I'm looking to buy a motherboard for my 7800X3D CPU and I'm torn between the Msi B850 Tomahawk Max WiFi and the Asrock X870 Pro RS WiFi. The Asrock is about $15 cheaper, but I've heard mixed reviews about their reliability, especially concerning their history with frying X3D CPUs. I'm confused because I thought the B850 was supposed to be a budget-friendly option, but it's priced similarly to the X870. My main focus here is gaming, so I want to make the best choice. Which motherboard would be better for my needs?
3 Answers
I've seen a lot of people avoiding Asrock lately because of past issues with their boards damaging X3D CPUs. It's unclear if they've resolved those problems, but their reputation has definitely taken a hit. Personally, I wouldn’t trust an AM5 Asrock motherboard right now, especially since I've had mixed experiences with older models from them that were fine.
What are you trying to achieve with your motherboard choice? The X670e chipset has similar specs to the X870 with just a few USB speed differences. If you're mainly gaming, B650e boards could also be a viable option. Just make sure to check out AMD’s comparison tool for all the chipsets available. And really, it might be best to steer clear of Asrock for now due to their recent track record.
I noticed the B650 and X670e are sometimes pricier than the newer chipsets, which seems counterintuitive. It's like I’m paying more for outdated technology!
Asrock is known for being budget-friendly, but their quality can be hit or miss. The X870 is considered higher-end, so you're getting more advanced features like USB 4, WiFi 7, and multiple PCIe 5.0 slots. If you’re after the best for gaming, the X870 might be worth the investment despite the higher price, especially for future-proofing.
That's true! I heard the B850 has good m.2 slots without lane sharing, which might benefit performance for SSDs.
Yeah, it’s frustrating because they used to be such a good value. But quality control seems to have dropped, and I wouldn't risk my CPU on one.