Very confused on motherboards.

Grant Cole · Apr 2, 2015

Okay, I am building a relatively low-average budget pc. With my price tag, I want to go affordable as possible, without making regrettable decisions. However, I may have already done so by making an impulse purchase on my ram. I am not sure yet.

I am looking for a micro atx motherboard that's affordable, but I do not want to skimp out too much on it because I've read online that a lot of people tend to skimp out on the motherboard when in fact it is the last thing they should be skimping out on.

Some Details relating to what I'm looking for:
- I am looking for a micro atx motherboard because the case I am building in is a Fractal Core 1300.
- I already purchased Ripjaws X series ram which is DDR3 1866 and I am unsure what motherboards is actually compatible with this as I seen many motherboards list DDR3 1800, but very few list DDR 3 1866
- I purchased a WD Blue 1TB hard drive.
- I am also deciding between AMD FX 6300 processor or AMD FX 8350. Ideally, I want to aim for the FX 8350, but I believe from what I read that the 8500 is simply mostly overkill for most Micro ATX motherboards, but I am unsure.
- I am deciding to go with AMD's R9 270x gpu or the AMD's R9 280x gpu. But I haven't fully decided. I believe 270x should be fine if I want to match or beat todays consoles, but I also believe from what I've seen that 280x should be sufficient for most gaming needs today.

So as you can see, I mostly clear on what I'm looking for, but I am very confused when it comes to motherboards. I simply have no idea what's too cheap, and what's overkill, or even what motherboards will even be compatible with my choices here. So any suggestions will be appreciated.

Rogue Leader · Apr 2, 2015

I'm a big ASUS fan and they have a board that will fit your needs very well the M5A78L-M/USB3, this is the best deal after rebate right now:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=8398367&SRCCODE=WEBGOOPA&scid=scplp713143&kpid=8398367&gclid=Cj0KEQjw0fOoBRDn88Pol8bqhN0BEiQARGVJKtrBYCQIQdAkQflfGoAyBp2DmgDeHeKHwOoATNXuHdcaAgqv8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

As for the GPU it seems you're looking for value, the best value right now is the R9 280, right in between your choices. They can be had right now for around $165 after rebate such as:

http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-Radeon-PCI-Express-Graphics-11230-00-20G/dp/B00IZXOW80/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1427990305&sr=1-1&keywords=sapphire+R9+280

http://www.microcenter.com/product/440775/Radeon_R9_280_BOOST_3GB_DDR5_Video_Card

I have the second one and its pretty kickass (and $5 cheaper).

Regarding the processor I don't see any reason that the 8500 would be overkill, that said remember because everything is tight on a Micro ATX it generates more heat. You may want to consider some heatsinks on the vrms around the processor such as:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835708011&cm_re=mosfet_heatsink-_-35-708-011-_-Product

Larger high performance boards usually have this covered but the ASUS does not probably due to its size. FOr a pic of how these should be installed please see:

http://assets.overclock.net.s3.amazonaws.com/b/bf/bfa803dd_vbattach177982.jpeg

Also because its a 4+1 power its not much of an overclocker anyway (and you're not going to find an 8+2 in Micro ATX size). This should get you started, hope I've helped.

Grant Cole · Apr 3, 2015

Rogue Leader :

Thanks for the advice. I had not even thought about heatsinks. I also got a couple of other questions now that we are on the subject of this build.

Is the R9 280 a quiet graphics card or is it relatively loud?

Also, what PSU strength would you recommend for this build. I am aiming for 750w, but I am hearing from many sources that 600w should be fine. I don't really want to take any chances though, nor do I want to waste money on a PSU I don't even need. I am more than likely going to ask this question on it's own some time, but I thought just as well ask it here anyways.

Also, for some reason I typed FX 8500 when I meant FX 8350.

Grant Cole · Apr 3, 2015

I should also add that paypal is my only method of payment right now. So I won't be able to buy these parts from stores that are not supported by paypal.

Rogue Leader · Apr 4, 2015

Grant Cole :

Rogue Leader :

Thanks for the advice. I had not even thought about heatsinks. I also got a couple of other questions now that we are on the subject of this build.

Is the R9 280 a quiet graphics card or is it relatively loud?

Also, what PSU strength would you recommend for this build. I am aiming for 750w, but I am hearing from many sources that 600w should be fine. I don't really want to take any chances though, nor do I want to waste money on a PSU I don't even need. I am more than likely going to ask this question on it's own some time, but I thought just as well ask it here anyways.

Also, for some reason I typed FX 8500 when I meant FX 8350.

Ok I think Newegg takes paypal, heres a R9 280 deal there:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202099&ignorebbr=1&cm_re=r9_280-_-14-202-099-_-Product

They also have the mobo with a rebate:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131942&cm_re=M5A78L-M%2fUSB3-_-13-131-942-_-Product

A 600w PSU will run this fine, that said a bigger one won't hurt you depends on the deal.

This is a great 750w deal (After rebate), cheaper than a lot of 650s:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207015&cm_re=xfx_750w-_-17-207-015-_-Product

I figured you meant 8350.

Grant Cole · Apr 5, 2015

Rogue Leader :

Grant Cole :

Ok I think Newegg takes paypal, heres a R9 280 deal there:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202099&ignorebbr=1&cm_re=r9_280-_-14-202-099-_-Product

They also have the mobo with a rebate:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131942&cm_re=M5A78L-M%2fUSB3-_-13-131-942-_-Product

A 600w PSU will run this fine, that said a bigger one won't hurt you depends on the deal.

This is a great 750w deal (After rebate), cheaper than a lot of 650s:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817207015&cm_re=xfx_750w-_-17-207-015-_-Product

I figured you meant 8350.

You seem to be a fan of the Asus motherboards. I think I may go with your choice. But there are still things I am curious about. How would you compare the Asus motherboard you suggested to motherboards such as:

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128565&_ga=1.167590331.447220508.1420741144

(this Gigabyte motherboard oddly comes bundled with Ripjaws X ram even though it doesn't say DDR3 1866 compatible in the specifications).

or

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130657&cm_re=Micro_atx_1866_am3%2b-_-13-130-657-_-Product

or

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130722&cm_re=Micro_atx_1866_am3%2b-_-13-130-722-_-Product

How would you personally compare these motherboards to the one that you suggested?

Rogue Leader · Apr 6, 2015

To be honest they are all nearly identical. In terms of personal experience I hate Gigabyte, I have had multiple bad experiences with them, with poor quality control, and instructions in broken english. MSI is a little bit lower end than ASUS and also MSI boards don't have as many fancy features as ASUS. It really comes down to personal preference, spec wise they are nearly identical.

Grant Cole · Apr 6, 2015

Rogue Leader :

Okay. So I may be wrong, but I get from what you're saying, much of it really boils down to brand loyalty. Since they are all pretty much the same except for preference.

Okay, what about drivers? I am certainly going with an FX 6300 or FX 8350. Will the mother board you mentioned (or any of these motherboards) force me to use an older CPU to download the drivers for the newer cpu? I have read online of people running into that particular issue.

Also, I think I really have one final question. (I think)

If I ever wanted to upgrade to the R9 290 or R9 290x in the near future. Would these motherboards be able to handle those GPUs?

Rogue Leader · Apr 6, 2015

Grant Cole :

The ASUS has had support for those CPUs since a bios revision at the end of 2012, so this is not really an issue. Many times that needs to be done when people either re-use an old board with a new processor or buy a new-old stock board off of ebay (ie a board thats new in box but has been sitting around in storage since the board was introduced in 2011). I checked on the Gigabyte and it has support for those from original release. The first MSI I found actually does not support the 8350 (sorry I missed that) but the second one does, but it was hard to tell whether it needed an update or not, there are no dates on their files.

As for the R9 290 or 290X, the board will have no issue with those GPUs, however you will want to go with my 750w PSU recommendation as those two are power hogs.

Grant Cole · Apr 6, 2015

Rogue Leader :

Grant Cole :

The ASUS has had support for those CPUs since a bios revision at the end of 2012, so this is not really an issue. Many times that needs to be done when people either re-use an old board with a new processor or buy a new-old stock board off of ebay (ie a board thats new in box but has been sitting around in storage since the board was introduced in 2011). I checked on the Gigabyte and it has support for those from original release. The first MSI I found actually does not support the 8350 (sorry I missed that) but the second one does, but it was hard to tell whether it needed an update or not, there are no dates on their files.

As for the R9 290 or 290X, the board will have no issue with those GPUs, however you will want to go with my 750w PSU recommendation as those two are power hogs.

I'm currently undecided between the 750w PSU you suggested and this one:

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817438025&_ga=1.229668249.447220508.1420741144

I feel the 5 year warranty and the fact that it's EVGA makes it an enticing offer (especially since the price tag is reasonable). However, I'm just trusting EVGA by word of mouth and just various sources because I never actually had any personal experience with them.

Rogue Leader · Apr 6, 2015

Grant Cole :

Actually if you are going to go EVGA, the B2 (Or G2, P2, etc) are the higher grade and made by Superflower (which is the best manufacturer). Not only that it seems right now it is cheaper than the one you want:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817438028&cm_re=evga_750B2-_-17-438-028-_-Product

I have this exact PSU and I can tell you its awesome, super quiet, and made like a fine watch.

PSU Tier list is here;

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-2547993/psu-tier-list.html

You can see the B2 is Tier 2, while the NEX B is Tier 3.

Grant Cole · Apr 6, 2015

Rogue Leader :

Okay, great! I'm going to add that one to my wish list. I noticed this one doesn't have the 5 year warranty, but I'll take your word for it. This also gives me more research material to work with as well. That's fantastic.

I hate to say this as well, but I do have another question to ask, one that I pretty much forgot about.

I plan to build this pc as a regular use pc and get the GPU upgrade later in the future. My friend tells me that I should get a separate 120mm fan. But without a GPU, do I really need to? I would assume that the two built in fans of the fractal core 1300 should be more then enough for any pc that isn't running a GPU. Considering that the CPU and PSU should have their own built in fans, I shouldn't need to get an extra fan unless I'm adding the GPU, am I correct? Or should I take his advice and get another fan to power the system anyways?

Rogue Leader · Apr 6, 2015

Grant Cole :

Rogue Leader :

Okay, great! I'm going to add that one to my wish list. I noticed this one doesn't have the 5 year warranty, but I'll take your word for it. This also gives me more research material to work with as well. That's fantastic.

I hate to say this as well, but I do have another question to ask, one that I pretty much forgot about.

I plan to build this pc as a regular use pc and get the GPU upgrade later in the future. My friend tells me that I should get a separate 120mm fan. But without a GPU, do I really need to? I would assume that the two built in fans of the fractal core 1300 should be more then enough for any pc that isn't running a GPU. Considering that the CPU and PSU should have their own built in fans, I shouldn't need to get an extra fan unless I'm adding the GPU, am I correct? Or should I take his advice and get another fan to power the system anyways?

The 750B2 definitely has the same 5 year Warranty as any other EVGA PSU. Its right there in the title and specs on top. (also featured prominently on the box trust me lol).

As for the additional fan, if your case already has 2 fans that aren't blocked up, the CPU of course has a fan, the PSU fan doesn't count because it only cools the PSU, and you're not running a high end GPU so really you're fine as is. Even with the high end GPU you may be ok. That said a good 120mm fan is about $10, and cooler is always better, so it can't hurt, but you probably don't need it.

Symbiote_IV · Apr 15, 2015

Grant Cole :

The 6300 vs 8350 isnt such a big difference, id go with the 6300.
270x to 280x, Id pick up the 280x.
Not sure what the budget is as you didnt say. but this is cheap for what it is http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-video-card-gvr9285wf2oc2gd
In addition, I believe the way ram works is that ram you got, its max frequency is 1866(through overclocking). I have the same set, and it natively runs at 1333.
Also, this seems to be a decent micro atx, very cheap, good reviews.
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-motherboard-ga78lmtusb3

Symbiote_IV · Apr 15, 2015

Just now read through the thread.. A 600w PSU will be sufficient, my PC runs a 290 and an 8320 on 600w. Also, if you are thinking about going from a 280 to a 290/x, dont. Thats a small upgrade, so i would recommend either just getting a 290 now or waiting for a while. *unless you plan to crossfire the 280 and 290, i believe that amd cards can do such, though your PC may set on fire cause of heat

Or sell the 280 when you upgrade.

Also, not sure if you are willing to buy a used card, but they are much cheaper, and you can get a 290 for the price of some 280x's. Heres one http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00HWQUI02/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used&m=A2PXZM12N96LG9
My current card is used, got a deal on it and have had no issues.

Grant Cole · Jul 13, 2015

I am just replying now because I haven't been working on my build for quite some time. Other responsibilities came into play. I went with one of the suggestions above and got the ASUS M5A78L-M/USB3.

But it turns out I don't think this motherboard fits my needs. I never mentioned that my case has two built in fans, and also a front USB3 port. This motherboard doesn't seem to support either from what it seems when I was trying to install this motherboard. I want to take full advantage of all the features within my case, that includes both fans and the front USB3 port. I believe I'm going to end up selling this motherboard, and get a new one that will give me what I need.

Any suggestions?

Rogue Leader · Jul 13, 2015

Sorry this board didn't work out, Unfortunately using a micro ATX board has you quite limited. ASUS doesn't offer anything in Micro ATX with that feature, Gigabyte does, but I would never recommend them. Then you have this ASRock

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157582

Has USB 3.0 header as well as 1 chassis fan (4 pin), and 1 power fan (3 pin) header. A 3 pin fan works on a 4 pin plug so no worries if both fans are 3 pin. I also confirmed it does support both the 6300 and 8350 (not sure which you went with) and no BIOS update is required for either. ASRock is a good brand as well, I think this will do the job for you.

Grant Cole · Jul 13, 2015

Well, since I already installed this motherboard when I first got it. I put most of the pc together even though I should have probably waited until I had everything. But I found myself very bored one night needing something to do. Either way, I know when I get a new motherboard, I'm going to have to get the proper paste and cleaning supplies to safely transfer the CPU from one motherboard to the other now.

So I'm going to use this motherboard for now until I actually get the GPU. I must ask this, since this motherboard only supports one of the fans in the case, would this be safe to use without the GPU for the time being?

Also, I find it odd when you say that these types of motherboards has limited features, when my case has these features and only supports Micro ATX motherboards. :/ lol

Also, you think ASRock is better than Gigabyte? I know your experiences with Gigabyte hasn't been good. But what's your professional opinion here?

Grant Cole · Jul 13, 2015

Also, I'd like to add that I went with the 6300 since I felt it was a superior CPU when it comes to performance vs cost ratio.

Rogue Leader · Jul 13, 2015

Not limited features just limited options. The reason for that is there are a lot more Intel motherboards that would work better in that case (meaning same form factor, and has all the features), but since you're running AMD AM3+ processor, for example the largest motherboard manufacturer in the world, ASUS, only has 2 options to fit, and none have USB 3.0 headers on it. They have 36 Micro ATX boards for intel, not sure how many also have the USB 3.0 header but I'm sure a while bunch do.

As for the ASRock over Gigabyte, yes I still believe its better, also the ASRock runs a newer faster motherboard chipset (the Gigabytes in this size run the 760G, as does the ASUS you have, the ASRock is the 970). Its actually the only one that runs it, so its really a performance value.

As for only running one fan as long as you're not overclocking you should be fine. If you have any concerns you can use one of the included direct cables to the PSU to get another fan running as well.

Grant Cole · Jul 13, 2015

You mean to say I should be able to get the other case fan working on this motherboard using an included extension? I had no idea, I may stick with the ASUS motherboard if that's the case and worry about the front USB3 when I maybe upgrades some time. Do you have any instructions how I could hook up the 2nd case fan to this motherboard?

Rogue Leader · Jul 13, 2015

Grant Cole :

Well you can't connect the case fans to the motherboard (they do sell adaptors to do this, but I don't think that drawing 2-3x the voltage that header is set up for is a good idea), but the motherboard, or the case should have come with a couple of these:

http://smile.amazon.com/Alpha-Omega-3-Pin-4-Pin-Adapter/dp/B000BSJGL0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1436807375&sr=8-4&keywords=molex+case+fan+adaptor

You would use that to convert one of the molex cables from the PSU to run a case fan. If for some reason you don't have any of those adaptors I would suggest this one, only because it looks nicer and you only need 1 to run 2 fans:

http://smile.amazon.com/Molex-Computer-Connector-Y-Splitter-Adapter/dp/B00DU8ZZ0O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436807375&sr=8-1&keywords=molex+case+fan+adaptor

If you prefer to buy from newegg you can use something like this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812493039&cm_re=molex_adapter-_-12-493-039-_-Product

Very confused on motherboards.

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