MoBo for X99 5820K SLI Build

[nostrocrompt]

Heyo,
Preparing to build my first gaming rig, and hoping to get something that will be worthwhile for a good 4+ years (might even consider VR headsets when they come out; goodbye world). These are the specs I've settled on:

Intel 5820K
Intel 750 PCIE 3.0 SSD (as the boot drive, will need 4x PCIE 3.0 lanes)
MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti GTX 980TI (will eventually get second card for SLI)
Cryorig R1 Universal CPU Fan
Fractal Design R5 case
EVGA 220-P2-1200-X1 PSU

I haven't 100% been able to settle on the MoBo, but I've been taking a hard look at:

ASUS X99-A/USB 3.1 LGA 2011-v3
MSI X99A SLI PLUS LGA 2011-v3

Do any of you have a strong opinion of one vs the other, or whether there's another board I should consider looking at? My chief concern is the PCIE spacing, as I will want to support the Dual 980 TI SLI + Intel 750 SSD. Thanks for the help!

 

[IntelTurtleFan]

I would go with Z170 or Z97 over X99 for gaming. It takes a decent overclock for the 5820k to be very effective over the mainstream end i7s. And even then the other CPUs generally perform better in gaming.

 

[Kenneth Barker]

I would go with Z170 or Z97 over X99 for gaming. It takes a decent overclock for the 5820k to be very effective over the mainstream end i7s. And even then the other CPUs generally perform better in gaming.

I must disagree with this. Only because in a case of future proofing. The 2011-3 chips on X99 will outshine the other chips rather soon. With boosted APi support for true multi core support in DX12, the increased number of PCI-E lanes in the 5000 series chips and and increase in core numbers and OC performance puts it well ahead of the other chips sets (including SkyLake). If you were talking about non OC gaming performance TODAY, you would be correct. However, I would take the 5820K (preferably the 5930K for the extra PCI-E lanes, but that is a good tad more expensive) over any 4000 or 6000 series chip.

For your MOBO, both those are solid choices. I personally run an MSI board, and have been pretty happy with it. Many also like the ASUS boards, they make awesome products, but have terrible customer service.

Flip a coin if you must, you will be happy with either choice.

 

[IntelTurtleFan]

Do you have evidence?

 

[Kenneth Barker]

Do you have evidence?

Yes,

With the increased number of PCI-E lanes alone. The 5820K will allow for 16x-8x SLI and the 5930K will allow for a full 16x-16x threading. Benchmarks for DX12 API overhead from FutureMark and other demo API over head bench marks place the X99 chips well above the other chip platforms as the API is a massive improvement in CPU multi core utilization and Multi Core CPU and GPU overhead.

I own a 4790K system as well as a 5930K system, and have seen the direct results of the API benchmarks personally.

DDR4 RAM is also a huge improvement in RAM performance over DDR3. This is not a computer to perform well today, its a system to perform well today as well as 4-5 years from now, and the Z97 chip set is a generation gap behind already. You will see this effect become even more apparent when HBM cards start rolling into the market, 4K becomes more common, and graphics API mature into the multi core world.

 

[IntelTurtleFan]

I have a 5930k system also and it performs equal to cheaper CPU's. I do not think 1-2 fps is a substantial improvement.
Benchmarks with the same hardware:

Spoiler

Battlefield 4 1920x1080 Ultra (FPS Higher is better)
I7-5960X - 110
I7-5930K - 99
I7-5820K - 94
I7-4790K - 94
I5-4690K - 83
I5-4460 - 70
FX-9590 - 66
FX-8350 - 62
FX-6350 - 60
FX-6300 - 58
I3-4150 - 50

Crysis 3 1920x1080 Very High (FPS Higher is better)
I7-5960X - 49
I7-5930K - 48
I7-5820K - 48
I7-4790K - 49
I5-4690K - 46
FX-9590 - 36
FX-8350 - 31
FX-6300 - 30
FX-6350 - 32
I3-4150 - 34
I5-4460 - 41

Far Cry 3 1920x1080 Ultra (FPS Higher is better)
I7-5960X - 73
I7-5930K - 69
I7-5820K - 66
I7-4790K - 80
I5-4690K - 73
FX-9590 - 53
FX-8350 - 51
FX-6300 - 45
FX-6350 - 49
I3-4150 - 52
I5-4460 - 59

CineBENCH R11.5 (Higher is better)
I7-5960X - 14.42
I7-5930K - 11.49
I7-5820K - 10.89
I7-4790K - 9.21
FX-9590 - 7.85
FX-8350 - 6.98
I5-4690K - 6.49
I5-4460 - 5.57
FX-6300 - 4.55
FX-6350 - 5.04
I3-4150 - 3.78

x264 HD Encoding (Higher is better)
I7-5960X - 81.1
I7-5930K - 63.3
I7-5820K - 61.5
I7-4790K - 49.3
FX-9590 - 46.4
FX-8350 - 40.2
I5-4460 - 30.6
I5-4690K - 36.8
FX-6300 - 28.2
FX-6350 - 31.4
I3-4150 - 21.1

Premiere Pro (Time in seconds Lower is better)
I7-5960X - 20
I7-5930K - 23
I7-5820K - 25
I7-4790K - 27
I5-4690K - 37
I5-4460 - 44
FX-9590 - 51
FX-8350 - 57
I3-4150 - 67
FX-6350 - 79
FX-6300 - 89


Power Consumption (Wattage Lower is better)
Idle / Load
I7-5960X - 70 / 306
I7-5930K - 70 / 260
I7-5820K - 70 / 251
I7-4790K - 53 / 236
I5-4690K - 53 / 211
FX-9590 - 94 / 288
FX-8350 - 79 / 249
FX-6300 - 76 / 236
FX-6350 - 75 / 240
I3-4150 - 48 / 196
I5-4460 - 51 / 197

 

[nostrocrompt]

Do you have evidence?

Yes,

With the increased number of PCI-E lanes alone. The 5820K will allow for 16x-8x SLI and the 5930K will allow for a full 16x-16x threading. Benchmarks for DX12 API overhead from FutureMark and other demo API over head bench marks place the X99 chips well above the other chip platforms as the API is a massive improvement in CPU multi core utilization and Multi Core CPU and GPU overhead.

I own a 4790K system as well as a 5930K system, and have seen the direct results of the API benchmarks personally.

DDR4 RAM is also a huge improvement in RAM performance over DDR3. This is not a computer to perform well today, its a system to perform well today as well as 4-5 years from now, and the Z97 chip set is a generation gap behind already. You will see this effect become even more apparent when HBM cards start rolling into the market, 4K becomes more common, and graphics API mature into the multi core world.

That's another thing I was curious about, the 3 way PCIE configurations in each MoBo for the 5820k are:
ASUS - 16x8x4 vs MSI - 8x8x8
2 questions:
1)Current benchmarks of SLI performance in 16x16 vs 16x8 vs 8x8 suggest a negligible difference in FPS; 2x 980Ti SLI still handily crushes FPS at ultra settings in 1440p regardless of the lane configuration. Will that remain true as DX12 becomes the norm, or will we really begin to see the 16x16 SLI config separate itself as a significant improvement?
2)When the board's specs state it supports up to 3-way PCIE configuration, does that mean just for SLI/ Crossfire? Would it preclude running a 2 way SLI on the board as well as having 2x Intel 750 SSDs, in case I ever added a second one?

Thank you for the thoughtful and informative responses!

 

[Kenneth Barker]

I have a 5930k system also and it performs equal to cheaper CPU's. I do not think 1-2 fps is a substantial improvement.
Benchmarks with the same hardware:

Spoiler

Battlefield 4 1920x1080 Ultra (FPS Higher is better)
I7-5960X - 110
I7-5930K - 99
I7-5820K - 94
I7-4790K - 94
I5-4690K - 83
I5-4460 - 70
FX-9590 - 66
FX-8350 - 62
FX-6350 - 60
FX-6300 - 58
I3-4150 - 50

Crysis 3 1920x1080 Very High (FPS Higher is better)
I7-5960X - 49
I7-5930K - 48
I7-5820K - 48
I7-4790K - 49
I5-4690K - 46
FX-9590 - 36
FX-8350 - 31
FX-6300 - 30
FX-6350 - 32
I3-4150 - 34
I5-4460 - 41

Far Cry 3 1920x1080 Ultra (FPS Higher is better)
I7-5960X - 73
I7-5930K - 69
I7-5820K - 66
I7-4790K - 80
I5-4690K - 73
FX-9590 - 53
FX-8350 - 51
FX-6300 - 45
FX-6350 - 49
I3-4150 - 52
I5-4460 - 59

CineBENCH R11.5 (Higher is better)
I7-5960X - 14.42
I7-5930K - 11.49
I7-5820K - 10.89
I7-4790K - 9.21
FX-9590 - 7.85
FX-8350 - 6.98
I5-4690K - 6.49
I5-4460 - 5.57
FX-6300 - 4.55
FX-6350 - 5.04
I3-4150 - 3.78

x264 HD Encoding (Higher is better)
I7-5960X - 81.1
I7-5930K - 63.3
I7-5820K - 61.5
I7-4790K - 49.3
FX-9590 - 46.4
FX-8350 - 40.2
I5-4460 - 30.6
I5-4690K - 36.8
FX-6300 - 28.2
FX-6350 - 31.4
I3-4150 - 21.1

Premiere Pro (Time in seconds Lower is better)
I7-5960X - 20
I7-5930K - 23
I7-5820K - 25
I7-4790K - 27
I5-4690K - 37
I5-4460 - 44
FX-9590 - 51
FX-8350 - 57
I3-4150 - 67
FX-6350 - 79
FX-6300 - 89


Power Consumption (Wattage Lower is better)
Idle / Load
I7-5960X - 70 / 306
I7-5930K - 70 / 260
I7-5820K - 70 / 251
I7-4790K - 53 / 236
I5-4690K - 53 / 211
FX-9590 - 94 / 288
FX-8350 - 79 / 249
FX-6300 - 76 / 236
FX-6350 - 75 / 240
I3-4150 - 48 / 196
I5-4460 - 51 / 197

You are missing the point I am afraid. You are showing Current and older game performance. None of this is showing future performance with DX12 API overhead, or the effects and benefits of the increased PCI-E lanes. These games are using DX11, and several of the games are quite a bit higher in performance around 10% at stock speeds. Yes, currently, with DX11 and older games the higher clock speed will provide the performance boost difference. Keep in mind, we are talking about FUTURE and changes coming to this industry that are already in motion. Not current tech, and any way you shake it, except for one game on your benchmark list. The X99 chips are still performing better. even without the DX12 API.

 

[Kenneth Barker]

Do you have evidence?

Yes,

With the increased number of PCI-E lanes alone. The 5820K will allow for 16x-8x SLI and the 5930K will allow for a full 16x-16x threading. Benchmarks for DX12 API overhead from FutureMark and other demo API over head bench marks place the X99 chips well above the other chip platforms as the API is a massive improvement in CPU multi core utilization and Multi Core CPU and GPU overhead.

I own a 4790K system as well as a 5930K system, and have seen the direct results of the API benchmarks personally.

DDR4 RAM is also a huge improvement in RAM performance over DDR3. This is not a computer to perform well today, its a system to perform well today as well as 4-5 years from now, and the Z97 chip set is a generation gap behind already. You will see this effect become even more apparent when HBM cards start rolling into the market, 4K becomes more common, and graphics API mature into the multi core world.

That's another thing I was curious about, the 3 way PCIE configurations in each MoBo for the 5820k are:
ASUS - 16x8x4 vs MSI - 8x8x8
2 questions:
1)Current benchmarks of SLI performance in 16x16 vs 16x8 vs 8x8 suggest a negligible difference in FPS; 2x 980Ti SLI still handily crushes FPS at ultra settings in 1440p regardless of the lane configuration. Will that remain true as DX12 becomes the norm, or will we really begin to see the 16x16 SLI config separate itself as a significant improvement?
2)When the board's specs state it supports up to 3-way PCIE configuration, does that mean just for SLI/ Crossfire? Would it preclude running a 2 way SLI on the board as well as having 2x Intel 750 SSDs, in case I ever added a second one?

Thank you for the thoughtful and informative responses!

Yes, as of right now 8x is solid for current card outputs. However, changes are coming, and in the next couple years we could readily see card speeds and performances pushed exponentially upwards. Next year with Nvidia releasing the Pascal HBM2 cards, they are expecting 10xs the performance of Maxwell. and then Volta in 2018 will continue that performance trend of Pascal. We are on the edge of a large technology evolution when it comes to chipset and configuration process. The fact of the matter is the X99 chips will last longer than the Z97 chips.

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2400163/gtc-2015-nvidias-next-gen-gpu-pascal-will-be-10-times-faster-than-maxwell