Question Which motherboard would you choose?

[ingeborgdot]

I am looking at either the ASRock X570 EXTREME4 or the ASUS Prime X570-Pro.
I have looked at review after review after review after review after review after review, oops, I kind of got stuck because I just wanted you to get the feel of what I've been doing.
I think I just want to pick some of your brains on what you think. Has anyone experienced both boards?
Just a little push would help me out. Thanks.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

You are going pretty high end boards, is there a reason for it?
I like my asrock x570 steel legend so I am prone to say go asrock.
I do need to point out the one thing I don’t like about my asrock board and your link appears to be the same.
The chipset fan is high up on the board. My 1660ti is a tiny card but anything longer will block the fan. I don’t think this would be a major problem but it irritates me that the board was designed this way.

 

[ingeborgdot]

Audio is important to me but not important enough to get a separate card or DAC. I have heard good things about both boards audio is all and I like the looks of these boards better. That is the only reason, but reason enough that I am looking at one of these 2 boards.

 

[Ajay]

What are your main interests - like features that you must have. They both make good boards.

 

[damian101]

In direct comparison I would go with the Asus board. Unless you want the option for a Thunderbolt add-in card or a second internal 19-pin USB 3.0 connector.

 

[Ajay]

A quick glance would indicate both a good boards for their feature set.
What represents a good audio solution is not something I keep up on.

 

[ingeborgdot]

I want the best audio I can get without a separate card or DAC. I want a nice looking board like the 2 I have picked. I want one with a good bios. Good RGB control, not that this is a big deal. One with a good warranty and support.

 

[damian101]

@ingeborgdot The majority of x570 boards have the same identical onboard audio chip, Realtek 1220.

 

[ingeborgdot]

But the Asrock has Purity Sound 4 and the Asus has Crystal Sound 3 which both are a step up in quality as they have 120dB signal-to-noise ratio for the stereo line-out and a 113dB SNR for the line-in. I also like that they both have an Intel nic.

 

[damian101]

@ingeborgdot Yes, there's more to audio than the audio chip, but I don't know how much of a difference the rest makes for onboard audio, 120 dB is just the SNR of the ALC1220.
However, the ASRock X570 Steel Legend should have identical audio quality compared to the Extreme4, as it's also marketed with Purity Sound 4 and the boards are also mostly identical in general.

 

[ingeborgdot]

@ingeborgdot Yes, there's more to audio than the audio chip, but I don't know how much of a difference the rest makes for onboard audio, 120 dB is just the SNR of the ALC1220.
However, the ASRock X570 Steel Legend should have identical audio quality compared to the Extreme4, as it's also marketed with Purity Sound 4 and the boards are also mostly identical in general.

Yes, I do see that about the Steel Legend. I wonder why the Steel Legend is so much cheaper? I have tried comparisons but must be missing something.

 

[damian101]

Yes, I do see that about the Steel Legend. I wonder why the Steel Legend is so much cheaper? I have tried comparisons but must be missing something.

Here in Europe the difference is just about 40€. Which still makes the Steel Legend a much better deal if you don't care about the extra USB 3.x ports and DTS Connect; as far as I can see those are the only functional differences between the two boards.

 

[ingeborgdot]

I just don't know about the Asrock boards yet, and am a little leery I guess. I used them exclusively for about 12 builds 7 years ago and had trouble with the bios on everyone of them, plus numerous problems on all of them. I'm leaning towards the Asus, but I really want some reason to go to the Steel Legend because of the price.
What is the DTS connect?

 

[damian101]

I just don't know about the ASRock boards yet, and am a little leery I guess. I used them exclusively for about 12 builds 7 years ago and had trouble with the bios on every one of them, plus numerous problems on all of them. I'm leaning towards the Asus, but I really want some reason to go to the Steel Legend because of the price.
What is the DTS connect?

From my understanding DTS Connect allows the direct stream of some proprietary DTS digital audio formats to a compatible receiver. No idea what software can actually use that. The only source for DTS-HD streams (which can't be losslessly decoded with free software without some trickery) I know of are Blu-rays.

I only heard good things about ASRock Ryzen motherboards.

 

[ingeborgdot]

Reviews from reviewers are one thing, but owners actual experiences are another, so by hearing only good things, that is a plus.

 

[ingeborgdot]

I actually have now have decided on a different board. I am now after much research going with an ASUS ROG STRIX B550-A GAMING. Just some things seem to be not needed on my build that the 570 has. I don't like the other little fan on the board for sure.

 

[etrin]

will we see any new boards for the new zen?

 

[damian101]

will we see any new boards for the new zen?

I'm quite certain there will be new boards, but I don't think the new high-end chipset will be much different functionality-wise from the current X570 chipset.

 

[Ajay]

If you are buying a new AMD processor, choose a Socket 939 nForce3 motherboard (for AGP video) or nForce4 motherboard (for PCI Express video). If you are buying a new Intel processor, choose a Socket 775 motherboard that uses an Intel 945- or 955-series chipset that supports the type of video card you plan to install.

2005 is calling and wondering where you are.

 

[Iron Woode]

If you are buying a new AMD processor, choose a Socket 939 nForce3 motherboard (for AGP video) or nForce4 motherboard (for PCI Express video). If you are buying a new Intel processor, choose a Socket 775 motherboard that uses an Intel 945- or 955-series chipset that supports the type of video card you plan to install.

copy/pasting a recommendation from 12 years ago?

what's next? Announcing the new socket A from AMD?

 

[R81Z3N1]

Can't be any worse, I have an am3 board that ran into a bios bug from 7 years ago.

I was trying to boot to a linux live CD but keyboard, and mouse would not be recognized. Turns out that I had to set IOMMU to on, to have it recognized the keyboard, I also had to change usb ports from 3 to a 2 just to get it to boot.

I have a b550 board waiting in the wings for a Ryzen 3 cpu, bought it at release thinking Renoir would be released. Had the board and gear for like 5-6 months. Have everything ready to go, hope qflash works, as I don't want to pull from a working build just to boot when it comes out.

R81Z3N1

 

[legolas_tk]

I think the Asus Prime X570-PRO is better, given that it has higher memory max frequency 5100Mhz than ASRock X570 Extreme4 which is 4666Mhz only. The Asus has extra display output which is DP 1.2. Lastly, ASUS PRIME X570-Pro has 4 USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type A+C) vs ASRock X570 Extreme4 2 USB 3.2 Gen 2 (TypeA+C). So I think the Prime X570-Pro is better spec wise.

 

[alexbirdie0]

If you are buying a new AMD processor, choose a Socket 939 nForce3 motherboard (for AGP video) or nForce4 motherboard (for PCI Express video). If you are buying a new Intel processor, choose a Socket 775 motherboard that uses an Intel 945- or 955-series chipset that supports the type of video card you plan to install.

You are too early. Carneval is starting at 11.11. Or is it a post for april 1. ?

 

[AnitaPeterson]

You are too early. Carneval is starting at 11.11. Or is it a post for april 1. ?

Not only this, but also a new user - who signed up on that same day to post that inanity.
Probably a troll.

 

[charlietee]

My advice is to buy a motherboard with the USB C header, 2 USB 3.0, 2 ARGB and 2 RGB's.

I really did not think of doing the RGB/ARGB hustle...Yeah right...Spent twice as much on fan's, 3 diffused LED light strips, SATA powered fan header, ARGB and RGB splitter's than I did on the case...Hook line and sinker.

The Tuf Gaming X570 does not have the USB C header. Paid 10 bucks for the front panel accessory cable, 30 bucks for the adapter and cannot find a PCI-e card with USB C speed and charging rate. Well not from a known brand. Found a fleabay card that only transfers 5 gbs for 35 bones...75 duckies for a front USB C cable ???

Geezzz

Better to have the connectivity for future upgrades than to want it and not have it onboard.