Hey everyone! I'm working on my first PC build, and so far I've got a Cooler Master MasterBox TD500 Mesh V2 case, Cooler Master MasterLiquid 360L Core ARGB cooler, two Kingston Fury Beast DDR5 RGB 16GB RAM sticks (totaling 32GB), and a WD Blue SN5000 1TB NVMe SSD. I'm using an AMD Ryzen 5 9600X, which has a decent integrated GPU, but I'm not planning to get an RTX card for about a year. Now, I'm deciding on a motherboard. I'm interested in the ASUS ROG Strix X870-A Gaming WiFi, but I noticed it costs around $280. Should I stick to this, or is the B850 a more practical choice?
4 Answers
I'd suggest getting the most affordable non-Asrock B850 motherboard you can find. The X870s have their perks, but you'd be better off putting that money towards a budget graphics card since you'll want one eventually. Trust me on this!
Honestly, the price difference isn't huge between B850 and X870 on Amazon US, but once you factor in shipping and import fees to Egypt, it could change the game.
Why go for the ROG X870 when you’re not even getting a GPU yet? Any 800 series board should fit your needs without the extra cost. Save your money for something that will actually boost performance, like a B850 for sure!
I hadn't heard of Asrock before this thread. They seem to be cheaper than the ROG by $60-$70. But does it not support Thunderbolt?
What kind of tasks are you planning for your PC? The integrated GPU isn’t going to handle gaming well. Regarding motherboards, it boils down to price: the X870 offers more PCIe 5.0 and USB4 capabilities.
I plan to game a bit on titles like LoL, Valorant, and FIFA, and I thought the 9600X would handle them okay.
You really don’t need an X870 unless you're looking for specific features, like USB 4 or Thunderbolt ports. The B850 is perfect for your build. Motherboards like the ROG, Aorus, or MAG Tomahawk are solid choices. Also, you probably don’t need a liquid cooler for the 9600X unless you’re going for aesthetics.
I want my build to last 4-5 years, so I considered the X870 for future RTX cards and M.2 compatibility. Plus, I have a Dell screen that connects via Thunderbolt USB-C.
I bought the liquid cooler and extra fan already! Since my apartment gets super hot in summer, I figured liquid cooling would help.
Did Asrock improve this gen? I've always been told they weren't the best.