ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Hero Motherboard Review

How Much Does It Cost?

Keep in mind that the X870 chipset is the flagship chipset for the new motherboards, so all of these are regarded as high-end motherboards. However, there are of course more affordable X870 and more premium X870 motherboards in this launch, with the largest variance being increased VRM, which is paired with larger VRM cooling solutions, which increases the price. The number of M.2 mounts, USB ports, and networking, for example, will all increase the price too. This is why the cheapest board such as the Prime starts at around $249, while a flagship board such as the crosshair is $699, despite using the same chipset and AM5 socket. Unfortunately, we don’t have UK pricing for these boards at the time of writing but will update that with retail links as soon as they’re available sometime after we publish these reviews.

However, what we can see is how these prices have changed since the previous generation (X670) motherboards launched, and largely they’re all about the same, with the Prime coming in cheaper than before, and the ProArt a little more expensive, but overall, they’re all in a similar price bracket as before.

In the US, prices for the X670/X670E and X870/X870E versions of the motherboards are generally the same, with a few exceptions. The ASUS Prime X70-P WIFI shows a 16.72% lower price for the X870/X870E version, while the ASUS ProArt X70E-Creator WIFI is 7.88% more expensive for the X870/X870E version. The ASUS ROG STRIX X70-A Gaming WIFI has a 7.52% lower price for the X870/X870E version, and the ASUS TUF Gaming X70-Plus WIFI is 6.08% cheaper in its X870/X870E version.

However, we don’t have UK pricing for these boards at the moment.

If these are too expensive for you, there will be more affordable B-series motherboards coming, but we suspect these will be revealed at CES 2025 and launch in Q1 2025, if you can wait that long, if not, then the X-series boards are clearly some of the best options right now for those building an AMD focused build.

More X870 Motherboards

This is a major chipset launch for AMD, so there are dozens of new X870 motherboards hitting the market today. Of course, we’ve been very busy testing 9 of them for you, and they’re all linked below, so if the one in this review isn’t quite meeting your needs, there’s plenty more to choose from! Largely, all being the same chipset, with the same AMD 9950X CPU being used for our testing, we expect the majority of the benchmarks to be broadly the same, with perhaps small differences in some of them. Largely, the price and performance of each motherboard are dictated by the additional features. Such as more PCIe slots, more M.2 mounts in Gen3, Gen4, or Gen5, more high-speed USB ports, more cooling hardware, etc. Largely, we recommend buying a motherboard that meets your current component requirements, with a little overhead for future upgrades; a spare M.2 slot for example.

• ASUS Prime X870-P WIFI Motherboard [Review]
• ASUS ProArt X870E-Creator WIFI Motherboard [Review]
• ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Hero Motherboard [Review]
• ASUS ROG Strix X870-A Gaming WIFI Motherboard [Review]
• ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WIFI Motherboard [Review]
• ASUS ROG STRIX X870E Gaming WIFI Motherboard [Review]
• ASUS TUF Gaming X870-Plus WIFI Motherboard [Review]
• Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite WIFI7 ICE Motherboard [Review]
• MSI MPG X870E Carbon WIFI Motherboard [Review]

Conclusion

The ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Hero motherboard truly embodies its “flagship” status, delivering exceptional performance and an extensive array of features that cater to the most demanding users. While its price tag reflects this premium offering, the Crosshair X870E Hero justifies its cost with unparalleled connectivity and robust capabilities.

VRM

At the heart of this motherboard lies a massively upgraded VRM configuration, featuring an 18+2+2 power stage design with 100A power stages. This extreme power delivery system ensures stable performance even under the heaviest workloads and extended gaming sessions, effectively eliminating thermal throttling concerns. Large heatsinks on the VRM and M.2 slots further enhance thermal performance, allowing components to operate at their best.  

Storage

Storage options are truly impressive, with three PCIe 5.0 x4 M.2 slots and two PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slots, providing an abundance of high-speed storage with support for various RAID configurations. This allows for lightning-fast read/write speeds, essential for professionals and enthusiasts working with large datasets or demanding applications.

Connectivity

The Crosshair X870E Hero stands out as one of the few motherboards equipped with two full-length PCIe 5.0 x16 slots, making it an ideal choice for users running dual GPUs for tasks like CAD, rendering, and AI processing. This level of expansion capability is rarely found, even on high-end motherboards.  

Connectivity is where this motherboard truly shines. It offers a comprehensive selection of ports and features, including numerous USB ports, flagship WiFi 7 and LAN networking, and support for heavily overclocked processors and memory. This extensive connectivity caters to users who require a wide range of peripherals and high-speed data transfer capabilities.  

Should I Buy One?

In conclusion, the ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Hero is a top-of-the-line motherboard that delivers exceptional performance, unparalleled connectivity, and a wealth of features. While its price may be higher than most, it caters to users who demand the absolute best and require extensive expansion and connectivity options. If you need a motherboard that can handle the most demanding tasks and provide a platform for extreme performance, the Crosshair X870E Hero is an investment that will not disappoint.