Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite WIFI7 ICE 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. 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.

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 Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite WIFI ICE Motherboard offers a compelling combination of cutting-edge features and user-friendly design, making it a strong contender for system builders seeking a high-performance AM5 platform. Gigabyte has clearly focused on delivering a motherboard that caters to the needs of demanding users, while also ensuring ease of use and accessibility for those newer to PC building.

Powerful VRM for Demanding Processors

The “ICE” motherboard, as we’ve come to call it during our testing, is particularly well-suited for gamers and content creators who demand top-tier performance and robust capabilities. Its robust VRM setup, featuring a digital twin 16+2+2 phase design, ensures ample power delivery for even the most demanding AMD Ryzen processors, including the latest Ryzen 9 series. This translates to stable performance during intensive tasks like gaming, video editing, and 3D rendering, even when pushing the CPU to its limits through overclocking. Furthermore, support for dual-channel DDR5 memory with AMD EXPO allows for significant memory overclocking potential, enabling users to extract even more performance from their systems.

Extreme Storage for Content Creators

Storage options are plentiful with four M.2 slots, including three blazing-fast PCIe 5.0 x4 options, providing ample space for high-speed NVMe SSDs. This is particularly beneficial for content creators and professionals working with large files and demanding applications. Gigabyte has also thoughtfully included EZ-Latch Plus and Click mechanisms, allowing for tool-less installation of M.2 drives and other components. This simplifies the building process, making it more accessible to users of all experience levels.

Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite WIFI ICE: A Feature-Rich Platform

Beyond its core hardware capabilities, the X870 Aorus Elite WIFI ICE boasts a range of thoughtful design elements and features. The WIFI EZ-Plug, for instance, simplifies antenna installation, while the Sensor Panel Link ensures hassle-free in-chassis panel setup. Connectivity is excellent, with a 2.5GbE LAN for fast and reliable wired networking, and Wi-Fi 7 with a directional ultra-high gain antenna for blazing-fast wireless speeds. The inclusion of dual USB4 Type-C ports with DP-Alt mode expands connectivity options for high-resolution displays and external devices. Gigabyte hasn’t skimped on the audio either, equipping the board with the Realtek ALC1220 HD Audio codec and audiophile-grade capacitors for an improved user experience.

Should I Buy One?

Overall, the Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite WIFI ICE Motherboard presents a well-rounded package that caters to both performance enthusiasts and those seeking an easy-to-build system with modern amenities and ease of use. Its combination of powerful hardware, thoughtful design, and user-friendly features makes it a compelling choice in the AM5 motherboard market. If you’re looking for a high-performance AM5 motherboard with a user-friendly design, the Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite WIFI7 ICE Motherboard is definitely worthy of your attention.