ASRock am3+ mobo Vs Asus

[Masrawy1973]

hi you guys,

im a first time builder and i need an urgent reply from all you enthusiasts out there please ASAP

1) is the Asus m5a87 a good board considering that it only has 3 audio ports and has only one x16 slot? (i dont think ill need crossfire)

2) or is the ASRock 870 EXTREME3 R2.0 Socket AM3 motherboard A better option? it has better features but i have heard that Asrock make bad quality unreliable products is this true?

3) in short, can you guys suggest any good mobo that supports am3+ cpus that good bang for the buck? i would prefer that it doesnt have built in graphics

please guys i need an urgent reply! thank you for anyone kind enough to help your help is deeply appreciated!

 

[buzznut]

For a few bucks more, there is the new ASUS 990X board:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131757

Looks alot better than the weak m5a87. Asrock has actually been improving the rep for some time and I consider them to be fairly innovative withoout paying the high cost of Gigabyte and ASUS. I have several Asrock builds in operation (about 6) that are worry free. You should take each bord on its own merits however, and read as many reviews as you can to spot potential problems.

I think Gigabyte has a 890 or 990X board but it doesn't seem to be on newegg today...

 

[Wisecracker]

The m5a87 will support Bulldozer Zambezi (as will the 990X)

No such joy with the ASRock 870 Extreme

 

[channeledbymodem]

I'm happy with the Asrock 890GX PRO3 I've had for about a month ($110). I wanted the 890GX chipset because I don't game and the 4290 IGP is sufficient for my home theater needs. Wasn't really aware of phases as regards overclocking but apparently this board has fairly good 4+1 phasing and heatsinked VRMs. I've taken an unlocked 555 BE to 3.7 with value RAM and good temps (Xigmatek S1283).

The board has the black AM3+ socket so I'm keeping my fingers crossed but I'll bet I don't upgrade until the FM1 boards are released that will support the higher powered CPU based graphics.

I've had Abit and Asus boards in the past (always Intel) and I like this one just as well so far.

 

[Masrawy1973]

I'm happy with the Asrock 890GX PRO3 I've had for about a month ($110). I wanted the 890GX chipset because I don't game and the 4290 IGP is sufficient for my home theater needs. Wasn't really aware of phases as regards overclocking but apparently this board has fairly good 4+1 phasing and heatsinked VRMs. I've taken an unlocked 555 BE to 3.7 with value RAM and good temps (Xigmatek S1283).

The board has the black AM3+ socket so I'm keeping my fingers crossed but I'll bet I don't upgrade until the FM1 boards are released that will support the higher powered CPU based graphics.

I've had Abit and Asus boards in the past (always Intel) and I like this one just as well so far.

so are you saying from your experiences the ASRock brand make reliable motherboards?and that their chances of booting successfully and staying operational for a few years to come is just as good as an ASUS or GB board?

THanks for the speedy reply!

 

[Masrawy1973]

The m5a87 will support Bulldozer Zambezi (as will the 990X)

No such joy with the ASRock 870 Extreme

so you mean that the ASRock board i mentioned will not support the upcoming AMD cpus ? its an AM3+ socket mobo so i thought it would are you sure?

Thanks for your reply!

 

[Masrawy1973]

For a few bucks more, there is the new ASUS 990X board:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131757

Looks alot better than the weak m5a87. Asrock has actually been improving the rep for some time and I consider them to be fairly innovative withoout paying the high cost of Gigabyte and ASUS. I have several Asrock builds in operation (about 6) that are worry free. You should take each bord on its own merits however, and read as many reviews as you can to spot potential problems.

I think Gigabyte has a 890 or 990X board but it doesn't seem to be on newegg today...

thanks for your informative reply! does this mean that i can buy an ASRock board and not worry about it having a reduced lifespan compared to asus or GB Boards? i like really like the board you suggested that helped me out alot thanks VERY much im just going to check its availability in my area and if it is available i will go for it! but i just want to make sure theres nothing bad to report from your experiences with ASRock? thanks for any help in advance

 

[buzznut]

thanks for your informative reply! does this mean that i can buy an ASRock board and not worry about it having a reduced lifespan compared to asus or GB Boards? i like really like the board you suggested that helped me out alot thanks VERY much im just going to check its availability in my area and if it is available i will go for it! but i just want to make sure theres nothing bad to report from your experiences with ASRock? thanks for any help in advance

No, as I mentioned in my experience they make good budget boards. And I have 6 in service currently, including my wife's PC.

HOWEVER- If you are looking for build quality and longevity, you want to ensure the use of solid capacitors and strong power phase. Both Gigabyte and ASUS generally make motherboards with top components. msi has touted the use of 'military grade components", and certainly they have improved their motherboards over the last couple of years.

But as I mentioned, its more than just the manufacturer; you must take each board on its own merits. The previous version of the ASUS board looks like they really had a lackluster, featureless board that only the most budget minded users would go with. The EVO series of boards however have been winners. ASUS Republic of Gamers boards have been top performers. So I recommend if longevity and stability are important than don't skimp on a cheap motherboard. Get a quality motherboard that has the features you want for the next several years.

Dailytech.com posts daily hardware reviews and this is good place to get reviews for the hardware you're looking at. A lot of the AM3+ boards will be scrutinized over the next several weeks.

 

[Wisecracker]

so you mean that the ASRock board i mentioned will not support the upcoming AMD cpus ? its an AM3+ socket mobo so i thought it would are you sure?

Thanks for your reply!

Put me on Ignore :lol:

I didn't realize you were referring to the black socket version.

Personally, I feel like MSI, Giga-Byte & Asus provide better product support, more comprehensive BIOS development, better PWM, etc -- not that AsRock is bad (I just bought an AsRock MB, myself) but the others are simply better.

 

[buzznut]

Just because a chipset can support a new CPU like AM3+, it doesn't mean its ideally suited to do so. This just a value add for people that already own the motherboard. Even though they are pricier currently, I really recommend going with a 900 series chipset that is built to work with AM3+ CPUs from the get go.

 

[Masrawy1973]

Just because a chipset can support a new CPU like AM3+, it doesn't mean its ideally suited to do so. This just a value add for people that already own the motherboard. Even though they are pricier currently, I really recommend going with a 900 series chipset that is built to work with AM3+ CPUs from the get go.

so does that i mean my 800 series chipset board will hinder the preformance of a future cpu amd FX upgrade? and is it major?

secondly, how big an improved are the hew UEfI bioses compared to the traditional ones?

i checked the motherboard you suggested and its really nice but sadly its 11 days till it hits the stores where i live so im not sure whether i should wait or go for the M5A88-V EVO http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/AMD_AM3Plus/M5A88V_EVO/#specifications

is it worht the wait for the new mobo cause time matters right now for me because its only 1 month till i have to start studying again and so i wont to enjoy my new build for as long as possible so waiting for 30% of my remainig time wouldnt be appreciated unless theres really a large gain or if im making a dumb decision

please i would appreciate it if u would reply ASAP

thanks for all the input!

 

[buzznut]

That all depends. If you were looking at buying an 8 core Zambezi when they come out, then it wouold behoove you to wait. If not, there aren't many tangible benefits from 900 series chipsets. In fact, they are very similar to the 800 series.

The 8 core CPU's will run at a higher HT speed in a 990 mobo. But for the avg user its a negligible benefit.

The UEFI BIOS are a convenience for those who like mouse computing, its not that much different from the old standard. Its nice for navigation, but thats about it. Some bnewer mobo's have support for 3 TB+ hard drives wiothout the UEFI, like the ones from Gigabyte.

Considering your situation, I'm going to forget my earlier recommendation. Get an affordable motherboard that has support for AM3+. The differences between the 800 and 900 series motherboards are negligible for you. Build a nice machine for school, then worry about upgrades down the road.

 

[Masrawy1973]

That all depends. If you were looking at buying an 8 core Zambezi when they come out, then it wouold behoove you to wait. If not, there aren't many tangible benefits from 900 series chipsets. In fact, they are very similar to the 800 series.

The 8 core CPU's will run at a higher HT speed in a 990 mobo. But for the avg user its a negligible benefit.

The UEFI BIOS are a convenience for those who like mouse computing, its not that much different from the old standard. Its nice for navigation, but thats about it. Some bnewer mobo's have support for 3 TB+ hard drives wiothout the UEFI, like the ones from Gigabyte.

Considering your situation, I'm going to forget my earlier recommendation. Get an affordable motherboard that has support for AM3+. The differences between the 800 and 900 series motherboards are negligible for you. Build a nice machine for school, then worry about upgrades down the road.

thanks for your continued support and advice your awesome!

i will be getting the Asus M5a88-v-evo mobo even though its getting obselete but hey at least its something i can get tomorrow and not have to wait!
but i have heard that it doesnt ahve a mobo buzzer speaker thingy and i know that its important for error diagnostics should i be worried? or is it rare to find on mobos anyway? oo and sorry one last thing!
does having an IGP affect your ability to overclock negativley? and wiil the shared memory to power it be taken from my ram?

btw im getting with it Xtreme 5850 so i dont really need the IGP so should i just disable it? or does the GPU boost thing from asus provide a considerable preformance boost for the card

sorry for the multitude of questions but im a first time builder looking to buy my components tomorrow and i kinda dont want anything to go wrong

 

[Duxnet2]

thanks for your continued support and advice your awesome!

i will be getting the Asus M5a88-v-evo mobo even though its getting obselete but hey at least its something i can get tomorrow and not have to wait!
but i have heard that it doesnt ahve a mobo buzzer speaker thingy and i know that its important for error diagnostics should i be worried? or is it rare to find on mobos anyway? oo and sorry one last thing!
does having an IGP affect your ability to overclock negativley? and wiil the shared memory to power it be taken from my ram?

btw im getting with it Xtreme 5850 so i dont really need the IGP so should i just disable it? or does the GPU boost thing from asus provide a considerable preformance boost for the card

sorry for the multitude of questions but im a first time builder looking to buy my components tomorrow and i kinda dont want anything to go wrong

I actually have the same questions. My dream system was an AM3+ ect. After reading your post it hit me. Which CPU/MB combo is best? Does the is the AM3+ compatible to things the FM1 are not? The fusion motherboard will be compatible with 8 core?

Sooo, let me ask all of you.. I am getting new office pc.... the Asus pro or evo A75 look nice, they have one with a cool heat pipe. There are nice gigabyte and one msi, 4 Asrock, about it. When are they selling the BGA version of the A8, board and chip??? I wonder how effective the digi and VRM are for the Asus boards. Can automatically clock for optimization. AMD has drivers for this too. Anyone know yet it works??

 

[Wisecracker]

I actually have the same questions. My dream system was an AM3+ ect. After reading your post it hit me. Which CPU/MB combo is best? Does the is the AM3+ compatible to things the FM1 are not? The fusion motherboard will be compatible with 8 core?

Sooo, let me ask all of you.. I am getting new office pc.... the Asus pro or evo A75 look nice, they have one with a cool heat pipe. There are nice gigabyte and one msi, 4 Asrock, about it. When are they selling the BGA version of the A8, board and chip??? I wonder how effective the digi and VRM are for the Asus boards. Can automatically clock for optimization. AMD has drivers for this too. Anyone know yet it works??

AM3+ motherboards have either 42 or 22 PCIe lanes and will support all AM3 processors, including the first-gen AM3r2 'Bulldozer'.

It is likely that the 2012 'Bulldozer APU' with integrated GPU will be pin-compatible with FM1. Some folks say they will work with a BIOS update but no one really knows -- AMD has not said -- but on 2012 road maps merely notes the socket as FMx (note the little 'x' as a placeholder). It is interesting to note just how fancy some of those FM1 motherboards look.

Some web sites have erroneously reported the road map depicting the Bulldozer APU as **NEW SOCKET FMX** While a new motherboard may be required for compatibility I would not anticipate big changes in the Hudson chipset.

I don't know .... but I'm currently lusting after the Asus M5A99X EVO AM3+ AMD 990X SATA 6Gb/s USB3 for $145 this weekend.

 

[Augman11]

call me venting, but i am starting to lose faith in ASRock. i had major blue screen issues with 2 previous boards (one was an old AGP, PCI-E hybrid, so i kind of dismissed that one) and just bought a new ASRock 970 Extreme 3. this board has failed to post on occasions, and blue screens whenever it want. i RMA'd that board, got a new one. worked fine for a week or so, then started to get frequent blue screens again. I've dumped $110 on a board worth only $80 because of RMA costs, AND i can barely use it. take what i say with a grain of salt... but id stay away from ASRock, and trust me, it pains me to say it because i have had ASRock my whole PC building life. i'd recommend ASUS or MSI or Gigabyte. and remember, ALWAYS READ REVIEWS. You could discover a very bad common problem with boards when reading reviews. Glad you went with the ASUS

 

[kansasboy001]

Asrock's amd boards, are not as good as their Intel counterparts. Go with Asus.

 

[Augman11]

Asrock's amd boards, are not as good as their Intel counterparts. Go with Asus.

makes sense, my life with ASRock iv'e always had Intel... except now.