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Help me pick out a AMD mobo for htpc and light gaming capability

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ASUS ROG

Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2011
Location
Republic of Texas
I'm an Intel fan and Intel user for at long at i can remember so when it come to AMD, it's a new territory to me.

Last week i pick up a use AMD FX 8320 for $130 and i have been looking at this 2 mobo here

ECS Elitegroup ATX DDR3 2133 AMD AM3+ Motherboard A990FXM-A

6141cSXlK9L._SL1000_.jpg

and MSI 970A-G46

71ijy6Cd2-L._SL1000_.jpg

Witch mobo is better, i want to build a HTPC with some gaming capability, probably going to oc the CPU a little
So far part that i already have are

AMD FX 8320
2x 4gb Corsair 1600mhz ram
128gb Sandisk extreme ssd
EVGA GTX 570 sc
Cooler Master 450w psu
All i need now is a mobo, please help me choose.

Thank
 
The 990FX is an higher end (overall) model. Never buyed ECS before, can't say about quality but the board looks nice. I dont know for you but i dont think you really need a 990FX board for an HTPC, and i dont speak about the FX-8350. This is far form an energy efficient HTPC build ;) I'd still get a 990fx board just to make sur you can OC the 8350 if you feel the need to but mostly for a futur resell, much better pair de sell.

Make sure to get a nice air cooling, my HTPC is nearly dead silent.
 
my CPU is a FX 8320 and this pc will be mostly for entertament, will play some game like Starcraft 2 and Shogun 2 in minimum setting.
Maybe you could recommend another AMD mobo that doesn't cost over $130 to me.
 
If you want to OC, the FX-8xxx chip NEED a good board. They pull huge amount of currant under load so you need a really good VRM's setup on the motherboard.

There is alot of 990FX and 990X baord in that price range. Gigabyte, Asrock, Asus, MSI and others.
 
High end motherboard is way more important on the AMD side than Intel side, you NEED a good motherboard to OC.

Cheapest thing worth getting would be the Gigabyte 970-UD3.
 
If you hadn't already bought the cpu, I would have said go with one of the Trinity APUs.

But since you have that FX8320 you really should go with a 990FX mobo.

Of the 2 that you have listed, I would go with the ECS 990FX (it has dual lan).

With that said, I looked on the egg and at manufacturers site, and didn't see anything about the VRMs.
IF you can find an Asrock 990fx Fatality board get it. Otherwise I would go with Asrock Extreme 9. What really sucks is this board was 159 a few weeks ago. Try to find a 990fx Fatality tho if you can they shoud be close to your price range if you can find one still in stock.

Have a look at THESE

I know they are more than you budgeted, but you know what they say. Don't cheap out on Mobo or PSU.
 
Yes, 990 x mobo are nice to have but it cost a lot more
I was looking at some mid range mobo that doesn't cost over $130
I probably won't oc the FX 8320 at all becuase this's for htpc with some gaming capability
Will this mobo work ok ?

ASRock 990FX EXTREME3

61gyFQdfUlL.jpg

I found this board on sale at amazon for $120 :)
 
Thank Knu, i will take a closer look at the mobo you mention
At for the FX 8320, i'll stick with it, i got it for only $130, almost a steal :D
 
I'm using an MSI A85XA-GD65 board and I really like it with my A10-5800K @4.2 with nothing more than a Hyper212 EVO and a pair of Cougar 120mm fans. It's a very nice little setup.
 
I'm using an MSI A85XA-GD65 board and I really like it with my A10-5800K @4.2 with nothing more than a Hyper212 EVO and a pair of Cougar 120mm fans. It's a very nice little setup.

What're you doing with that low power pc, i saw in your other thread, you buy 512GB ssd, GTX TITAN, I7 3770k and Corsair AX 1200I PSU :confused: :D
 
On the thread "What did you get today"
http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7475994#post7475994
you post that you just buy some over power/ overkill pc parts, so what're you doing with the low life, low power A10 5800k and an MSI board?

I'm not some elitist snob who refuses to drive a Nissan Armada because it's not as fast as a Ferrari. I also don't arbitrarily decide which parts are and are not overkill, then make completely off-topic thread crapping posts on someone else's thread.

Not saying you are, or do...just saying I'm not and don't :confused::D
 
Nothing wrong with overkill, if you can afford super high end parts for your pc, then it good for you, please post pic of your rig when you're done and consider joining the benching team :D
 
Don't buy either ECS or MSI. They are the bottom feeders in the motherboard world and we see lots and lots of problems with them here on the forum. It's much smarter in the AMD CPU world to invest in quality foundational supporting components such as PSU, roomy, well-ventilated case, efficient CPU cooler, and a motherboard with sturdy power phase components rather than going first for the big gun FX CPU and then go cheap on the other stuff. If you don't you will, like so many others, get frustrated and go back to Intel and complain about what a bust AMD is. I can see it coming now.
 
Don't buy either ECS or MSI. They are the bottom feeders in the motherboard world and we see lots and lots of problems with them here on the forum. It's much smarter in the AMD CPU world to invest in quality foundational supporting components such as PSU, roomy, well-ventilated case, efficient CPU cooler, and a motherboard with sturdy power phase components rather than going first for the big gun FX CPU and then go cheap on the other stuff. If you don't you will, like so many others, get frustrated and go back to Intel and complain about what a bust AMD is. I can see it coming now.

I know that ASUS SABERTOOTH 990fx is nice to have, but at the same time, it cost more, i just want a mid range mobo for web surfing, movie watching, and some time, gaming on minimum setting.
I just buy http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128514 this afternoon
 
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