ASUS ROG Strix X870-A Gaming WIFI 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 Strix X870-A Gaming WIFI motherboard is an exceptional offering that excels in both aesthetics and performance. Its striking white and silver design, accented by substantial heatsinks, protective armour, and a touch of RGB lighting, makes it a visually appealing centrepiece for any PC build. Beyond its good looks, the X870-A boasts a powerful VRM that can effortlessly handle the demands of high-end CPUs, even under sustained loads like gaming or video rendering. This robust power delivery system provides ample headroom for overclocking, allowing users to push their processors to the next level.  

Storage

Storage options are plentiful and impressive, with two PCIe 5.0 x4 M.2 slots and two PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slots, offering a wealth of high-speed storage configurations and RAID possibilities. Each M.2 slot is equipped with a large heatsink to ensure optimal drive temperatures and performance.  

AI BIOS

ASUS has also integrated its intelligent AI features into this motherboard, including AI Overclocking, AI Cooling, and AI Networking, making it incredibly easy to optimize system performance with just a few clicks. The feature-rich BIOS provides further customization options for experienced users.  

Connectivity

Audio quality is top-notch thanks to the integrated SupremeFX audio hardware, delivering immersive and high-fidelity sound. Connectivity is equally impressive with 2.5GbE LAN and the latest WiFi 7 technology ensuring blazing-fast networking speeds.  

Should I Buy One?

In summary, the ASUS ROG Strix X870-A Gaming WIFI motherboard is a fantastic all-around package that leaves little to be desired. It seamlessly blends stunning aesthetics with powerful performance, comprehensive features, and user-friendly intelligence. Whether you’re a gamer, content creator, or enthusiast, this motherboard is an excellent foundation for a high-performance PC build.