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If you’re looking for a guide to the ASUS range of X870 and X870E motherboards then look no further! One of the best things about the AMD Ryzen series of processors is that the 7000, 8000, and 9000 series desktop CPUs in their range all use the same AM5 socket. This means they have broad compatibility with older and less advanced motherboards like the X670, B840, and B850. That being said, if you want to get the most out of these processors, particularly the latest 9000 series CPUs, the X870 and X870E (essentially the same as the X870 but with more PCIe lanes, USB, and SATA ports) are the way to go.

Below we’ve highlighted a range of the different models offered by ASUS, from premium overclocker offerings, to mid-range gaming models, to entry-level boards and everything in between. You’re sure to find one that suits your needs and budget from within this list. Do also keep an eye on deals on these motherboards on the ASUS store, Amazon, or SCAN if you’re based in the UK (at the time of writing there’s an offer on the ASUS TUF Gaming X870 PLUS for instance).

Premium enthusiast-level boards

The Crosshair Extreme is the flagship motherboard of the range, with enormous expansion options, premium connectivity, and powerful all-around performance. It’s ideal for high-end gaming, content creation, and AI‑driven workflows. 

It comes with an E‑ATX form factor and very advanced VRMs in the form of 20+2+2 (110A) power phases. The memory capacity is huge, with four DIMM slots supporting a maximum 256GB of DDR5, 8200+ MT/s OC RAM. Storage expansion possibilities are also colossal, with five M.2 slots (3× PCIe 5.0).  

The I/O offers an enormous array of ports, and includes USB4 support, with dual USB-C 20Gbps front headers. Besides this you get premium features like Dual BIOS, AI Cooling II, and PCIe Q-release.

The Crosshair Apex is a specialist overclocker’s board, sacrificing some I/O for superior RAM tuning and frequency scaling for both memory and CPU overclocking. It also keeps things limited to two DIMM slots for fewer signal issues, and has a slimmer SATA layout for similar reasons.

Although the power phasing is lower than the EXTREME at 18+2+2 – this is still very high, and combined with the other features, stability and efficiencies, makes it perfect for record-breaking CPU overclocking. The two DIMM slots (DIMM.2) support up to 128 GB of RAM, but are capable of overlocked speeds up to 9600 MT/s with some tweaking. Besides this you get three PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots and a memory fan kit.

Gaming-focused boards

The ROG Strix X870‑A is tailored for gamers and creators who want high-end performance, coming with a 16+2+2 power stage VRM setup as well as four DDR5 slots that support 256GB of RAM at memory speeds of up to 8000 MT/s (when overclocked). There is extensive storage expansion by way of the four M.2 slots (two of which are PCIe Gen 5); you also get two USB4/USB-C ports with fast-charging capability. The Strix has the more premium features like AI tuning to help with overclocking plus Q‑Slot, Q‑Latch, and BIOS FlashBack, and a polished white/grey aesthetic.

The TUF GAMING X870-PLUS is available for a slightly cheaper asking price than the Strix (we’re talking around £30/$40 difference), and for that you don’t get quite as many premium features, though you do still get Q‑Slot, Q‑Latch, and BIOS FlashBack. The front-facing USB4 ports are limited to just one, the VRAMs are 16+2+1, and memory capacity is 192GB of DDR5 (though the same 8000 MT/s speed) but you do get ‘military-grade components’ from a durability perspective, as well as particularly stable power delivery. In short: a tough and reliable gaming platform.

For cheaper builds

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ASUS PRIME X870-P WiFi

4 /5

Editor’s Rating

How We Review

Specifications

• Socket: AM5 (LGA 1718)
• Chipset: X870
• Form Factor: ATX
• PCIe Version: PCIe Gen 5 Storage – PCIe Gen 5 GPU
• Memory Speed: 8000+MT/s (OC)
• Memory Capacity: 192GB DDR5

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The Prime X870‑P WiFi serves as a cost-effective gateway into the X870 platform, although it still comes with some (pleasantly) surprising high-end features like two USB4/USB-C ports with 40Gbps data bandwidth. You also still get WiFi 7 support (although the integrated WiFi card is pretty basic) and Bluetooth 5.4 as with the more expensive motherboards on this guide.

VRM power phasing is 14+2+1 (80A) with dual 8‑pin EPS, which is enough for Ryzen 7 processors. Once again there are four DIMM slots supporting 192GB of DDR5 at 8000 MT/s, plus four M.2 slots for storage (although only one of these is Gen 5). Q-Release, Q-Latch, and BIOS FlashBack also feature.
We did an in-depth review, along with testing and benchmarking, for this particular model, and were very impressed with it overall.

For professional creatives

The ProArt X870E‑Creator WiFi is a premium board tailored for creators and professionals in need of a powerful and highly expandable workstation build. The whole thing has a clean all-black aesthetic with gold accents, with no RGB lighting for a more professional look. It has a similar 16+2+2 power stage to the ROG Strix board, backed by additional Digi+ VRM control for greater power stability. Again you get four DIMM slots supporting 192GB of DDR5 at 8000 MT/s and four M.2 slots for storage – with two of these being Gen 5 and the other two Gen 4.

As you’d expect you get a high degree of connectivity: with two ethernet ports (one 10Gb and one 2.5Gb), a powerful WiFi card with Q‑Antenna, plus two 40Gbps USB4/USB-C ports and another 20Gbps USB-C port with 30W power delivery and Quick Charge functionality. Besides this you get a plethora of other USB-A ports.

Final word

We hope this has been helpful for you in finding the right motherboard for your Ryzen CPU build. As mentioned, don’t forget to check for sales on the ASUS store, on third-party retailers like SCAN, or of course, on Amazon.

If you think you’re after an Intel Core Ultra build instead, then do also take a gander at our ASUS Z890 motherboard guide for the best of the company’s lineup compatible with those processors.

About the Author

Aaron Ritchie

Aaron's laptop knowledge makes him the go-to guy on PC Guide. But he still finds time for features, deals and much more.