Now that AMD’s Zen5-based Ryzen 9000 Series has matured slightly in the market (overall sales of chips notwithstanding), the chipmaker’s board partners are now able to show off the respective X870 and X870E motherboards that should’ve technically launched at the same time as the processors. ASUS was kind enough to send over its ROG Crosshair X870E Hero for me to look at and play around with.
What Am I Looking At?
The Crosshair X870E Hero is the direct successor to the last generation’s Crosshair X670E Hero or more specifically, an updated motherboard designed to support the latest generation of AMD Ryzen processors. It is essentially the most premium and high-end motherboard of the AM5 chipset that comes with all the accoutrements a DIY PC enthusiasts with loads of disposable income can purchase and build their dream machine, whatever that may be.
What’s Good About It?
While the new Crosshair X870E looks nearly identical to the last generation’s Crosshair X670E, much of the updates to the motherboard are in the little details that make up the larger picture of improvements.
Overall, the Crosshair X870E supports up to 192GB of DDR5 RAM, with speeds beyond 8,200MT/s with the latest Ryzen 9000 Series CPUs, and beyond 8,000MT/s for the Ryzen 7000 Series. Moreover, it also supports NitroPath DRAM Technology.
Moving on, the Crosshair X870E is also fitted with two LAN ports: one Intel 2.5Gb and one Realtek 5Gb port. that’s one more port over its predecessor. Additionally, it’s also the first Ryzen motherboard to ship with Wi-Fi 7 support.
On a physical level, one of the biggest improvements ASUS has made to the Crosshair X870E is to the M.2 latches. Instead of a swivel-style latch, the motherboard’s toolless design now uses a latching mechanism – simply push down on the end of the slot, insert the M.2 SSD, hold firmly until you hear a “click”, and presto. It’s in.
Removing the GPU from the PCIe 5.0 slot is also easier. You literally just need to slide and pull the card. That’s it. No need to press down the latch that holds your GPU in place.
What’s the Catch?
While it is unlikely that you will feel it after post-installation, the Crosshair X870E is a heavy piece, made so by the amount of metal that is attached to it. On the plus side, that added weight adds durability and rigidity to the motherboard as a whole.
Then there’s the reduction of USB-A ports in the back, as well as the removal of several audio ports. Specifically, you only have the SPDIF Out port, Line Out, and the Mic In port.
The only other drawback, or caveat if you will, about the Crosshair X870E is its asking price – brand new and off the shelf, this motherboard retails at an eye-watering RM4,080.
Should I Buy It?
No matter how you look at it, RM4,080 is a steep asking price for a motherboard, and that’s before you consider all the other components. Yes, you do get all the trimmings afforded by ASUS’ premium and high-end lineup, and yes, there are tons of M.2 PCIe 5.0 and 4.0 slots to be had.
Ultimately, the Crosshair X870E is for the DIY enthusiast with disposable income in their pocket and while the allure of upgrading your current system or packing your brand new rig with something as grand as this motherboard, it is nevertheless still a luxury rather than a necessity.
Photography by John Law.
