ASUS Launch AMD X670E/X670 ROG Crosshair & ROG Strix Motherboards
Mike Sanders / 2 years ago
Gamers everywhere trust AMD Ryzen CPUs for their Battlestations. Packed to the brim with cores, these chips excel at tasks that call for an extra dose of parallel computing power, like heavy multitasking, live streaming game sessions on Twitch, and, of course, powering through the latest games at high frame rates. Now, AMD has fired off its fourth salvo of AMD Ryzen CPUs, and ASUS has readied the X670E and X670 motherboards you’ll need to harness the full potential of these new chips.
ASUS X670E/X670 ROG Crosshair & ROG Strix Motherboards
ASUS’ X670E and X670 motherboard lineup includes a wide range of tempting choices for gamers everywhere. The ROG Crosshair series returns to offer uncompromising performance and style for those who dare to build a gaming PC like none other. ROG Strix boards deliver gaming prowess in a wide range of designs. ASUS has also added X670E and X670 motherboards to their TUF Gaming, ProArt, and Prime motherboard families.
Key changes to AMD’s CPUs and chipset have enabled ASUS to make X670 a truly next-gen platform. Fabricated on a cutting-edge 5nm process, Ryzen 7000-series processors slot into the all-new AM5 socket. As an LGA-style socket, the pins are on the motherboard, not the CPU, making any accidental bending or damage to the pins less likely. AM5 supports up to a 170 W TDP, enabling exceptional compute performance for high-core-count CPUs in heavy workloads.
But it’s not just the CPU socket that’s enjoying a next-gen upgrade. X670E and X670 motherboards support the latest DDR5 RAM. With data rates 50% faster than previous-generation DDR4 memory, DDR5 unleashes a new tier of performance, and our motherboards offer a host of hardware and firmware optimizations that enable users to overclock capable kits to the absolute limit.
X670E and X670 motherboards also boast PCIe 5.0 connectivity. With double the link speeds of PCIe 4.0, the new standard provides the bandwidth to deck out X670E and X670 motherboards with a comprehensive selection of high-speed ports. You’ll find models equipped with the latest USB4 ports, and USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 ports abound across our lineup.
X670E and X670 boards differ in their deployment of PCIe 5.0 and PCIe 4.0 across the circuitry. The “E” in X670E stands for “Extreme,” it ensures that you’re getting a board decked out with a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot and at least one PCIe 5.0 M.2 socket. But ASUS is not content to just provide the minimum, if high-speed storage is your jam, you’ll find it in abundance in their top-tier offerings. Most of the ROG Strix X670E offerings have at least two onboard PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots, and the flagship ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme offers a total of four PCIe 5.0 slots between its onboard slots and bundled add-in cards. Since higher-end and larger-capacity M.2 SSDs can produce more heat, ASUS is also upping their cooling game for X670E and X670. Many of their M.2 slots include a dual-sided M.2 heatsink to aid in heat dissipation.
Powerful Tools for Powerful Users!
The first thing that many hardware enthusiasts out there will do with their new AMD Ryzen 7000 series processors and X670E motherboard is to see just how much extra performance they can coax out of their system through overclocking. In heavily threaded workloads, an all-core manual overclock can offer substantial benefits. But for more lightly threaded applications like gaming, AMD’s built-in Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO) is often the superior choice. This performance-maximizing tech automatically analyzes factors including CPU temperature, number of actives, and power consumption to intelligently raise clock speeds.
With this in mind, ASUS doesn’t think that you should have to choose between PBO and your manual all-core overclock. That’s why they’ve developed the Dynamic OC Switcher. Debuted in their legendary last-gen ROG Crossshair VIII Dark Hero motherboard, this is now in included in all of their X670E motherboards to bring it to a wider audience. This tool automatically flips between the two modes to give you the best performance for the task at hand. After you’ve configured a manual overclock for heavy tasks, select a threshold for Dynamic OC Switcher to activate based on amperage and temperature. From that point, your system will operate with PBO by default but will kick over to your manual overclock dynamically to give you exceptional multithreaded performance exactly when you need it the most.
You can also use the new Core Flex feature to smash limits farther than ever before by controlling the clock, power, and thermals. In its simplest form, you can maximize the base clock during lighter loads and set breakpoints to gradually reduce CPU core frequency as temperature or current increases. The system is extremely adaptable, supporting multiple user-controlled functions that can manipulate power, current, and temperature limits independently so that you can bend CPU performance to your will.
The X670E lineup also heralds ASUS’ return of the ROG True Voltician. This oscilloscope kit, bundled with the ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme and the ROG Crosshair X670E Gene, streamlines the workflow of enthusiasts who need a detailed analysis of the power circuitry on their motherboard to extract the highest levels of performance from their hardware. Once connected to your system, the oscilloscope system intuitively presents real-time voltage information on a separate system. It’s never been easier to collect the data you need for professional-level overclocking.
Overview
ROG Crosshair X670E Hero
As the most accessible model in the ROG Crosshair X670E lineup, the ROG Crosshair X670E Hero bridges the gap between professional PC builders and everyday gamers, allowing everyone to construct a high-performance showcase PC.
Dark hues predominate the surface of the ROG Crosshair X670E Hero, providing an intense backdrop for your build. Polymo lighting across the integrated I/O shield delivers a sizzling accent. This microstructural array of light and colour features two RGB patterns, empowering builders to show off a luminous RGB style that they won’t see anywhere else.
Ready to take one of AMD’s new chips to the next level? With its 18 + 2 teamed power stages rated for 110 A, this motherboard will effortlessly deliver stable power to your CPU. Substantially integrated heatsinks keep the circuitry cool, and a wide array of headers let you set up your dream cooling solution.
The ROG Crosshair X670E Hero sets you up for a thoroughly next-gen gaming build. Its pair of PCIe 5.0 x16 slots stand ready for next-gen graphics cards-or the included PCIe 5.0 M.2 card, which gives you a third Gen 5 M.2 slot, in addition to the two onboard slots, that are wired for PCIe 5.0 connectivity. Enjoy pristine audio for competitive gaming and entertainment alike with an audiophile-grade ESS ES9218 Quad DAC that pumps top-notch sound to the front-panel output. With an exceptional signal-to-noise ratio, this audio solution is perfect for plugging in a high-end headset.
High-end connectivity rounds out the Hero’s feature set. WiFi 6E lets you access the freshly opened 6 GHz band for unhindered wireless networking with compatible routers in select regions. Dual rear USB4 ports give you flexible access points for high-speed external storage and peripherals.
ROG Crosshair X670E Gene
You might say that MicroATX inhabits the Goldilocks zone of motherboard sizes—not too large, not too small. For gamers with no need for a second PCIe x16 slot, the ROG Crosshair X670E Gene delivers high-end performance, an exceptional feature set, and the signature ROG aesthetic in the mid-size Micro ATX form factor.
An engraved, reflective ROG logo on the integrated I/O shield and a pixelated Fearless Eye icon on the chipset heatsink herald your allegiance to the Republic of Gamers. RGB LED accents on the VRM heatsink, customizable with Aura Sync, provide a splash of colour on a board that otherwise makes a statement with its dark tones and angular accents.
The thoroughly next-gen X670 platform gives ASUS the opportunity to take your gaming experience to the power of five with PCIe 5.0 and DDR5. Its PCIe 5.0 x16 slot stands ready for the fastest graphics of today and tomorrow, and its support for DDR5 lets you enjoy the massive bandwidth, sizzling new speeds, and exceptional power efficiency offered by next-generation DDR5 RAM. Between its onboard slots and the ROG Gen-Z. card, the Gene offers two PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots and one PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot, giving you ample elbow room to build out a fast and spacious game library—and expand it down the road. And, of course, this motherboard is built for even the mightiest next-gen AMD Ryzen CPU with its robust power solution with 16 + 2 teamed power stages rated for 110 A
Gene’s wide suite of connectivity options checks all your boxes for a top-tier motherboard. Access to the freshly-opened 6 GHz band through the latest WIFi 6E radio? Check. Intel 2.5 Gb Ethernet for unhindered networking? Check. A pair of USB4 ports on the rear I/O, a connector for a front-panel USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C port, and support for Quick Charge 4+? Check, check, and check.
ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme
Get ready for the new look of high-end. The ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme accepts no compromises and takes no prisoners. With its angular lines, vivid RGB LED accents, and moody black tones, the ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme motherboard loves taking centre stage. For unmatched personalization options, this board features the AniMe Matrix display, an array of LEDs that can show off custom retro-style animations.
Time and again, the striking visual elements of the ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme serve your desire for unbridled performance. Large heatsinks atop the VRM circuitry, chipset, and onboard M.2 slots offer substantial cooling power and symmetrical beauty. Multilayer graphics grace the surface of the wide heatsink cover for the primary M.2 slot. And the integrated aluminium I/O cover assists in cooling circuitry simplifies your build process and looks sharp in the process.
A robust power solution gives the ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme nearly unbounded potential for taking your next-gen AMD Ryzen CPU to the next level. With its 20 + 2 teamed power stages rated for 110 A, this EATX motherboard stands ready to deliver a stable stream of power to your CPU. Today’s processors take advantage of available power and thermal headroom to offer you the best performance at any moment, so cooling isn’t just a matter of comfort, comprehensive cooling makes sure that you get the sustained performance that you demand. The ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme gives you a full suite of options for setting up your dream cooling solution. Six headers for chassis and radiator fans let you establish and control system airflow. Planning to deploy a custom liquid-cooling solution? A wealth of headers for pumps and flow rates give you total command over the coolant coursing through your build.
With double the link speeds of PCIe 4.0, the new standard provides ASUS with the bandwidth to deck out the ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme with USB4 and USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports. Since so many gamers use their PC’s front panel USB ports to recharge devices, the ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme offers a front panel USB 3.2 Gen 2 2×2 connector with support for Quick Charge 4+. Make sure to pair this motherboard with a case featuring a front-panel USB Type-C port so that you can have convenient access to 60 W charging.
Two PCIe 5.0 x16 slots stand ready for the cutting-edge graphics cards of today and tomorrow. Between its two onboard slots and the three additional slots made available through the ROG PCIe 5.0 M.2 card and the ROG GEN-Z. card, the ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme offers five total M.2 slots. Four support PCIe 5.0 x4 mode. Heatsinks for all the slots, including those on the add-in cards, ensure that you get the full performance of your drives without throttling. Six SATA 6 Gbps ports let you establish an even larger storage array so you never have to ration your game library.
The motherboard’s networking options have reason to brag, as well. WiFi 6E connectivity lets you use a compatible router in select regions to access the freshly opened, low-interference 6 GHz band. An Intel 2.5 Gb Ethernet port gives you a high-bandwidth hardline to your router, while a Marvell AQtion 10Gb Ethernet port preps your machine to easily handle multi-terabyte file transfers on fast networks.
If visuals take the driver’s seat when it comes to gaming, audio rides shotgun. It starts with a SupremeFX 7.1 Surround Sound audio solution with integrated amplifiers and op-amps. The audio circuit design uses premium capacitors, interference shielding, and discrete traces for the left and right channels. Auto impedance detection lets you use even high-impedance audiophile headphones and get crystal-clear, distortion-free output. An ESS ES9218 Quad DAC pumps top-notch audio to the front-panel output with an exceptional 120 dB signal-to-noise ratio, perfect for plugging in a high-end headset.
ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming WiFi
As the highest-performance board of the Strix family, the ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming WiFi merges the best of form and function. Angular accents sweep across the board’s heatsinks alongside distinctive ROG iconography, while an illuminated acrylic display on the integrated I/O cover makes an impactful statement.
Comprehensive power and thermal solutions set you up to tame the latest high-end gear. 18 + 2 teamed power stages rated for 110 A deliver a stable stream of power to your AMD CPU. Two PCIe 5.0 x16 slots stand ready for next-gen graphics cards and add-in cards. To keep PCIe 5.0 SSDs operating comfortably, the hefty and thick M.2 Combo-sink provides a large surface area for cooling. And the Massive M.2 Heatsink is included in the accessory kit.
A new generation of conveniences eases the building process with the ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming WiFi. In addition to the PCIe Slot Q-Release button, which makes it easy to remove the graphics card, there’s an integrated power button on the motherboard that makes it easy to do a pre-test prior to building the whole system. And a spare M.2 thermal pad in the ROG accessory kit makes sure that you’re ready to keep future replacement drives operating optimally.
ROG Strix X670E-F Gaming WiFi and ROG Strix X670E-A Gaming WiFi
These days, many gamers only take advantage of one of the PCIe x16 slots on their motherboard. For them, the ROG Strix X670E-F Gaming WiFi and ROG Strix X670E-A Gaming WiFi offer everything they need for a high-end build in two striking and strikingly different styles.
These two motherboards share many of the same elements: one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, four onboard M.2 slots, two wired for PCIe 5.0 and two for PCIe 4.0, WiFi 6E, and DDR5 support. The Strix X670E-F takes its visual cues from the Strix X670E-E, offering predominantly black surfaces slashed with angular accents. The illuminated acrylic panel on the Massive VRM Heatsink, illuminated with Aura Sync RGB LEDs, adds the right touch of style and luxury.
The trendsetting Strix X670E-A takes another path. Bold metallic white surfaces on its surfaces make it an ideal candidate for a white-themed build. Its RGB LED illuminated acrylic panel gives the board a frosty look that perfectly complements the thermal prowess of its hardware.
ROG Strix X670E-I Gaming WiFi
The Strix X670E-I might seem impossibly small for what it offers: a complete platform for a next-gen gaming build. You’ll find a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot prepped and ready for a cutting-edge graphics card, a pair of DDR5 DIMM slots, and two M.2 slots, one wired for PCIe 5.0 and one wired for PCIe 4.0.
Innovative design elements make sure that you get the performance and features you need, even when you’re building inside the tight confines of a Mini-ITX case. The I/O shield is pre-mounted for easier installation and a tidier fit around rear ports. A single heatsink cools the PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot and the chipset simultaneously, and VRM temps are aided by a large backplate, which utilizes a thermal pad to transfer heat away from critical decoupling capacitors. The space-saving ROG FPS-II card gives you easy access to front-panel headers, 2 SATA ports, important headers for clearing CMOS and enabling CPU overvoltage, and a PCIe mode switch for legacy expansion cards.
It’s the all-new ROG Strix Hive that truly sets the ROG Strix X670E-I motherboard apart from the competition, though. This external control interface neatly addresses common challenges that PC builders face when putting together a compact Mini-ITX machine—and goes a step further by putting motherboard gaming features right at your fingertips.
The Mini-ITX form factor doesn’t provide much space for a high-end audio solution, so we (very literally) thought outside the box. The Hive houses top-shelf audio hardware—an ALC4050 codec and an ESS Sabre 9260Q DAC, to be precise. A headset jack and optical S/PDIF out deliver pristine audio, while an integrated volume knob keeps you in control.
Premium audio isn’t the only trick up the ROG Strix Hive’s sleeve. It offers a convenient USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port that makes it easy to connect external storage and peripherals. It includes our intuitive Q-LED array so that you can quickly diagnose build problems. An EZ Mode PBO button lets you activate a finely-tuned PBO profile in your OS in real-time—without entering BIOS. And you’ll even find physical Flexkey and BIOS Flashback buttons, as well. Building, updating, and troubleshooting a Mini-ITX PC has never been easier.
Where Can I Learn More?
Set to hit retailers imminently (they’re likely already available by the time you read this) should you wish to learn more about ASUS’ latest X670 and X670E motherboards designed for AMD Ryzen 7000 processors, you can check out their official AMD website via the link here!
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