I'm in the process of building a new rig and I've decided to go with a Ryzen 9 9950X3D for my CPU. My main focus for this build is local AI, content creation, video editing, and media production—gaming is more of a bonus for me. I came across the "ASUS PROART X870E-CREATOR WIFI" board, and I've heard that its Intel counterpart can support 4x64GB of DDR5 thanks to a partnership with Kingston. Can anyone confirm if the AM5 variant can indeed support a full 256GB? I'm really eager to commit to the AM5 platform and the 9950X3D instead of going for a Threadripper, as the cost is hard to justify. I'm particularly looking for three key features: 1) Support for 2 PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots since I plan to use at least two 4TB Samsung 9100 drives, 2) Capability for 256GB of RAM with speeds of 6000 MHz or higher, and 3) AM5 compatibility. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
3 Answers
There are definitely motherboards out there that can handle 256GB of RAM, but getting it to run at 6000MHz is going to be a challenge. You might be able to manage it, but don't hold your breath!
That makes sense! What speeds do you think I could realistically expect? I'd consider sacrificing some speed for that capacity.
Consider going for the B850 or X870 Tomahawk if you need USB 4.0. These boards have solid 8-layer PCBs and MSI is known for improving RAM compatibility. I use an X870 Tomahawk with 4x48GB at 6000 CL30, and while I haven't had great luck with ASUS boards under similar setups, it's worth experimenting. The ASUS Proart is very pricey without much practical value compared to others, and it offers x8/x8 PCIe options helpful for dual GPU setups. The Tomahawk has 5GB LAN and 2 PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots, which is a decent trade-off.
You might want to check out the Gigabyte X870E AORUS ELITE WIFI7; their website mentions it has 3 M.2 slots. But I'm curious, why do you need two PCIe 5.0 drives? Is the performance significantly better than using two 990 Pros for your applications?
Using either the second or third PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot can limit the GPU slot to x8 speeds, which isn't ideal. Just something to keep in mind!
It's not just the motherboard; it really comes down to the memory controller and how it's designed.