True phase VRM or fewer phases with a doubler?
True phase VRM or fewer phases with a doubler?
The first type features True phase VRMs without doubling, offering better efficiency and cooler performance. The second type uses fewer phases but includes a doubler, which can simplify design but may reduce efficiency slightly.
Essentially, using fewer phases and boosters reduces costs but can lead to less stable power and higher heat output. It’s mainly about saving money. Adding more phases is costly, yet they offer better efficiency and stability. Also, you shouldn’t rely solely on the manufacturer’s claims—they often exaggerate because determining the exact phase count is complex and a VRM is more than just its phase number.
I'm reviewing the distinctions between the x570 Aorus Master and Ultra. The Ultra uses a 12 +2 phase design while the Master employs a true 14 phase setup. You're correct about the cost benefits, though the doubler might introduce a slight delay—probably negligible for most users. I'm still puzzled about other differences, as both models appear to offer solid heating solutions.
Unless you are planning a system with a 3950x and some high-end custom watercooling parts or even more exotic cooling, it won't matter. I don't know if it's true today but the rule when ryzen just launched was: get a board with A vrm heatsink, big, small, not that important, just A heatsink. But with X570 starting at a fairly high point, the VRM and VRM cooling are already so good (even if you get the cheapest one out there) it doesn't really matter. All boards are good, just get the one you like the most
A doubler is defined as scoring 0.5 when the other player scores 1.0.
It varies from board to board and manufacturer to manufacturer. Like Asrock might advertise a 16 phase VRM and all that when the Vcore is only 12 phases or either way lower than what they actually mention, or ASUS might advertise an 8+2 phase VRM, when it's actually a 4+1, but they use two power stages per phase, which is a neat little cost saving trick, but it still gets the job done. There's also differences between the power stages, you could have ones rated for 50A, some rated for 45A, heck, some are even rated for 90A, but those are usually reserved for high-end ITX boards where space is really constrained. Either way, are you dead set on the X570 Ultra or Master? You can get an X570 Unify for $250 and that's a super solid board, probably about on par with the Master, while being cheaper than even the Ultra.
The area I'm in currently sees similar pricing for ultra and unify. There are more fan headers, RGB headers, and USB ports available for ultra. The main difference is that if ultra uses 1Gbps Ethernet, unify supports 2.5GbE and includes the LED time code. I've noted all specifications here. My initial pick was unify, but I discovered these options later... Edited June 22, 2020 by Cheeseburger Apocalypse
They seem quite alike in terms of features, but Unify offers better power delivery. Unify is essentially the Ace version without the RGB elements. Either choice will provide a strong gaming experience. If you want the Ultra or Gigabyte BIOS style, you can stick with that too and still enjoy great performance.