Upgrade options - MSI x570 vs B550

RandomMonkeH

RandomMonkeH

RandomMonkeH

Associate
Joined
18 Oct 2019
Posts
341
Location
U.K.
Gents, I would welcome your advice or thoughts to help break my indecision deadlock.

Let me start by saying my Ryzen build has been running faultlessly these last few months, I’ve really enjoyed it.

Specs are:
3700x with stock cooler
MSI B450 Mortar Max
32Gb Crucial Ballistix Sport LT
Gigabyte 2070 Super OC
Crucial MX500, Corsair MP510 and some spinning rust all living in a Fractal R6

When I built the system I had considered an x570 board, but because of the somewhat anaemic x570 line-up at launch, I went with the B450 instead - as recommended on here.
The board has been great, can't fault it – although I would have preferred the better sound on the x570 boards and having something a bit more future proof.


I now need to build a second system – a basic compact workstation which *might* do double duty as an HTPC type thing (no gaming).
My plan was to use this as an excuse to upgrade my system to a B550 board and use my B450 Mortar along with a 3400G or similar in the second system.

Originally I thought B550 would be the way to go as I’m not keen on the x570 chipset fan and can’t see I’d need the PCIe4 chipset.
However, now comparing the B550 boards to something like the Tomahawk x570 I'm no longer sure what to do for the best.


For example, the Tomahawk B550 isn't massively cheaper than the Tomahawk x570, less USB ports and disables expansion port if a second M.2 is used. It also won't support the 3400G, so should there be some issue in the future I won't be have the option of swapping CPUs between boards to troubleshoot.

The Tomahawk x570 is more expensive and has the chipset fan, but with wider compatibility and otherwise seems a solid board. Other than the chipset and some minor differences they appear quite comparable.


I suppose I could just buy another B450 for the second system but it seems like a missed opportunity to upgrade.

  • Is the tomahawk x570 worth the extra 60 squid over the B550?
  • How annoying/unreliable is the fan? (I’ve heard it doesn’t normally come on in use)
  • Any serious issues with either board? (Nothing seems to stand out from my searches)
  • Is it really worth upgrading at all? (Future proof might be academic if AM4 doesn’t have long to run)
  • Which way would you go and why?

Any opinions welcomed (I’m aware there are other manufactures, I’m just looking at MSI for example as I have one).

TL;DR -Need a new motherboard, Tomahawk B550 vs X570 vs Mortar B450 which and why?
 
Last edited:

Grimley

Grimley

Grimley

Soldato
Joined
18 Nov 2007
Posts
7,936
Location
Deepest Darkest Essex!!
I'm more or less in the same boat as you. I've 2 PC's myself & I've been in the possession of 2 since I decided to have 2 so my sisters boys could have a PC each to game on when they were little. Fast forward 15 years & both are now at Uni, but I've built a PC each for each of them to study on at their digs.

My PC setup is this: A newer setup for W10 on the odd occasion I need to work on a W10 PC, Remote troubleshooting is the latest example of that.
The older setup is my 'daily drive' with Linux mint, had that setup for the last 5 years. What I do is relegate the newer one to the 'daily drive' when I fancy an upgrade or another family member wants an upgrade, they get the 'hand-me-downs'

Right now the newer one is R5 3600/MSI Tomahawk MAX, the 'daily drive' is i5 5675C/gigabyte Z97.

My plan sometime in the near future is tomahawk goes in the 'daily drive' & I pop in a R5 1600 which I have lying around & was bought for 'just in case' build. The R5 3600 will go in whatever board I decide to buy next & I want the board to have the newer chipset so I can relegate the R5 3600 & buy a Ryzen 4/5000 CPU at some point in the future.

I've built a rig with the B450 mortar & think its a nice little board for the money, I do think that MSI make some pretty good AMD boards right now, as the R5 3600/Tomahawk MAX has not missed a beat in the year that I've owned it.

However I've been had a bad experience with an MSI AMD motherboard in the past (Many years ago) whereas Asus & Gigabyte I've had more or less zero problems with any models over the years.

I tend to go with what the regulars on here spec. Most of them are below. If they are out of stock that usually means they are top sellers, people have bought them on the advice of others here (or done their research) or the regulars on here have bought them as well. all are below £200. If you pick any one of them I don't think you'll end up with a lemon.

My basket at Overclockers UK:
Total: £1,555.09 (includes shipping: £15.30)​
​
 

RandomMonkeH

RandomMonkeH

RandomMonkeH

Associate
OP
Joined
18 Oct 2019
Posts
341
Location
U.K.
I don't think anybody is expecting a PCIe4 to provide any significant uplift in GPU performance - to my mind the advantage would be a nice little storage upgrade when the system is getting on and drives become dirt cheap.

I'd really be looking at the Tomahawk x570 or B550 boards - they both seem pretty well received from what I can tell, but it would be nice to hear first hand from anybody who has upgraded.
Again my current B450 system is working just fine, but by the time I've sourced another B450 board, I'm already a significant chunk of the way towards a B550 or X570.

I think if the B550 board was at the B450 pricing teir I wouldn't even been asking, but at £160ish vs £220ish the gap isn't vast, so the question is if the balance of the feature differences is worth the extra money.
 

Slinky69

Slinky69

Slinky69

Associate
Joined
19 Aug 2016
Posts
477
Location
Bristol
I have the X570 Tomahawk, but not installed it yet owing to lack of CPU. Certainly very well reviewed, which is why I chose it.

Also, OCUK actually have it in stock, unlike a lot of places, it seems.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom