What are some good value x670e motherboards, or boards with good features in general?

[Delicieuxz]

I'm planning a build with an outlook to upgrading the CPU to Zen 5 and maybe Zen 6, and am looking for a good-value board with a PCIe 5 graphics slot, one or two PCIe 5 M.2 slots, 20 Gbps type-C connector for a case port, a good number of PCIe 5 lanes...

Since the AM5 mobo tier requirements are pretty loose in what they can contain, there could be, and likely are, some really good feature sets in boards that aren't x670e. So, what are some of the best-value AM5 mobos that are available?

One board I'm currently looking at is the Asus ROG Strix X670E-A. It's more than I was planning to spend, but it seems to be a good mobo for future-proofing for a while, and is one of the cheaper x670e boards. I wouldn't want to go higher in price than that. Are there other good mobos in that price-range, or below it?

 

[riev90]

For around $140 less, you can have a look at this:
https://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/X670E Steel Legend/index.asp

The difference compared to Asus one:
1. The 2nd pcie slot connected to chipset, only provide PCIE 3.0 speed
2. Only has 1x PCIE 5.0 for nvme
3. Less usb slots

Or for even less, you may opt for this:
https://pg.asrock.com/mb/AMD/X670E PG Lightning/index.asp#Specification

The difference compared to Asus one:
1. No dedicated WIFI 6E installed
2. Only has 1x PCIE 5.0 for nvme
3. Less usb slots

 

[Delicieuxz]

The ROG Strix B650E-E Gaming has almost feature parity with the ROG Strix X670E-A, while costing $85 CAD less. It might even have a better overall feature package.

The difference is that the ROG Strix X670E-A has, compared to the Strix B650E-E, a 20 Gbps USB Type-C I/O connector instead of a 10Gbps one, and has only one PCIe 5.0 expansion slot and a PCIe 3.0 1x expansion slot instead of a second PCIe 5.0 expansion slot, and has two more rear USB 3.2 10Gbps ports.

So, $85 more than the ROG Strix B650E-E gets you two more USB 3.2 10Gbps rear ports, a USB Type-C 20Gbps frontal connector instead of a 10Gbps one, and replaces a PCIe 5.0 expansion slot with one that's a 3.0 x1 (which is a downgrade).

Overall, I think these boards are equal. It looks to me like it just comes down to whether a person prefers to have a 20Gbps front-case Type-C port (instead of 10GBps) or an additional PCIe 5.0 expansion slot and save $85.


ROG Strix X670E-A ($575 CAD):

Expansion slots:
1x PCIe 5.0 x16
1x PCIe 4.0 x16
1x PCIe 3.0 x1

m.2 and drive slots:
2x PCIe 5.0
2x PCIe 4.0
4x SATA 6Gbps

Ports:
8x USB 3.2 10GB
1x Type-C 20Gbps
1x Type-C 10Gbps
2x USB 2

Connectors for additional I/O:
1x Type-C 20Gbps
2x USB 3.2 5Gbps
2x USB 2
Thunderbolt



ROG Strix B650E-E ($490 CAD):

Expansion slots:
2x PCIe 5.0 x16
1x PCIe 4.0 x16

m.2 and drive slots:
2x PCIe 5.0
2x PCIe 4.0
4x SATA 6Gbps

Ports:
6x USB 3.2 10GB
1x Type-C 20Gbps
1x Type-C 10Gbps
4x USB 2

Connectors for additional I/O:
1x Type-C 10Gbps
2x USB 3.2 5Gbps
2x USB 2
Thunderbolt

 

[Delicieuxz]

I've also liked the Prime X670E-Pro Wifi. It costs 480 CAD, and has a pretty good feature set. And I like its colours, they make me think of winter and snow-covered, dark-green forests - like the kind in Warcraft 2, lol.

If it had a 20 Gbps frontal Type-C connector instead of a 10Gbps one, I'd probably go for it, despite its other compromises.


None of these mobos feature a completely solid package, they all have very hodgepodge feature sets, and a proverbial turd in the punchbowl, something that's a stand-out weak point that doesn't fit with the rest of the package and spoils the picture. My guess is that it's done on purpose, so that people won't be too satisfied with what they have and will be looking for their next upgrade or be rationalising buying a higher-tier board that has higher-grade features than needed, just to move beyond the deal-breaking weak-point.

The Asus ROG Strix X670E-A's, which is the mobo I'm right now likely to get (which is probably the least-hodgepodge mobo I've seen up to its price), and other than the common lack of any USB 4 ports and the gross, unnecessary inclusion of a general-purpose, rear USB 2 port, is the PCIe 3.0 x1 expansion slot. Like, why PCIe 3.0 at that price-point, and why x1 at any price-point? Cheaper and lower-tier AM5 mobos manage better than that for their weakest PCIe slot. But I think I can work with it. I plan to install a decent sound card there (something with TOSLINK or other input that I can use to run rack music gear into), and all the ones I've looked at, so far, haven't required more than a PCIe 1.0 slot. If none of them do, then I can live with a PCIe 3.0 x1 slot.

 

[philb2]

The ROG Strix B650E-E Gaming has almost feature parity with the ROG Strix X670E-A, while costing $85 CAD less. It might even have a better overall feature package.

The difference is that the ROG Strix X670E-A has, compared to the Strix B650E-E, a 20 Gbps USB Type-C I/O connector instead of a 10Gbps one, and has only 1 PCIe 5.0 expansion slot and a PCIe 1x slot instead of 2x PCIe 5.0 slots and no 1x slot, and has 2 less rear USB 3.2 10Gbps ports.

So, $85 more for the ROG Strix B650E-E gets you two more USB 3.2 10Gbps rear ports, a USB Type-C 20Gbps frontal connector instead of a 10Gbps one, and replaces a PCIe 5.0 expansion slot with a 1x one (which is a downgrade).

Overall, I think these boards are equal. It looks to me like it just comes down to whether a person prefers to have a 20Gbps front-case Type-C port (instead of 10GBps) or an additional PCIe 5.0 expansion slot and save $85.


ROG Strix X670E-A ($575 CAD):

Expansion slots:
1x PCIe 5.0 x16
1x PCIe 4.0 x16
1x PCIe 1

m.2 and drive slots:
2x PCIe 5.0
2x PCIe 4.0
4x SATA 6Gbps

Ports:
8x USB 3.2 10GB
1x Type-C 20Gbps
1x Type-C 10Gbps
2x USB 2

Connectors for additional I/O:
1x Type-C 20Gbps
2x USB 3.2 5Gbps
2x USB 2
Thunderbolt



ROG Strix B650E-E ($490 CAD):

Expansion slots:
2x PCIe 5.0 x16
1x PCIe 4.0 x16

m.2 and drive slots:
2x PCIe 5.0
2x PCIe 4.0
4x SATA 6Gbps

Ports:
6x USB 3.2 10GB
1x Type-C 20Gbps
1x Type-C 10Gbps
4x USB 2

Connectors for additional I/O:
1x Type-C 10Gbps
2x USB 3.2 5Gbps
2x USB 2
Thunderbolt

Thanks for the tip on pricing for the ROG X670 Strix E-A. I wasn't aware that this board was out, and I still believe that all X670 boards were much higher priced. So I priced out this board on The Egg, and was also pleased to see 32GB DDR5 RAM at 5200, also reasonably priced. So I bought them!

 

[chameleoneel]

ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-F is on sale today and has an extra 10GB USB-C on the back (1x 20GB and 2x 10GB) and the front panel USB-C is 20GB

All other features seem the same

https://www.newegg.com/asus-rog-strix-x670e-f-gaming-wifi/p/N82E16813119584R?Item=N82E16813119584R

 

[chameleoneel]

Dang I think I actually like this board's features better. The PCIe port and M.2 port allotments seem better to me.

https://www.newegg.com/asus-rog-strix-b650e-e-gaming-wifi/p/N82E16813119593?Item=N82E16813119593

 

[Delicieuxz]

ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-F is on sale today and has an extra 10GB USB-C on the back (1x 20GB and 2x 10GB) and the front panel USB-C is 20GB

All other features seem the same

https://www.newegg.com/asus-rog-strix-x670e-f-gaming-wifi/p/N82E16813119584R?Item=N82E16813119584R

The ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-F appears to be the same mobo as the ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-A, but in black.

That's a good price, though it's for an open-box unit that the disclaimer claims is not guaranteed to come with all necessary parts needed to install and operate it.

Dang I think I actually like this board's features better. The PCIe port and M.2 port allotments seem better to me.

https://www.newegg.com/asus-rog-strix-b650e-e-gaming-wifi/p/N82E16813119593?Item=N82E16813119593

Asus ROG Strix B650E-E has the same m.2 drive configuration as the Asus ROG Strix X670E-A and Asus ROG Strix X670E-F: two 5.0x4 and two 4.0x4

B650E-E has an additional PCIe 5.0 x16 expansion slot instead of the X670E-A's PCIe 3.0 x1 slot, but lacks a 20Gbps USB Type-C connector for a PC case's front ports. So, it's a trade-off. The B650E-E is cheaper, though, which comes down to whether a person wants an extra PCIe 5.0 expansion slot and save a handful of dollars, or to have a USB Type-C port on the front of their PC case run at 20Gbps instead of 10Gbps. As my plan is to only run a soundcard in the 2nd PCIe expansion slot, I should be fine with the Asus ROG Strix X670E-A's 3.0 x1.

There's also this disclaimer for the B650E-E's PCIe 4.0 expansion slot: "When the PCIe 4.0 x16 slot is occupied with a SSD device, the first PCIe 5.0 x16 slot (PCIEX16_1) will run as x8 only"

 

[chameleoneel]

The ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-F appears to be the same mobo as the ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-A, but in black.

That's a good price, though it's for an open-box unit that the disclaimer claims is not guaranteed to come with all necessary parts needed to install and operate it.

View attachment 541557



Asus ROG Strix B650E-E has the same m.2 drive configuration as the Asus ROG Strix X670E-A and Asus ROG Strix X670E-F: two 5.0x4 and two 4.0x4

B650E-E has an additional PCIe 5.0 x16 expansion slot instead of the X670E-A's PCIe 3.0 x1 slot, but lacks a 20Gbps USB Type-C connector for a PC case's front ports. So, it's a trade-off. The B650E-E is cheaper, though, which comes down to whether a person wants an extra PCIe 5.0 expansion slot and save a handful of dollars, or to have a USB Type-C port on the front of their PC case run at 20Gbps instead of 10Gbps. As my plan is to only run a soundcard in the 2nd PCIe expansion slot, I should be fine with the Asus ROG Strix X670E-A's 3.0 x1.

There's also this disclaimer for the B650E-E's PCIe 4.0 expansion slot: "When the PCIe 4.0 x16 slot is occupied with a SSD device, the first PCIe 5.0 x16 slot (PCIEX16_1) will run as x8 only"

Ah I didn't see that F is an open box. Newegg really minimized how that looks on their site. On purpose, I am sure.

 

[Delicieuxz]

I'm a bit tempted by the Asus PROART X670E-CREATOR. It costs a small chunk more, while it generally has the same feature set as the Asus ROG Strix X670E-A / X670E-F, but with some trades.

The advantages it has over the Asus ROG Strix X670E-A are:

- two rear USB 4.0 ports
- a second full PCIe 5.0 x16 expansion slot, instead of the X670E-A's PCIe 3.0 x1 slot
- a 10G ethernet port in addition to the 2.5G ethernet port

The disadvantages it has are:

- it doesn't have a Thunderbolt 4 header, while the X670E-A does
- its PCIe 4.0x16 expansion slot shares bandwidth with one of the m.2 slots, which effectively means a person needs to choose between having one less usable PCIe expansion slot, or one less m.2 slot: "This M.2 (Key M) PCIe 4.0 x4 Slot shares bandwidth with the PCIe 4.0 x16 Card Slot. By default, the BIOS automatically activates the M.2 (Key M) PCIe 4.0 x4 Slot."


I wonder if the USB 4.0 ports mean it doesn't need a Thunderbolt 4 header. From what I think I've understood, the difference between USB 4.0 and Thunderbolt 4.0 is the certification process of the implementation, and so USB 4 could be implemented in an inferior manner... or it might not be.

If the ProArt's USB 4 ports have solid implementation, then the Thunderbolt 4 header of the X670E-A shouldn't be needed. And then the additional cost for the ProArt would be around the cost of Asus' Thunderbolt 4 add-in card. On the other hand, for around the price of the difference between the mobos, a Thunderbolt 4 add-in card can be bought without sacrificing a PCIe expansion or m.2 slot. But then there's more stuff going on in the case, perhaps more stuff creating heat and obstructing airflow, and there still won't be the 10G ethernet port.

 

[mda]

I'm pretty sure that USB 4 spec means it's compatible with TB3 and most (?) TB4 devices, hence no need for the header.

 

[Delicieuxz]

I'm pretty sure that USB 4 spec means it's compatible with TB3 and most (?) TB4 devices, hence no need for the header.

I wonder if USB 4 ports on a mobo are as good as Tb4 ones. The Intel version of the ProArt mobo has Tb4 ports instead of USB4. Maybe Intel cut a Tb deal with mobo makers for Intel boards, or maybe Asus figured USB 4 is just as good and saves cost, or maybe Asus thinks Tb4 is a selling feature they can withhold and charge more for later.

Ideally, the USB 4 ports are implemented well and it all comes down to the cables and individual devices a person tries to connect to the ports. If so, that would be a reason for me to think about getting the ProArt.

I hope that the PC I build will last 5 - 10 years, and Tb4 and 10G (and the 20Gbps Type-C frontal port supports quick charging) could become useful things to have in that timespan. Zen 6 releasing on AM5 will have an impact on that goal and whether buying a higher-grade mobo now turns out to be worth it.

 

[Delicieuxz]

Review of the cheapest X670 boards. I'm not going for one of these, but it might be useful to somebody.

The video compares FPS in games with all the boards, using an RTX 4090, and there is a 5 - 10% FPS spread in their performances. I didn't think there would be any. It's due to the memory timings and UCLK being different across the boards.

 

[PilotKD]

Review of the cheapest X670 boards. I'm not going for one of these, but it might be useful to somebody.

The video compares FPS in games with all the boards, using an RTX 4090, and there is a 5 - 10% FPS spread in their performances. I didn't think there would be any. It's due to the memory timings and UCLK being different across the boards.

A 5-10% FPS spread at the frame rates the 4090 is putting out is negligible.

 

[Rev. Night]

Id also be interested in the 1% low

 

[David-Duc]

Anyone know of any motherboard that DON'T have sleep issue with EXPO profile enabled?

My Gigabyte X670 Aorus Elite AX with F5 bios sleep and wake up fine without EXPO... enable EXPO and it would not wake up at all.
Tried F7a (beta BIOS) and EXPO would cause BSOD in Windows.

 

[mvmiller12]

I have the Strix x670e-A board and have been very satisfied with it overall. It performs well and looks nice. Price wasn't terrible compared to other x670e boards out their either.

Personally, I think it has too many nVME slots and not enough real PCIe slots, but that's just me. I really only need 2 PCIe slots, but it has 5. I am using EVERY PCIe slot though (6800XT in top slot, SoundBlaster AE5-Plus in the 1x slot, and a dual 10G Intel NIC in the bottom slot). Asus theoretically sells an expansion board that can go in that bottom slot to provide the USB 4 and thunderbolt support, but I can't use it because I need all three slots for my devices. THIS is the source of my (mild) dissatisfaction.

 

[mvmiller12]

Anyone know of any motherboard that DON'T have sleep issue with EXPO profile enabled?

My Gigabyte X670 Aorus Elite AX with F5 bios sleep and wake up fine without EXPO... enable EXPO and it would not wake up at all.
Tried F7a (beta BIOS) and EXPO would cause BSOD in Windows.

My RAM (2x 16G Corsair Vengeance DDR5 6000) is XMP-only and I have had 0 issues with it of any kind. Might want to try the XMP profile (if the board allows) or manually changing your timings to see if either helps.

 

[chameleoneel]

A 5-10% FPS spread at the frame rates the 4090 is putting out is negligible.

10% is a pretty large amount of performance to lose. And in terms of losing it due to motherboard default settings----that's huge. However, it looks like its not an actual performance issue with the board. Simply, poorly optimized settings in the BIOS. Which can be manually corrected. For the MSI board in the video, it seems the main performance issue is that at 6000 and under, they do not automatically set the RAM to 1:1 ratio.

For [H], its probably not an issue. Because we usually carefully review our Bios settings. However, an average user who puts RAM into their computer and MAYBE enables XMP/Expo for their RAM, would not think to check that setting. And they would lose a lot of performance.
MSI responded to Hardware Unboxed and said that their next bios update will enable 1:1 memory ratio be default, for 6000 and under.

 

[philb2]

Personally, I think it has too many nVME slots and not enough real PCIe slots, but that's just me. I really only need 2 PCIe slots, but it has 5. I am using EVERY PCIe slot though (6800XT in top slot, SoundBlaster AE5-Plus in the 1x slot, and a dual 10G Intel NIC in the bottom slot). Asus theoretically sells an expansion board that can go in that bottom slot to provide the USB 4 and thunderbolt support, but I can't use it because I need all three slots for my devices. THIS is the source of my (mild) dissatisfaction.

+1
I have this board on order, to replace an X570 Strix-E which had 5 PCIE slots. One was next to the vid card. so unusable. But I used all 3 remaining slots for more SATA ports, another USB 3 header, and more USB 3 ports. The X670 Strix EA has only 2 slots, left over after the vid card and only 4 SATA ports. So I am being forced to choose which 2 out of 3 cards I will install. With my old rig, I used 6 SATA ports.

That all said, I do like having more than 2 NVMe slots, becuase that means I don't need to get a PCIE card. NVMe is the way to go in the future. It's just too bad that an 8 or 12 TB NVMe drive is affordable to ordinary guys like me.

 

[Rev. Night]

8tb is only $1200 you plebe

Sabrent 8TB Rocket 4 PLUS NVMe PCIe 4.0 M.2 2280 Internal SSD https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1700966-REG/sabrent_sb_rkt4p_8tb_8tb_rocket_4_plus.html

 

[philb2]

8tb is only $1200 you plebe

Sabrent 8TB Rocket 4 PLUS NVMe PCIe 4.0 M.2 2280 Internal SSD https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1700966-REG/sabrent_sb_rkt4p_8tb_8tb_rocket_4_plus.html

OK. So I am a plebe.

 

[Rev. Night]

I happen to own a baker's dozen.

In other news, just read in videocardz that amd is prepping an A620 level. Obviously OC is off the table, and no pcie 5.0. aside from the ram you are basically a 4.0 gen system so wtf is the point.

This is purely bc of low adoption rates. AMD badly guessed the market on this one

 

[Delicieuxz]

I have the Strix x670e-A board and have been very satisfied with it overall. It performs well and looks nice. Price wasn't terrible compared to other x670e boards out their either.

Personally, I think it has too many nVME slots and not enough real PCIe slots, but that's just me. I really only need 2 PCIe slots, but it has 5. I am using EVERY PCIe slot though (6800XT in top slot, SoundBlaster AE5-Plus in the 1x slot, and a dual 10G Intel NIC in the bottom slot). Asus theoretically sells an expansion board that can go in that bottom slot to provide the USB 4 and thunderbolt support, but I can't use it because I need all three slots for my devices. THIS is the source of my (mild) dissatisfaction.

How important do you think 10G ethernet will be for the average upper-mid to high-end gamer over the next 8 years? I'm building a new PC platform that I hope will last me 5 - 10 years (it will go ways to helping that goal if Zen 6 releases on AM5), and so am spending a lot (for me) on this build. I'm most looking at the Strix X670E-A, but the caveats I note about it compared to the ProArt are that it lacks USB 4 or inbuilt Tb4 ports, 10G ethernet, and fast-charging for its frontal Type-C connector. But I like the look of the X670E-A more, and it goes well with the white Silent Base 802 case I've ordered.

If I get the Strix X670E-A, I'll install a sound card and then I'll have to choose between Thunderbolt 4 ports or 10G ethernet. If I get the ProArt, I will likely not even need the 3rd PCIe expansion slot, and will have only a graphics card and a sound card in the expansion slots.

I don't have my PC on an internal network where I need to be able to send large files from one computer to another quickly. So, I'd only want 10G for regular internet purposes (browsing, downloading games, apps, and media). I wonder if home internet speeds will even fully saturate 2.5G over the next 8 years.

 

[Rev. Night]

They just may being that FiOS and Google fiber are offering 1 gig Ethernet

 

[mvmiller12]

How important do you think 10G ethernet will be for the average upper-mid to high-end gamer over the next 8 years? I'm building a new PC platform that I hope will last me 5 - 10 years (it will go ways to helping that goal if Zen 6 releases on AM5), and so am spending a lot (for me) on this build. I'm most looking at the Strix X670E-A, but the caveats I note about it compared to the ProArt are that it lacks USB 4 or inbuilt Tb4 ports, 10G ethernet, and a fast-charging frontal Type-C connector. But I like the look of the X670E-A more, and it goes well with the white Silent Base 802 case I've ordered.

If I get the Strix X670E-A, I'll install a sound card and then I'll have to choose between Thunderbolt 4 ports or 10G ethernet. If I get the ProArt, I will likely not even need the 3rd PCIe expansion slot, and will have only a graphics card and a sound card in the expansion slots.

I don't have my PC on an internal network where I need to be able to send large files from one computer to another quickly. So, I'd only want 10G for regular internet purposes (browsing, downloading games, apps, and media). I wonder if home internet speeds will even fully saturate 2.5G over the next 8 years.

I process a lot of video on my personal computer and move it over the network to my file server, so that it may be served by the Plex server. That's 3 different computers connected to each other with 10G ethernet. All other computers on my network are more than adequately served by 1G ethernet.

Consumer internet speeds top out at 1G and not many places in the US even get that. I really don't see that situation changing in the next few years, either. Even if I'm wrong and even faster internet connections become more common, the 2.5G and 5G NICs boards tend to come with nowadays will more than have you covered for that. The only advantage to 10G or higher NICs is moving files across your home network and while the NICs themselves can be acquired relatively cheaply, those highspeed SWITCHES are $$$$$. If you're not doing that sort of thing, I'd not worry about it .

 

[pitingres]

In other news, just read in videocardz that amd is prepping an A620 level. Obviously OC is off the table, and no pcie 5.0. aside from the ram you are basically a 4.0 gen system so wtf is the point.

This is purely bc of low adoption rates. AMD badly guessed the market on this one

The point would seem to be to cater to the vast majority of desktop users who want an AM5 CPU, and aside from that, only need a GPU slot, an m.2 slot or maybe two, and maybe a SATA port or two.

I would have done all but one or two of my builds on A320 or A520 except that A320 was crap, and A520's overpriced. If vendors can get the A620 pricing right, with non-garbage power delivery, I'd expect it to sell in significant numbers.

 

[Rev. Night]

I had an A320 and it was hella crap. Im scared to death of As now

 

[Rev. Night]

this is how my new rig is going to be looking. Anything blatantly wrong with it?

New Parts:
Ryzen 7800X3D (presume)
Thermalright CPU Contact Frame Anti-Bending Buckle for AM5 Secure Frame Kit Black (more for keeping cpu paste clean than any bending issues)
ASUS TUF GAMING X670E-PLUS WIFI
G.Skill Trident Z5 NEO Series 32GB (2 x 16GB) CL30-38-38-96 (or CL36 if its free with Microcenter Deal)
WD_BLACK 2TB SN770 NVMe (pci 4.0)

Future parts:
pcie 5.0 1 TB nvme

 

[Delicieuxz]

this is how my new rig is going to be looking. Anything blatantly wrong with it?

New Parts:
Ryzen 7800X3D (presume)
Thermalright CPU Contact Frame Anti-Bending Buckle for AM5 Secure Frame Kit Black (more for keeping cpu paste clean than any bending issues)
ASUS TUF GAMING X670E-PLUS WIFI
G.Skill Trident Z5 NEO Series 32GB (2 x 16GB) CL30-38-38-96 (or CL36 if its free with Microcenter Deal)
WD_BLACK 2TB SN770 NVMe (pci 4.0)

Future parts:
pcie 5.0 1 TB nvme

Looks solid, to me.

The WD SN850X 2TB is currently $170 on WD's site:

https://www.westerndigital.com/products/internal-drives/wd-black-sn850x-nvme-ssd

 

[Rev. Night]

I've read two reviews (techpowerup and tomshardware) that put the SN770 just as good or better than the SN850X in most real world use cases. Especially for what I need it for, which is gaming and windows booting. But Amazon has the 770 for $160, and the 850X is $170 on WDs site, so I would pay the $10 difference why not.

 

[chameleoneel]

I've read two reviews (techpowerup and tomshardware) that put the SN770 just as good or better than the SN850X in most real world use cases. Especially for what I need it for, which is gaming and windows booting. But Amazon has the 770 for $160, and the 850X is $170 on WDs site, so I would pay the $10 difference why not.

As far as DRAM-less drives go, the 770 is indeed a bit of magic. But, there have been so many good deals on mid and high end drives with DRAM...the 770 hasn't really been a good buy for 2 or 3 months.

 

[Delicieuxz]

this is how my new rig is going to be looking. Anything blatantly wrong with it?

New Parts:
Ryzen 7800X3D (presume)
Thermalright CPU Contact Frame Anti-Bending Buckle for AM5 Secure Frame Kit Black (more for keeping cpu paste clean than any bending issues)

Depending on which thermal paste you're using, Noctua NT-H2 optionally comes in a kit with a frame to keep the paste from getting off the heatspreader.

NT-H2 seems to be the best paste that isn't liquid metal, and at least in one benchmark I saw outperformed Grizzly Kryonaut liquid metal.

https://www.amazon.com/Noctua-NT-H2...4?keywords=Noctua+NT-H2&qid=1674175454&sr=8-4

 

[chameleoneel]

Depending on which thermal paste you're using, Noctua NT-H2 optionally comes in a kit with a frame to keep the paste from getting off the heatspreader.

NT-H2 seems to be the best paste that isn't liquid metal, and at least in one benchmark I saw outperformed Grizzly Kryonaut liquid metal.

https://www.amazon.com/Noctua-NT-H2...4?keywords=Noctua+NT-H2&qid=1674175454&sr=8-4

Thermalright usually includes TF7 thermal grease with their contact frames. TF7 is good. Barely more than 1 degree off from TFX (TF10), which is one of the best (I usually buy TF8. There is no TF9). TF pastes also do a good job of resisting pump out---which Kryonaut does not. However, their Hydronaut paste is designed to resist pump out. But, its a degree or two worse in temps. So the point is, TF7 comes with the contact plate and that's all you need, man!

 

[Rev. Night]

I have Kryonaut left over from a previous build, so thats what I'm using. I think have some artic silver 5 too.

 

[Delicieuxz]

Thermalright usually includes TF7 thermal grease with their contact frames. TF7 is good. Barely more than 1 degree off from TFX (TF10), which is one of the best (I usually buy TF8. There is no TF9). TF pastes also do a good job of resisting pump out---which Kryonaut does not. However, their Hydronaut paste is designed to resist pump out. But, its a degree or two worse in temps. So the point is, TF7 comes with the contact plate and that's all you need, man!

Will the Thermalright aluminum socket reduce the temps for AM5?

 

[chameleoneel]

Will the Thermalright aluminum socket reduce the temps for AM5?

No. The frame doesn't block the cooler from contacting the CPU. The Intel frame doesn't contact the cooler, at all. Its meant to keep the motherboard from bending. I assume the AMD version is the same idea.

 

[Rev. Night]

Same idea yes but not a single review says it was needed. I'm buying one just to get a handle on the cpu paste

 

[Delicieuxz]

No. The frame doesn't block the cooler from contacting the CPU. The Intel frame doesn't contact the cooler, at all. Its meant to keep the motherboard from bending. I assume the AMD version is the same idea.

This article claims this der8aur / Thermal Grizzly CPU bracket reduces Alder Lake temps by 10C.

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/t...educes-alder-lake-temps-by-10-degrees-celsius

I was wondering if the Thermalright AM5 bracket has any similar effect. But I guess Alder Lake's issue was that there wasn't even contact between the CPU and cooler, which the bracket fixed.

 

[chameleoneel]

This article claims this der8aur / Thermal Grizzly CPU bracket reduces Alder Lake temps by 10C.

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/t...educes-alder-lake-temps-by-10-degrees-celsius

I was wondering if the Thermalright AM5 bracket has any similar effect. But I guess Alder Lake's issue was that there wasn't even contact between the CPU and cooler, which the bracket fixed.

Oh I think I misunderstood your question.