I'm new to building PCs and just moved on from my old laptop. I found a B650 Tomahawk motherboard for my setup, but I'm not sure if it's the right choice. When I compare the AM5 chipsets, it looks like the main differences are PCIe 5.0 vs. PCIe 4.0 lanes and the number of USB ports. From what I've seen, the performance difference in gaming between these two seems pretty minimal. I've also checked my USB requirements, and I think I'm covered. So, am I safe with the B650, or should I consider upgrading?
1 Answer
Your build sounds solid! If you can stretch your budget, a B850 might offer better long-term performance due to its PCIe lanes, but the B650 is definitely sufficient for gaming. Many people use the Tomahawk and love it, so you're in good hands. Just keep in mind that slight performance gains (like 1-3%) can sometimes be more costly than a new GPU, so weigh your options if you're thinking of upgrading.
Thanks for the tip! I was confused about whether the B850 would be a significant upgrade since it still runs PCIe 4.0 for the GPU. What’s the actual benefit of the 4x PCIe 5.0 lane?