AMD launch partners are starting to debut X870 and X870E motherboards in time for their release date. Launched at the end of September 2024, this chipset is designed to support the latest Ryzen 9000 series processors on the AM5 socket and includes support for the older 8000 and 7000 series.
These boards lean into enthusiast territory, a step above the more budget-friendly AMD B850 and B840 chipsets which are due for release further down the line. So, if you’re looking for a solid mid-range to enthusiast-grade option, the X870 and X870E motherboards provide all the versatility you need – but what’s the difference between them?
Specifications
At first glance, the key specifications of the X870(E) chipsets seem the same. AMD detailed this when it first announced the 800 series; both come with USB 4 support, overclocking for CPU and memory and 1×16 / 2×8 PCIe lanes for graphics – rated for PCIe Gen 5 for both the GPU and NVMe storage.
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However, there’s more to dig into and we can turn to AMD’s official chipset documentation to bring you the finer differences. As you may know, X870E is the current flagship chipset, so it features a few improvements over X870.
| Specifications | X870 | X870E |
|---|---|---|
| Graphics | 1×16 or 2×8 PCIe 5.0 | 1×16 or 2×8 PCIe 5.0 |
| NVMe | 1×4 PCIe 5.0 / 4x PCIe GPP | 1×4 PCIe 5.0 / 4x PCIe GPP |
| Usable PCIe lanes / Total PCIe 5.0 | 36 / 24 | 44 / 24 |
| CPU overclocking | Yes | Yes |
| DDR5 memory overclocking | Yes | Yes |
| USB 5Gbps | 1 | 2 |
| USB 10Gbps | 6 | 12 |
| USB 20Gbps | 1 | 2 |
| Maximum SATA ports | 4 | 8 |
| USB 4.0 | Yes, as standard | Yes, as standard |
The key differences between these two chipsets lie within the PCIe lanes, USB speeds, and maximum number of SATA ports. All X870 and X870E motherboards use the latest PCIe 5.0 standard, for both the GPU slots and NVMe drives – with faster DDR5 dual-channel memory support. Likewise, they come with USB 4 as standard; one of the biggest differences compared to the cheaper B-series boards, or last-gen’s X670 chipsets which had ‘optional’ support.
Price
As for price, you’ll generally be paying a little extra for the more premium X870E chipset boards. Price will vary by manufacturer and model, often separated by features such as on-board Wi-Fi or even aesthetics. But looking at where to buy an X870 or X870E motherboard we’ve seen a good range of pricing.
Primarily we’ve seen the X870 lower-tier motherboards ranging between $199.99 to $369.99 on Newegg. Whilst the X870E chipset boards run the more expensive $319.99 to $699.99. So it’s quite easy to see which tier you fit in spending on your budget and needs.
X870 vs X870E – which one should you buy?
Whether you go for X870 or X870E all comes down to what exactly you need from your motherboard. Overall, they’re similar enough that most consumers should be happy with their feature sets. If you simply want a new motherboard that unlocks the potential for CPU and RAM overclocking, with support for the latest PCIe and USB standards, these new boards are perfect and the X870 will often provide the best value. They make up some of the best AM5 motherboards on the market with strong support for AMD’s latest processors.
However, for enthusiasts who want the very best on offer, the X870E chipset is the one for you. You can also look out for ‘Extreme’ (or ‘Xtreme’) motherboards which will unlock the highest overclocking potential possible if you’re aiming to fit your new PC with the best components on the market.
Final word
That covers all there is to know about the X870 and X870E motherboards. As you can see, there are a few key differences to look out for, though it may not be immediately obvious at first glance. Both chipsets are ideal for high-performance builds and compatible with the same range of AMD processors on the latest AM5 socket. If you want to see how they compare in practice, you can read our ASUS Prime X870-P Prime review and ASUS ROG Strix X870E-E review.
