ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Extreme motherboard: features, specs and who it suits

The ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Extreme is an E-ATX motherboard for AMD's AM5 socket, aimed at enthusiast builds. ASUS packs in 20+2+2 power stages, five M.2 slots, Wi-Fi 7, dual USB4 and two Ethernet ports, along with a 5-inch colour LCD on the board.

Socket and processors

The AM5 socket supports AMD Ryzen 9000, 8000 and 7000 series desktop processors, according to ASUS. The X870E chipset is the high-end tier for AM5. The board is E-ATX, which is larger than standard ATX, so the case matters.

Power delivery and cooling

The listing gives 20(110A)+2(110A)+2 power stages with ProCool II power connectors, MicroFine alloy chokes and premium metallic capacitors. Power stages smooth the current sent to the processor, and a large number of high-current stages is typically aimed at demanding overclocking or heavy multi-core loads.

For cooling, ASUS lists heatsinks integrated with the I/O cover, two U-shaped heatpipes, high-conductivity thermal pads and a 3D vapour-chamber (VC) M.2 heatsink on one PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot.

Storage: five M.2 slots

There are three onboard PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots, plus two PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots through a Q-DIMM.2 module, all with cooling. PCIe 5.0 SSDs can be very fast but run warm, hence the heatsinks. A SlimSAS connector with PCIe 4.0 x4 support allows additional connections, and there are two PCIe 5.0 x16 SafeSlots.

Networking and connectivity

Networking includes Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with the ASUS WiFi Q-Antenna, a Realtek 5Gb Ethernet port and a Marvell AQtion 10Gb Ethernet port. The 10Gb port only helps if the rest of your network, such as the switch and cabling, also supports it. USB includes dual USB4 Type-C ports, a front-panel USB 20Gbps Type-C connector with Quick Charge 4+ up to 60W, a USB 10Gbps Type-C front-panel connector and ten additional USB 10Gbps ports. There is also an HDMI port.

AI features and software

ASUS promotes AI Overclocking, AI Cooling II, AI Networking II and AEMP, which it says simplify setup and improve performance. Software includes DriverHub, Dolby Atmos, TurboV Core, GlideX and HWiNFO, plus a one-year Internet Security subscription and a bundled one-year AIDA64 Extreme subscription. Offer terms can change, so check ASUS's current details.

Audio, display and build

Audio comes from a ROG SupremeFX ALC4082 codec with an ESS ES9219 Quad DAC for up to 32-bit/384 kHz playback. The full-colour 5-inch LCD and the ARGB headers can be configured through Aura Sync. Tool-free features such as the M.2 Q-Release, Q-Latch and Q-Slide, a pre-mounted I/O shield, Q-Code and Q-LED diagnostics, and BIOS FlashBack and Clear CMOS buttons are listed to ease assembly and troubleshooting. The board weighs 6.7 lb (about 3 kg).

Who it suits

It suits enthusiasts building a high-end AM5 system who need lots of fast storage, quick networking and USB4, and who have a case that takes E-ATX.

What to check before you buy

• Case: confirm E-ATX support and standoff layout.
• Processor and BIOS: check ASUS's CPU support list and any BIOS update.
• Memory: AM5 uses DDR5.
• Power supply: check the CPU and board power connectors.
• Network: a 10Gb port needs compatible equipment to run at full speed.
• Cooler: confirm AM5 mounting.

The short version

• E-ATX AM5 motherboard for Ryzen 9000, 8000 and 7000 series.
• 20+2+2 power stages and five M.2 slots, three of them PCIe 5.0.
• Wi-Fi 7, 5Gb and 10Gb Ethernet, and dual USB4.
• 5-inch LCD, SupremeFX audio and AI overclocking and cooling tools.
• About 6.7 lb (3 kg).

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