XMP - Working?
XMP - Working?
I found out my old H97 model includes an M.2 port and supports NVMe... it’s unclear how much performance is affected, but since my 250GB SSD is nearly full, even if the PC upgrade takes longer than expected, I can purchase the M.2 drive now and use it.
PCIe slots are definitely possible, but I’m not sure what purpose you’d give them. For most users, having 2-3 slots is sufficient, especially if newer systems already have 2-4 M.2 slots and RGB features. Regarding audio, my two friends who studied audio engineering ended up not needing a sound card after all, as they opted for external solutions. Internal ones seemed unnecessary.
From an ASUS perspective, it wasn’t the main focus. I checked PC PartPicker, sorting by price to compare the lowest and highest options with similar features—more than doubling the cost without much difference in performance. Still, basic specs were adequate.
In terms of brand, ASUS has been reliable for me over 15 years. I tried another brand once, but it had many problems. My sister’s ASRock model stayed trouble-free after a few years. MSI was okay too; during GPU research, reviewers mentioned only MSI and cheaper components. I saw some mixed feedback, so I excluded MSI from my search. I’m also not targeting the $350CAD range, but rather the $200CAD range.
Of course, luck plays a role—choosing a good board reduces chances of failure, but there’s always a risk a board might fail unexpectedly. It could be a cheap board that breaks, just like cars sometimes. 😊
I’ve gathered some prices and parts to add to my watchlist. I need to decide on the next steps and hopefully have some items ordered by the end of April.
I plan to focus on CPU/RAM/MOBO, then save for the GPU/PSU. The M.2 drive might come with the CPU upgrade since I’ll likely reinstall Windows 10 anyway.
For PCI-E slots, I currently have my GPU installed. As mentioned earlier:
This is the primary purpose for PCI-E slots after the GPU.
I once had a plan to use two GTX 1070s in a 2-way SLI configuration (which was also one of the reasons I purchased my ATX MoBo), but circumstances shifted.
For most users, what seems sufficient is often not enough. Instead, individuals tend to opt for more powerful or higher-end options than what they truly need. Having excess capacity is generally seen positively, whereas having fewer tends to be viewed negatively. This reflects societal and human tendencies.
For instance, many people purchase five passenger vehicles but primarily drive alone. For solo drivers, a kei car (such as the Smart Fortwo) would be considered sufficient. However, most opt for SUVs or large fuel-consuming pickup trucks in America, wasting resources and fuel just to transport one person from point A to B.
It’s hard to rely on PCP prices consistently. Both extremely low and very high prices often require a second evaluation.
For example, the Thermaltake View 91:
pcpp:
https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product...-e...-00f1wn-00
Right now, you could purchase one for over 1400 CAD, but is that justified? Especially when it should cost around 650 CAD.
You don’t need to chase brand new items. Warranty protection applies if the MoBo fails or dies within the warranty period.
For used or second-hand equipment, luck plays a significant role—you’d need a lot of it.
I’m confident you’ll make an informed choice.