• Welcome to Overclockers Forums! Join us to reply in threads, receive reduced ads, and to customize your site experience!

M5A99X EVO R2.0 - any insights?

Overclockers is supported by our readers. When you click a link to make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn More.

Enginebuilder

New Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2013
Hello to all, and I must say thank you for a most informative website. I've been lurking for a while, trying to glean information that will be useful for my upcoming build of a HTPC that, while primarily used for HD content playing, will also be sometimes used for gaming (FPS, Skyrim, Civ5, etc).

I've searched, but cannot seem to find much info on the motherboard that I am currently considering: the Asus M5A99X EVO R2.0.

Reasons for my selection of this board:

Compatible with the processor I've chosen (AMD FX-6100)
Within my budget (limited to ~$135US for MOBO)
Seems to get good reviews, though I haven't found many

While I'm not terribly concerned with overclocking per se, that option remains on the table, especially if the 6100 processor delivers underwhelming performance with respect to encoding video files or other video manipulation tasks.

So, what have the experiences of OC.com been with respect to this board?

I appreciate any and all feedback ya'll can provide with this.

-EB
 
I can tell you that with the exception of a different PCI slot configuration (not as capable in terms of crossfire options), its specs and design are nearly idenitical to the M5A99FX Pro R2.0 that I use. The voltage regulation and overclocking potential is awesome with their digi+ VRM design, and I've been beyond happy with the choice. It is miles and miles ahead of the M5A97 model I had previously used in that regard. There are more than enough BIOS options and fine-tuning adjustments to satisfy the average person, and it supports enough fans on the board itself (5) for what you will probably be needing. If that is where your budget sits, I think it's the hands-down best option. I could tell you the advantages of the Crosshair or Sabertooth models if you were really looking to overclock, but those are well above $135 and you don't sound like your first priority is pushing the upper limits of the chip. In terms of your processor, I'd strongly, strongly advise you consider the FX 6300. The newer lineup of Piledriver chips like the 6300 are far more capable than the Bulldozer lineup such as the 6100 in most every way. Whichever you go with, video encoding and other highly threaded tasks are what these chips do actually excel at, so you shouldn't be disappointed.
 
i agree with ocmusicjunkie. Im running the M5A99FX PRO R2.0 and when i was researching for my build i had that board in my top three. i chose my board over the board your looking at for the simple fact my board is set up to run 2 gpu @ 16x where as the one your looking is primarily a single gpu board. Also throw in some other minor perks for my board, but the basic board is the same and i haven't had any issues with it at all. For a few $$ more i would get the 6300 over the 6100 just for the fact that its second generation fx chip and its got better improvements over the 6100. it runs cooler and has a better stock clock and is more energy efficient.

just my 2¢
 
@NiteSmoker- I'm going to have to look at that Phanteks PH-TC14CS-RD cooler if it's keeping you at 53c up to 4.4ghz! :drool:

In terms of the processor, I really don't think I would go down the path of the first gen bulldozer FX chips for any reason. I'd rather get a FX-4300 than a FX-6100 just because the throttling issues are resolved and I generally see many, many more happy owners. But, that's from where I sit having a pair of X4 965's even if I ignore my 8350. If I were building a system because I needed to build one and went with the 6100 without all the hands-on comparisons to make, I'd probably still be thrilled with that chip too.
 
The Asus 990X evo is a solid motherboard. 6+2 digital voltage regulation, consistent BIOS, and overall solid platform.

Please do yourself the favor and get a 6300 over the 6100. BD based parts use needless amounts of power and even though they can overclock like crazy they stop performing around 4.3Ghz. After a generous overclock a 6300 CAN out perform an 8150 in almost every way, and if encoding videos is something you do regularly you ABSOLUTELY want to go for a Vishera based chip and not a Zambezi.
 
Just to be needlessly redundant and reiterate the same thought as all the other posts...

I'm about as big of AMD fanboy as you'll find. I've had an Athlon 64, Athlon X2, multiple Athlon II's, multiple Phenom II's, and now an FX-8350. The only chip I looked at and took a pass on was the Bulldozer generation of the FX chips. It was the first time it looked more appealing to me to build with the previous gen and wait it out. If your pricepoint for the processor is $100, you could also look at Phenom II X4 965's and get one hell of a processor for the current price and you'd still have a platform that'll be current for the FX chips in the future.
 
Haha.... I am sure it's phenomenal at cooling, but I didn't build my system inside a file cabinet, I used a regular computer tower. I think it might be easier to just mount a window AC unit than fit that design.....
 
Thanks everyone for the miraculously prompt replies.

I think I will be getting the FX-6300 instead of the 6100; for $30 more, the 6300 seems to be a significant upgrade. With the reports of the 6300 being more energy efficient, that is even better- less power=less heat=quieter fans.

Since this is going to be a HTPC build, I'd prefer to keep things as quiet as possible. How does the stock AMD cooler measure up? I know most here swap it out to allow for overclocking, but is the stock fan quiet & capable?
 
Thanks everyone for the miraculously prompt replies.

I think I will be getting the FX-6300 instead of the 6100; for $30 more, the 6300 seems to be a significant upgrade. With the reports of the 6300 being more energy efficient, that is even better- less power=less heat=quieter fans.

Since this is going to be a HTPC build, I'd prefer to keep things as quiet as possible. How does the stock AMD cooler measure up? I know most here swap it out to allow for overclocking, but is the stock fan quiet & capable?
Good choice and advice from the posts above on the 6300. I have a M5A99x EVO 1st gen and it's a great board. As far as the stock cooler, it will be fine at stock clocks but may get a little loud under load. If you really want a quiet build you may want to consider getting a quality aftermarket one. A Coolermaster 212 EVO will work great for mild overclocks and is relatively quiet. Just make sure it will fit in the case.
 
When you say HTPC, that can mean a lot of things. I'd like to know more about the placement of the system and how quiet it needs to be. I have my HTPC in the bedroom, literally within arm's reach while laying in bed. Obviously it needs to be whisper quiet. If you are going to have it across the room or in a place with other ambient noise, that changes things.

If you need it to be quiet at all, you need to dump the stock cooler. The larger the fan size, the lower the noise levels created to move the same amount of air. The stock fan uses 80mm or smaller, which is about as small and loud as it gets. I use an Xigmatek Loki in my HTPC, with a 92mm Logisys fan dialed way down to idle just over 1000rpm normally, and peak around 1500rpm once the CPU passes 45c. A quick search shows that the FX stock cooler tops out over 6500rpm!

There are a lot of good, quiet cooling options out there that aren't pricey. The total cost of my case + cpu cooler + gpu heatsink + fans was around $75 I believe, with almost half of that being the case itself. The question is if you want to have he option to dial up the cooling and overclock, or if you want to just be as whisper quiet as possible.
 
The PC is going to be located below my TV, in the AV stack. Distance from couch to TV is about 14'.
 
This is a good, very quiet cooler that should fit most cases. It's noted specifically for being silent even compared to other 120mm fan coolers- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835999048

This is what I use, although with a slower fan- my case is too tight for any 120mm tower: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233081&Tpk=loki

This is the 120mm fan I use currently- you can find them on sale all the time- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835999027

Very good passive GPU cooler to replace your fan- works with the HD6670 even though not stated- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002OI4BGA/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1MD6J1KVR2O2V
 
Back