Expensive AMD X870 motherboards could offset more affordable Ryzen 9000 CPUs

[zohaibahd]

In brief: PC builders upgrading to AMD's next-gen 800-series chipsets and Ryzen 9000 processors may face higher motherboard costs. If a recent leak proves accurate, as shared on X by momomo_us, projected European retail prices for several upcoming Asus X870 and X870E motherboard models will be higher than for the current generation.

After converting the listed Euro amounts to US dollars based on current exchange rates, the pricing shows a significant increase over Asus' existing X670 motherboard lineup.

For example, the high-end Asus ROG Crosshair X670E Hero, which launched at around $650, now has its X870E successor listed at €704.52, which translates to $781.50. Other models are also seeing substantial price hikes.

Of course, leaked pricing is always subject to change, and regional taxes or premiums may be inflating the listed amounts. It's also possible that these prices are merely placeholders and don't reflect finalized MSRPs. Still, the leak gives enthusiasts a preliminary look at the potential costs associated with upgrading to AMD's upcoming platform.

ROG STRIX X870-A GAMING WIFI - €455.40
ROG STRIX X870-F GAMING WIFI - €489.90
PRIME X870-P WIFI - €328.44
ROG CROSSHAIR X870E HERO - €704.52
ProArt X870E-CREATOR WIFI - €547.20
PRIME X870-P - €314.16
X870 A ELITE WF7 ICE - €353.85

– 188å· (@momomo_us) September 7, 2024

Fortunately, while these next-gen motherboards may be more expensive, the chips they support are not. The Ryzen 9000 desktop CPUs have launched at slightly lower prices than the Ryzen 7000 series. For instance, the flagship Ryzen 9 9950X is priced at $699, which is $50 less than the Ryzen 9 7950X was at launch two years ago.

If a price hike does go through, some of it could be offset by cheaper processors.

We'll find out soon enough how accurate this leak is, as rumors suggest a late September debut for the new chipsets.

The leap from X600 to X800 chipsets brings several upgrades. X870 motherboards introduce support for faster 40Gbps USB 4.0 connections across the board. They also eliminate a previous bottleneck by offering simultaneous PCIe 5.0 bandwidth for both high-speed NVMe SSDs and graphics cards, a feature that was previously exclusive to the more expensive "Extreme" chipset tiers.

As for GPUs, while models supporting PCIe 5.0 haven't yet appeared, upcoming lineups like AMD's RDNA 4, Nvidia's RTX 5000 Blackwell, and Intel's Battlemage are expected to include the feature. All three manufacturers are on track to launch their new GPUs in late 2024 or early 2025.

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Expensive AMD X870 motherboards could offset more affordable Ryzen 9000 CPUs

 

[opckieran]

I don't see the problem here, I mean the 9000 series is clearly flying off the shelves right now.

/s

 

[yRaz]

Ahh, yes, let's price things to the point where people are willing to risk buying Intel products.

AMD, I love you, but you need to know your place. Put 890m GPUs in all your APUs, drop the AI **** and give us affordable products that are "good enough"

 

[poshflamingos]

Let's be real, high-end consumer motherboards have always been a noob trap. Unless you have a very specific niche and know exactly what specific feature you need you're paying that much for, you shouldn't be buying anything beyond a $150-ish mid-tier B650/B760 board. Those X870 board are essentially irrelevant for the consumer market.

 

[unoficialoficial]

It would be interesting to understand why motherboards are priced at such a premium. Based on a GPT4 analysis, it appears that the estimated cost of all the electronic components on a modem motherboard is approximately 100 dollars.

Common Components in a Modern PC Motherboard
1. Capacitors: - Electrolytic Capacitors: Typically around 20-30 pieces. - Ceramic Capacitors: Typically around 100-200 pieces. - Tantalum Capacitors: Typically around 10-20 pieces.
2. Resistors: - Typically around 200-300 pieces.
3. Inductors:- Typically around 10-20 pieces.
4. MOSFETs: - Typically around 10-20 pieces.
5. ICs (Integrated Circuits):
- Chipset (e.g., AMD 670): 1 piece.
- VRM Controllers: Typically around 1-2 pieces.
- Audio Codec: 1 piece.
- Network Controller: 1 piece.
- USB Controllers: Typically around 1-2 pieces.
- Other miscellaneous ICs: Typically around 5-10 pieces.
6. Connectors and Ports: - Various connectors (e.g., PCIe slots, RAM slots, SATA connectors, USB ports, etc.): Typically around 20-30 pieces.
7. Miscellaneous Components: - Diodes, transistors, crystals, etc.: Typically around 50-100 pieces.

Estimated Costs
Here are some rough estimates for the cost of these components:
1. Capacitors:
- Electrolytic Capacitors: $0.10 each x 25 = $2.50
- Ceramic Capacitors: $0.01 each x 150 = $1.50
- Tantalum Capacitors: $0.20 each x 15 = $3.00
2. Resistors:
- $0.01 each x 250 = $2.50
3. Inductors:
- $0.50 each x 15 = $7.50
4. MOSFETs:
- $0.50 each x 15 = $7.50
5. ICs:
- Chipset: $30.00
- VRM Controllers: $5.00 each x 2 = $10.00
- Audio Codec: $2.00
- Network Controller: $3.00
- USB Controllers: $2.00 each x 2 = $4.00
- Other ICs: $1.00 each x 8 = $8.00
6. Connectors and Ports:
- $0.50 each x 25 = $12.50
7. Miscellaneous Components:
- $0.10 each x 75 = $7.50

Total Estimated Cost
Adding up all these costs gives us:
- Capacitors: $7.00 - Resistors: $2.50 - Inductors: $7.50 - MOSFETs: $7.50 - ICs: $57.00 - Connectors and Ports: $12.50 - Miscellaneous Components: $7.50

Total Estimated Cost: $101.50

 

[Burty117]

If you already have an X670E motherboard, I'm confused what the X870E version brings to the table?

Lets use the Asus ROG Crosshair X670E Hero as mentioned in the article, that motherboard already supports USB 4.0 40Gbps, it already supported PCIE5 to both the slot and storage at the same time.

I don't understand what the new chipset even does over the old chipset? Other than force manufacturers to tick all the option boxes?

 

[Athlonite69]

Yeah like X670E was cheap NO my Asus Strix X670E - E Gaming Wifi cost me $878NZD and any of the Crosshair X670E mobo's were all over $1200NZD or more

 

[Avet85]

It would be interesting to understand why motherboards are priced at such a premium.
...

You can't think about product cost just as price of the components...

There is R&D cost. All those engineers who decided where do the components go, what is the design, testing, demo runs. Actual machines that buld them don't run on air. There are electricity costs, worker salaries. Storage cost. Sgipping cost. Marketing cost. Put a precentage eqrnings for ASUS on top of that, and retailers earnings, on top of that. Customer support... And many more steps in between that all cost money.

 

[Starfals]

Nobody will buy these lol. The Asus tax+European tax will totally kill these new models. You gotta be mental to spend soo much for it. The top of the top cost as much as a GPU, laptop or many other things. I also got ripped off, I had to spend 350 for my 7800X3D board, but this new ones.. yeah. RIP+DOA!

 

[hahahanoobs]

It would be interesting to understand why motherboards are priced at such a premium. Based on a GPT4 analysis, it appears that the estimated cost of all the electronic components on a modem motherboard is approximately 100 dollars.

Common Components in a Modern PC Motherboard
1. Capacitors: - Electrolytic Capacitors: Typically around 20-30 pieces. - Ceramic Capacitors: Typically around 100-200 pieces. - Tantalum Capacitors: Typically around 10-20 pieces.
2. Resistors: - Typically around 200-300 pieces.
3. Inductors:- Typically around 10-20 pieces.
4. MOSFETs: - Typically around 10-20 pieces.
5. ICs (Integrated Circuits):
- Chipset (e.g., AMD 670): 1 piece.
- VRM Controllers: Typically around 1-2 pieces.
- Audio Codec: 1 piece.
- Network Controller: 1 piece.
- USB Controllers: Typically around 1-2 pieces.
- Other miscellaneous ICs: Typically around 5-10 pieces.
6. Connectors and Ports: - Various connectors (e.g., PCIe slots, RAM slots, SATA connectors, USB ports, etc.): Typically around 20-30 pieces.
7. Miscellaneous Components: - Diodes, transistors, crystals, etc.: Typically around 50-100 pieces.

Estimated Costs
Here are some rough estimates for the cost of these components:
1. Capacitors:
- Electrolytic Capacitors: $0.10 each x 25 = $2.50
- Ceramic Capacitors: $0.01 each x 150 = $1.50
- Tantalum Capacitors: $0.20 each x 15 = $3.00
2. Resistors:
- $0.01 each x 250 = $2.50
3. Inductors:
- $0.50 each x 15 = $7.50
4. MOSFETs:
- $0.50 each x 15 = $7.50
5. ICs:
- Chipset: $30.00
- VRM Controllers: $5.00 each x 2 = $10.00
- Audio Codec: $2.00
- Network Controller: $3.00
- USB Controllers: $2.00 each x 2 = $4.00
- Other ICs: $1.00 each x 8 = $8.00
6. Connectors and Ports:
- $0.50 each x 25 = $12.50
7. Miscellaneous Components:
- $0.10 each x 75 = $7.50

Total Estimated Cost
Adding up all these costs gives us:
- Capacitors: $7.00 - Resistors: $2.50 - Inductors: $7.50 - MOSFETs: $7.50 - ICs: $57.00 - Connectors and Ports: $12.50 - Miscellaneous Components: $7.50

Total Estimated Cost: $101.50

Dual chipsets and their complexity/added traces
More layers of PCB to handle PCIe 5 signals
More copper
USB 4
up to 8 USB C ports on rear I/O
X on the box...

 

[hahahanoobs]

For a socket that is supposed to mimic the longevity of AM4, it sure sucks that PCIe 5 for dGPU is sorta behind a paywall. Definite contrast to their new mission with Gaming by focusing on mainstream GPU's and, "[not wanting] AMD to be the company that only people who can afford Porsches and Ferraris can buy."

 

[TooQik]

Ahh, yes, let's price things to the point where people are willing to risk buying Intel products.

AMD, I love you, but you need to know your place. Put 890m GPUs in all your APUs, drop the AI **** and give us affordable products that are "good enough"

How much of the price increase is due to AMD requirements, and how much is from the motherboard manufacturer charging a premium though? It's hard to blame anyone specific if the break down of costs is not known.

 

[noblody]

Prices in euro are with VAT included. The base price in USD is without taxes. Vat in Europe is about 20% so if the base price is $650 that translates to exactly $780 with VAT.

 

[HardReset]

If you already have an X670E motherboard, I'm confused what the X870E version brings to the table?

Lets use the Asus ROG Crosshair X670E Hero as mentioned in the article, that motherboard already supports USB 4.0 40Gbps, it already supported PCIE5 to both the slot and storage at the same time.

I don't understand what the new chipset even does over the old chipset? Other than force manufacturers to tick all the option boxes?

x870 chipset is same as x670. Difference is some features are now mandatory, not optional.

 

[McMurdeR]

This is as much about keeping x670 prices from falling.

 

[Burty117]

x870 chipset is same as x670. Difference is some features are now mandatory, not optional.

So why is it more expensive?

Asus ROG Crosshair X670E Hero vs Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Hero

They are practically identical, yet one is more expensive than the other.

 

[bl4C3y3]

Prices in euro are with VAT included. The base price in USD is without taxes. Vat in Europe is about 20% so if the base price is $650 that translates to exactly $780 with VAT.

like cristianm said, Europran price is with VAT included ... not sure there is a story here

from what I can see, ROG Crossfire Hero X670 was also 779€ at launch ... and THAT was a large jump up from the ROG Crossfire Hero X570 which was 429€ at launch

 

[n3o127]

Inflation on Global scale and in our Nation -- either believe inflation is great (enjoy high prices and its sign of things booming) or believe inflation is impacting real people (sales are declining closing companies and force changes in markets) -- example thinking, AMD already sells low and mid-level cards (plus today tries at upper end), next gen, they believe if they stop selling all the upper end cards and only sell low and mid-low level cards they will boom and explode to 40% plus market shares -- that's an example approach to what consumers get when high inflation and thought process that its good thing -- a difference of opinion.

 

[HardReset]

So why is it more expensive?

Asus ROG Crosshair X670E Hero vs Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Hero

They are practically identical, yet one is more expensive than the other.

Define "practically". X870E version has dual LAN and that makes major difference to some, including myself. I don't want to waste PCIe slot for LAN.

 

[Burty117]

Define "practically". X870E version has dual LAN and that makes major difference to some, including myself. I don't want to waste PCIe slot for LAN.

So you're paying £130 extra for a single extra LAN port? Even 10GB LAN cards aren't that expensive...

 

[HardReset]

So you're paying £130 extra for a single extra LAN port? Even 10GB LAN cards aren't that expensive...

I didn't say that is only difference. But that alone is more than enough to make it not "practically identical".

And btw, X870 version does not have a single PCIe x1 slots, only two x16 slots. That makes dual LAN pretty much mandatory feature. X670 version has x1 slot but only one.

 

[Mr Majestyk]

Well done AMD, yet another launch that is a catastrophic fluster cluck. Zen 5% underperformant and overpriced, waits for negative reviews, pathetic sales and already cutting prices. Same will happen with the egregiously overpriced X870(E) MB's that bring almost nothing new other than usb4. They fail to learn from past missteps every single launch these days.

Launch of Zen 4 was a disaster on price of system overall, but now DDR5 is affordable they had a chance to shine and screwed the pooch again.

If you must have Zen 5 X3D wait 6-12 months so prices collapse. Do not reward them at ball for their insanity.

 

[HardReset]

Well done AMD, yet another launch that is a catastrophic fluster cluck. Zen 5% underperformant and overpriced, waits for negative reviews, pathetic sales and already cutting prices. Same will happen with the egregiously overpriced X870(E) MB's that bring almost nothing new other than usb4. They fail to learn from past missteps every single launch these days.

Launch of Zen 4 was a disaster on price of system overall, but now DDR5 is affordable they had a chance to shine and screwed the pooch again.

If you must have Zen 5 X3D wait 6-12 months so prices collapse. Do not reward them at ball for their insanity.

What new X870E should bring? X670 is already so good that there is not much room for improvement. However they must release "new" chipset, otherwise people would think X670 motherboards suck because "they are already two years old".

 

[Endymio]

It would be interesting to understand why motherboards are priced at such a premium. Based on a GPT4 analysis, it appears that the estimated cost of all the electronic components on a modem motherboard is approximately 100 dollars.

Oddly enough, that's almost exactly the price of "commodity" motherboards that have been out several years. New, cutting-edge boards are a different matter entirely. Even ignoring the newer, pricier components is the fact that the design costs of the boards and chipsets has to be recovered at some point ... and traditionally, first adopters are the ones who pay the R&D.

x870 chipset is same as x670. Difference is some features are now mandatory, not optional.

That might be the fastest ever a TS poster has contradicted themself.

 

[erickmendes]

It would be interesting to understand why motherboards are priced at such a premium...

RGB and the enthusiast tag (ROG, GOD, whatver).
Everybody knows RGB give more FPS. lol