ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Hero Motherboard Review

The ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Hero, a premium ATX motherboard, continues the legacy of high-end flagship AMD models from ASUS. The ROG Crosshair series has been a favourite among extreme overclockers since its inception in 2006. While not as extravagant as the "Extreme" variant, the Hero still boasts impressive features. With support for all the latest AM5 processors, these boards will work with AMD Ryzen 7000, 8000, and 9000 series processors, so there's very broad support here for those wanting to get the best from their CPU of choice, be that through the motherboards broad connectivity options, overclocking, VRM, and much more beyond. ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Hero ASUS equips the ROG Crosshair X870E Hero with an 18+2+2 power delivery, featuring 100A power stages. This robust power design aims to provide ample headroom for overclocking, enhancing efficiency and reducing VRM temperatures. The motherboard accommodates four DIMM slots, supporting up to 192GB of DDR5 memory. ASUS's NitroPath DRAM Technology and Enhanced Memory Profile (AEMP) aim to improve memory performance and simplify overclocking. Storage options include five M.2 slots, with three operating at PCIe 5.0 x4 and two at PCIe 4.0 x4. Two full-length PCIe 5.0 x16 slots cater for expansion capabilities. Dynamic OC Switcher allows automatically switching between a manual overlock for heavy multithreaded workloads and Precision Boost Overdrive for single-threaded tasks. While Overclocking Load Guard offers improved current protection, making overclocking and performance gains easier to achieve for the end user. Key Features Teamed Power Solution AI Networking II Overclocking AI Cooling II One-click fan tuning DDR5 Max 192GB x3 onboard M.2 slots WIFI 7 EZ PC DIY Polymo Lighting II USB4 NitroPath DRAM Technology AEMP x2 PCIe 5.0 x16 slots For more information, please visit the official product page here. Memory Support Memory support is impressive, offering up incredible speeds for these new CPUs, however, which generation of CPU you use will have some impact on the memory capabilities as you might expect, but typically they're all over 8000 MHz. What ASUS Had to Say "The AI PC-ready ROG Crosshair X870E Hero offers unyielding power delivery, robust thermal management, hyperspeed connectivity, and comprehensive PCIE 5.0 and DDR5 support to unleash the performance of AMD Ryzen 9000 Series processors. Dark hues predominate across this motherboard, drawing your attention to premium metallic textures, nickel-plated surfaces, sleek contours and a stereoscopic visual effect on the large M.2 and chipset heatsink. This board also features the Polymo Lighting II effect. This upgraded lighting module built into the I/O shroud provides more dynamic RGB illumination for the signature ROG logo." - ASUS AMD 800 Series Chipset While this review cycle we'll be focusing on the X870E series of motherboards, of course, there's going to be more to this series, with the X870E being the flagship models, the X870 below that, and then the B850 and the B840 being the more affordable models below those, but with some obvious compromises on the features, giving us a range of options for normal PC users, gamers, overclockers and enthusiasts. Ryzen 9 9950X For these reviews, we'll be using the latest AMD Ryzen 9000 series CPU, and while we haven't actually reviewed this CPU on its own, of course, we'll be exploring the Ryzen 9 9950X performance through these motherboard reviews. We did a feature testing Windows 32H2 Vs 24H2 on YouTube recently, which you can check out here. 16 cores and 32 threads Up to 5.7 GHz max boost clock 64 MB of L3 cache Supports DDR5 memory up to 2x1R DDR5-5600 or 4x1R DDR5-3600 Requires AM5 socket motherboard Includes Precision Boost Overdrive and Curve Optimizer Voltage Offsets technology Unlocked for overclocking Supports PCIe 5.0 Packaging The box looks great, with the prominent Crosshair branding, and a stylish ROG eye on the front of the box. Around the back, there is a small photo of the motherboard, I would have liked a larger picture though to see the design in retail settings. But there's a good rundown of the key features and all the connectivity here, and we can see features like the Q-Release, and USB 20GBps with PD 60W. A Closer Look Wow, this is easily one of the most impressive looking X870 boards we've seen yet, but that's no surprise, given that the Crosshair is one of the flagship series for ASUS, and that means it comes with some of the most extreme hardware, features, and most prominently the most impressive looking armour and heatsinks. With an 18+2+2 100A power stages VRM, this is an overclocking beast. Storage options are extreme too, with five M.2 slots, and three of those are running full-fat PCIe 5.0 x4 speeds. Two more are tucked into the bottom of the board, operating at PCIe 4.0 x4, so your storage configurations will be incredibly versatile. However, there are also two full-length PCIe 5.0 x16 slots, allowing for multiple high-end GPUs to aid with gaming, rendering, AI applications and more. It's no surprise the rear I/O is packing some serious hardware too, perhaps now as many USB ports as their Creator series, but everything that is here is designed for high-speed performance. You get two USB4 Type-C ports with 40Gbps speeds, and 8 x 10Gbps ports, alongside both 2.5Gbps and 5Gbps LAN, WiFi7, and more. Ports 2 x USB4® (40Gbps) ports (2 x USB Type-C®) 8 x USB 10Gbps ports (6 x Type-A + 2 x USB Type-C®) 1 x HDMI™ port 1 x Wi-Fi module 1 x Intel® 2.5Gb Ethernet port 1 x Realtek 5Gb Ethernet port 2 x Gold-plated audio jacks 1 x Optical S/PDIF out port 1 x BIOS FlashBack™ button 1 x Clear CMOS button It's also one of the few motherboards we're reviewing today that has a comprehensive backplate for increased durability and heat distribution. VRM Analysis The ROG Crosshair X870E Hero is a high-end ATX motherboard featuring an 8-layer PCB, optimized for stability and high performance, typical for premium boards. Like the STRIX X870E-E, this board also utilizes the Infineon ASP2205 PWM controller to manage its impressive 18+2+2 phase design. ASUS has equipped it with Vishay SiC850A 110A Smart Power Stages (SPS) for the main phases, a choice seen in other high-end boards like the X670E Crosshair Hero, ensuring efficient power delivery, even under extreme loads. For the two miscellaneous phases, the board uses 90A power stages, slightly less powerful than the 110A stages, but still well-suited for their roles. This combination is a hallmark of ASUS’s high-end designs, prioritizing both performance and stability, especially for users pushing their systems to the limit. As with the X870E-E, the Richtek RT3672EE buck controller manages the miscellaneous phases, ensuring the board adheres to AMD’s SVI3 power delivery specifications. BIOS Screenshots As you might expect, a lot of these motherboards launching today will have broadly similar BIOS features for the basic stuff, such as CPU, memory and other components, that much is a given. However, as you move from the more budget to the more premium solutions, you'll expect these features to be more in-depth. It's a lot to dive into, and frankly, not something every consumer fully understands either, but for those of you who care to see what the BIOS has to offer, we've screenshotted all the pages so you can dive in and see if it offers the level of fine-tuning you desire to get the best performance from your system. However, largely most users will rely on the landing page for EXPO memory settings, the AI Tuner page for setting manual boost and overclock settings, and the voltage page for undervolting and stability. Everything else you'll find in the gallery below. Landing Page AI Tuner Voltages BIOS Gallery 3DMark Timespy 3DMark Time Spy is a popular benchmark focused on evaluating DirectX 12 performance. It simulates a demanding gaming scenario, stressing both your CPU and GPU with complex graphics and physics calculations. The benchmark renders a detailed scene featuring advanced lighting, shadows, and particle effects, providing a realistic representation of modern game visuals. 3DMark is available on Steam here. 3DMark CPU Benchmark 3DMark CPU Benchmark is a tool designed to measure CPU performance across various scenarios. Instead of providing a single score, it runs multiple tests using different numbers of threads (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and maximum available) to see how well your CPU scales with increasing workload. This helps to gauge performance not only for modern games utilizing many cores, but also older titles and tasks like 3D rendering. The results give a comprehensive overview of your CPU's capabilities under different loads, aiding in comparisons, overclocking decisions, and understanding potential bottlenecks. Available now on Steam. PCMark 10 Express PCMark 10 Express is a shorter benchmark that focuses on basic home PC use. It includes the Essentials and Productivity test groups. It is less demanding than the main PCMark 10 benchmark. The Essentials test group covers the common tasks that people do every day with their PCs, such as web browsing, video conferencing, and app start-up time. The Productivity test group measures system performance with everyday office applications, such as writing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Available now on Steam. Cinebench R23 Cinebench is a real-world cross-platform test suite that evaluates your computer’s hardware capabilities. Improvements to Cinebench Release 23 reflect the overall advancements to CPU and rendering technology in recent years, providing a more accurate measurement of Cinema 4D’s ability to take advantage of multiple CPU cores and modern processor features available to the average user. Available now on Maxon. Cinebench 2024 Cinebench 2024 is a cross-platform benchmarking tool used to evaluate both CPU and GPU performance. Unlike previous versions which focused solely on CPU, it now leverages Maxon's Redshift rendering engine to assess a system's capability for handling demanding 3D tasks. It provides scores for both single-core and multi-core CPU performance, as well as a separate GPU score, making it a comprehensive solution for understanding your system's overall rendering capabilities. Available now on Maxon. Blender 4.2.0 Blender 4.2.0 is a powerful, open-source 3D creation suite, not a benchmarking tool itself. It excels in tasks like 3D modelling, sculpting, animation, texturing, shading, lighting, simulation, rendering, video editing, and compositing. While it doesn't provide a benchmark score, you can use Blender to indirectly benchmark your system by measuring render times for complex scenes. This can give you a sense of how well your hardware handles demanding 3D workloads. Available now from blender.org Super PI 2.1 Super PI is a single-threaded benchmark that calculates pi to a specific number of digits. It uses the Gauss-Legendre algorithm and is a Windows port of a program used by Yasumasa Kanada in 1995 to compute pi to 232 digits. It's a good indicator of CPU and memory performance, and a good stress test for things like the VRM and cooling hardware too. Available now on Super PI. Wprime 2.11 wPrime 2.11 is a multi-threaded benchmark tool designed to stress-test your CPU by performing complex calculations. It specifically focuses on evaluating your CPU's ability to handle heavy multi-core workloads, making it useful for overclockers, system builders, and anyone looking to gauge their CPU's performance under demanding conditions. The benchmark calculates square roots using the Newton method, providing results for both 32 million and 1024 million iterations, testing different levels of computational intensity. It offers both single-threaded and multi-threaded modes, allowing you to see how well your CPU scales with additional cores. Available now from WPrime. Y-Cruncher Y-Cruncher is a specialized benchmarking tool designed to measure the computational power of your system by calculating the mathematical constant Pi (π) to trillions of digits. It's a multi-threaded application, leveraging the full capabilities of modern multi-core processors and large amounts of RAM. Y-Cruncher is often used by enthusiasts and overclockers to stress-test their systems, assess stability, and compare performance with other configurations. While it doesn't directly measure gaming or 3D rendering performance, its focus on heavy computational tasks makes it a good indicator of a system's raw number-crunching abilities, particularly for memory-intensive operations. Available now from numberworld.org. AIDA64 AIDA64 memory benchmark is a feature of AIDA64, a system information and diagnostics software. It measures the bandwidth and latency of the CPU caches and the system memory by performing various read, write, copy, and latency tests. It uses different instruction set extensions and optimizations depending on the processor and memory type. Typically, you want to see higher read, write and copy figures, while lantecy as low as possible, as both of these will result in improved system performance and responsiveness. Available now on AIDA64. Cyberpunk 2077 Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world, action-adventure RPG set in the megalopolis of Night City, where you play as a cyberpunk mercenary wrapped up in a do-or-die fight for survival. Improved and featuring all-new free additional content, customize your character and playstyle as you take on jobs, build a reputation, and unlock upgrades. The relationships you forge and the choices you make will shape the story and the world around you. Legends are made here. What will yours be? Available now on Steam. F1 23 Be the last to brake in EA SPORTS F1 23, the official video game of the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship. A new chapter in the thrilling “Braking Point” story mode delivers high-speed drama and heated rivalries. Available now on Steam. Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered Developed by Insomniac Games in collaboration with Marvel, and optimized for PC by Nixxes Software, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered on PC introduces an experienced Peter Parker who’s fighting big crime and iconic villains in Marvel’s New York. At the same time, he’s struggling to balance his chaotic personal life and career while the fate of Marvel’s New York rests upon his shoulders. Available now on Steam. The Riftbreaker The Riftbreaker is a base-building, survival game with Action-RPG elements. You are an elite scientist/commando inside an advanced Mecha-Suit capable of dimensional rift travel. Hack & slash countless enemies. Build up your base, collect samples and research new inventions to survive. Available now on Steam. Shadow of the Tomb Raider Experience Lara Croft’s defining moment as she becomes the Tomb Raider. In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Lara must master a deadly jungle, overcome terrifying tombs, and persevere through her darkest hour. As she races to save the world from a Maya apocalypse, Lara will ultimately be forged into the Tomb Raider she is destined to be. Available now on Steam. In the fast-paced world of today, every second counts. That's why we put each motherboard through its paces, measuring the time it takes to boot into Windows. A speedy boot time means less waiting and more doing. We've meticulously timed each motherboard's startup process, from pressing the power button to reaching the Windows desktop. Obviously, the shorter the time here, the better! Boot Time Power Consumption Power consumption on motherboards is important because it affects the stability and performance of the system, especially when overclocking or using high-end components. The power consumption of a motherboard depends on its features, the type of voltage regulator, integrated chipsets and modules, and BIOS power-saving features. More extreme VRM designs and increased levels of connectivity on a motherboard are likely to result in higher power draw. Still, we want to test that no board draws unreasonable power levels for its respective class. Typically a lower power draw is ideal for most users, but is still expected to be higher on gaming boards vs budget ones, and higher still on overclocking-focused motherboards. VRM Performance When it comes to testing VRM performance, there are multiple ways to do it including using the likes of HWiNFO to measure what the sensor tells you, or to use K-Type probes, or to get a better, well-rounded picture, you can use both, which is exactly what we've done here today. All of these motherboards were tested in the same room with the same probe configuration with the ambient temperature controlled at 23c for consistency in the results. First, the VRM temperature was taken at idle, with one probe on the upper VRMs and one probe to the side of the CPU A third reading was taken using the built-in sensor on the motherboard via HwiNFO. We then leave the system sitting on the desktop for 10 minutes to settle before taking our idle readings on both HWiNFO and the probes. After this, we wanted to simulate a worst-case scenario using Prime95 with small FFTs to generate the most heat, as well as Cinebench 2024 to simulate more common, real-world usage. We run each test for an hour, along with letting the temperatures to settle down between each test. You will find that the software reading from the sensor will vary quite wildly in areas, and this is down to the sensor location for one, and if the sensor is reporting the internal temperature instead, which based on our testing and the sensor data generally reading higher, that is the case. When we look at our table, we can see that every board did exceptionally well with nothing hitting over 70 degrees Celsius, with our highest result coming from the X870-I Gaming WiFi Mini-ITX board at Degrees on the sensor temperature, while our highest probe temperature was 68.8 Degrees from probe 1 on the same board during our Prime95 hour long run but as it is such a small board, that's pretty much expected. Given that VRMs (Voltage Regulator Modules) behave similarly to CPUs and GPUs regarding heat generation and dissipation, it's crucial to manage their temperatures effectively. Operating temperatures above 100°C can lead to long-term damage or failure. Typically, a safe operating range for VRMs is between 70°C and 90°C, but this could result in CPU performance throttling to reduce the temperatures to safer levels. however, it’s best to keep them below 70°C for optimal performance and longevity. All the boards tested here fall within these safe ranges, so that’s a big thumbs up for their thermal management. 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.