ASUS Crosshair Formula V vs M5A99X EVO R2.0

[jimmyfixedme]

Hey,
I'm upgrading my build a little bit, I have a year and a half old AMD phenom x6 1090t pc. I really dont want to upgrade my cpu until the intel skylake comes out, so instead im going to get a second gpu(SLI), and for that I need mobo. I was wondering which of the two is the best or if you can recommend any other am3 /+. Also I would definitely like a good overclocker!

thanks

 

[kenny3105]

best mobo is the crosshair formula V no doubt about it this thing can overclock like crazy and it runs sli in 2 x 16 mode not 8x8 like the other board

 

[mlcaouette]

Seems like a waste of money if you ask me. I'm not sure what GPU you have, but if possible upgrading just the GPU to something twice as fast would be the best option.

I'd feel bad if I didn't answer your original question at all, so for motherboards I love my sabertooth 990fx. It has an excellent warranty and should overclock just as well as the crosshair V

 

[jimmyfixedme]

Seems like a waste of money if you ask me. I'm not sure what GPU you have, but if possible upgrading just the GPU to something twice as fast would be the best option.

I'd feel bad if I didn't answer your original question at all, so for motherboards I love my sabertooth 990fx. It has an excellent warranty and should overclock just as well as the crosshair V

Hey, I would have really wanted to get a better card but i only recently bought a 660ti, and don't really want to sell at a cut price when i just bought it. The problem is fraps+bf3 ultra just isn't possible with the card, so considering i have an 850w psu 660ti sli seems more viable for me. Oh I didnt see the sabertooth thanks alot!!

 

[mlcaouette]

It's an excellent motherboard. I take it you already know the pitfalls of sli, such as microstutting, heat, and power usage.

The biggest parts I look into for a overclocking board are the VRM, boards cooling, and bios options.

 

[jimmyfixedme]

It's an excellent motherboard. I take it you already know the pitfalls of sli, such as microstutting, heat, and power usage.

The biggest parts I look into for a overclocking board are the VRM, boards cooling, and bios options.

Im gonna do the "mod" for heat anyhow,so thats covered:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1086286/complete-build-log-zotac-560ti-corsair-h70

I have 850w so i will be fine for power, and SLI seems to pretty good on bf3, and thats my main game.

But I should have bought one 680:L

 

[mlcaouette]

Curious, are you going to do both cards or just one? Do you already own the closed loop liquid coolers?

I did something similar to my gtx 470, only thing different is I already had a cpu loop going and I got a dirt cheap 1155 cpu block from danger den when they were closing up shop. So I went ahead and attached that cpu block to my gpu via zipties and I also attached a 120mm fan to the back of the card to cool the vrm's and the memory. Here's a couple pictures:
new case

old setup

If you haven't already you should post you rig in the member gallery:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum2.php?config=tomshardwareus.inc&cat=31&post=310222&page=1&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=1&trash=0&trash_post=0&print=0&numreponse=0&quote_only=0&new=0&nojs=0

 

[jimmyfixedme]

Curious, are you going to do both cards or just one? Do you already own the closed loop liquid coolers?

I did something similar to my gtx 470, only thing different is I already had a cpu loop going and I got a dirt cheap 1155 cpu block from danger den when they were closing up shop. So I went ahead and attached that cpu block to my gpu via zipties and I also attached a 120mm fan to the back of the card to cool the vrm's and the memory. Here's a couple pictures:
new case
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc465/caddylover72/IMG_20121224_225848_zps47d032b0.jpg
old setup
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc465/caddylover72/IMG_20121112_224645.jpg

If you haven't already you should post you rig in the member gallery:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum2.php?config=tomshardwareus.inc&cat=31&post=310222&page=1&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=1&trash=0&trash_post=0&print=0&numreponse=0&quote_only=0&new=0&nojs=0

Thats nice!!! I haven't seen a closed loop like that before. What I'm thing of doing is similar. One closed loop Cpu cooler(most probably the H60) then do a shared loop like that with sli gpu's. That looks the way to go for keeping the heat down. I'll add it to the gallery when i'm done! And also btw after doing my research I think I will go with the sabertooth, nice call

Side note: Are you doing that with a reservoir in your HHD bays??

 

[mlcaouette]

It isn't a closed loop, it is a full on water cooling loop. So i can open fill, drain, add to the loop, etc. The pump/resivor combo is held in the DVD drive bays, it takes two slots. I have a 360mm radiator with two fans on top and three on the bottom of it, it accommodates 6 total fans but the last one wouldn't fit in the top of my case.

Total cost of the loop was right around 200 bucks, keeping in mind that actual GPU blocks are fairly pricey, I got that cpu block on my gpu for around 15 bucks.

Here's the watercooling member gallery for tom's:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum2.php?config=tomshardwareus.inc&cat=29&post=266324&page=13&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=1&trash=0&trash_post=0&print=0&numreponse=0&quote_only=0&new=0&nojs=0

I'll look forward to seeing your rig in one or both of the galleries. Happy building/modding!

 

[jimmyfixedme]

It isn't a closed loop, it is a full on water cooling loop. So i can open fill, drain, add to the loop, etc. The pump/resivor combo is held in the DVD drive bays, it takes two slots. I have a 360mm radiator with two fans on top and three on the bottom of it, it accommodates 6 total fans but the last one wouldn't fit in the top of my case.

Total cost of the loop was right around 200 bucks, keeping in mind that actual GPU blocks are fairly pricey, I got that cpu block on my gpu for around 15 bucks.

Here's the watercooling member gallery for tom's:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum2.php?config=tomshardwareus.inc&cat=29&post=266324&page=13&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=1&trash=0&trash_post=0&print=0&numreponse=0&quote_only=0&new=0&nojs=0

I'll look forward to seeing your rig in one or both of the galleries. Happy building/modding!

Sorry my knowledge is pretty shitty on water cooling. Whats the matinence like on that? And also would you recommend a kit for doing or buying each part.

 

[ocmusicjunkie]

I was torn between the CHVFZ, M5A99-FX Pro R2.0 and the Sabertooth 990FX R2.0 myself not that long ago. The 990FX R2.0 is essentialy the same board as the 990X Evo R2.0 except for the difference in PCI-E performance, which is only an issue really when running crossfire setups. I read lots of good things about all three boards, but ended up with the 990FX and pocketed the extra $80 difference to allocate elsewhere. What made my decision for me was thinking about the fact I am still running a Phenom processor myself, and regardless of how great the overclocking potential might be on the Crosshair board, the price difference would be better spent toward a FX8320/8350.

In the end, I actually built two systems with the 990FX R2.0 board as the foundation, and I'm extremely happy with both. Despite being at the disadvantage of only having a 6+2 power phasing configuration compared to the CHVFZ's 8+2 design, I still have reached overclock numbers that exceed anything I've seen the from Crosshair owners who are also running only air cooling. I have one Phenom X4 965 stable now at 4.55ghz.... the thought that I would be getting much more mileage out a different board, regardless of how great it might be designed, is doubtful at best. Like I said, the core design of the Evo is the same as the FX Pro, so I'd expect nothing less from it.

So, clearly I would vote for the 990X Evo R2.0 based on my own experience, and the concept of diminishing returns. If by chance you are truly looking at only the Crosshair V and not the revised V formula Z model, then it's a no-brainer.

 

[jimmyfixedme]

I was torn between the CHVFZ, M5A99-FX Pro R2.0 and the Sabertooth 990FX R2.0 myself not that long ago. The 990FX R2.0 is essentialy the same board as the 990X Evo R2.0 except for the difference in PCI-E performance, which is only an issue really when running crossfire setups. I read lots of good things about all three boards, but ended up with the 990FX and pocketed the extra $80 difference to allocate elsewhere. What made my decision for me was thinking about the fact I am still running a Phenom processor myself, and regardless of how great the overclocking potential might be on the Crosshair board, the price difference would be better spent toward a FX8320/8350.

In the end, I actually built two systems with the 990FX R2.0 board as the foundation, and I'm extremely happy with both. Despite being at the disadvantage of only having a 6+2 power phasing configuration compared to the CHVFZ's 8+2 design, I still have reached overclock numbers that exceed anything I've seen the from Crosshair owners who are also running only air cooling. I have one Phenom X4 965 stable now at 4.55ghz.... the thought that I would be getting much more mileage out a different board, regardless of how great it might be designed, is doubtful at best. Like I said, the core design of the Evo is the same as the FX Pro, so I'd expect nothing less from it.

So, clearly I would vote for the 990X Evo R2.0 based on my own experience, and the concept of diminishing returns. If by chance you are truly looking at only the Crosshair V and not the revised V formula Z model, then it's a no-brainer.

Thanks! I think that ROG stuff is really abit above my head. I'll probably get the sabertooth 990fx aswell. It looks to be a really good board. But the rest of the money into a cooling solution!

 

[mlcaouette]

Maintenance is about once a year to flush the system, which you can simplify by adding a drain valve (which is something I still need to do). Kits are the cheapest way to get started I got my cpu block, 360mm rad, pump, reservoir, tubing, all fitings, and three fans for $165 shipped. It is definitely one of the funnest projects I've undertaken so far.

If you are interesting in learning more head over to the water cooling sticky:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/277130-29-read-first-watercooling-sticky

 

[ocmusicjunkie]

Yikes! I just reread my response and realized that I made a major typo while writing it in between other projects earlier. I referred to the board I got as the 990FX, which would imply the Sabertooth, whereas I actually selected the M5A99FX Pro R2.0. So, everything I said about my person experience pertains to that board, not the Sabertooth. The M5A99FX Pro R2.0 is also the board virtually identical to the M5A99X Evo R2.0, whereas the Sabertooth is a bit of a unique design, but probably is a bit closer to the Crosshair in it's design than to either M5A99 board mentioned. Hopefully I didn't get you to act already based on a poorly worded response from me.

The Sabertooth is a seriously awesome board from all accounts- the good news is that I don't see any option discussed being any less in it's upside than what I am running with the M5A99FX, so whatever you pick, you're getting one freakishly good motherboard. Oh, and just wait until you get to play with the Bios interface that all of them offer- it's impressive.

 

[jimmyfixedme]

Maintenance is about once a year to flush the system, which you can simplify by adding a drain valve (which is something I still need to do). Kits are the cheapest way to get started I got my cpu block, 360mm rad, pump, reservoir, tubing, all fitings, and three fans for $165 shipped. It is definitely one of the funnest projects I've undertaken so far.

If you are interesting in learning more head over to the water cooling sticky:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/277130-29-read-first-watercooling-sticky

Whats the whats the advantage of the complete loop vs closed?

 

[mlcaouette]

Expansion capabilities and high performance edge over closed loop. The closed loop coolers only perform at the same level as high end air coolers, all of which won't come close to an actual water cooling loop.