I would like to replace my i7-8700K with a 5950x, and of course I have to change my motherboard and AIO.
I currently have a Z370 AORUS Ultra Gaming CF and a Cooler Master Nepton 240M AIO (inside a case Enthoo Evolv ATX).
I would like to have a motherboard supporting 2+ NVME; RGB is not required and I would be using all the RAM slots (I have 4x CMU64GX4M4C3200C16 - 4x16 GiB Corsair at 3200 MHz)
Could you please recommend a couple of choices?
Budget is max 300 GBP for the motherboard and 150~200 GBP for the AIO (combined 600 USD tops).
I do run Ubuntu 20.04.1, together with a 2080 Ti, but I thought this is besides the point
Thanks!
Ps. Apologies if I posted in the wrong section, but is not just motherboard but also AIO and has to fit inside my Evolv case.
According to GamersNexus the best AIO currently available is the Arctic Liquid Freezer II series. So, that one would be a good choice. (I have the 360 version of this cooler.)
Concerning the mainboard, you could watch Buildzoid’s rambling about various of them:
I picked the Gigabyte X570 Aorus Master, which has three NVMe sockets (two long ones) and would be a solid choice, but over your budget. But then again, you are saving on the AIO. Otherwise, just watch the video
You need to upgrade the BIOS, but the Aorus Master - as other boards as well, check the manual - supports a BIOS upgrade without a CPU being installed.
Basically you put the new BIOS version on a flash thumb drive, put it into the designated USB slot, plug the required cables into the board, press the flash button and wait.
@Azulath I have read positive feedback about ROG STRIX X570-E GAMING, especially around sensor and compatibility with kernel 5.4 - I understand it has 1 less NVME, but any issue I should be aware of?
I don’t know if sensors are supported, you would need to read up on that. I think other folks here have more knowledge in regards to your questions though…
Picking up a motherboard depends entirely on your needs…
Do you need all that PCIe 4 slots and everything? Do you really need the X570? Can you go with B550 instead and get rid of the chipset fan? Can you perhaps find cheaper board, that satisfy all your needs for slots and connections and have spares? Those are the questions you need to ask yourself.
Should you need a CPU, to perform the BIOS uptick for Zen3, it’ll ask for an older chip [for the transition]. Can always scrounge up a used 1200 or some other cheap chip from Gen1/1+ era