LGA1700 or AM5 for TB4 Compatability?

KaptainKloss · January 28, 2023

Budget (including currency): $1300

Country: USA

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: CSGO, MW2, otherwise basic workload.

Other details:

Upgrading from 5900X.

Motherboard Considerations: ASUS X670 / Z790 ROG Maximus Hero

The reason I'm upgrading is because I want a new build that will last 4 - 5 years and is TB4 - ready. Looking to hookup PC to a dock. I'm torn between the i7-13700K and the 7900X. I know the AM5 platform is future proof, but not sure how TB4 operates on these new AM5 boards (haven't head the best things). I'm also not sure whether it's worth getting a less expensive board and just opting for a dedicated TB4 PCI card. Any suggestions? Which is the better platform at this point?

Brooksie359 · January 28, 2023

It seems like a waste to upgrade from what you are currently running tbh. Not sure what you need TB4 for but it seems weird to upgrade your entire platform for it.

KaptainKloss · January 28, 2023

I want to hookup a dock and the only way to do so is via TB4. Would it just make more sense to just buy a TB4 PCI card?

GuiltySpark_ · January 28, 2023

So I have an Zen4 system with two full fat 40Gb/s USB4 ports but its functionality with true Thunderbolt devices is still up in the air. (7900x / X670E Taichi) While the controller on the board is an Intel Maple Ridge Thunderbolt 4 controller, due to it being USB4, firmware is what stands in the way of any compatibility issues with true Thunderbolt devices.

I'd like to try a true Thunderbolt device I just haven't found something I'd make use of yet.

Great spreadsheet if you're interested in which boards include USB4. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1NQHkDEcgDPm34Mns3C93K6SJoBnua-x9O-y_6hv8sPs/edit#gid=0

Also noted in that spreadsheet:

Quote

All X670 motherboards have either built-in USB4 or a Thunderbolt 4 header except for all of the MSI boards so far and the X670E Pro RS.

RONOTHAN## · January 28, 2023

3 minutes ago, KaptainKloss said:

I want to hookup a dock and the only way to do so is via TB4. Would it just make more sense to just buy a TB4 PCI card?

TB3 also works for this, and AFAIK all the TB AIC cards are TB3, so if you really want TB4 you need a board with it on board. If you just do stuff that doesn't need more performance, getting a TB3 AIC would likely be the best option if you currently have a mobo that supports it (not all boards do, especially low-mid range boards). If you don't, check on FB Marketplace and Craigslist to see if you can find one that does for cheap, though if you have to spend $200-300 for a new board I'd just go for a new setup personally.

That said, if your goal is this, you need a board with DP injection, which neither of the boards you're considering support. There are boards on both AM5 and LGA 1700 that support it, on LGA 1700 there's the Gigabyte Z690 Aero D, MSI Z690I Unify (ITX), MSI Z690/Z790 Ace, and ASUS Z690/Z790 ProArt (maybe a couple others but they'd all be in the too expensive to be reasonable range), and on AM5 there's the X670E- Creator ProArt and maybe a few others, but I don't follow X670 boards as closely (they're the only ones that have a shot of having it) since generally speaking they're too expensive to consider for 97% of systems and IMO not really as interesting as LGA 1700 and B650 is (feel free to disagree with that). Getting a lower end board and a Thunderbolt card is likely gonna be your best option though, since all the TB AICs I'm aware of support DP injection so you don't need to worry about getting a board where everything would have to run through the iGPU.