AMD Motherboard upgrade. (FM2 -> FM2+)

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Calculatron

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Apr 3, 2013
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I've been looking at the higher-end FM2+ motherboards; I'd like something with longevity and over-clocking potential in mind. (Starting a low, slow, piece-meal upgrade path with this thing.)

I've been eyeing up the Gigabyte F2A88X-UP4 ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128655 ) and the ASrock FM2A88X Extreme 6+ ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157457 ).

I usually throw down the extra money for the premium cost of ASUS, but I would like to explore my other options first. I'm not an expert on motherboards, and would like to hear other people's input. (I have heard that the ASRock Extreme 6+ has some overclocking records, but I also know that sometimes it has issues keeping its VRMs cool, thanks to the small heatsink.)

The current motherboard for the rig is a Biostar A85W. I bought it during a Black Friday sale; it came with a free set of 8gb G.Skill RipxjawsX RAM, so, uh, that's why I bought it. It's been a faithful board, but I have decided it's time to start tweaking the system a bit. I can boot to windows with a 4.6 ghz overclock with the A10-5800K, but I can't get reasonable stability at over 4.2 ghz. I have a good PSU (XFX PRO-series XXX edition) so I do not think that is what is hindering it.

I probably wouldn't be considering this upgrade, if it weren't for that a friend of mine is coming back from overseas soon, and would benefit from having an impromptu rig. He'll get my old motherboard, and some other friends have other components.
 
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Calculatron

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Well, I have had the A10-5800K for almost two years now. But why do I continue to throw money at what someone could harshly call a money-sink? I like to tinker. This APU-based rig is my secondary rig that I like to diddle with. It already has a second-hand discrete card installed, which I put in after about a year of original use. (I think it's a GTX 470? Bought it for ~$50.)

Still, I'd rather have a cost-effective solution, than say, throwing down $160 for the new ASUS ROG board. (It's not *that* frivolous of an upgrade.)
 
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TopLuca

TopLuca

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Jun 2, 2012
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This might sound stupid but Why don't you give Intel a Shot , since you're looking at motherboards which can cost anywhere near 80-90 bucks why not spend a little bit more and mess around with a G3258 instead.

If that wasn't a viable option then what are you trying to achieve with the new motherboard especially that the CPU is quite old ?
 
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Calculatron

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No, it doesn't sound stupid - we all know that, particularly for gaming, Intel is where it is at. The thought (of switching platforms) has crossed my mind. I've read the reviews on the G3258, and know it's pretty much the best in its class. Although I haven't had the privilege to play with it yet, I have done a couple I3-based builds, and I know the overclocked performance is roughly in the same ballpark.

Still, though, having the board for a future upgrade wouldn't be bad, and it would give me a chance to be a lot more familiar with the Intel mode of overclocking.

As for goals, I would like to switch this rig to FM2+ so that, if I so choose, I can tinker with any future offerings from AMD (that I deem are worthy). I also am interesting in trying a different motherboard vender, both to gain expertise, and to see if the build quality is worth the money. (What do they have to offer?) In the more immediate future, I will gain a touch of performance - so, in that end, it is not a cost-worthy upgrade. Probably the best thing I could do to the rig, right now, would be to toss in an SSD - it would cost roughly the same, with a lot more added responsiveness. (Better yet, I can move it between rigs/builds.)

Although I'm trying to be smart with my purchases, I openly admit that this isn't the smartest of purchases. I like to tinker - I have a collection of heatsinks that I like to experiment with. So, it's a calculated toss of money in the blender. (For science!)
 
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