F5F Stay Refreshed Power Users Overclocking Need a Am3+ Motherboard

Need a Am3+ Motherboard

Need a Am3+ Motherboard

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anakindaur
Senior Member
576
06-14-2016, 12:05 AM
#1
For my recent Fx-8320 setup, I aim to push it to 5ghz. Should the Gigabyte GA970aud3p and Corsair CX600 suffice, or would I need an upgrade as well? Appreciate any advice.
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anakindaur
06-14-2016, 12:05 AM #1

For my recent Fx-8320 setup, I aim to push it to 5ghz. Should the Gigabyte GA970aud3p and Corsair CX600 suffice, or would I need an upgrade as well? Appreciate any advice.

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CptCookies12
Member
134
06-14-2016, 07:40 AM
#2
I have the same motherboard but a slightly weaker CPU (FX 6350 overclocked to a very stable 4.3Ghz) and it causes no issues at all. I might be able to get it around 4.5-4.6 without any concerns, though I’m not confident about my cooling setup. For a tight budget, the Gigabyte 970A-UD3P seems like the top choice because of its VRM. If you have no budget limits, you can consider higher-end models. Running an FX 8320 at 5.0Ghz will generate a lot of heat—make sure you use a high-quality fan and heatsink with proper thermal paste.
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CptCookies12
06-14-2016, 07:40 AM #2

I have the same motherboard but a slightly weaker CPU (FX 6350 overclocked to a very stable 4.3Ghz) and it causes no issues at all. I might be able to get it around 4.5-4.6 without any concerns, though I’m not confident about my cooling setup. For a tight budget, the Gigabyte 970A-UD3P seems like the top choice because of its VRM. If you have no budget limits, you can consider higher-end models. Running an FX 8320 at 5.0Ghz will generate a lot of heat—make sure you use a high-quality fan and heatsink with proper thermal paste.

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Chengster
Junior Member
12
06-14-2016, 07:55 AM
#3
Andrei-Florin Gogan shares his experience: he uses the same motherboard but a slightly weaker CPU (FX 6350 overclocked to a stable 4.3Ghz) without any issues. He believes it would work fine at around 4.5-4.6Ghz, though he isn’t confident about his cooling setup. For those on a tight budget, the Gigabyte 970A-UD3P seems like a solid choice because of its VRM. If you have more budget, you can upgrade to higher-end models. However, if you aim for 5.0Ghz, a FX 8320 is likely to generate excessive heat. Make sure you pair it with a top-tier fan and heatsink, along with proper thermal paste.

In terms of power consumption, 600W is sufficient unless you plan to add two high-end GPUs. The CX series from Corsair may not provide enough stability.

To the reader: remember that CPU overclocking varies widely. Some FX 8320s can reach 5Ghz, but only the top-tier models do so reliably. Most cannot. Even the FX 8350s rarely hit 5Ghz. To be certain, consider FX 8370 or FX 9370/9590. Avoid FX 9xxx unless you have compatible hardware—they’re extremely power-hungry (220W), requiring a motherboard like Sabertooth or better for the FX 9xxx line. The FX 8370 is your best option if you want a realistic chance of reaching 5Ghz. For AMD models, aim for at least 750W 80+ Gold power supply; 1000W would be ideal. This ensures stable power and extra capacity for both the GPU and cooling system, especially since water cooling is needed to approach 5Ghz levels.
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Chengster
06-14-2016, 07:55 AM #3

Andrei-Florin Gogan shares his experience: he uses the same motherboard but a slightly weaker CPU (FX 6350 overclocked to a stable 4.3Ghz) without any issues. He believes it would work fine at around 4.5-4.6Ghz, though he isn’t confident about his cooling setup. For those on a tight budget, the Gigabyte 970A-UD3P seems like a solid choice because of its VRM. If you have more budget, you can upgrade to higher-end models. However, if you aim for 5.0Ghz, a FX 8320 is likely to generate excessive heat. Make sure you pair it with a top-tier fan and heatsink, along with proper thermal paste.

In terms of power consumption, 600W is sufficient unless you plan to add two high-end GPUs. The CX series from Corsair may not provide enough stability.

To the reader: remember that CPU overclocking varies widely. Some FX 8320s can reach 5Ghz, but only the top-tier models do so reliably. Most cannot. Even the FX 8350s rarely hit 5Ghz. To be certain, consider FX 8370 or FX 9370/9590. Avoid FX 9xxx unless you have compatible hardware—they’re extremely power-hungry (220W), requiring a motherboard like Sabertooth or better for the FX 9xxx line. The FX 8370 is your best option if you want a realistic chance of reaching 5Ghz. For AMD models, aim for at least 750W 80+ Gold power supply; 1000W would be ideal. This ensures stable power and extra capacity for both the GPU and cooling system, especially since water cooling is needed to approach 5Ghz levels.

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ShaneTV
Member
162
06-14-2016, 10:31 AM
#4
For that type of setup you might be able to get it if you have the right silicon and water cooling. The MSI 970 Gaming is a decent motherboard offering the same power phase design but with SLI compatibility. Just make sure you pick one that fits your budget.
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ShaneTV
06-14-2016, 10:31 AM #4

For that type of setup you might be able to get it if you have the right silicon and water cooling. The MSI 970 Gaming is a decent motherboard offering the same power phase design but with SLI compatibility. Just make sure you pick one that fits your budget.

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Dracode
Member
150
06-14-2016, 04:30 PM
#5
Remembered that aiming for 5Ghz would work better with a 990 motherboard instead of a 970. The FX 990 boards support higher overclocks compared to the 970 models.
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Dracode
06-14-2016, 04:30 PM #5

Remembered that aiming for 5Ghz would work better with a 990 motherboard instead of a 970. The FX 990 boards support higher overclocks compared to the 970 models.