After months of testing, we have finally completed our full AMD X870/X870E motherboard roundup. With in-depth testing of 53 models, there is a lot to go over. We tested every single USB port on the I/O panel for all 53 boards, and found one board that we believe has a design flaw. We also stress tested every single VRM, noting clock speeds and power draw along the way.

It has been an incredibly drawn-out validation process, but we now have all the data. In this article you will find detailed information about all the newer models that were not included in our first 21-board roundup. We have also put together another big table with specs for all the motherboards in this article (30+ models) to complement the table from the first part of the roundup.

The Big Spec Table

All motherboards tested in our roundup, grouped by manufacturer and then listed from least to most expensive.

Orange Line = we've highlighted the more interesting boards although generally speaking these are all well-equipped premium-priced motherboards.

Mobo Price Chipset vcore VRM Temp VRM PCIe x16 M.2 Gen 5.0 M.2 Gen 4.0/3.0 SATA III USB 4.0 Ports USB 3.2 Ports USB 2.0 Ports WiFi LAN Fan Headers
MSI MAG X870E Gaming Plus Max WiFi $240 X870E 14, 60A 55 °C 1 1 2 4 1 4 4 WiFi 7 5 Gbit 8
MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk WiFi $320 X870E 14, 80A 60 °C 3 2 2 4 2 7 4 WiFi 7 5 Gbit 6
MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Max WiFi PZ $320 X870E 14, 80A N/A 3 2 2 2 2 7 4 WiFi 7 5 Gbit 8
MSI X870E Carbon Max WiFi $500 X870E 18, 110A 66 °C 3 2 2 4 2 11 0 WiFi 7 5 Gbit 2.5 Gbit 8
MSI MEG X870E Ace Max $700 X870E 18, 110A 62 °C 3 2 3 4 2 11 0 WiFi 7 10 Gbit 5 Gbit 9
MSI MEG X870E Godlike $900 X870E 24, 110A 60 °C 3 2 (+2 via Xpander) 3 4 2 15 0 WiFi 7 10 Gbit 5 Gbit 10
MSI MEG X870E Godlike X Edition $1300 X870E 24, 110A 59 °C 3 2 (+2 via Xpander) 3 4 2 15 0 WiFi 7 10 Gbit 5 Gbit 10
MSI MEG X870E Unify-X Max TBA X870E 18, 110A 61 °C 4 2 3 2 2 9 0 WiFi 7 5 Gbit N/A
MSI X870I Edge Ti Evo WiFi $400 X870 8, 110A 86 °C 1 1 2 2 2 9 2 WiFi 7 5 Gbit 3
Asrock X870 LiveMixer WiFi $190 X870 16, 80A 59 °C 3 2 2 2 2 8 6 WiFi 7 5 Gbit 6
Asrock X870 Challenger WiFi $200 X870 16, 80A 62 °C 2 1 3 2 2 2 4 WiFi 7 2.5 Gbit 6
Asrock X870E Challenger WiFi ~$250 X870E 16, 80A 58 °C 3 1 3 2 2 9 6 WiFi 7 2.5 Gbit 7
Asrock PG X870 Nova WiFi $240 X870 18, 80A 52 °C 1 2 3 2 2 8 8 WiFi 7 5 Gbit 7
Asrock X870 Taichi Creator $320 X870 18, 80A 60 °C 2 2 2 2 2 9 2 WiFi 7 10 Gbit 7
Asrock X870E Taichi OCF $500 X870E 22, 110A 51 °C 2 2 4 2 2 12 8 WiFi 7 5 Gbit 7
Gigabyte X870 Aorus Stealth Ice $300 X870 16, 80A 58 °C 2 2 2 2 2 7 4 WiFi 7 5 Gbit 8
Gigabyte X870E Aorus Elite X3D Ice $370 X870E 16, 80A 53 °C 3 2 2 4 2 9 4 WiFi 7 5 Gbit 8
Gigabyte X870E Aorus Pro X3D Ice $430 X870E 18, 110A 53 °C 3 2 2 4 2 10 4 WiFi 7 5 Gbit 8
Gigabyte X870E Aero X3D Wood $485 X870E 16, 60A 64 °C 3 2 2 4 2 10 4 WiFi 7 5 Gbit 5 Gbit 8
Gigabyte X870E Aorus Master X3D Ice $590 X870E 18, 110A 54 °C 3 2 3 2 2 9 0 WiFi 7 10 Gbit 5 Gbit 8
Gigabyte X870E Aorus Xtreme X3D AI Top $1000 X870E 24, 110A 48 °C 3 – 5 total 2 2 11 0 WiFi 7 10 Gbit 5 Gbit 2 (+10 via ext. cables)
Colorful iGame X870E Vulcan OC TBA X870E 18, 110A 63 °C 2 3 2 4 2 8 2 WiFi 7 5 Gbit 8
Sapphire Nitro+ X870EA PL Polar Edition $420 X870E 16, 90A 61 °C 3 2 2 4 2 8 2 WiFi 7 5 Gbit 5
Sapphire Pure X870A WiFi 7 $250 X870 16, 55A 65 °C 3 1 2 4 1 5 2 WiFi 7 2.5 Gbit 5
Asus TUF Gaming X870E-Plus WiFi7 $310 X870E 16, 80A 66 °C 3 2 2 4 2 8 0 WiFi 7 2.5 Gbit 7
Asus TUF Gaming X870-Pro WiFi7 W Neo $360 X870 16, 80A 62 °C 1 2 2 2 2 8 1 WiFi 7 5 Gbit 8
Asus ROG Strix X870E-A Gaming WiFi7 Neo $470 X870E 16, 90A 60 °C 2 2 2 4 2 10 0 WiFi 7 5 Gbit 8
Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Apex $730 X870E 18, 110A 59 °C 2 3 2 4 2 6 0 WiFi 7 5 Gbit 8
Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Dark Hero $700 X870E 20, 110A 60 °C 2 2 3 4 2 8 0 WiFi 7 10 Gbit 5 Gbit 8
Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Hero BTF $760 X870E 18, 110A 60 °C 2 3 2 4 2 8 0 WiFi 7 5 Gbit 2.5 Gbit 8
Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Extreme $1000 X870E 20, 110A 55 °C 2 3 2 4 2 12 0 WiFi 7 10 Gbit 5 Gbit 9

The Motherboards

MSI MAG X870E Gaming Plus Max WiFi

The new MSI MAG X870E Gaming Plus Max WiFi is an updated version of the X870E Gaming Plus WiFi, MSI's most affordable X870E motherboard. This new Max version features a 64 MB BIOS, allowing the board to better support future AM5 processors. By "better," we do not mean 32 MB boards will not support upcoming CPU generations such as Zen 6. They will. But as we saw with the AM4 platform, as more and more CPUs arrive, the AGESA code required to support them gets bigger and bigger.

This means boards with only 32 MB BIOS chips will eventually be forced to use cut-down user interfaces with fewer graphics and visual aids. By upgrading newer boards to 64 MB, MSI avoids the need for stripped-down BIOS versions.

That is the key feature the Max version offers, though MSI has also changed the theme from black to white for this particular model. It is now a white/silver board. The company has also added more EZ release mechanisms for the primary PCIe slot and Wi-Fi antenna.

Beyond that, all other features remain the same. For example, you are still getting 14 60A power stages for the Vcore VRM, and we are also looking at the same physical board design and layout. The price has increased by $20, bringing the total cost to $240.

As for the I/O panel, you again get the same layout, and having tested each port, we can confirm USB performance remains the same as the original board. That means there is just a single USB4 port, one 20 Gbps port, three 10 Gbps ports, and four slow USB 2.0 ports.

MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk WiFi

In our previous X870 roundup, MSI had just three motherboards on offer, one of which was the MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi. That model is still available today for $220. However, since then, MSI has massively expanded and, it has to be said, complicated the Tomahawk range.

That is because there are now three new models: the X870E Tomahawk WiFi, the X870E Tomahawk MAX WiFi, and the X870E Tomahawk Max WiFi PZ. Focusing on the X870E Tomahawk WiFi for now, at $320 it costs exactly $100 more than the original X870 version, and on the surface, it is not really clear what you are getting for that money.

The I/O panel, for example, is identical. Despite having an additional chipset, this new X870E model features the same configuration. The boards themselves also look physically identical, with the same amount of PCIe expansion and the same number of M.2 slots. Side by side, you would be hard pressed to spot a difference. Under the heatsinks, you will also find the exact same VRM design, packing 14 80A power stages for the Vcore.

For that extra $100, you do get a second chipset, and this gives the X870E model more PCIe lanes, meaning less lane sharing takes place. For example, the third PCIe x16 slot on the X870 model is wired for PCIe 4.0 x4 bandwidth, but if a device is installed in the third M.2 slot, the PCIe bandwidth is halved to x2. This does not happen on the new X870E model, as there are four more PCIe 4.0 lanes available when using two chipsets.

That said, there are still lane limitations, even with the X870E model. For example, the same lane sharing between the USB4 ports on the I/O panel and the second M.2 slot exists. When using the second M.2 slot, the bandwidth is halved from x4 to x2 unless you disable the USB4 ports.

So unless you plan on using all the M.2 slots, the X870E model is only a very small upgrade for that extra $100. For this reason, the updated Max version makes more sense, as it should cost just $10 more, while getting the larger 64 MB BIOS chip, which is a worthwhile upgrade and helps better justify the price.

MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Max WiFi PZ

Then we have the MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Max WiFi PZ, which is another $320 model. As the name suggests, this is a Project Zero board. In terms of features, it is essentially identical to the X870E Tomahawk Max WiFi, so you get the same I/O configuration and VRM, for example.

The board layout is also mostly the same, including the PCIe and M.2 configuration. But as a PZ board, this model is specifically designed for a cleaner, "cable-less" aesthetic by moving most power and peripheral connectors to the back of the board.

MSI has also gone with a white/silver design, which looks stunning, and the company has dramatically increased the number of heatsinks on the board. As a result, much of the PCB is covered by aluminum heatsinks.

It is a great-looking board, but to use it, you will need an ATX case that supports rear-facing motherboard connectors, such as the MSI MAG Pano 100R PZ or MPG Velox 300R PZ.

MSI X870E Carbon Max WiFi

The new MSI X870E Carbon Max WiFi is pretty straightforward. This is the same motherboard as the excellent X870E Carbon WiFi that we looked at in the original roundup, with the only change being an upgrade to a 64 MB BIOS. Other than that, the two boards are identical. Well, that and the price: the new Max version currently costs $500, whereas the original has dropped to $390.

It is worth noting that the original did start at $500, and while we found it to be one of the best-featured models, we felt the asking price was too high for an AM5 motherboard in general. The current $390 price is much more reasonable, and given that, we would not buy this newer Max model for $110 more. That is an insane premium for a BIOS capacity upgrade, at almost 30%.

Chances are, once MSI sells through the remaining stock of the original model, we will see the Max version drop in price, but only time will tell. Just to recap, this model packs 18 110A power stages for the Vcore, so power delivery is insane, and the I/O panel features 13 USB ports, with even the slowest rated for 10 Gbps speeds.

MSI MEG X870E Ace Max

The MEG X870E Ace Max costs $700, so brace yourself. For power delivery, MSI is sticking with the same 18 110A power stages for the Vcore seen on the cheaper Carbon Max WiFi. Instead, the key upgrades have been made to connectivity, as the Ace Max gets 10 Gbps LAN and upgraded audio with the ALC4082 codec.

The way MSI has connected the various PCIe and M.2 devices has also changed. For example, all three PCIe slots are now directly linked to the CPU, though for all of them to work at full speed, they would require 28 lanes, and most AM5 CPUs only have 24 available lanes, some of which need to be used for M.2 devices.

Therefore, the primary and secondary PCIe slots are configured for lane sharing. If you are only using the primary slot, you get the full x16 bandwidth, but if you also use the secondary slot, the board splits the bandwidth into an x8/x8 configuration. The third slot then shares its bandwidth with the primary M.2 slot, and if you use both, the bandwidth is halved from x4 to x2.

The Ace has also been upgraded to five M.2 slots, one more than the Carbon, but as we just noted, the primary slot shares bandwidth with the third PCIe slot, while the second M.2 slot still shares bandwidth with the USB4 ports. So there are more physical connections, but also more lane sharing, as there simply are not enough lanes to provide all connections with full bandwidth.

The good news is that, like the Carbon, the Ace has an excellent I/O configuration, with loads of high-speed USB ports on offer, all capable of at least 1 GB/s. The front USB 20 Gbps port has also been upgraded to deliver 60W of power, compared to 27W for the Carbon.

So there are a few good upgrades on offer here, but we are not sure there is enough to justify spending an additional $200, especially given that 10 Gbit LAN adapters have come down considerably in price over the last few years.

MSI MEG X870E Godlike

Moving on to the extreme X870E Godlike, this model comes with an eye-watering price of $900. Yeah, just for the motherboard. It is pretty difficult to beat the Ace, but MSI has tried anyway. The I/O panel is bursting with USB ports now, with 15 in total, two more than the Ace, and again, all are 10 Gbps or better.

The board is physically massive as well, scaling up from ATX to E-ATX, so it is not going to fit in all ATX cases. The PCIe configuration is actually a downgrade from the Ace, using a setup similar to the Carbon. There is now support for seven M.2 devices, five onboard and an additional two via the included M.2 Xpander-Z Slider Gen 5 card. However, when using the Xpander card, the primary PCIe x16 slot will be reduced to x8 bandwidth.

The VRM is just as insanely overkill as the previous models we have looked at. Well, even more insane, we should say, as there are 24 110A power stages for the Vcore. So yeah, we guess MSI had to justify that $900 asking price somehow.

Speaking of which, MSI has also included what it calls the Dynamic Dashboard III, a 4-inch LCD that provides real-time hardware monitoring, troubleshooting, BIOS updates, and personalized display options. Admittedly, it does look very cool, though we would say that is the extent of it. We cannot imagine many users would rely on this to monitor their system's vitals in real time. It is hardly practical.

There is a lot going on here, and it is difficult to cover everything in a roundup, such as the full-size metal backplate, the 10-layer PCB, EZ Link, EZ PCIe Release, EZ Magnetic M.2 Shield Frozr II, EZ M.2 Clip II, EZ Antenna, and much more. It is an insanely overengineered motherboard that is frankly unnecessary, but that is what the Godlike series is all about.

MSI MEG X870E Godlike X Edition

Speaking of which, if the Godlike was somehow not enough for you, can we interest you in a Godlike X Edition? For when Godlike simply is not god-like enough, you need Godlike X. Everyone knows this. In short, the X Edition is a limited-run collector's version of the original model.

Technically, the two boards are virtually identical in terms of hardware specifications, power delivery, and features. The X Edition was created to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Godlike series, with only 1,000 units produced worldwide, and somehow we have one of them.

If you have $1,300, you can have one too. Or an entire mid-range gaming PC. Your choice. Anyway, this limited model features a numbered golden placard on the M.2 heatsink, except ours says "Godlike HUB Steve," which makes sense. We are pretty god-like, and we do not require any feedback on that one in the comments section, thank you. Moving on.

You also get a collector's stand, a dedicated USB-powered display stand for the primary M.2 heatsink. There is also "X" anniversary branding on the heatsinks and a slightly different default color profile for the polychromic rear I/O display. Finally, you get some physical collectibles, such as a Black Lucky Dragon plush keyring, so that is pretty, umm... "dope," we think is the word.

So we think it goes without saying that this model makes no sense in terms of value, not that the original Godlike ever did. Realistically, the Ace Max is as extreme as you should really consider going, and if you need 10 Gbit LAN, just buy an add-in card.

MSI MEG X870E Unify-X Max

We also have on hand the MSI MEG X870E Unify-X Max which has yet to go on sale, so we do not have a retail price. But we do have the board, so we can go over it and do some testing. So what is the X870E Unify-X? In short, it is a motherboard designed specifically for extreme overclocking and record-breaking performance, and it marks the return of the Unify-X series to the AMD platform after a four-year hiatus.

What sets this board apart is its specialized 2-DIMM layout. While most high-end boards like the Godlike offer four slots, the Unify-X uses only two, one slot per channel. This design significantly improves signal integrity and reduces latency, allowing users to push DDR5 memory to extreme speeds. Whether or not that is something you need to do with a Zen 4 or Zen 5 processor is highly questionable, but if you want to, this board gives you the best shot at it.

As an extreme overclocking-focused product, it features an RGB-free, minimalist all-black aesthetic, focusing entirely on performance and build quality rather than lighting. It also includes an external Tuning Controller, a handheld remote that allows for real-time frequency adjustments and quick access to Clear CMOS and reset buttons without needing to reboot.

For the VRM, MSI has gone with 18 110A power stages for the Vcore, while the rest of the board is pretty typical. That said, there are four PCI Express slots, with the third and fourth slots using PCIe 4.0 x4 and PCIe 3.0 x4 interfaces. There are also five M.2 slots, 5 Gbit LAN, and even Wi-Fi 7.

The I/O panel is littered with high-speed USB ports, and of course, there is a pair of USB4 ports. MSI has included PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports, which is unusual, though extreme overclocks sometimes disable USB ports, so having legacy peripheral support makes sense here.

MSI X870I Edge Ti Evo WiFi

Another new MSI X870 board is the MSI X870I Edge Ti Evo WiFi, a little board with quite the name. This is MSI's first and only X870 Mini-ITX motherboard, and it does not have an X870E counterpart because that would not make sense.

This is also why there are no X870E ITX boards. In fact, there are very few X870 ITX motherboards to speak of: Asus has just one model, Gigabyte has a single model, Asrock does not make one, and now MSI has a single model.

Priced at $400, the X870I Edge Ti Evo WiFi costs as much as the Asus ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi, and about $100 more than Gigabyte's X870I Aorus Pro Ice, which we featured in our original roundup.

In terms of features, the Edge Ti Evo packs 8 110A power stages for the Vcore, and to ensure there are no thermal issues, MSI has installed a large heatsink with active cooling. The standout feature of this board is its 5-in-1 M.2 Xpander card. Due to the limited physical space on Mini-ITX boards, MSI uses this daughterboard to provide additional connectivity that typically is not possible in this form factor. This allows the board to support a total of three M.2 slots, which is a big deal given that the models from Asus and Gigabyte are both limited to just two M.2 slots.

It also features a striking silver and white aesthetic, making it ideal for all-white builds. You are also getting two USB4 ports, 5 Gbit LAN, and Wi-Fi 7. The I/O panel is reasonably well stocked for an X870 motherboard, with eight USB ports, half a dozen of which are 10 Gbps, plus the two 40 Gbps USB4 ports.

Overall, it is an expensive but well-equipped Mini-ITX motherboard, and probably the best-equipped of the X870 offerings.

Asrock X870 LiveMixer WiFi

Now moving on to the new Asrock X870 and X870E boards that have been released since our last roundup, we will start with the most affordable model, the X870 LiveMixer WiFi, which can be had for $190. That makes it one of the cheapest models on offer, coming in just $5 to $10 more than the X870 Pro RS WiFi.

When compared to the Pro RS, the LiveMixer has been upgraded with a more capable VRM, packing 16 80A power stages for the Vcore, up from 14. You are also getting 5 Gbit LAN, upgraded from 2.5 Gbit. There is now a total of 23 USB ports, up from 19, while M.2 support has been greatly improved with two Gen 5 ports and two Gen 4 ports. The Pro RS was limited to a single Gen 5 port, one Gen 4 port, and one Gen 3 port.

The audio has also been upgraded from the ALC1220 codec to ALC4082. The I/O panel packs an additional four USB ports for a grand total of 16, and although the number of slow USB 2.0 ports remains the same at six, there are four more USB 5 Gbps ports. That said, we should note that outside of the two USB4 ports, there are no ports faster than 5 Gbps.

The LiveMixer also squeezes in an extra PCIe x16 slot, and all four M.2 slots feature heatsinks, which is impressive on an entry-level X870 board. It is worth noting that just two SATA ports are on offer, half that of the Pro RS, but we think most users will find the additional M.2 slots more useful.

Asrock X870 Challenger WiFi

Next, we have the Asrock X870 Challenger WiFi, which currently costs $200, though as we understand it, the Challenger series is meant to cost less than the LiveMixer. It is positioned above the Pro RS, but below basically everything else. That said, it is a newly released model in the X870 range, so we assume pricing has yet to settle.

When compared to the LiveMixer, the Challenger gets the same 16 80A power stages for the Vcore VRM, so that is good. The included heatsinks are also very large, so power delivery and cooling are unlikely to be an issue for this model. Of course, we will be testing this aspect of the board.

There are, however, a number of downgrades. For example, there is just a single PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot, whereas the LiveMixer has two 5.0-compatible slots. Be aware, though, that there are four slots in total, with the rest simply offering less bandwidth. Networking has been downgraded from 5 Gbit to 2.5 Gbit, and the audio codec has been heavily downgraded to the ALC897 solution.

Then, when it comes to the I/O configuration, the Challenger is very much a barebones option, with just nine USB ports in total, four of which use the old and slow 2.0 spec. This means the LiveMixer has more high-speed USB ports on offer than the Challenger has USB ports altogether.

You are getting just five high-speed ports: two USB4 ports, a single 5 Gbps port, and just two 10 Gbps ports. So although the LiveMixer does not offer any 10 Gbps ports, you do get eight 5 Gbps ports, which is a much better configuration in our opinion.

The X870 Challenger is available in white or black, but at the current asking price, it makes no sense. Given that the Pro RS model costs $180 and the LiveMixer can be had for as little as $190, we are not really sure where or how Asrock squeezes the Challenger in.

Asrock X870E Challenger WiFi

Currently, the most affordable X870E motherboard from Asrock is the Nova WiFi for $250, or at least it was. Asrock has just rolled out the X870E Challenger WiFi, and the company tells us this will be its cheapest X870E model. But as it has yet to go on sale, we do not know exactly how cheap it will be, though presumably less than $250.

When compared to the X870E Nova, the Challenger's Vcore VRM has been heavily downgraded, though we do not view this as an issue given that it still packs 16 80A power stages, which should be overkill, even for the new 9950X3D2. That said, the bigger downgrade here is the move from an 8-layer PCB to a 6-layer PCB.

Asrock has also cut down on a few other features, such as wired networking, which sees the Challenger limited to a 2.5 Gbit connection, though you are still getting Wi-Fi 7. The company has also dropped the Realtek ALC4082 audio codec for the more mainstream ALC897 codec.

The Challenger offers four M.2 slots, but one of them shares bandwidth with the rear USB4 ports. Moreover, the Nova includes enthusiast quality-of-life features such as a Post Code Debug LED, physical Power/Reset buttons, and a fully tool-less M.2 heatsink design. The Challenger is more basic, requiring traditional screws for most M.2 slots.

In terms of I/O configuration, the Challenger is identical to the Nova, so that is a big win for the Challenger and means you are getting a dozen USB ports in total. There are three 5 Gbps ports, five 10 Gbps ports, two USB4 40 Gbps ports, and two USB 2.0 ports. So it is a good configuration, especially if it does come in at under $250. Lastly, we should note that this board is available in either an all-black or all-white option.

Asrock PG X870 Nova WiFi

Next up, we have the Nova, which for our previous roundup was only available as an X870E board. We now have the base X870 version for $240, $50 more than the LiveMixer. For that extra money, you are getting an upgraded VRM with 18 80A power stages for the Vcore, a BIOS debug LED with onboard power/reset buttons, an extra M.2 slot, an EZ release mechanism for the primary PCIe slot, and some fancy RGB lighting effects.

The X870 Nova does drop the third PCIe x16 slot, there is just a single Gen 5 M.2 slot, and there are significantly fewer USB ports on the I/O panel, with just 10 opposed to 16 on the LiveMixer. There are three 5 Gbps ports, but now two 10 Gbps ports, along with the two USB4 ports, and four USB 2.0 ports rather than six.

All other features remain much the same. For example, you are still getting 5 Gbit LAN, Wi-Fi 7, and an ALC4082 audio codec. The Nova is a better-looking board, but in terms of features, we are not sure it justifies the $50 premium.

Asrock X870 Taichi Creator

For $320, we have the X870 Taichi Creator, an expensive X870 motherboard. So what is going on here? The key upgrades are networking and PCIe bandwidth. The Taichi Creator features 10 Gbit LAN and support for dual PCIe 5.0 x16 graphics cards in x8/x8 mode, which is essential for multi-GPU rendering.

Asrock has stuck with the same 18 80A power stage Vcore configuration as the Nova, and both boards use very large heatsinks over the VRM components. The Creator does drop an M.2 slot, limiting it to four, though like the cheaper LiveMixer, the primary and secondary ports support PCI Express 5.0 bandwidth. The audio has also been upgraded with an integrated DAC.

Around the I/O panel, there are a dozen USB ports, but as this is only an X870 motherboard, Asrock has been forced to once again include some slow USB 2.0 ports, though just two this time. There are, of course, two USB4 ports, and you are also getting two 10 Gbps ports, along with six 5 Gbps ports. However, there is a catch here.

During our testing, we found a design flaw with this motherboard, which forced Asrock to provide a disclaimer on its specification page, though it is only a small footnote. Asrock claims this is not a design flaw, and instead was a design choice, but we are not convinced.

The issue we found was with four of the USB 3.2 Gen 1, or 5 Gbps, ports, which are ironically labeled "Ultra USB Power." This is humorous to say the least, because if you install a USB device that draws more than just 4.5 watts, this will trigger the port's over-current protection, rendering it useless until you restart the system.

Because our portable SSD, which we use for speed testing, requires more than 4.5W, the ports trip and stop working the moment we plug the drive in. This does not just disable the port you installed the device in either, it takes out all four USB ports labeled "Ultra USB Power."

We should note that we have tested 50 Intel Z890 motherboards, over 50 AMD B850 motherboards, and now over 50 AMD X870/X870E motherboards using this exact external USB device, installing it in every single USB port on every one of these motherboards. The Asrock X870 Taichi Creator is the only model to ever have an issue like this, so we are going to call this a design flaw. Asrock stuffed up big time here, and it cannot be solved without a hardware revision.

There are eight other USB ports on the I/O panel that can handle external SSDs, but given this flaw and the $320 asking price, we would avoid the X870 Taichi Creator.

Asrock X870E Taichi OCF

Asrock also has its own overclocking-focused X870E motherboard, the Taichi OCF. Although we are still waiting to learn the price of MSI's Unify-X Max, we do know what the Taichi OCF costs, and it is a cool $500.

For that, you are getting a 22 110A power stage Vcore VRM, four more power stages than the MSI model. There is also an extra M.2 slot because, of course, an overclocking-focused motherboard needs half a dozen M.2 slots. Interestingly, Asrock has gone with a dual PCIe 5.0 x16 configuration that supports bandwidth splitting for x8/x8 operation. Also, as this is an OC board, there are just two DDR5 DIMM slots.

As for networking and audio, both models are very similar, so the Taichi OCF gets 5 Gbit LAN and Wi-Fi 7, along with ALC4082 audio. The I/O panel is loaded with 10 Gbps USB ports, there are eight in total, and none of them are labeled "Ultra USB Power," so they all work. There are also two USB4 ports, along with two legacy USB 2.0 ports and a combo PS/2 port.

An interesting feature is the dual BIOS support, and you can quickly and easily switch between them using a switch on the I/O panel. The Taichi OCF is a great-looking board, but whether or not it is better than the Unify-X Max, we will leave that for the professional overclockers to decide.

Gigabyte X870 Aorus Stealth Ice

Next, we have Gigabyte's X870 range, which starts at $170 for the X870 Eagle. Here, though, we have the X870 Aorus Stealth Ice, which sits roughly half a dozen X870 boards up the Gigabyte food chain at $300. The Aorus Stealth Ice can best be described as a stylish X870 motherboard. There is nothing unique about the feature set other than the fact that it is a rear-connector design, so all the connectors are accessed from the back side of the board.

It is a clean-looking white board, and it also features a 64 MB BIOS. The VRM is not especially ambitious, though it should certainly be up to the task with 16 80A power stages for the Vcore. Gigabyte has also fitted some large heatsinks, and in fact, most of the board is covered in them. There is a large, easy-to-remove heatsink on the primary M.2 slot, while three more M.2 slots are cooled by a massive heatsink covering almost half the board.

On the rear side of the board, you will find a full-size backplate, though it is really more there for aesthetics, and sadly, once installed, you will never see it. There are no thermal pads to help dissipate heat from the rear of the PCB.

As this is just an X870 board, the rear I/O is fairly standard and, dare we say it, somewhat underwhelming given the price tag. There is a 5 Gbit LAN connection, an easy-connect Wi-Fi antenna connector, two USB4 ports, three 10 Gbps ports, four 5 Gbps ports, and four slow USB 2.0 ports.

As we said, it is a very nice-looking board, but you really are paying for the design as there are no standout features to speak of, such as 10 Gbit LAN. Still, if you want a clean white board with rear connectors, the X870 Aorus Stealth Ice will fit the bill nicely.

Gigabyte X870E Aorus Elite X3D Ice

Next, we have the X870E Aorus Elite X3D Ice, and we have to say Gigabyte has one of the most confusing motherboard lineups around. There is the X870 Aorus Elite WiFi7 Ice that we looked at in our previous roundup. There is also the X870E Aorus Elite WiFi7 for $275, the X870 Aorus Elite X3D for $310, the X870E Aorus Elite X3D for $360, and finally the model we have here, the X870E Aorus Elite X3D Ice for $370.

We have to admit that even as reviewers, we sometimes have a hard time keeping track of which models we have already tested and which ones we have yet to test. It is a real mess.

These X3D models feature the "X3D Turbo Mode 2.0" mode, which is something you almost certainly do not want to use. They also include a few other gimmicks, such as "AI-driven firmware," whatever that is. One genuinely useful feature, however, is the 64 MB BIOS, which Gigabyte calls a Driver BIOS because it includes a few essential drivers preloaded onto the board for easier installation.

Compared to the standard X870E Elite Ice motherboard, the X3D version has also been upgraded with 16 80A power stages for the Vcore. Gigabyte has also upgraded the networking from 2.5 Gbit to 5 Gbit, and you are now getting a Qualcomm Wi-Fi 7 chip rather than a MediaTek solution.

The primary PCIe x16 slot also no longer shares bandwidth with the second and third M.2 slots. Instead, the second M.2 slot now shares bandwidth with the USB4 ports, which we feel is a better configuration.

Around the I/O panel, Gigabyte has also dropped the four USB 2.0 ports in favor of four additional 10 Gbps ports. That means there are now six 10 Gbps ports, three 5 Gbps ports, and two USB4 40 Gbps ports.

Finally, the Elite X3D is available in either black or white, with the Ice model being the white version. Other than the color, the two boards are identical, though the white version generally costs around $10 more.

Gigabyte X870E Aorus Pro X3D Ice

For less than a 20% premium, you can upgrade from the Aorus Elite to the Aorus Pro. Doing so gets you an 8-layer PCB instead of a 6-layer design, along with a massive 18 110A power stage Vcore VRM. Other than that, though, the two boards are remarkably similar.

The Pro does get a slightly upgraded rear I/O configuration with one additional USB Type-C 10 Gbps port, but otherwise the boards are identical, featuring the same networking and audio solutions, along with the same PCI Express and M.2 configuration.

Given that the VRM of the Elite should already be overkill for virtually all users, we do not see much reason to spend the extra money on the Pro X3D model.

Gigabyte X870E Aero X3D Wood

Now jumping right up to $485, we have the expensive X870E Aero X3D Wood. This is an interesting, and admittedly somewhat odd, model. For example, the VRM has been downgraded to a 16 60A power stage Vcore design, making it the weakest VRM of these new boards despite costing by far the most. That said, it is built on an 8-layer PCB.

The key feature on offer here is the "wood." There are timber inserts on the left-hand side of the board, so that is certainly unique. Other than the wood trim and leather pull tabs on the M.2 slots, we are not really sure what is working to justify the $485 asking price.

Sure, it has dual LAN, but both are 5 Gbit connections, which is not exactly amazing at this price point. Even the I/O panel is fairly standard, though there is a single 20 Gbps port in addition to the two USB4 ports. With 11 USB ports in total, it is decent, but certainly not exceptional.

Anyway, if the ability to tell people that your PC has wood is appealing to you, then the X870E Aero X3D Wood might just be worth $485.

Gigabyte X870E Aorus Master X3D Ice

Whereas Gigabyte previously offered the X870E Aorus Master, it has now been replaced by the X870E Aorus Master X3D. There are two versions available: the standard black model and the X870E Aorus Master X3D Ice that we have on hand. They are technically the same product, with the only difference being the color.

Compared to the Aorus Pro X3D, the Master X3D gets upgraded audio and networking. The audio subsystem now includes a DAC, while the networking adds a second LAN connection supporting 10 Gbit speeds. The Vcore VRM remains unchanged with 18 110A power stages, though the primary heatsink has been upgraded with a finned design for improved thermal dissipation.

There are also a few design upgrades on offer. Both the primary and secondary PCIe slots feature easy-release mechanisms, and the Aorus lighting on the I/O cover is a little more elaborate. Other than that, the two boards are very similar in terms of design and appearance.

The I/O panel has also been upgraded by removing all USB ports slower than 10 Gbps. As a result, there are now eight 10 Gbps ports, a single 20 Gbps port, and two USB4 40 Gbps ports. It is not a massive upgrade, and at nearly a 40% premium over the Pro X3D, it is difficult to justify the asking price unless you really need 10 Gbit LAN and, for some reason, do not want to use an add-in card.

Gigabyte X870E Aorus Xtreme X3D AI Top

Finally, we have the truly insane Gigabyte X870E Aorus Xtreme X3D AI Top, priced at $1,000. If you thought MSI's Godlike X Edition was crazy, you might want to sit down for the Aorus Xtreme X3D AI Top, which we are going to refer to simply as the Aorus Xtreme moving forward. Not to be confused with the original Aorus Xtreme model, which now looks rather bland by comparison.

This motherboard is somehow even bigger than the Godlike, measuring 305 mm long and 285 mm wide. Gigabyte has done its best to cram every possible feature onto a single board. In fact, there are so many features that not all of them come preinstalled.

For example, out of the box, the primary M.2 heatsink is relatively small. You could say it ships with the slimline, highly compatible option. But in the box, there is a second, massive heatsink that even features active cooling, along with an 8 mm heatpipe and some RGB lighting for good measure.

Then, for memory cooling, there is a plastic housing that Gigabyte calls DDR Wind Blade. It magnetically attaches to the motherboard and also features active cooling. The smoky translucent plastic means any RGB memory installed underneath will cause it to glow.

There is a huge LCD screen covering the I/O panel, and the entire lower half of the board is covered by an aluminum shroud, with a removable section that provides access to the lower PCIe slots. This is not a rear-connector board, despite the fact that it looks like one. Instead, the connectors are positioned at a 90-degree angle along the edge of the board, meaning you access them from the side. This can be a little awkward at times, but it creates a very clean appearance without the case compatibility issues associated with rear-connector designs.

The massive 24 110A power stages that make up the Vcore VRM are covered by large finned heatsinks, which is extreme overkill, but why not, we guess. The full-size rear backplate also features several thermal pads to help remove heat from the rear side of the PCB.

Then around the I/O panel, there are a dozen USB ports, all of which are 10 Gbps or faster, including a single 20 Gbps port and two USB4 40 Gbps ports.

Colorful iGame X870E Vulcan OC

We have a single motherboard from Colorful in our roundup. The iGame X870E Vulcan OC is an overclocking-focused model although the board has yet to go on sale, so we do not know the price yet.

It is a pretty good-looking board and certainly appears to be on par with offerings from the bigger players in terms of build quality. The BIOS is not nearly as polished in our opinion, though it is functional. That said, we are not sure how many overclockers would choose it over competing models from Asus, Gigabyte, or MSI.

In terms of features, you are getting 18 110A power stages for the Vcore, cooled by proper finned heatsinks. In fact, even the primary M.2 heatsink uses a true finned heatsink design, which is a nice touch.

As an OC-focused model, there are, of course, just two DDR5 DIMM slots. Interestingly, Colorful has also included five M.2 slots and two PCIe x16 slots. The rest of the feature set is fairly standard, with 5 Gbit LAN and Wi-Fi 7.

The I/O configuration is solid, though again, we do not know how much this model will cost. You are getting a dozen USB ports, though two of them use the older and much slower 2.0 specification. There are four 5 Gbps ports, another four 10 Gbps ports, and then, of course, the two USB4 ports.

Other noteworthy features include an LED debug display along with power and reset buttons integrated into an LCD screen for monitoring hardware vitals in real time. Overall, it is a solid-looking board that we are keen to test.

Now for something a little different. We have the Sapphire Nitro+ X870EA PhantomLink Polar Edition. Yes, Sapphire is making motherboards, and at an MSRP of $420, this one comes with a very specific, and expensive, gimmick. As the PhantomLink name suggests, this board features a proprietary power slot similar to Asus' BTF hidden-power approach, designed to deliver high-wattage, cable-free power directly to a compatible graphics card.

Of course, to actually utilize this feature, you will need to pair it with Sapphire's matching Nitro+ RX 9070 XT PhantomLink GPU, which carries a hefty premium of its own. It is a clever idea that results in a very clean build, but if you do not buy the matching GPU, the primary feature is completely useless.

Oddly enough, despite eliminating the GPU power cable, Sapphire has not moved the motherboard's main power and peripheral connectors to the rear of the board like we saw with the MSI Project Zero or Gigabyte Stealth Ice models. That feels like a missed opportunity for a truly cable-free aesthetic.

Putting the gimmick aside, the underlying motherboard is actually very well equipped. Sapphire has packed in a robust 16 90A power stage setup for the Vcore VRM, which should be more than enough for any Ryzen processor. It is built on a high-quality 8-layer PCB and, as the Polar Edition moniker suggests, features a silver and white aesthetic covered by metallic aluminum heatsinks and NITRO Glow ARGB lighting.

For storage, you are looking at a total of four M.2 slots, two of which support full PCIe 5.0 speeds, while the other two run at PCIe 4.0. Sapphire has also included some excellent enthusiast quality-of-life features, such as tool-free M.2 heatsinks, a dedicated debug code display, and physical Clear CMOS and BIOS Flashback buttons.

Around the I/O panel, connectivity is very solid. You get a dozen USB ports in total, including two 40 Gbps USB4 ports, four 10 Gbps ports, four 5 Gbps ports, and just two of the older USB 2.0 ports. Networking has also been upgraded, bypassing the standard 2.5 Gbit connection in favor of faster 5 Gbit LAN, paired with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.

Overall, it is a technically impressive and visually striking motherboard, but it operates in a very niche market. At $420, it is not cheap, and you really have to be committing to the entire Sapphire PhantomLink ecosystem, meaning dropping an eye-watering $1,000 on the matching RX 9070 XT to make it worthwhile. If you are simply looking for a solid white X870E board and have no interest in hiding your GPU cables, there are far more practical options available.

Sapphire Pure X870A WiFi 7

The Sapphire Pure X870A WiFi 7 at $250 is positioned as a highly competitive budget option in the X870 lineup. Sapphire might be better known for its graphics cards, but the company has been making a solid push into the AM5 motherboard space, and this new Pure model features a striking minimalist silver-and-white aesthetic that looks great in all-white builds.

When it comes to power delivery, Sapphire has not compromised to hit this lower price point. You are getting 16 55A power stages for the Vcore, and although 55A stages are a step down from the 80A and 110A monsters we have seen on $400-plus boards, this setup, paired with Sapphire's large brushed-metal heatsinks, should be more than capable of handling flagship Ryzen 9 processors.

The expansion and storage layout is where you start to see how this board hits its $250 MSRP. There are three M.2 slots in total, with the primary slot wired for full PCIe 5.0 bandwidth and the remaining two limited to PCIe 4.0. You also get a reinforced primary PCIe 5.0 x16 slot.

One of the biggest drawbacks, however, is the lack of enthusiast quality-of-life features. Unlike similarly priced models from Asus or MSI, there are no EZ release mechanisms for the primary PCIe slot, and all of the M.2 heatsinks require a traditional screwdriver for removal.

Networking support is decent, though. The Pure X870A packs a 5 Gbit LAN connection along with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. However, to make room in the budget for that faster networking, the audio has been heavily downgraded, leaving you with the older and cheaper Realtek ALC897 codec.

Around the I/O panel, the configuration is relatively modest but functional. Interestingly, there is only a single 40 Gbps USB4 port, which is unusual since almost every other X870 board we have looked at includes two. Complementing it are seven standard USB Type-A ports: one 10 Gbps port, four 5 Gbps ports, and two slow USB 2.0 ports. You do get a BIOS Flashback button, which is essential, but there is no optical audio output.

Overall, the Sapphire Pure X870A WiFi 7 makes for an interesting alternative to boards like the Asrock Pro RS or LiveMixer. You do lose out on tool-free features, dual USB4 support, and premium audio, so we will have to see how competitive Sapphire can be on pricing once the board is released.

Asus TUF Gaming X870E-Plus WiFi7

Moving on to Asus motherboards, first we have the TUF Gaming X870E-Plus WiFi7 which sits at around $310. As the name implies, this board gives you the full X870E dual-chipset experience, meaning more PCIe lanes and less bandwidth sharing than you would find on standard X870 boards. However, at this price point, it faces incredibly stiff competition.

For power delivery, Asus has equipped the TUF with a robust 16+2+1 phase VRM utilizing 80A power stages for the Vcore, all built on an 8-layer PCB. On paper, this is more than enough to handle high-end chips like the Ryzen 9 9950X3D.

When it comes to expansion and storage, you are getting four M.2 slots in total. Two of these are wired for full PCIe 5.0 bandwidth, while the remaining two run at PCIe 4.0. It is worth noting, however, that utilizing the second Gen 5 M.2 slot will halve the bandwidth of your primary graphics card slot from x16 to x8. You also get a reinforced PCIe 5.0 x16 slot for your GPU, complete with PCIe Slot Q-Release for easy removal.

Unfortunately, that is roughly where the enthusiast quality-of-life features end, though that is not uncommon for boards in this price range. For example, there are no onboard power or reset buttons, nor is there an LED POST code display. Furthermore, the M.2 heatsinks still require a traditional screwdriver to remove, which is disappointing when tool-free designs are becoming standard. The MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk WiFi at least offers several tool-free M.2 heatsinks, along with an LED POST code display.

The rear I/O panel, however, is a strong point. You are getting a very healthy total of 13 USB ports. This includes the mandatory dual 40 Gbps USB4 Type-C ports, three 10 Gbps ports, and four 5 Gbps ports. Networking is handled by Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, but strangely, Asus has opted for a standard 2.5 Gbit Ethernet connection instead of the 5 Gbit LAN that MSI and others are offering for similar money. Audio is perfectly adequate, utilizing the Realtek ALC1220P codec.

Overall, the Asus TUF Gaming X870E-Plus WiFi7 is a perfectly capable motherboard with an excellent BIOS and software suite. But at $310, it feels a bit feature-light. You are definitely paying an Asus tax here, and unless you specifically want the TUF aesthetic or Asus BIOS interface, you can find better-equipped boards for similar or even less money.

Asus TUF Gaming X870-Pro WiFi7 W Neo

Now, if you were looking at the Asus TUF Gaming X870E-Plus WiFi7 and thought, "I'd really rather have a white board, faster networking, and better quality-of-life features, but a worse chipset with less connectivity overall while paying even more money," Asus has a slightly confusing alternative for $360: the Asus TUF Gaming X870-Pro WiFi7 W Neo.

Granted, this is a new model and pricing may correct itself soon, but as it stands, two major retailers are selling this model for $360. Here in Australia, dozens of retailers sell both models, and the W Neo still costs around 7% more, so it is a bit odd.

As the "W Neo" in the name suggests, this board swaps the traditional dark TUF color scheme for a very clean industrial white-and-silver aesthetic. More importantly, this is a Pro model built on the standard X870 chipset rather than the dual-chipset X870E platform.

Under the white heatsinks, you are getting the exact same robust power delivery as the X870E-Plus, with 16 80A power stages for the Vcore, all built on an 8-layer PCB. It also includes Asus's newer NitroPath DRAM technology to help improve DDR5 signal integrity and stability at higher memory frequencies.

Where the single X870 chipset really shows its limitations, however, is in lane sharing. You still get a total of four M.2 slots, two PCIe 5.0 and two PCIe 4.0, but the bandwidth sharing is aggressive. The second Gen 5 M.2 slot shares its bandwidth directly with the rear USB4 ports. By default, that M.2 slot runs at half speed (x2), but if you go into the BIOS and force it to run at its full x4 bandwidth, it completely disables both USB4 ports on the rear I/O.

Fortunately, Asus makes up for the chipset limitations by cramming this board full of the premium features the standard X870E-Plus was missing. The W Neo includes the full suite of Asus Q-Design features: PCIe Slot Q-Release, M.2 Q-Release, and M.2 Q-Latch for an entirely tool-free installation experience.

Around the rear I/O, you get 10 USB ports in total. This includes the dual 40 Gbps USB4 ports, three 10 Gbps ports, four 5 Gbps ports, and just a single USB 2.0 port. Networking is another major upgrade over the X870E-Plus. Asus has swapped the standard 2.5 Gbit connection for a much faster Realtek 5 Gbit LAN, alongside Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.

Ultimately, the Asus TUF Gaming X870-Pro WiFi7 W Neo presents an interesting trade-off at $360. You are sacrificing the extra PCIe lanes of the X870E chipset, which leads to heavy bandwidth sharing if you populate all your storage slots. In exchange, you get a clean white board with 5 Gbit networking and all the essential tool-free building features that should have been on the X870E-Plus in the first place.

Asus ROG Strix X870E-A Gaming WiFi7 Neo

The Asus ROG Strix X870E-A Gaming WiFi7 Neo enters premium territory at $470. As part of Asus's refreshed Neo lineup, this model takes the familiar ROG Strix formula and wraps it in a stunning white-and-silver aesthetic, complete with customizable Polymo lighting on the I/O shroud. It is undeniably a great-looking board, but for almost $500, it needs to be more than just a pretty face.

Fortunately, Asus has backed up the looks with serious hardware. For power delivery, the board features a very robust 16 90A power stage Vcore VRM, all built on a server-grade 8-layer PCB with two-ounce copper planes. Asus has also integrated its new NitroPath DRAM technology, which physically reworks the memory slot layout to improve signal integrity, allowing memory overclockers to push DDR5 to extreme frequencies.

Where this board really starts to justify its premium over the cheaper TUF models is in its lane management. Because it utilizes dual X870E chipsets, you have significantly more PCIe bandwidth to work with. You are getting four M.2 slots in total, two PCIe 5.0 and two PCIe 4.0. Unlike cheaper boards that aggressively choke the primary graphics card slot the moment you populate a second Gen 5 M.2 drive, this Strix model lets you load up on high-speed storage without immediately penalizing GPU bandwidth.

Asus has also thrown the kitchen sink at this board when it comes to quality-of-life features, making it extremely DIY-friendly. It features PCIe Slot Q-Release, along with M.2 Q-Slide, Q-Release, and Q-Latch for a completely tool-free building experience. On the rear I/O, you also get physical Clear CMOS and BIOS Flashback buttons.

Speaking of the rear I/O, it is very well equipped. Along with the mandatory dual 40 Gbps USB4 Type-C ports, the panel is loaded with six high-speed 10 Gbps USB ports and four 5 Gbps ports. Networking sees a major upgrade over the cheaper Asus boards as well, bypassing the standard 2.5 Gbit connection in favor of Realtek 5 Gbit LAN, paired with Wi-Fi 7. The audio solution is also top tier, featuring the SupremeFX ALC4080 codec and a Savitech amplifier.

Ultimately, $470 is a massive pill to swallow for a motherboard. However, if you are building a high-end all-white system and want a board with no compromises on networking, tool-free features, and PCIe lane management, the Strix X870E-A Neo delivers an excellent, albeit expensive, package.

Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Apex

Jumping up to a serious enthusiast bracket, we have the Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Apex, coming in at a wallet-draining $730. If you know the Apex name, you know exactly what this board is for: extreme overclocking and record-breaking memory performance. This is not really a motherboard aimed at the average gamer. It is a specialized tool for enthusiasts chasing benchmark scores and pouring liquid nitrogen onto their components.

The most immediate giveaway of its overclocking pedigree is the 2-DIMM memory layout on an ATX board. By dropping from the standard four slots down to two, Asus is able to drastically shorten trace lengths and improve signal integrity, resulting in higher memory frequencies.

For power delivery, Asus has naturally gone completely overkill. The Apex packs a massive 18 110A power stage Vcore VRM. This is all cooled by some incredibly hefty VRM heatsinks, and the board features a full-size metal backplate that adds serious weight while helping dissipate heat from the rear of the PCB. You are also getting dual 8-pin ProCool II CPU power connectors to ensure stable power delivery under extreme loads.

Expansion and storage get very interesting on this model. The Apex features dual PCIe 5.0 x16 slots that support x8/x8 bandwidth splitting for dual-GPU configurations. For M.2 storage, there is support for up to five drives in total, though not all of them are located directly on the motherboard. Three slots are nestled between the PCIe slots, while the remaining two PCIe 4.0 slots are handled by the included ROG DIMM.2 card that installs beside the memory slots.

Be aware of the aggressive lane sharing here. If you populate the second and third onboard M.2 slots, the primary graphics card slot can be reduced from x16 to x8 or even x4 bandwidth.

Because this is a premium ROG board, you get the excellent PCIe Slot Q-Release Slim mechanism, which allows GPU removal by simply pulling the card at the correct angle without pressing any buttons. There is also a full suite of onboard overclocking tools, including a POST code display, physical power and reset buttons, FlexKey, safe boot switches, and a front-panel USB Type-C header that supports 60W charging.

Around the rear I/O, you get a solid selection of 10 USB ports. This includes the mandatory dual 40 Gbps USB4 ports, six 10 Gbps ports, two 5 Gbps ports, and, interestingly, a legacy PS/2 port. The PS/2 port is actually crucial for extreme overclockers, as USB controllers can sometimes fail during sub-zero LN2 runs.

Despite the $730 price tag, networking is limited to a 5 Gbit Realtek LAN connection rather than 10 Gbit, though it is paired with Wi-Fi 7. Audio is handled by the premium SupremeFX ALC4080 codec and a Savitech amplifier.

Ultimately, the ROG Crosshair X870E Apex makes absolutely no sense in terms of value for a normal gaming build. You are sacrificing maximum RAM capacity and paying a massive premium for extreme overclocking features you likely will never use. But if you are a competitive overclocker or memory-tuning enthusiast, this board provides the absolute best hardware available to push the AM5 platform to its limits.

Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Dark Hero

Now we're moving into the ultra-premium enthusiast tier with the Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Dark Hero, which commands a massive $700 asking price. As the name suggests, this board ditches the silver accents of the standard Hero and Strix lines for a completely "murdered out" all-black stealth aesthetic. It looks incredibly premium, with just a subtle touch of RGB lighting.

Asus has equipped the Dark Hero with 20 110A power stages for the Vcore VRM. This is cooled by large heatpipe-connected aluminum heatsinks and an armored metal backplate that adds serious weight while acting as a secondary heatsink. Asus has also included its new NitroPath DRAM technology.

When it comes to expansion and storage, you get dual PCIe 5.0 x16 slots and five M.2 slots. However, as with all AM5 boards, there simply are not enough PCIe lanes to go around without making compromises. While the primary PCIe slot will run at a full x16, populating the second PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot will force it to share bandwidth with the dual USB4 ports on the rear I/O. You will essentially have to choose between running that M.2 slot at half bandwidth or completely disabling the USB4 ports to give the drive full speed.

To help justify that $700 price tag, Asus has included every DIY quality-of-life feature in its arsenal. You get PCIe Slot Q-Release Slim along with M.2 Q-Latch, Q-Release, and Q-Slide for entirely tool-free storage installation. There are also onboard power and FlexKey buttons, an LED POST code display, and, of course, Clear CMOS and BIOS Flashback buttons on the rear I/O.

The rear I/O panel is loaded, particularly if you love Type-C connections. You get 10 USB ports in total, and impressively, half of them are Type-C. The remaining five are 10 Gbps Type-A ports. Networking is where the Dark Hero really impresses, offering not just Wi-Fi 7, but also dual wired Ethernet ports: one 5 Gbit connection and one 10 Gbit LAN connection.

Overall, the Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Dark Hero is an absolute tank of a motherboard. Is it necessary for the average builder? Absolutely not. It costs as much as a high-end graphics card. But if you have an unlimited budget, want a powerful all-black aesthetic, and demand 10 Gbit networking alongside premium overclocking features, this is one of the most capable boards the X870E platform has to offer.

Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Hero BTF

For $760, Asus is offering the ROG Crosshair X870E Hero BTF, which takes its standard flagship Hero board and completely flips the script, literally. BTF stands for Back-To-the-Future, Asus's ecosystem for rear-connector motherboards.

Nearly all of the power, fan, and peripheral headers have been moved to the backside of the PCB, allowing for an incredibly clean, cable-free aesthetic in the main chamber of your case.

The most unique feature here is the proprietary power slot positioned right next to the primary PCIe x16 slot. When paired with a compatible Asus BTF graphics card, this slot can deliver up to 600 watts directly through the motherboard to the GPU, entirely eliminating the need for a bulky power cable hanging off the front of the card. You simply plug the power supply's GPU cable into the rear of the motherboard instead.

It looks phenomenal, but the downside is that you are locking yourself into a very specific and expensive hardware ecosystem, as you will also need a BTF-compatible chassis with the necessary cutouts behind the motherboard tray.

Under the hood, this board packs the same extreme hardware as the standard Hero. That means you are getting a massive 18 110A power stage Vcore VRM. Asus has also included its premium quality-of-life features, including entirely tool-free M.2 installation with Q-Release and Q-Latch, plus PCIe Slot Q-Release Slim, which lets you remove a graphics card without pressing a latch.

As for expansion, you get five M.2 slots, but populating the second or third Gen 5 M.2 slot will immediately reduce the primary graphics card slot bandwidth from x16 to x8. Interestingly, to make the rear-connector layout work, Asus actually had to cut a few features found on the standard Hero. The front-panel USB Type-C fast charging capability drops from 60W to 27W, and the SlimSAS connector has been removed entirely.

As expected, the rear I/O panel is fully loaded, sporting 10 USB ports in total: two USB4 ports and eight 10 Gbps ports. Networking is handled by Wi-Fi 7 alongside dual Ethernet ports, one 5 Gbit and one 2.5 Gbit. Audio is also top tier, featuring the SupremeFX ALC4082 codec paired with an ESS ES9219 Quad DAC.

That said, at $760, the omission of 10 Gbit LAN is incredibly disappointing, especially when competitors offer it on significantly cheaper enthusiast boards.

Ultimately, the ROG Crosshair X870E Hero BTF is a stunning piece of engineering that delivers the ultimate cable-free aesthetic. But between the massive price tag, the missing 10 Gbit networking, and the requirement to buy a specific case and GPU to fully utilize it, this is a board reserved for deep-pocketed builders who absolutely refuse to look at a single cable.

Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Extreme

If the Dark Hero and Hero BTF just were not enough for you, Asus has the crown jewel of its AM5 lineup: the ROG Crosshair X870E Extreme, coming in at an eye-watering $1,000. Like MSI's Godlike and Gigabyte's Aorus Xtreme, this is a massive E-ATX behemoth designed as a halo product to showcase everything the company can possibly cram onto a single PCB.

The most immediate thing you will notice, aside from the sheer size and weight of the board, is the massive full-color 5-inch LCD screen built directly into the I/O shroud. It can display real-time hardware monitoring, system vitals, or custom animations and graphics. Of course, having a 5-inch screen inside your PC case is completely unnecessary from a practical standpoint, but it undeniably screams "premium." Or dumb. You decide.

For power delivery, it mirrors the Dark Hero with an absolutely overkill 20 110A power stage Vcore VRM. For cooling, you get massive VRM heatsinks connected by an embedded heatpipe, a heavy full-size metal backplate, and an exclusive 3D Vapor Chamber M.2 heatsink specifically designed to keep primary PCIe 5.0 SSDs from throttling under sustained loads. Like the other top-tier ROG boards, it also includes Asus's NitroPath DRAM technology to push DDR5 memory frequencies to the absolute limit.

Expansion and storage are comprehensive, though lane sharing remains an unavoidable AM5 reality. You get dual PCIe 5.0 x16 slots and support for up to five M.2 slots. Three of those slots are located directly on the board and run at PCIe 5.0 speeds, while the remaining two PCIe 4.0 slots are housed on the included ROG Q-DIMM.2 card that installs next to the memory slots. Naturally, populating those secondary Gen 5 M.2 slots will force the primary graphics card slot to drop from x16 to x8 bandwidth.

Although the rear I/O is no joke, you might have expected even more given the price tag. Then again, there is only so much Asus can do here. In total, you are getting a dozen high-speed USB ports: the standard two USB4 ports alongside ten 10 Gbps ports. Networking leaves absolutely nothing on the table, offering dual Ethernet ports including a 5 Gbit connection and a 10 Gbit connection, paired with Wi-Fi 7. Audio is similarly flagship-grade, powered by the SupremeFX ALC4082 codec and an ESS ES9219 Quad DAC.

Ultimately, the Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Extreme is a stunning, heavily overengineered motherboard. At $1,000, it makes absolutely no sense in terms of value for a standard gaming build. But if you are building an unlimited-budget showcase PC and want 10 Gbit networking, a 5-inch LCD screen, and the absolute best halo features Asus has to offer, this is it.

VRM Temperatures

Alright, let's get into the VRM thermal testing. These results were recorded after an hour-long stress test using the Ryzen 9 9950X in a 21C room, and we are measuring the peak PCB temperature on the rear of the board, directly behind the VRM components, using K-Type thermocouples.

The main takeaway here is this: the power delivery on basically all of these new X870 and X870E motherboards is extreme overkill. Anything under 70C is effectively asleep for a modern VRM, so keep in mind that while we are ranking these boards, every single ATX model on this list passed with flying colors.

Starting at the top of the chart, we have the genuinely insane Gigabyte X870E Aorus Xtreme X3D AI Top, which peaked at just 48C. Given that it packs a 24-phase 110A VRM and costs $1,000, it should run this cool, but it is still impressive to see.

The Asrock X870E Taichi OCF peaked at just 51C, and again, you would expect a good result here given that it packs 22 110A power stages for the Vcore. The Asrock PG X870 Nova WiFi was also great at 52C. For a $240 board, that is an excellent result.

Gigabyte's X3D Ice lineup, including boards such as the X870E Elite X3D Ice and X870E Aorus Pro X3D Ice, both hit 53C, while the slightly more premium X870E Master X3D Ice hit 54C.

The Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Extreme, another $1,000 monster, peaked at a very comfortable 55C, along with the MSI X870E Gaming Plus Max WiFi.

Most of the newer boards we have tested in this update operated between 58C and 62C. The Asrock X870E Challenger WiFi and Gigabyte X870 Aorus Stealth Ice both peaked at a very respectable 58C.

The $1,300 Godlike X Edition hit 59C, while the standard $900 Godlike hit 60C. For boards with 24 110A power stages, you might expect them to run a little cooler, but overall, the results are still impressive.

Asrock's X870 LiveMixer WiFi peaked at just 59C, which means this $190 entry-level board is beating models that cost literally five times as much. An outstanding value result, if only the Asrock brand was not tainted by reliability issues.

The MSI X870E Tomahawk WiFi and Asrock X870 Taichi Creator both peaked at 60C, along with the Asus Strix X870E-A Gaming WiFi7 Neo, Crosshair X870E Dark Hero, and Crosshair X870E Hero BTF.

The Sapphire Nitro+ X870EA PL Polar Edition and MSI MEG X870E Unify-X Max both settled at 61C, followed closely by the Asus TUF Gaming X870-Pro WiFi7 W Neo, Asrock X870 Challenger WiFi, and MSI X870E Ace Max at 62C.

Then, skipping down to the bottom of our graph, we find the MSI X870I Edge Ti Evo WiFi at 86C. Now, before anyone panics, 86C is well within the safe operating limits for these VRM components, which are typically rated for 105C or higher.

It is completely normal to see Mini-ITX boards run 20 to 30 degrees hotter than their ATX counterparts. You have a highly condensed VRM squeezed onto a tiny PCB, covered by a much smaller heatsink, all trying to handle the same 200W-plus load from the Ryzen 9 9950X. Considering the physical constraints, MSI's active cooling solution kept the board perfectly stable, making this a successful pass for the little ITX board.

Cinebench Benchmarks

Let's move on to performance testing. For this, we are using the Cinebench 2026 10-minute loop test with the flagship Ryzen 9 9950X to see how these boards handle sustained, heavy multi-core workloads out of the box.

Before we break down the results, it is crucial to establish some context: the delta between the highest-scoring new board on this chart and the lowest is roughly 5%. When we see variances like this in motherboard testing, it is almost entirely dictated by how each manufacturer configures its default BIOS power limits, such as PPT, TDC, and EDC, rather than a limitation of the VRM hardware itself.

Basically, any of these boards will perform identically if you go in and manually tune the PBO limits, but this shows us what you get right out of the box on optimized defaults.

All of that said, taking the absolute top spot on the chart is an interesting one: the Gigabyte X870E Aero X3D Wood with a score of 2,415. Given that this board actually has the weakest VRM of the premium X870E boards we looked at, seeing it take the crown confirms that Gigabyte is letting this board run completely unleashed out of the box.

Right behind it is the Colorful iGame X870E Vulcan OC at 2,400 pts, proving its BIOS is also tuned aggressively for out-of-the-box performance.

Then we have the budget-tier Asrock X870 Challenger WiFi posting a score of 2,390 pts, so you are getting the same kind of performance you will see out of the box from the $700 Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Dark Hero.

Ultimately, nobody should look at this chart and think the boards at the bottom are "slow" or have bad power delivery. If you buy an Asrock X870E Challenger or an Asus Hero BTF and simply enable PBO in the BIOS, they will immediately jump right up to the 2,400-point mark alongside the Gigabyte Aero Wood. This chart is simply a reflection of out-of-the-box manufacturer BIOS behavior after an hour of load.

Power Usage

To wrap up our testing, let's take a look at total system power consumption measured at the EPS12V rails during that same 10-minute Cinebench 2024 loop. This chart is the perfect companion piece to the Cinebench scores we just looked at.

As we mentioned earlier, variances in performance on modern motherboards can be the result of how aggressively the manufacturer configures the default BIOS power limits, or how efficient the power delivery is. This graph shows us exactly who is sticking to AMD's strict spec, and who is opening the floodgates to brute-force a higher benchmark score out of the box.

Starting at the very top of the chart, which in this case means the lowest power draw, we have the boards running the most conservative out-of-the-box profiles. The Asrock X870E Challenger WiFi pulled just 213 watts, making it the most conservative board in our newly tested batch. This perfectly explains why it sat at the very bottom of the Cinebench chart: Asrock has strictly adhered to AMD's default power limits in this example.

Then we have the Asrock PG X870 Nova WiFi, which sat right next to it at 214 watts, aligning with its lower-end Cinebench score. The Asrock X870E Taichi OCF and X870 Taichi Creator drew 218 and 219 watts, respectively. It seems Asrock as a whole is playing very nicely with AMD's default specs on its premium boards, probably in an effort to avoid CPUs burning up in the socket.

Interestingly, the Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Extreme pulled just 219 watts, yet still put up a very competitive mid-2,300s Cinebench score. This points to an incredibly efficient VRM design that is not wasting power as heat. The Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Hero BTF consumed a modest 220 watts, mirroring its slightly conservative Cinebench result.

The mainstream sweet spot appears to be in the 223 to 231 watt range, where the majority of these boards balance out-of-the-box performance with reasonable power limits. Here we find boards such as the MSI X870E Gaming Plus Max WiFi, Asus ROG Strix X870E-A Gaming WiFi7 Neo, Asrock X870 LiveMixer WiFi, and Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Dark Hero. Even some of the extreme boards, such as the Gigabyte X870E Aorus Xtreme X3D AI Top, MSI X870E Godlike, and Godlike X Edition, are in this range.

Then, down at the bottom of the graph, we find the boards that have either thrown AMD's stock power limits out the window, or their VRM design is not as efficient as it could be. For the most part, the power consumption deviation between boards is within 10%, but at the extremes, we are looking at as much as a 20% difference.

Wrap Up

After looking at all the performance data, thermal testing, and feature breakdowns we have covered, one thing is abundantly clear: the VRMs on the X870 and X870E platforms are extreme overkill, which certainly is not a bad thing given that we are talking about flagship chipsets here.

Every single one of these motherboards can comfortably handle a flagship Ryzen 9 9950X3D2, a 200 watt processor, so your buying decision should not be based on power delivery. Instead, it should come down to price, connectivity, PCIe lane management, and features.

But before we get into closing thoughts, we do have to address the Asrock AM5 CPU burning issue, or at least warn readers of this potential issue. We have not been able to replicate it ourselves, despite trying for months. We also have a number of friends with X3D gaming PCs built using Asrock 600- and 800-series motherboards who have not had an issue, so it is an odd one, and it is difficult to accurately gauge how widespread the problem really is.

For those unaware, there has been a wave of AM5 CPU failures reported online, specifically affecting Asrock's 800- and 600-series motherboards running Ryzen 9000 series chips, particularly the 9800X3D and 9950X. Initially, Asrock attributed the damage to user error, debris in the socket, or memory incompatibilities. However, after extensive investigation and over 100 reported failures, Asrock acknowledged that the root cause was its own overly aggressive Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO) settings.

Specifically, the Thermal Design Current (TDC) and Electrical Design Current (EDC) were set too high in Asrock's default BIOS, providing too much amperage and effectively burning out the CPUs. To fix this, Asrock released BIOS version 3.25 to lower these electrical limits. The company is currently offering free motherboard replacements for affected users, though dead CPUs must be RMA'd directly through AMD or the original retailer.

We are not sure if these updated BIOS revisions have solved the issue. People are still reporting failures with the newer versions, but you have to wonder if the damage had already been done. Anyway, this is something to consider when buying an AM5 motherboard, and it is a shame, as there are a number of well-featured and incredibly competitively priced models from Asrock.

For example, the best budget options under $200 include models such as the Asrock X870 LiveMixer WiFi. At $190, it is incredibly difficult to justify buying anything else in the entry-level bracket when this board exists. For just $10 more than absolute baseline models, Asrock has packed in features that compete with boards twice its price. You get 16 80A power stages for the Vcore VRM, which saw the board peak at just 59C. It also packs 5 Gbit LAN, premium audio, and four M.2 slots, all with included heatsinks.

That said, we believe Asrock's X870 LiveMixer WiFi is meant to cost more like $230. The $190 sale price is likely a result of Asrock trying to convince people to buy its AM5 boards.

For between $200 and $250, the MSI MAG X870E Gaming Plus Max WiFi is a great option. You get the benefits of the dual-chipset design, meaning more PCIe lanes and less aggressive bandwidth sharing, without paying the "enthusiast tax."

This board delivered an impressive 55C peak VRM temperature. It was also highly efficient, pulling just 223W out of the box while delivering great Cinebench scores. The Max designation means it gets a 64 MB BIOS chip to future-proof it against upcoming AM5 processor generations without having to strip down the BIOS interface. It also features a clean white/silver aesthetic and EZ release mechanisms for the primary GPU slot. It is the most cost-effective way to get the full X870E experience with future-proofed BIOS capacity and top-tier thermal performance.

The original MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi is also a great deal right now at $360, and although it has the smaller BIOS, the new Max version is essentially the same model with a 64 MB BIOS and a $500 price tag, so make sure you get the original at the discounted price. It packs the same insane 18 110A Vcore VRM, a heavily stocked I/O panel with 13 USB ports, the slowest of which is 10 Gbps, and excellent PCIe lane management. So our advice is simple: do not pay an almost 30% premium just for a larger BIOS chip on the Max model.

It is difficult to recommend X870/X870E motherboards, not just because there are so many of them, but because so many are very good. The Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite WiFi7 is yet another example of an excellent option at $230, as is the X870E version for $280. The Aorus Ice and Aorus Stealth Ice models are also excellent products that not only look really nice, but also offer excellent feature sets.

We were not as excited about the Aero X3D Wood models. They are certainly unique, but the timber aesthetic just is not something we are looking for in a motherboard. That said, the rest of the Gigabyte X3D range was really impressive.

Then, for those of you with more money than you know what to do with, there are some incredible, though admittedly unnecessary, X870E motherboards. The Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Dark Hero is the pinnacle of the standard ATX form factor. You are also getting some awesome features, such as 10 Gbit LAN and that beautifully stealthy all-black aesthetic.

The MSI Godlike/Godlike X Edition and Gigabyte X870E Aorus Xtreme X3D AI Top are all incredible boards as well. They are both insane, but we like the extra accessories you get with the Aorus Xtreme, along with the dual 10 Gbit LAN support.

Finally, when it comes to Mini-ITX X870 motherboards, there are just three models to choose from: the Asus ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi, Gigabyte X870I Aorus Pro Ice, and MSI MPG X870I Edge Ti Evo WiFi. Of these boards, we would say the outright best is the MSI model.

It utilizes a clever 5-in-1 M.2 Xpander card, allowing you to cram in three M.2 slots, a massive advantage given that Asus and Gigabyte's ITX offerings are limited to two. You are also getting upgraded 5 Gbit LAN, Wi-Fi 7, and the standard dual 40 Gbps USB4 ports. The only potential weakness is the VRM, but it is certainly up to the task and passed all our testing. It just ran considerably hotter than the Asus model.

With all of that said, you should now have all the data you need to make an informed purchase, so compare the models in your target price range to see which one provides the features you require.

Shopping Shortcuts:
  • Asrock X870 LiveMixer WiFi on Amazon
  • MSI MAG X870E Gaming Plus Max WiFi on Amazon
  • MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi on Amazon
  • Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite WiFi7 on Amazon
  • Gigabyte X870 Aorus Stealth Ice on Amazon
  • Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Dark Hero on Amazon
  • MSI MEG X870E Godlike on Amazon
  • Gigabyte X870E Aorus Xtreme X3D AI Top on Amazon
  • MSI MPG X870I Edge Ti Evo WiFi on Amazon
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