Affordable 9800x3D display option available
Affordable 9800x3D display option available
The GIGABYTE B850 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 ICE offers two PCIe 3.0x1 ports. For a 9800X3D, you’ll need a suitable board.
since every PCIe lane and board area is filled with M.2 ports, which are usually better for modern setups, now that you have some goals in mind we can assist you.
I noticed the board suggestion on Hardware Unboxed, but upon checking the specs I realized it might not be up to date. My Gigabyte Z87x offers better connectivity than what was recommended. AM5 boards seem problematic lately—they lack standard M.2 slots, so I'm using a PCIe x4 slot and relying on a NVMe SSD. Two 1-pin slots aren't worth the cost at that price point.
Currently there aren't any PCIe devices requiring extra bandwidth. What specifications are you aiming for in terms of PCIe ports and lane configurations? Many boards focus on utilizing their existing PCIe lanes to accommodate more M.2 NVMe drives. You might consider the X870E model—it offers an x4 connection for both slots, with one supporting PCIe 4.0 x4 and the other PCIe 3.0 x4. The Asus B650E Max Gaming WiFi W includes a PCIe 4.0 x4 port plus two PCIe 3.0 x1 ports if additional expansion is needed. If you don’t need a white board, the Asrock X870 Pro-A provides a PCIe 4.0 x4 slot along with two PCIe 4.0 x1 slots.
You can refresh more frequently than once a decade. Rather than investing $2000 every ten years, allocate a few hundred each three to four years? This approach isn't as effective unless you're improving a model that's still underperforming, such as the 4770k.
I focus on reliability and long-term viability rather than specific form factors. The Z87X and 4770K models running at 4.3GHZ have worked well for a decade, and I intend to use a 9800X3D on a solid motherboard for another ten years.
Because I don’t have a crystal ball, I’m looking for something lasting at least five years. You probably didn’t foresee the growth of NVME, but having a board with a PCIEX4 slot definitely made a difference. I’m glad you can afford to replace parts every three years, though I can’t!
It’s tough to stay under 150W, so upgrading to a Ryzen 9 might reduce performance in demanding tasks. The drop isn’t massive, but it still matters.