If cost isn't a concern... Then...
If cost isn't a concern... Then...
Price isn't the main concern; I'm avoiding overclocking. The main purpose is gaming. The board must be ATX or smaller to fit a custom case. Storage will be M.2 for now. Form factor and look matter, so I intend to use custom loop cooling for the CPU—though I'm not sure if that affects my choice of motherboard. I'm leaning toward the AM5 standard. Now, which boards do people recommend? What are the advantages and downsides? Open for discussion.
When listing all storage options, specify the number of drives and their desired speeds. Personal preference plays a big role—share what you like, dislike, and any color or theme ideas you have. Determine the number of USB ports needed or preferred to help narrow down choices. I wouldn’t choose an MSI board; I’ve had positive experiences with Gigabyte and Asus. I’d avoid AMD boards lacking USB BIOS flashing unless I’m sure they’re available.
Interesting point, it seems the platform will expand with AM5 boards, but ultimately it depends on the maker. Either way, the I/O and cost aspects matter—generation 5 for GPUs and storage usually isn't an issue since you don't currently own them, and when they become available they'll probably not be needed much in practical use.
I understand your concerns about space and setup. Right now, most of my stage is dedicated to the operating system and several games. I was considering adding 2-3 250gb M.2 SSDs, but I’m open to other ideas since I’m not very familiar with M.2 drives. Your custom wood desk with a mostly white design looks nice, though it seems white motherboards are uncommon. From what I recall, you’ll probably need at least four standard ports for headphones, a mouse, mousepad, keyboard, and maybe a couple of extra USB-C ports. Otherwise, I’d prefer a few USB-C options but don’t have strict requirements. Thanks for sharing your thoughts—I’m open to adjusting based on what works best.
According to previous sources, the ProArt AM5 board doesn't support this capability.
Interesting, earlier I mentioned motherboards and someone was upset because the ProArt didn’t include a feature showing a POST code readout. That’s something that helped me troubleshoot systems many times—it saved me from guessing what was wrong. On a new platform, it’s hard to know if it was left out, but it’s clear this board is meant for users who need quick fixes and reliability. It’s also promoted for workstation users who care about stability. While you can manage with the four LEDs on the ProArt, it’s still worth noting that a POST code isn’t overly costly, and other boards offer it.
It would be more logical to use bigger storage drives, ideally just two—one for games and one for the operating system if necessary. I’d lean toward a silver board since it’s a step ahead of black and fits the cooler color scheme. MSI’s support isn’t great, though I’ve seen how unreliable they can be.
It doesn't have that, that's for sure. There is also the fact its a $500 board. So i'm happy with my $500 Asrock X670E Taichi (which does have the LED post code readout) but its not the kind of thing i suggest to others if they have to ask. I'm well aware of how much of this boards features I won't make use of but I don't care and just wanted it anyway. Suggesting that kind of thought process to others though.. yeah I don't do that. I'd say a much cheaper B650/E board would make more sense.