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Which Mobo to buy ?
- Thread starter HOLDon
- Start date
- Joined
- May 14, 2012
- Location
- aldershot hants uk
formula v or the v-z 
I wouldn't touch MSI with anything larger than a 4 core. In fact I would consider any of those if I were going to overclock an octo-core. Just me personally. Others have had success, but I would want something more robust.
Saving on AMD board you are just asking for problems. All these boards are not really good but probably ASUS will be the best of them. There are various issues with Gigabyte, starting from BIOS and ending on power section ( I don't know if they finally fixed RAID issues ). MSI has power section problems and ASUS is not best but let's say above average board for light OC.
All will recommend something like CHV/Z or ASRock highest 990FX series because of quality and stability under full load after OC. Most other boards will overheat etc.
All will recommend something like CHV/Z or ASRock highest 990FX series because of quality and stability under full load after OC. Most other boards will overheat etc.
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2004
- Location
- JAX, Mississauna
We pay for what we get and always hope we get what we paid for...
...I have intentions of overclocking an 8 core FX processor with all 8 cores running at the same rate of overclock. Now what?
Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3P Failed overclock
Link above leads to user in this forum and his problem and work around for the 970 UD3P board which is Giga's latest AMD AM3+ mobo.
While I cannot 'ever' see me buying a cheap board and then think overclock an 8 core FX processor, am certain it would NOT be one of these >> ASUS M5A97-LE R2.0 or MSI 970 Gaming.
The GIGABYTE GA-970A-UD3 was a complete pain in the arse in Rev 3.0 and there were a few Rev 4.0s around until Giga released the GA-970A-UD3P which is to replace the 970A-UD3 board.
The ASUS M5A97-LE R2.0 is not a board I would even consider to run an AMD AM3+ FX-8core processor in even the mode/manner in which AMD designed the FX processors to operate. VRM just not strong enough at all for extended use of 8 Core FX.
The GIGABYTE GA-990XA-UD3 is now in Rev 3.0 and when the 970 UD3 reached Rev 3.0 it became just a pain. This is a virtual unknown board and am sure it has some crazy stuff going on in the Bios as did most of the later Giga AM3+ mobos we have seen. Might do fair as it is 8 +2 VRM type mobo. However you truly will be on your own and suggest you sign up with a forum with a lot of Giga users since they may welll know what is what in bios of such mobo.
The MSI 970 Gaming board is a newer release from MSI using the less feature rich AMD 970 chipset. MSI has put a chip onboard to allow for x8 and x8 transfer speeds to the two x16 sized PCIe sockets on the board. It is 6 + 2 VRM phases and runs hotter even at idle on the VRMs than a CHV-Z board with many more features on the CHV-Z to support at idle. So the 6 + 2 VRM of the MSI board is not nearly as effecient as the more robust top tier AM3+ mobos like the CHV-Z board.
Everything taken into account the situation to consider is do you plan to overclock an FX-8320 enough to try and get up to nearly comparable performance of an i5 Intel cpu in a gaming situation?
Do you actually plan to use two video cards in true SLI or even CrossfireX? IF you do plan to do so then the GA-990XA-UD3 is the only motherboard of the three you listed that has true support for SLI. MSI uses an added chip on the motherboard to try and patch the 970 chipset to run SLI.
My most preferred list to overclock "like we do" is the CHV/z; Sabertooth 990FX Rev 2.0 and likely the Asrock EXT 9 boards. They work and can support overclocking 24/7 of the 8 core FX processor until you run out of ambient cooling. Period.
Following after those three boards would be the 990FX PRO R2.0 by Asus. Then the Asus 990X EVO would probably fall next in line and I believe that is the EVO model name.
Now that the best motherboards for overclocking an FX 8 core processor have been listed, it is a real crapshoot to buy anything else and say the word overclock at same time and expect greater than 4.5Ghz for daily use. I guess if I had to list any other boards that are nearly unknowns and thus off and out of radar range they would fall something like this.
GA-990XA-UD3 (rev. 3.0) 8 +2 VRM
GA-970A-UD3P will not support true two card SLI. 8 + 2 VRM
MSI 970 Gaming chip to force x8 / x8 for the two x16 size video card slots and is an 6 + 2 VRM phase motherboard.
Those last 3 boards are pretty far down a list of most highly recommenced motherboards for overclocking 8 core FX processors for daily use in the plus 4.4Ghz-ish range. We have seen 1000s of users come thru these AMD forum sections and seen what they have used and how used...that is why we have the recommendations we have.
RGone...
...I have intentions of overclocking an 8 core FX processor with all 8 cores running at the same rate of overclock. Now what?
Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3P Failed overclock
Link above leads to user in this forum and his problem and work around for the 970 UD3P board which is Giga's latest AMD AM3+ mobo.
While I cannot 'ever' see me buying a cheap board and then think overclock an 8 core FX processor, am certain it would NOT be one of these >> ASUS M5A97-LE R2.0 or MSI 970 Gaming.
The GIGABYTE GA-970A-UD3 was a complete pain in the arse in Rev 3.0 and there were a few Rev 4.0s around until Giga released the GA-970A-UD3P which is to replace the 970A-UD3 board.
The ASUS M5A97-LE R2.0 is not a board I would even consider to run an AMD AM3+ FX-8core processor in even the mode/manner in which AMD designed the FX processors to operate. VRM just not strong enough at all for extended use of 8 Core FX.
The GIGABYTE GA-990XA-UD3 is now in Rev 3.0 and when the 970 UD3 reached Rev 3.0 it became just a pain. This is a virtual unknown board and am sure it has some crazy stuff going on in the Bios as did most of the later Giga AM3+ mobos we have seen. Might do fair as it is 8 +2 VRM type mobo. However you truly will be on your own and suggest you sign up with a forum with a lot of Giga users since they may welll know what is what in bios of such mobo.
The MSI 970 Gaming board is a newer release from MSI using the less feature rich AMD 970 chipset. MSI has put a chip onboard to allow for x8 and x8 transfer speeds to the two x16 sized PCIe sockets on the board. It is 6 + 2 VRM phases and runs hotter even at idle on the VRMs than a CHV-Z board with many more features on the CHV-Z to support at idle. So the 6 + 2 VRM of the MSI board is not nearly as effecient as the more robust top tier AM3+ mobos like the CHV-Z board.
Everything taken into account the situation to consider is do you plan to overclock an FX-8320 enough to try and get up to nearly comparable performance of an i5 Intel cpu in a gaming situation?
Do you actually plan to use two video cards in true SLI or even CrossfireX? IF you do plan to do so then the GA-990XA-UD3 is the only motherboard of the three you listed that has true support for SLI. MSI uses an added chip on the motherboard to try and patch the 970 chipset to run SLI.
My most preferred list to overclock "like we do" is the CHV/z; Sabertooth 990FX Rev 2.0 and likely the Asrock EXT 9 boards. They work and can support overclocking 24/7 of the 8 core FX processor until you run out of ambient cooling. Period.
Following after those three boards would be the 990FX PRO R2.0 by Asus. Then the Asus 990X EVO would probably fall next in line and I believe that is the EVO model name.
Now that the best motherboards for overclocking an FX 8 core processor have been listed, it is a real crapshoot to buy anything else and say the word overclock at same time and expect greater than 4.5Ghz for daily use. I guess if I had to list any other boards that are nearly unknowns and thus off and out of radar range they would fall something like this.
GA-990XA-UD3 (rev. 3.0) 8 +2 VRM
GA-970A-UD3P will not support true two card SLI. 8 + 2 VRM
MSI 970 Gaming chip to force x8 / x8 for the two x16 size video card slots and is an 6 + 2 VRM phase motherboard.
Those last 3 boards are pretty far down a list of most highly recommenced motherboards for overclocking 8 core FX processors for daily use in the plus 4.4Ghz-ish range. We have seen 1000s of users come thru these AMD forum sections and seen what they have used and how used...that is why we have the recommendations we have.
RGone...
Last edited:
- Joined
- May 14, 2012
- Location
- aldershot hants uk
well put RGone, no point building a great pc and scrimping on the most important part
Im going to presume you are speaking of the m5a99 or m5a97 non LE versions.... Have a hard time believing you ran a stable, quality rig on an m5a97 LE myself.
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2004
- Location
- JAX, Mississauna
M5A97 EVO << is the board "johan" had for his 8 core FX processors until he found it not really stable beyond about 4.4Ghz. I think his fingers were hitting keys faster than his brain was working so he was not as clear as could be about his use of previous M5A model board. Hehehe.
RGone...
RGone...
