DRD5 offers improved performance and efficiency. MB suggestions depend on your specific needs and budget.
DRD5 offers improved performance and efficiency. MB suggestions depend on your specific needs and budget.
I upgraded to a 13900k and decided to replace my aging 10980xe. It was time to pick the right balance of memory and RAM. I currently have 128GB of DDR4 3200 and wondered if upgrading to DDR5 would be worthwhile. Also, I was looking for the best motherboard that offers both good looks and overclocking potential. The ASUS APEX caught my eye, but I’m curious if there are more affordable options I overlooked. My setup includes a 4090, a 1000W platinum PSU, and custom water cooling. The main concerns are whether DDR5 is worth the investment and if there’s a superior motherboard alternative.
Are you truly requiring 128GB of RAM? Probably, sticking with DDR4 is still the smarter choice since it’s easier to maintain at solid speeds. If you’re not, DDR5 is the better option. You can find 2x16GB bundles starting around $75 (they lack XMP support but still reliably reach 7200 CL34 or better). To be clear, are you referring to the Z690 or Z790 Apex? They look different and you’d like confirmation which one you had in mind. Regardless, the Apex is mostly unnecessary for most users—it’s mainly praised for excelling with DDR5 overclocking. If your aim is DDR5 speeds above 8000 (especially the Z790 version), the Apex is far from ideal, being one of only a few boards capable. With the same CPU, it would be roughly 200-400MT/s faster than alternatives. Unless you’re targeting speeds over 7600, it doesn’t really justify the investment.
It varies based on your needs. For high refresh rate gaming at 1440p or 1080p, DDR5 is crucial for optimal performance with your 13900K and 4090. On the other hand, for tasks like video editing, fast RAM offers minimal benefit—just focus on having enough storage.
Why do you need such a large amount of RAM? This setup is unnecessarily powerful just for being excessive. Your aim is maximum performance, not gaming. As mentioned before, it's tough to run 128GB RAM stably and quickly for DDR5 yet. If you're after speed, opt for 32GB. For show-off purposes, 128GB DDR4 can still perform well or you can run 128GB DDR5 at its base capabilities. Additionally, if you plan to push the GPU to its limits, consider using a power supply of 1200W or higher, since unlocked it can handle very high demands.
The 128 gigs were utilized for big coding tasks and they also have a nice appearance. The current decision involves choosing between four DDR4 64gb sticks or a fresh set of DDR5 units. My main tasks moved to another machine, yet I still work on some here, making it hard to decide if DDR5 is beneficial overall. Benchmarks seem inconsistent on the limit benchmarks. A 1600w board is coming soon after I test the volt-shunt on the 4090.
Focusing solely on CPU overclocking means most boards will perform identically. You're likely looking for a white board, and there are several good choices if memory overclocking isn't your priority. Options include the MSI Z690 Force (needs BIOS update, ~$300), Z790 Edge, ASUS Z790-A Prime, Z790-A Strix, NZXT N7 Z790, and Gigabyte Z790 Aero G. Personal preferences vary, so check them out and pick what you like best.
The IO on the boards you referred to appears to be limited, especially regarding 10Gb. Would an Aorus Master suit your needs better? My main issue is with the PCB quality—APEX has a white PCB and Carrara covers it well, while I didn’t notice any 10Gb availability when I checked.
The setup is working well, and you can upgrade with a 10GbE card. These are affordable now (around $50 for the adapters, or as low as $20 if you find a used enterprise adapter) and fit on any of those boards. I won’t discuss the look, since my preferences differ from yours—my board is a Z690 Unify-X with heatsinks removed and the board exposed, which I find cleaner.