B450 vs X570
B450 vs X570
Hi there, Daan. I'm just starting out and couldn't find much info online. I'm planning to set up a new system with a Ryzen 3600 and overclocking. I'm considering the Strix B450-i or X570-i motherboards. The X570-i layout looks good to me, but does it offer better gaming performance? Thanks for your help—I meant to say my English isn't perfect. So the main question is: B450 versus X570?
If you can afford it and aim to maintain and improve the setup over the next couple of years, the X570-I is a solid choice. The B450-I works with the 3600, but it has its limits—like not handling much more power than that. Putting a 3900X in it wouldn’t be wise, and you’d miss out on better upgrade paths. Also, the performance gap between these boards shouldn’t be noticeable when using a 3600.
The boards look very similar overall, with the main variations being the X570 chipset’s overclocking ability compared to the B450, and the VRM cooling solutions. For the R5 3600 it doesn’t matter much since it only has a 65W TDP chip. The X570 also offers PCIe 4.0 support, which isn’t particularly helpful right now. I’d prefer the B450 motherboard—it fits your setup perfectly. I currently use an Asus Strix B450i with an overclocked R7 1700 and it works flawlessly.
I own the Strix B450-i, which includes a 6vrm package. It performs excellently with my 2700x board, managing it smoothly. Both units arrive nicely packed with useful features for overclocking and adjustments. I’d consider it one of the top boards I’ve used recently. It’s missing expansion slots, only offering a single PCIe port.
I see you thinking about how Ryzen processors tend to become much cheaper when new models arrive. A used 3900X or 3950X might seem appealing later, especially with the B450-I. A 3700X would still be a solid choice.