 or more... it's at least an ATX case.

If you have any doubts post a picture of your system if you can..back panel and/or motherboard with case cover removed.

 

[dinterzic2016]

If that '760GMA-P34 (Fx)' is the model of your current motherboard, it is an mATX motherboard. That doesn't mean you don't have an ATX case though.

The best way to know is count the number of slots. The slots are the rectangular openings that add-in cards will protrude through and line up (roughly) to sockets on the motherboard itself. Unused ones will probably have a blanking plate covering them. If there are 4 slots (which includes the slot/s the GPU is sitting in if you have one) it's an mATX case. If more than 4...say 6 or more... it's at least an ATX case.

If you have any doubts post a picture of your system if you can..back panel and/or motherboard with case cover removed.

Well, I’m considering the one that has less slots, the recommended one, I’m wondering if it affects the motherboard at all

 

[drea.drechsler]

Everything else being equal, mATX alone does not affect the motherboard.

 

[dinterzic2016]

Everything else being equal, mATX alone does not affect the motherboard.

Ok, in that case I will get the ASRock 970M Pro 3
Also what are all the slots on the Motherboard. Some are tiny, some just don’t fit my GTX 1050 (It’s a random question but just wondering

 

[drea.drechsler]

Ok, in that case I will get the ASRock 970M Pro 3
Also what are all the slots on the Motherboard. Some are tiny, some just don’t fit my GTX 1050 (It’s a random question but just wondering

One is a PCIe x 1 (only one lane), two are PCIe x16 (16 lanes). One is an old fashion PCI slot and probably not useful unless you have a special case like a legacy add-in card.

You'll want to use the PCIe x 16 slot...probably the one closest to the CPU...for the GTX-1050 GPU. Manufacturers anticipate you'll want to put a GPU in the board so one slot will be the best for that purpose and that's almost always the one closest to the CPU. But check the manual when you get the board, it will inform you better.

 

[dinterzic2016]

One is a PCIe x 1 (only one lane), two are PCIe x16 (16 lanes). One is an old fashion PCI slot and probably not useful unless you have a special case like a legacy add-in card.

You'll want to use the PCIe x 16 slot...probably the one closest to the CPU...for the GTX-1050 GPU. Manufacturers anticipate you'll want to put a GPU in the board so one slot will be the best for that purpose and that's almost always the one closest to the CPU. But check the manual when you get the board, it will inform you better.

Thank you!