I'm planning to upgrade my processor from an Intel i7 12 series to an AMD 9950X3D, which I intend to pair with my 9070XT for both productivity tasks and gaming on a super ultrawide 4K display. I'm currently considering B850 and X870 motherboards and have some questions about power stages. Specifically, would a motherboard with 80A at a 14+2+1 power stage configuration be sufficient for the 9950X3D? Or should I invest in an X870 board with a higher rating of 110A at an 18+2+2 configuration? I've done some research but would love to hear your expert opinions. Thanks!
3 Answers
The 9950X3D has a maximum power draw of about 170W, which is on the high side but still manageable. Either motherboard should supply more than enough power for that processor.
For a CPU like the 9950X3D, I would really recommend going with a motherboard that has a higher power rating. It might not be absolutely necessary, but it gives you more headroom and reduces stress on the components, which can lead to better longevity.
Do you understand how the power stages work? I get the difference between 80A and 110A, but I'm not clear on the numbers after the pluses.
The first number before the first plus sign indicates the number of VCORE power stages. Each power stage is most efficient in the 10W to 15W range, so ideally, you’d want the motherboard to have between 12 and 16 VCORE power stages. The TUF B850-Plus is a decent option here, and you’d only need an X chipset if you want USB4 support.
That makes sense, thanks for explaining! I'm still toggling between whether USB4 is a necessity for me. Since I want this to be my last upgrade for a while, I was leaning towards the X870, but if the B850 can handle it, I might go that route.
Do you know how the power stages actually function?