I'm putting together a new midrange gaming PC and could use some guidance on selecting the best motherboard and CPU cooler for it. I'm going for a micro ATX build due to the compact case, opting for a B850 chipset to stay within budget. Here are the components I've already selected:
- AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (4.7 GHz)
- GIGABYTE Radeon RX 9070 XT GAMING OC 16G
- Kingston FURY 32 GB DDR5-6000 (2x 16 GB) Kit
- SAMSUNG 9100 PRO 2 TB SSD
I've been looking at these options for the motherboard and cooler:
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850M-PLUS WIFI
- Noctua NH-D9L or Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 EVO
The case I'm likely using is the Lian Li A3-mATX Wood Edition, but I'll keep size and airflow similar if I change it.
Do you think this combination will work well together and remains optimal for my budget? I'm also considering these other motherboards:
- MSI MAG B850M MORTAR WIFI
- GIGABYTE B850M GAMING X WIFI6E
I briefly thought about the Gigabyte X870M AORUS ELITE WIFI7 if the budget allows it, but that's a long shot. Any tips or advice regarding the performance of these components, especially the motherboard and RAM combo, as well as whether this cooling setup will suffice? Thanks for your help!
2 Answers
I'd recommend going with the MSI MAG B850M Mortar over the TUF unless the Mortar is significantly more expensive. Definitely choose the TUF over the Gaming X. Also, be cautious about the Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 EVO; I've tested both versions and the regular Phantom 120 cools better than the EVO. It’s also more affordable than the Noctua!
You might want to consider why the X870 motherboard seems appealing. The main difference is the addition of USB 4, while you lose some M.2 slot functionality compared to the B850. If you don't specifically need USB 4, then any of the B850 boards should perform similarly. Just compare the I/O features and choose what fits your needs best!
Good point! I’m primarily building this for gaming, so USB 4 isn't a priority.
Thanks for the advice! What do you think about the Noctua cooler?