Looking For A Budget AM4 ARGB Compatible Motherboard
Posted by Gullible_Call_2763@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 12 comments
Hi guys, I'm currently looking for a budget AM4 motherboard that supports my Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360m AIO and has good enough VRM's to handle my 5900X. Right now I have an ASUS Prime A320M-K.
I'm currently looking for one with an argb header and can't find many - They are either out of budget or simply don't have ARGB support. Would it be cheaper to buy an RGB hub that can run ARGB without an ARGB Motherboard? If so would I be able to control my RGB using applications like SignalRGB?
I don't have a high budget but I am happy to buy second hand or refurbished. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
AMPCgame@reddit
If you can't find a motherboard with a 3-pin ARGB header, then you could try the Nollie 8 hub, which connects to the motherboard through the internal USB 2.0, which you're bound to have at least 2 of on a board. The Nollie gúna work with Signal RGB and they have guides on their site.
For compatability with the Arctic liquid freezer III Pro, you'll need to check Arctic's compatibility list on their website. They'll say whether a board's M.2 heatsink is I'm the way of the tubes coming off the pump head. Whether or not the cooler will fit in whatever case you have is another possible issue. You'll need 66mm of clearance from the top of the case to the motherboard, and not all cases list that spec.
Gullible_Call_2763@reddit (OP)
Thank you very much… I’ll check out that rgb hub. My AIO is already in my pc, so right now I’m just upgrading the motherboard as it is not really compatible with my AIO and it limits my CPU.
AMPCgame@reddit
No problem. Here's the compatibility list for the motherboard/cooler anyway for M.2 heatsink clearance:
https://support.arctic.de/lf3-compatibility
And the Nollie 8: https://nolliergb.com/our_products/nollie-8/
Gullible_Call_2763@reddit (OP)
Thank you for your help!
One more question:
Will I need a fan hub separately to this or could I get on that combines both argb support and fan speeds whilst being motherboard controlled?
AMPCgame@reddit
You would need a separate PWM hub. The hubs that combine PWM and ARGB support use a motherboard's 3-pin ARGB header, so if you can only find a motherboard that doesn't have that header then you'd need one hub for fan power and the Nollie for your ARGB devices.
Gullible_Call_2763@reddit (OP)
Ah okay, thanks.
Any suggestions for which motherboards I should look at?
AMPCgame@reddit
Asrock B550M Pro4- 8 phase power design with VRM heatsink and 2x 3-pinARGB headers.
Asus Prime B550-Plus AC-HES- Another board with heatsinks over VRM and 2x 3-pin ARGB headers.
Gigabyte B550 Eagle Wifi 6- 10+3 power phase design with VRM heatsinks and 2x 3-pin ARGB headers.
These aren't the only options, but what you'd be looking for is a board with at least an 8-phase power design with heatsinks over the VRM. That will keep your 5900X under control. Most motherboard product pages will state the power design phases, unless they are really cheap ones, which would be best to avoid for your CPU. You could also try second hand or refurbished like you said before. Most B550 chipset boards would be suitable, and practically all X570 chipset boards would work well if you're looking at second hand models.
Gullible_Call_2763@reddit (OP)
Would the ASUS Prime b550m-k ARGB be a good option? im looking for a cheaper option. If not where's a good place to get refurb & used boards?
AMPCgame@reddit
It wouldn't be the best for the 5900X, it looks like a 6 power phase design with no heatsinks at all, you'd probably end up thermal throttling the CPU. I couldn't say where the best place to get used/refurbished boards is, it just depends on where you live. The best option is anywhere that you can make a physical inspection of a board before purchase. But other than that, if you see an advert online, make sure it has pictures showing the motherboard socket to show it's undamaged, and check the seller's reviews. eBay has buyer protection in most cases.
Gullible_Call_2763@reddit (OP)
Ive found a very good deal for a gigabyte b550m ds3h, i might go for that. It still limits my cpu but Its just a brilliant price.
n7_trekkie@reddit
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/PDsnTW/msi-b550m-pro-vdh-wifi-micro-atx-am4-motherboard-b550m-pro-vdh-wifi
https://youtu.be/wuPH9pCCK-E?t=909&si=s24Ymo2tQOu7clhW
Big-Pressure-918@reddit
pcpartpicker.com