Z390 Motherboard and good case advice

[RedaSaiko]

Hi,

I need some help on choosing a Z390 mb and the case. There is too much talk about VRM these days, it's really hard to choose. There is also the brand issue, Asys Gigabyte Asrock and MSI..etc.

My CPU is i7 8700 non K (but I want it to support future upgrade up to 9900KS. Basically I am hesitating between:

• Gigabyte Z390 UD $170

• Asus PRIME Z390-P $170

• Msi MPG Z390I Gaming Edge AC $230

Other ideas within this budget? I want Wifi and BT, but if there is a better option + PCI wifi card or something I am OK with it. I am not an expert on MB so any advice will help.

 

I am also concerned about the case since I have got enough of poorly designed OEM computers with bad airflow. Any advice for a cheap mini/mid tower case cool enough for high end CPU and GPU? those are just what I find I in my country hope there is something cheaper or better. I am not on RGB and stuff I want something functional.

 

• Aerocool Split RGB Black $80

• Fractal Design Core 1000 USB 3.0 $80

• Nox Coolbay MX2 $90

• Aerocool Cyclom Mini RGB $100

• Antec DP301M Gaming $100

• MSI MAG FORGE 100M $100

 

Any advice/recommendation?

[Slottr]

Don't upgrade your motherboard for that chip. The 8700 is more than adequate and going to a 9900ks would not be a worth your time considering there's many better options from AMD.

 

Plus the fact that intel's killing off that platform anyways

[GDRRiley]

your tossing money at a dead platform don't do it.

[RedaSaiko]

Well it's not that I am upgrading the CPU right now, I already have the i7 8700 on my main computer and want to move it to a new one (new main pc) and make my actual pc the secondary one. The i7 8700 is enough for me for at least a year or two.

[Slottr]

1 minute ago, RedaSaiko said:

Well it's not that I am upgrading the CPU right now, I already have the i7 8700 on my main computer and want to move it to a new one (new main pc) and make my actual pc the secondary one. The i7 8700 is enough for me for at least a year or two.

Can you wait? There's really zero point in upgrading at all right now

[Fullbok]

Don't know about the parts you listed but I'm personally using an 8700k@5GHz on an Asus Prime Z390-A inside the Fractal Design Meshify C! 85°C max

[RedaSaiko]

  

5 minutes ago, Slottr said:

Can you wait? There's really zero point in upgrading at all right now

 

Hum...I need a second computer for some work, I have posted very detailed explanation HERE but I think ti's a pain to read (not receiving any answer ^^).

[Slottr]

6 minutes ago, RedaSaiko said:

  

 

Hum...I need a second computer for some work, I have posted very detailed explanation HERE but I think ti's a pain to read (not receiving any answer ^^).

Reading your other post, I would consider looking at just building a cheaper B450 system with a strong motherboard so you can upgrade that later. That's really the only decent option I can say

[RedaSaiko]

7 minutes ago, Fullbok said:

Don't know about the parts you listed but I'm personally using an 8700k@5GHz on an Asus Prime Z390-A inside the Fractal Design Meshify C! 85°C max

$150 for the case and 250 for the mb...but they seem interesting.

[RedaSaiko]

3 minutes ago, Slottr said:

Reading your other post, I would consider looking at just building a cheaper B450 system with a strong motherboard so you can upgrade that later. That's really the only decent option I can say

Wow, I have given up in someone reading this looooooooong post. and I am really grateful for that.

 

Do you think the GIGABYTE B450M DS3H is a good one? The is also some used Ryzen 5 1600 em Ebay for a decent $100/110 and ship to my country.

The only problem with this option is the PSU/cooling upgrade for the XPS 8930...I have done some maths, the cost is approximately the same (what's saved on the mb is lost on cooling). But as you said the AM4 chipset is interesting since it's compatible with 3 gens of ryzen cpus.

[Slottr]

Just now, RedaSaiko said:

Do you think the GIGABYTE B450M DS3H is a good one

No. Can you list some other B450 boards that are in budget which you can find?

 

1 minute ago, RedaSaiko said:

The only problem with this option is the PSU/cooling upgrade for the XPS 8930...I have done some maths, the cost is approximately the same (what's saved on the mb is lost on cooling). But as you said the AM4 chipset is interesting since it's compatible with 3 gens of ryzen cpus.

The 1600 should come with a stock cooler, if not- a cheap cooler will do the job fine enough. With B450 you'll have support for 3 other generations of CPU's, which would be much more beneficial

[RedaSaiko]

2 minutes ago, Slottr said:

No. Can you list some other B450 boards that are in budget which you can find?

 

B540M S2H

Msi B450M-A PRO MAX

Msi B450M PRO-M2 MAX

Msi B450M PRO-VDH MAX

Asus PRIME B450M-K

Asrock B450M Pro4

Asus PRIME B450M-A

Gigabyte B450M Gaming

 

Have to check the specs later for wireless and connectivity.

  

2 minutes ago, Slottr said:

The 1600 should come with a stock cooler, if not- a cheap cooler will do the job fine enough. With B450 you'll have support for 3 other generations of CPU's, which would be much more beneficial

 

Sorry I haven't precised that the cooling I will have to upgrade is for my main computer (the Dell xps 8930 on the other post) because it have very bad airflow. Going the AMD route, I will have to do a lot of work in the OEM Dell. Going the Intel route is safer for the Dell because it's still have 2 years warranty. Hard to take a decision.

[TVwazhere]

On 5/24/2020 at 7:35 PM, RedaSaiko said:

I am also concerned about the case since I have got enough of poorly designed OEM computers with bad airflow. Any advice for a cheap mini/mid tower case cool enough for high end CPU and GPU? those are just what I find I in my country hope there is something cheaper or better. I am not on RGB and stuff I want something functional.

 

• Aerocool Split RGB Black $80

• Fractal Design Core 1000 USB 3.0 $80

• Nox Coolbay MX2 $90

• Aerocool Cyclom Mini RGB $100

• Antec DP301M Gaming $100

• MSI MAG FORGE 100M $100

The highlighted cases are going to be the ones that give you the best potential airflow out of the six. The other three have side vents which would do good in some applications but arent designed for max airflow.

[RedaSaiko]

1 minute ago, TVwazhere said:

The highlighted cases are going to be the ones that give you the best potential airflow out of the six. The other three have side vents which would do good in some applications but arent designed for max airflow.

Thank you a lot for taking the time to check. 

 

I also found a COOLER MASTER MASTERBOX MB511 for $100 and read some good thing about it on reddit, seems the airflow is one of the best for the price (with the MSI one).

 

I think I will choose between the 2, the Cooler Master one have an acrylic panel instead of tempered glass, don't know if it's important (not as sturdy for sure).

[TVwazhere]

15 minutes ago, RedaSaiko said:

I think I will choose between the 2, the Cooler Master one have an acrylic panel instead of tempered glass, don't know if it's important (not as sturdy for sure).

Not important at all for the structure of the case. Acrylic is cheaper and a bit easier to scratch, but wont shatter. Tempered glass is a bit clearer and doesn't scratch nearly as easily, but can shatter if mishandled (It's not likely, but it does happen every rare instance)

 

The MB511 RGB would outperform all the other cases on your list due to having lots of fans coming from a well vented front panel. That would easily be my top pick of the litter.

[RedaSaiko]

3 minutes ago, TVwazhere said:

Not important at all for the structure of the case. Acrylic is cheaper and a bit easier to scratch, but wont shatter. Tempered glass is a bit clearer and doesn't scratch nearly as easily, but can shatter if mishandled (It's not likely, but it does happen every rare instance)

 

The MB511 RGB would outperform all the other cases on your list due to having lots of fans coming from a well vented front panel. That would easily be my top pick of the litter.

Thank you I also have a good feeling about this case from what i have read and seen about it.

 

Any thought on the mb? I think I will still go with Intel, after thinking about it I don't want to void my warranty (long story HERE). The cheapest one I have been able to find with WIFI and BT is the MSI MPG Z390M GAMING EDGE AC Micro ATX (source: https://pcpartpicker.com/products/motherboard/?compatible_with=C9hj4D#sort=price&N=4,16&D=137438953472,2147483648000&G=63,95,31,79,15,30,14,6,8) and it costs around $240 here ^^.

[TVwazhere]

3 minutes ago, RedaSaiko said:

Any thought on the mb? 

I dont think about motherboards, especially Intel boards since ryzen has been such the better value for 3 years. I tend to have a one track mind for cases sorry

[RedaSaiko]

2 minutes ago, TVwazhere said:

I dont think about motherboards, especially Intel boards since ryzen has been such the better value for 3 years. I tend to have a one track mind for cases sorry

Thank you haha weill I will probably switch to amd for my next build. AT least they don't change their chipset every time they update their cpu ^^.

[Fullbok]

On 5/25/2020 at 1:58 AM, RedaSaiko said:

$150 for the case and 250 for the mb...but they seem interesting.

oh sorry, I got the case for 95€ and the motherboard for 190 ish€

[RedaSaiko]

15 hours ago, Fullbok said:

oh sorry, I got the case for 95€ and the motherboard for 190 ish€

No problem, price here (Morocco) are even higher than EU (well everything it's imported from Europe and there is taxes and customs.

 

For me, US prices are a dream ^^.