Question Which AMD AM5 chipset

[mmaatt747]

This post is to ask which chipset would best for me without overkill on my build.

I will be getting the 7800X3D at launch and probably 32 GB (2x16) or possibly 64 GB (2x32) of GDDR5 RAM.

As for PCIe lanes I have:

RTX4090
4 TB PCIe GEN 4 M.2 NVME (boot drive, storage and games)
1 TB SATA 6 Gb/s M.2 drive (storage and some games)
2 TB Hard drive (storage)
ASUS Xonar DX Soundcard

The only heavy duty use will be gaming.

I am leaning towards the ASRock B650E Steel Legend motherboard
https://www.microcenter.com/product/660136/asrock-b650e-steel-legend-wifi-amd-am5-atx-motherboard

Any advice on whether I should go 650/650E or 670/670E would be greatly appreciated.

 

[drea.drechsler]

By talking 7800X3d CPU and 4090 GPU you're already talking overkill if only for gaming. A 5800X3d and B550 motherboard would be just as good for gaming unless what you really want are high benchmark scores.

Otherwise: B650e motherboard and save some money. If you can wait a while there are some $125 and less AM5 boards coming to market that might help save even more.

 

[GarrettL]

This post is to ask which chipset would best for me without overkill on my build.

I will be getting the 7800X3D at launch and probably 32 GB (2x16) or possibly 64 GB (2x32) of GDDR5 RAM.

As for PCIe lanes I have:

RTX4090
4 TB PCIe GEN 4 M.2 NVME (boot drive, storage and games)
1 TB SATA 6 Gb/s M.2 drive (storage and some games)
2 TB Hard drive (storage)
ASUS Xonar DX Soundcard

The only heavy duty use will be gaming.

I am leaning towards the ASRock B650E Steel Legend motherboard
https://www.microcenter.com/product/660136/asrock-b650e-steel-legend-wifi-amd-am5-atx-motherboard

Any advice on whether I should go 650/650E or 670/670E would be greatly appreciated.

What resolution for gaming, 4K?

The motherboards in the end are more of a personal choice. Does it meet your requirements is the question. You'll have to read through the reviews to help aid the decision.

If your build is for 4K gaming it would be overkill with the 7800x3d. But if building a new PC and you have the budget there is nothing wrong with your choice. The AM5 is the only platform on a new socket. Trying to save now does tend to cost more in the long run in the pc world.

 

[mmaatt747]

By talking 7800X3d CPU and 4090 GPU you're already talking overkill if only for gaming. A 5800X3d and B550 motherboard would be just as good for gaming unless what you really want are high benchmark scores.

Otherwise: B650e motherboard and save some money. If you can wait a while there are some $125 and less AM5 boards coming to market that might help save even more.

I have no interest in benchmark scores. I just want butter smooth framerates at the highest quality presets. Looking at B650 non e boards now since I don't care about PCIe Gen 5

 

[mmaatt747]

What resolution for gaming, 4K?

The motherboards in the end are more of a personal choice. Does it meet your requirements is the question. You'll have to read through the reviews to help aid the decision.

If your build is for 4K gaming it would be overkill with the 7800x3d. But if building a new PC and you have the budget there is nothing wrong with your choice. The AM5 is the only platform on a new socket. Trying to save now does tend to cost more in the long run in the pc world.

Not even 4K actually. I have a 3440x1440 widescrean QD-OLED. I should have also mentioned I may do some minor overclocking of CPU and RAM but I don't know that I want to pay the premium for higher end boards for what little I might gain in overclocks. I have a hard time understanding the available PCIe lanes available for my components. Honestly all I care is that my GPU and my 4TB NVME drive get their full potential and bandwidth to the CPU.

 

[drea.drechsler]

... Looking at B650 non e boards now since I don't care about PCIe Gen 5

That's the way to approach it...PCIe gen 5 is pretty much useless.

As stated before, a motherboard is as much about personal preference as anything else. After chipset selectin, about the only important things are how many and what sorts of peripherals you want to run, things like # and types of USB ports on back or front, number of SATA drives or NVME drives. You will need an open PCIe slot to fit the sound card so a 2.5 slot 4090 will limit choices somewhat. Any open slot needs to be well south of the GPU or it can block/impede it's air intake...dangerous for someone looking for max performance. You could look for a board with an open slot north of the GPU...but that may be a restriction imposed by PCIe gen 5.

Also...styling and RGB scheme to fit your aesthetic might be important .

 

[mmaatt747]

That's the way to approach it...PCIe gen 5 is pretty much useless.

As stated before, a motherboard is as much about personal preference as anything else. About the only important things are how many and what sorts of peripherals you want to run, things like # and types of USB ports on back or front, number of SATA drives or NVME drives. You will need an open PCIe slot to fit the sound card so a 2.5 slot 4090 will limit choices somewhat. Also...styling and RGB scheme to fit your aesthetic might be important .

Thanks for the additional input. I'm not even sure I need the soundcard. Maybe onboard is better now? My case is a Be Quiet Dark Base 900 and sits under my desk so I am not concerned at all with RGB.

 

[harisrehman]

Based on your components and usage, the ASRock B650E Steel Legend motherboard should be sufficient for your needs. The B650E chipset supports the latest Intel processors and provides plenty of PCIe lanes for your components, including your graphics card and storage drives.
You could consider the B670E chipset if you plan to use more PCIe devices or if you want additional features like Thunderbolt support. However, for your stated use case of gaming with the components you listed, the B650E should provide enough connectivity and performance without overkill.
Ultimately, the decision between the B650E and B670E will depend on your specific needs and budget. If you have the budget for the B670E and want the additional features, it could be a worthwhile investment. However, if you want to save some money and don't need the extra features, the B650E should be a good choice.