Which motherboard to choose...
Which motherboard to choose...
I’m preparing an upgrade for my first gaming PC. I’ve chosen a configuration: a CPU from AMD Ryzen 5 3600, 3.6 GHz, 6 cores, priced at £168 on Amazon UK. The cooler I’m considering is Scythe Mugen 5 Rev. B, 51.17 CFM, costing £48.98 from Overclockers.co.uk. For the motherboard, I’m looking at Gigabyte A520 AORUS ELITE ATX AM4, available for £70.38 on Box Limited. I also need Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro memory sticks (16 GB, DDR4-3600 CL18) for £96.98. The storage I plan is a Seagate Barracuda 2 TB drive at £44.98. For the graphics card, I’m thinking of the Radeon Vega 64 with 8 GB VRAM, case from Lian Li PC-O11, priced at £241.92. The power supply should be Corsair HX Platinum 1000W, certified Platinum, for £184.99. I also need a fan from Corsair iCUE SP120 RGB Pro, three 52 CFM units, costing £45.97 each. Overall, the total comes to £994.14, including shipping and taxes.
As someone new to PC building, I’m weighing between MSI MPG B550 GAMING PLUS ATX AM4 and Gigabyte B550 AORUS ELITE V2 ATX AM4. Both are currently priced similarly in the UK. Which would suit you better? Also, do you need any recommendations on a motherboard that fits the ports on your case and supports all my components? I’d also like to confirm if I should purchase the cooler myself or stick with the stock one from Ryzen 5 3600.
B550 is a solid choice. These two boards are both reliable and cover everything you need. The main differences come from appearance and BIOS preference. Personally, I don’t mind the MSI BIOS at all—someone using an MSI X570 Unify board agrees. Also, do you actually have no SSD in that setup? That would be my top priority change: replacing the SSD with a boot drive.
They’re quite alike in specifications... would you see a distinction between 1gbit/s and 2.5gbit/s Ethernet? I was thinking about switching to an SSD, but the cost made me hesitate at first. The Samsung 970 got a lot of praise, though I’m not sure if it’s the best choice. I’m planning to upgrade the older components first and then add the SSD later.
Varies. General home internet speeds won't jump beyond 1Gbps anytime soon, but for internal communication within your house it could make sense to aim for 2.5Gbps. All systems would need to back that up. Most routers still offer only 1Gbps connections, so boosting speed on the motherboard isn't much of a factor now. Solid-state drives are actually quite affordable these days. A WD Black SN750 costs $70 for 500GB and offers solid performance. The Samsung 970 might be overhyped; it works, but many cheaper alternatives exist.