Hey everyone! I'm currently building a rig and I'm looking for a motherboard that can support a 5070ti GPU for gaming and a 5060ti 16GB for rendering. I'm working with a budget of around $265k, and each GPU should be fine on a PCIe 4.0 or 5.0 lane with 8X instead of 16X. I believe Z890 motherboards can bifurcate the 16X CPU lane into two 8X lanes, but these tend to be pricey. I'm hoping to keep my costs under $300, ideally around $200, while making sure it has at least one high-speed USB-C port on the back panel. Also, with LGA1851/Z890 seemingly being phased out, I don't want to overspend on the motherboard. I'm also considering the 9950X3D Microcenter bundle, which might justify getting a pricier motherboard if it lasts longer. Additionally, I have a quick question about RAM: is it still a problem to populate all four DIMM slots with 16GB sticks compared to just using two 32GB sticks? I currently have some TeamGroup 2x16GB DDR5 6000 CL28 memory that I really like.
2 Answers
Honestly, I think getting one high-quality GPU would be a better option than running two different ones. But if you're set on this, the Gigabyte B850 AI TOP is a good choice for around $300-$330 and has solid power phases for the 9950X.
As for RAM, you really should focus on 2x DIMMs. Running all four DIMM slots is okay for basic speeds recommended by the CPU specs, but you'll find 2x setups to be far more reliable.
It seems like only the high-end Z890 boards support that setup, with the ASUS Creator being one of the more affordable options. If you’re open to switching to Team Red, their mid-range X870 boards around $200 to $350 have what you're looking for. The ASRock X870E Taiichi Lite is a solid choice if you can stretch your budget a bit.
Regarding RAM, for optimal speeds with 64GB, I recommend going for 2x32GB instead of 4x16GB, as populating all four slots can still lead to issues with stability, depending on the motherboard and CPU.
I’ve had success running x8x8 on a PRIME B650-Plus board, so it’s not just locked to high-end options!
Just a heads-up, rendering and gaming on two GPUs can be tricky since they can both try to max out resources.