I want to upgrade my motherboard, but I don't know which one I should buy

[frank30fps]

I have a ryzen 2700, my curent motherboard is an ASUS Prime B450m-a/csm, my budget is 200-250 CAD (150-190USD)

 

[oxrufiioxo]

At this price I really like this board.

ASUS AM4 TUF GAMING X570-Plus ATX Motherboard with PCIe 4.0, Dual M.2, 12+2 with Dr. MOS Power Stage, HDMI, DP, SATA 6Gb/s, USB 3.2 Gen 2 and Aura Sync RGB Lighting - Newegg.com

Buy ASUS AM4 TUF GAMING X570-Plus ATX Motherboard with PCIe 4.0, Dual M.2, 12+2 with Dr. MOS Power Stage, HDMI, DP, SATA 6Gb/s, USB 3.2 Gen 2 and Aura Sync RGB Lighting with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!

www.newegg.ca

Not really saving much but this is one of the best semi budget options

MSI B450M-A PRO MAX II AM4 Micro ATX Motherboard - Newegg.com

Buy MSI B450M-A PRO MAX II AM4 AMD B450 SATA 6Gb/s Micro ATX Motherboard with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!

www.newegg.ca

 

[eidairaman1]

AsRock Taichi

 

[oxrufiioxo]

AsRock Taichi

Both the X470 and X570 are all over 300 Canadian with the cheapest variant 310 cad.

 

[eidairaman1]

Time to save then.

Look at buildzoids board reviews on vrm/mosfets

 

[oxrufiioxo]

Time to save then.

Look at buildzoids board reviews on vrm/mosfets

The Asus Tuf is 3-5c warmer on the vrms than the X570 Taichi with a 3900X overclocked and cost 200 cad more. I don't think a couple C is worth that much.

To get meaningfully better VRM thermals you need an Aorus Master/Asus Hero 8/Msi Unify with the Unify 8-9c better than the Tachi and the other 2 being 12c better than the Tachi.

Buildzoids is great and I love his videos but he doesn't take into account what heatsink is on the vrms a good example is the Asus hero technically being superior to the Aorus master but Gigabyte uses a vastly superior vrm heatsink/backplate with thermal pads and comes out slightly better in thermals.

The other issues is the 3950X only draws 150-180 amps and even the Tuf has 12 50a power stages so unless there is something on more expensive board you can't live without it's sorta senseless to spend more than the 190 cad it currently cost which is about 140 usd.

 

[Bill_Bright]

I want to upgrade my motherboard...

Why?

If your current motherboard works, there is little advantage to upgrading it UNLESS you will also be upgrading the CPU and the RAM too.

It is unlikely you will see any performance gains.
The new board may not support your current RAM.
And a new motherboard constitutes a new computer for software licensing purposes, so you likely will need a new Windows license too.

Your current ASUS Prime B450m-a/csm motherboard is a µATX board. What case do you have? I note the two motherboards oxrufiioxo suggested are full ATX boards. They may not even fit inside your case! You system specs don't specify the exact CM case.

 

[Waldorf]

@frank30fps
unless your switching for bigger atx board or preparing to upgrade the cpu/ram soon too and want to buy stuff in steps,
keep board and sell it with cpu/ram, maybe whole pc (and keep stuff like gpu/psu),
and upgrade whole pc.
your cpu wont run any better, nor will introduce any of the newer features 3xxx cpus come with.

@Bill_Brightnew license? for what?
i upgraded from 7 to 10 on old pc (i7 ddr 3), did a clean install after (to fully activate),
and swapped it completely twice since then (NOTHING carried over from old rig), first to 3600 on a msi gaming, then a different 3600 and aorus ultra,
both times with new (and different nvmes) without problems.
maybe cant activate automatically, but as long as i logged into my MS account with info i used for first 10 install, its fine.

 

[dirtyferret]

I have a ryzen 2700, my curent motherboard is an ASUS Prime B450m-a/csm, my budget is 200-250 CAD (150-190USD)

Like Bill stated, what exactly are you hoping to achieve out of this upgrade?

 

[TheLostSwede]

@Bill_Brightnew license? for what?
i upgraded from 7 to 10 on old pc (i7 ddr 3), did a clean install after (to fully activate),
and swapped it completely twice since then (NOTHING carried over from old rig), first to 3600 on a msi gaming, then a different 3600 and aorus ultra,
both times with new (and different nvmes) without problems.
maybe cant activate automatically, but as long as i logged into my MS account with info i used for first 10 install, its fine.

This only works with retail licenses, as discussed in a different thread. So it depends on what kind of OS license you buy in the first place.
I have upgraded from Windows 7 Pro retail and obviously have no issues either. However, the $10 OEM licenses aren't likely to allow you to do this.

 

[Bill_Bright]

@@Bill_Brightnew license? for what?

I said why. A new motherboard is considered a new computer. And unless, as TheLostSwede notes, the old license is a full retail license (and most are OEM), by the terms of the license it cannot "legally" be transferred to a new computer. Whether MS activates an old license or not is not the issue. The terms of the EULA, which we agree to abide by when we keep using the software, stipulates OEM licenses are to stay with the Original Equipment.

 

[frank30fps]

I want to OC better and also maybe upgrade CPU later, since i only have 250CAD and idk what I should upgrade if it's not the motherrboard

 

[Waldorf]

i asked why, because you're assuming it is (oem). yet, we dont actually know.
outside the fact its up to the user, not you, if they abide to any legal stuff connected to the hw/sw they have/use.

the same way you wouldn't tell anyone looking for help which car to buy,
that they need to register it, get tags before allowed to drive, or state they couldn't drive over a red light.

 

[EarthDog]

I want to OC better and also maybe upgrade CPU later, since i only have 250CAD and idk what I should upgrade if it's not the motherrboard

Have you tried overclocking on that board? Surely you will be fine for now and limited by the cooler, not the board. Not to mention, overclocking these with all c/t isn't typically the best for most users (unless you consistently use all c/t). Most benefit by adjusting PBO and getting slightly better single thread performance but still increase multi. Verus all core will be slower on all cores/threads. Perhaps when you are ready to upgrade, I would do it then, but not now.

 

[trickson]

MSI X470
Personally this is what I would pair that CPU with. there is a link not sure why it is not posting.
I would get the one that I have in my sig any of them are really great.

 

[Bill_Bright]

i asked why, because you're assuming it is (oem). yet, we dont actually know.

I made no such assumption. I did NOT say the OP will need a new license. I specifically said, likely will need. One word makes a big difference.

outside the fact its up to the user, not you

Just as it is not up to you to tell other posters what they can, or cannot say. What the poster does is his or her business. Ensuring he or she has ALL the information needed to make informed decisions (not just what you want them to have) is why most of us helpers are here.

Please don't drive this thread OT with this off-topic which has been discussed ad nauseam on this site and probably every other tech site.

Now let's move on.

I want to OC better and also maybe upgrade CPU later, since i only have 250CAD and idk what I should upgrade if it's not the motherrboard

I agree with Earthdog. Have you tried overclocking yet? There are many on this site with lots of experience eking out the maximum performance from processors.

If me, and $250 was burning a hole in my pocket, I would look at maybe a upgraded graphics solution (perhaps a different monitor), or an upgraded CPU. Or I would wait and build up the budget until I could afford a full upgrade. Replacing that motherboard now just does not seem to me to be the best use of your money.

 

[frank30fps]

I made no such assumption. I did NOT say the OP will need a new license. I specifically said, likely will need. One word makes a big difference.
Just as it is not up to you to tell other posters what they can, or cannot say. What the poster does is his or her business. Ensuring he or she has ALL the information needed to make informed decisions (not just what you want them to have) is why most of us helpers are here.

Please don't drive this thread OT with this off-topic which has been discussed ad nauseam on this site and probably every other tech site.

Now let's move on.

I agree with Earthdog. Have you tried overclocking yet? There are many on this site with lots of experience eking out the maximum performance from processors.

If me, and $250 was burning a hole in my pocket, I would look at maybe a upgraded graphics solution (perhaps a different monitor), or an upgraded CPU. Or I would wait and build up the budget until I could afford a full upgrade. Replacing that motherboard now just does not seem to me to be the best use of your money.

If I were to upgrade my cpu, what CPU should I buy ? If I get a 3600 I would be better off getting a x570, I don't have enough to upgrade to a graphics card that's worth the upgrade and my monitor is fine

 

[EarthDog]

If I were to upgrade my cpu, what CPU should I buy ? If I get a 3600 I would be better off getting a x570, I don't have enough to upgrade to a graphics card that's worth the upgrade and my monitor is fine

I dont understand why you want to upgrade in teh first place...

Do you have a need that isn't being fulfilled? Are you short cores and threads? What's your motivation (for Shits and giggles is ok too)?

I don't see a reason to upgrade, honestly....

 

[frank30fps]

Caus I know I'm gonna waste this money in something that isn't use full

 

[Bill_Bright]

Well, again, if you are just itching to upgrade the CPU, start by looking at the QVL (qualified vendors list) for your motherboard. Yours is located here. Then shop around to see what is available where you live.

 

[oxrufiioxo]

I dont understand why you want to upgrade in teh first place...

Do you have a need that isn't being fulfilled? Are you short cores and threads? What's your motivation (for Shits and giggles is ok too)?

I don't see a reason to upgrade, honestly....

If he tries to hit 4ghz plus he's probably thermal throttling on the Vrm... even some B450 boards with heatsinks hit over 100c on the vrm like the asrock steel legend with a 2700X. That board is pretty terrible and I would not overclock anything on it.

Maybe with a crazy amount of airflow and a super cool ambient he may be ok but I still wouldn't do it.

 

[EarthDog]

Caus I know I'm gonna waste this money in something that isn't use full

So, 6 of one, half dozen of the other... so far, it seems useless to upgrade considering you haven't even tried overclocking the CPU in the first place, nor listed a use where more cores/threads are helpful.

That is obviously up to you, but useless is useless!

Maybe with a crazy amount of airflow and a super cool ambient he may be ok but I still wouldn't do it.

It doesn't hurt to try... if he sticks with PBO, he'll like be OK...as I said earlier, he only has a CM Hyper 212 for a cooler so it seems more likely to hit that limit than the motherboard (using that OC method).........................

 

[dirtyferret]

I want to OC better and also maybe upgrade CPU later, since i only have 250CAD and idk what I should upgrade if it's not the motherrboard

so there are a lot of things in that sentence

if you want to OC better, I would get a better cooler then the CM 212, something like a Scythe Fuma 2 or Noctua U14s. Both are much cheaper then a new gaming mobo.

 

[frank30fps]

If he tries to hit 4ghz plus he's probably thermal throttling on the Vrm... even some B450 boards with heatsinks hit over 100c on the vrm like the asrock steel legend with a 2700X. That board is pretty terrible and I would not overclock anything on it.

Maybe with a crazy amount of airflow and a super cool ambient he may be ok but I still wouldn't do it.

I can hit 4@1.3v without throttle but I worry about thermals since there are no VRM heatsink, but i did put a fanover the vrm

 

[trickson]

I can hit 4@1.3v without throttle but I worry about thermals since there are no VRM heatsink, but i did put a fanover the vrm

Personaly I have never bought a MB without proper cooling this includes HS for the VRM. This is why I suggest the MB's in my sig.