With a 3600X upgrade, you likely won't need a new motherboard.
With a 3600X upgrade, you likely won't need a new motherboard.
Hey there, so I'm thinking about switching to a 3600x from my current 2600. I'm curious if it's really necessary to upgrade my motherboard as well. My board is an Asrock B450M Pro4-f, and I've seen that it matches the full-size Pro4's VRM layout—those are solid specs with 9 phases (6+3). I plan to run the 3600x at its default settings, paired with a 185W TDP cooler. My main concern is whether the board can handle the increased power without needing a different chassis. I only really want to stick with mATX, and the only other decent option is the Tuf B450M Pro S. I don't mind the features, as long as it meets my needs right now. Just want to know if it's okay to keep things as they are or if upgrading to the Pro S would be better. I'm not interested in features, just stability for a more powerful chip. Thanks for any thoughts!
The b450 pro4 f is a 3 phase with SM4337 and SM4336 and can easily handle a 3600x, you don't need to change it, though i'd say wait for zen 3 and check what it has to offer and the 3600x is not worth the extra over the 3600 unless it's similarly/ the same price.
Are you sure? Looking at those benchmarks shows the extra 200mhz makes a small difference in gaming. That’s probably its main purpose. I also read a VRM tier article on overclock.net—it mentioned it’s a 9-phase design, so I set that aside. Yeah, I was thinking about waiting; if the new features aren’t worth it, it’ll still be cheaper than what we have now.
It makes a small difference but isn't huge. If the price matches or is close, it's worth considering; otherwise, hold off and save. You might also wait until Zen 3 releases to see what it offers. There are 9 mosfets overall, with a 3-phase configuration for the Vcore, so there are 2 per phase—making 6 in pairs.
Got it, I'll hold off until after the launch. Even if it doesn't bring anything new, it might still help reduce costs on the existing offerings.
Ah then yea that's fair, but yea the board will easily handle a 3600x.