I'm currently putting together my third PC build for both personal and work use. I was really into tech and PC building during COVID, but since then, I've fallen a bit out of the loop. I tried to catch up on the latest tech available and selected my parts based on my previous knowledge, budget, and compatibility. I've already ordered everything, including an RTX 5080, Ryzen 9 9950X, 192 GB DDR5 RAM at 5200 MHz, a liquid CPU cooler, a PCIe SSD, and an 850W PSU. However, I'm starting to doubt my choice of motherboard since I picked the X870E primarily because it was on the pricier side, without fully understanding what makes a motherboard good. Now, I'm reconsidering other components too. I saw that Amazon specs say the max RAM for this board is 128 GB, which feels outdated. Should I return this motherboard? What should I really be looking for when choosing a motherboard?
2 Answers
The 128GB max RAM spec you saw might be outdated or just referring to some boards with only 2 slots. Most modern AM5 boards can support higher capacities, especially with 64GB RAM sticks available now, letting you hit 256GB with four slots. But honestly, for AM5, I'd recommend sticking to 128GB max (like using 2x 64GB), since managing four sticks for speed can be tricky and might hurt your performance.
Just to clarify, the X870E you mentioned is a chipset. Can you share the specific model of the motherboard you got? That way, we can better assess if it suits your needs!
I got the Gigabyte X870E Aorus Elite WIFI7 AM5 LGA 1718 MOBO!