We look over the features of the latest AM5 motherboards from ASUS, to see which is right for your Ryzen 9000 build Updated: Oct 10, 2024 1:13 pm WePC is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices subject to change. Learn more Table of Contents Table of Contents SPONSORED PIECE The much awaited Ryzen 9000 series of CPUs have hit the market, and after a rocky start (pre the 105W TDP patch), they’ve garnered much acclaim as highly sought after CPUs with great performance and power efficiency. But of course, if you’re buying one of these processors you’ll need a compatible motherboard to stick it in, and for this product ASUS are one of the best brands around. Below we’ve done an overview of all the different ASUS X870 motherboards and ASUS X870E motherboards on offer, explaining the difference between them, their stand-out features and helping you find the right one for your needs. Without further ado, let’s dive right in! Why should you upgrade to the new gen AMD processors? The Ryzen 9000 series features IPC (Instructions Per Cycle) improvements over the previous gen that, overall, equate to around a 10% improvement in productivity tasks, up t around 8% improvement in gaming scenarios, and around a 25% boost in AI tasks, though of course this varies depending on the particular SKU you pick. Initially the lower end Ryzen 5 and 7 CPUs were less than impressive, but since receiving the aforementioned 105W TDP upgrade this unlocked additional performance, making them pretty desirable options. ASUS X870 motherboards vs X870E motherboards For this latest generation of AMD-compatible motherboards, the difference between X870 and X870E boards is primarily the number of slots and sockets you have. Both variants are powered by the Prom21 chip, but whereas the X870 has a single chipset, the X870E requires two, which runs the extra PCI-e lanes, USB ports, and SATA ports. What are ASUS CSM motherboards? You might see the designation ‘CSM’ in the names of some motherboards that ASUS sells on their online store, this stands for ‘Corporate Stable Model’ and basically adds an additional level of reliability assurance and technical support, intended to give businesses that are using them within their PCs some extra piece of mind. Specifically CSM motherboards get ‘up to 36-month product lifecycle support’ and also ‘6-month end-of-life notice’ which helps businesses transition to the next available tech in the most efficient manner, with minimal disruption. You can also get additional IT management software included, like ‘ASUS Control Center Express’. Previous Next Previous Next The ASUS X870 & X870 motherboards on offer ASUS Prime X870-P motherboards This ASUS Prime motherboard offers an affordable solution for those that are looking to support the latest tech but want to save some cash. For entry-level gamers and general productivity users though, it’s a solid pick. The 14(80A)+2(80A)+1(80A) power staging isn’t the highest, and we wouldn’t recommend this motherboard if you’re looking to overclock your PC, but it offers a nice stable platform from which to build your rig. Specifications Socket: LGA 1718 (AM5) Chipset: X870 Form Factor: ATX Form Factor; 12″ x 9.6″ / 30.5 x 24.4cm PCIe Version: 1x PCIe (x16) Gen 5, 3x PCIe Gen 4 (x16) Memory speed: Up to 8000 MT/s Memory capacity: 192GB DDR5 ASUS TUF GAMING X870-PLUS The TUF series is a gaming-focused line, with more advanced power staging than the basic Prime model above, but one that’s more affordable than the Strix options listed below. The TUF GAMING X870-PLUS doesn’t have the same bells and whistles of a lot of the picks here: it has fewer USB ports, only a couple of PCIe 5.0 lanes, and is limited to 16(80A)+2(80A)+1(80A) power staging, but it still supports up to 192GB of 8000+MT/s(OC) DDR5 RAM and has two 40Gbps USB4 ports. Specifications Socket: LGA 1718 (AM5) Chipset: X870 Form Factor: ATX Form Factor; 12″ x 9.6″ / 30.5 x 24.4cm PCIe Version: 1x PCIe (x16) Gen 5, 1x PCIe Gen 4 (x16), 1x M.2 22110 PCIe 5 (x4), 1x M.2 2280 PCIe 5 (x4), 2x M.2 2280 PCIe 4 (x4) Memory speed: Up to 8000 MT/s Memory capacity: 192GB DDR5 ASUS ROG STRIX X870 (F & A) The two variants of the Strix X870 are basically identical except from the color: the A being the white one and the F being the black. These motherboards come with a single 16x PCIe 5.0 slot, two PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots and two PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots plus a massively high (192GB) ceiling for DDR5 memory upgrades. You also get two 40Gbps USB4 ports, a single 2.5Gb ethernet socket, and a respectable array of other ports on the rear panel that should suffice for your average gamer (including 5x USB-A 10Gbps, 4x USB-A 5Gbps, and 1x USB-C 10Gbps socket). Power stages are 18(110A)+ 2(110A)+ 2 for a high overclocking threshold. Specifications Socket: LGA 1718 (AM5) Chipset: X870 Form Factor: ATX Form Factor; 12″ x 9.6″ / 30.5 x 24.4cm PCIe Version: 1x PCIe (x16) Gen 5, 1x PCIe Gen 4 (x16), 2x M.2 2280 PCIe 5 (x4), 1x M.2 2280 PCIe 4 (x4), 1x M.2 2242/2260/2280/22110 PCIe 4 (x4) Memory speed: Up to 8000 MT/s Memory capacity: 192GB DDR5 ASUS ROG STRIX X870-I ITX This is an ITX-sized board which is a lower form-factor than the others listed here, ideal for inclusion into a smaller sized case. Thankfully, you don’t lose out too much on functionality despite the compact size: it still supports up to 96GB of 8600+MT/s(OC) DDR5 RAM – more than enough for 99.9% of users, and comes with and HDMI socket, two 40Gbps USB4 ports, and an additional seven USB-A ports besides this, plus one USB-C. You even get a BIOS flashback button and clear CMOS button, as with every other ROG Strix board here. The main difference really is the power design, which has a 10(110A)+2(110A)+1 staging, so it’s less well suited for overclocking but if you’re not planning on doing that anyway then it’s no loss. Specifications Socket: LGA 1718 (AM5) Chipset: X870 Form Factor: Mini-ITX Form Factor; 6.7″ x 6.7″ (17cm x 17cm) PCIe Version: 1x PCIe (x16) Gen 5, 1x PCIe Gen 4 (x16) Memory speed: Up to 86000 MT/s Memory capacity: 96GB DDR5 ASUS ROG STRIX X870E-E As discussed the ‘E’ designation on this Strix motherboard (this one has two Es just in case you missed the first) means more PCIe lanes, more USB and SATA ports, and an additional chipset to manage it all. This high-end board is the one that the majority of streamers and creatives will go for, as well as those after a top of the line gaming rig with ports and sockets to spare. Specifications Socket:: AM5 (LGA 1718) Chipset:: X870E Form Factor:: ATX PCIe Version:: PCIe Gen 5 Storage – PCIe Gen 5 GPU Memory speed: : 8000MT/s (OC) Memory capacity:: 192GB DDR5 ASUS ROG CROSSHAIR X870E HERO & ASUS ProArt X870E-CREATOR These are two truly premium motherboards that have more PCIe slots than you can shake a stick at, plentiful USB4 ports, and great support for overclocking. Both come with ASUS Enhanced Memory Profile which provides optimized frequency settings for your RAM, plus AMD EXtended Profiles for Overclocking (EXPO) support and in-depth UEFI settings to tweak memory performance to the max. These are perfect for high-end creatives, workstation rigs, and streamers who want a maximal setup. The Crosshair X870E Hero has a huge 18+2+2 power staging, 5Gb and 2.5Gb ethernet ports, two USB4 (40Gbps) ports on the back panel and support for two more (20Gbps) ports on the front, a BIOS flashback button and clear CMOS button on the rear panel. Specifications Socket:: AM5 (LGA 1718) Chipset:: X870E Form Factor:: ATX PCIe Version:: 2x PCIe (x16) Gen 5, 3x M.2 2280 PCIe 5 (x4), 2x M.2 2280 PCIe 4 (x4) Memory speed: : 8600MT/s (OC) Memory capacity:: 192GB DDR5 The ProArt has 16+2+2 power staging, a massive bandwidth 10Gb ethernet port in addition to the 2.5Gb one, an improved ASUS WiFi Q-Antenna for enhanced throughput, two 40Gbps USB4 ports plus a third 20Gbps port on the back panel and support for one 20Gbps one on the front, and an additional dedicated ‘audio-in’ port one the back panel, besides the ‘mic-in’ one. It also comes with the signature minimalist black and gold ProArt design that matches the rest of the Pro Art line. Specifications Socket: AM5 (LGA 1718) Chipset: X870E Form Factor: ATX Form Factor; 12″ x 9.6″ / 30.5 x 24.4cm PCIe Version: 2x PCIe (x16) Gen 5, 1x PCIe (x4) Gen 4, 2x M.2 2280 PCIe 5 (x4), 1x M.2 2280 PCIe 4 (x4), 1x M.2 22110 PCIe 4 (x4) Memory speed: 8000MT/s (OC) Memory capacity: 192GB DDR5 Pair your new motherboard with an AIO cooler If you’re putting together a new build, whether you’re using a Ryzen 9000 or 7000 series CPU, why not pair your new ASUS motherboard with a matching ASUS cooler? All-In-One liquid coolers are the best way for the general consumer to get a quiet and effective thermal solution for their processor, and ASUS make a wide range of them, including the new affordable Prime LC ARGB, the ROG Strix LC III with fully rotatable water block, the quiet and reserved ProArt LC 420 (perfect for matching the aesthetics of your ProArt motherboard), and the two ultra-high performing ROG RYUJIN III and ROG RYUO III coolers. Read our ASUS liquid cooler roundup for more information.
