I came across a deal for an MSI Tomahawk B850 Max WiFi motherboard priced at $80, but it only has 2 out of 4 RAM slots functioning. It does come with a 2-year warranty from a local PC shop. My question is, can I still run it in dual channel mode, and is it worth purchasing given the situation?
10 Answers
I'd pass on it. Slots 1 and 2 are in the same channel, which means you'll lose around 10-20% in CPU performance if you're trying to run in dual channel. Not worth it in my opinion.
You could always buy it and then RMA it for a new board. That could work out in your favor if the warranty is solid.
Could it be a CPU issue instead? Sometimes it's just a simple socket seating problem or the memory controller. For $80, it might be worth the gamble as a secondary system, but definitely consider haggling the price!
It pretty much depends on which channels are still functional. With AM5, you ideally want to stick to one channel for optimal performance. At $80, you'd really want to be certain it's a good deal.
If the warranty is legit, why hasn't the seller replaced it? That seems suspicious; if it can be easily fixed by them, why not do it?
For $20, I’d say go for it, but at $80? That's a bit steep. At that price, you might as well just buy a new one.
Yeah, a new motherboard of the same type is about $210, so it makes the $80 deal a harder sell.
Honestly, building on a compromised motherboard is risky. You need to use channels 1 & 3 or 2 & 4 for dual channel support, and two working slots isn't ideal.
I’d say negotiate the price down. Given that two slots are already not working, there’s limited room for any future issues if another goes faulty. Might be an early warning sign for more potential failures.
Definitely skip this one. If he hasn't replaced it yet under warranty, it raises some red flags. Better to find a motherboard that’s in good condition.
Yeah, I suspect he got a discount on it and is trying to make a profit now.
Unless it's offered for free, I'd steer clear. If the seller isn't fixing it, something seems off. Just be careful with your purchase.
That wasn't clear when I looked it up, a lot of sources said it would run in dual channel.