I'm diving into building my first gaming PC, and while I've got a good handle on most of my components, I'm a bit stuck on selecting the right motherboard. Here's what I'm working with: I have a Ryzen 7 9700X CPU, a Radeon Sapphire 7900 XT GPU, an Arctic Liquid III 360 AIO cooler, 32GB of Ripjaws DDR5-6400 RAM, two Samsung 990 EVO Plus PCIe 5.0 SSDs, and a Corsair RM750e PSU. I really want a motherboard that comes with WiFi since my Ethernet isn't very reliable. Any recommendations?
4 Answers
The 7900 XT can be a little tricky since it’s not the most future-proof option; for a first build, you might want to consider switching to a 7800 XT for better value. A 360mm AIO can also be a hassle for newbies and doesn't cool as effectively as a standard tower cooler. I'd suggest looking for a motherboard that supports PCIe 5.0 for your SSDs. Make sure to check for compatibility with RAM speeds; boards have had issues with speeds above 6000 MT/s. The 9800X3D or 7800X3D could also be good alternatives for better gaming performance.
Totally agree with avoiding Samsung NVMe drives if you don't need them for production. There are some great Gen 4 alternatives out there, especially for gaming. Make sure whatever motherboard you choose is compatible with your parts!
If you're open to alternatives, you might also think about getting an RX 9070 or 9070 XT. I’d recommend going for a Gigabyte B850 GAMING X WIFI6E motherboard. It’s priced around $189.99, which is solid for the features it offers, including WiFi and support for your components.
Consider the Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite Wifi7. It has all the features you need and comes with WiFi support, which is perfect if you're having issues with Ethernet.
What makes that motherboard stand out for you?
Thanks for the advice! I was leaning towards the 7800 XT initially but had some doubts. I just wanted that AIO for aesthetics as I'm not a fan of the typical CPU fan coolers. What should I look for regarding PCIe slots in the motherboard?