A look at the features and specs of these new AM5 motherboards
Updated: Oct 8, 2024 1:31 pm
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Now the AMD Ryzen 9000 series processors have hit the shelves, everyone is scrambling to pick up a nice new motherboard to pair up with theirs. Below we’re taking a look at the more high-end options offered by Gigabyte, operating on the X870E chipset; the perfect accompaniment for those looking to squeeze out a bit of extra performance from their new CPU, perhaps with a bit of overclocking. Read on for everything you need to know.
X870E vs X870 motherboards
The first decision you need to make when working out which motherboard is right for you is whether or not you should go with an X870 chipset or an X870E. The ‘E’ designation stands for ‘Extreme’ and signifies that the board is more suited to high-end gaming or workstation rigs. In previous generations the ‘E’ boards were the only ones that came with PCI-e 5.0 support on their PCI-e GPU lanes, however both X870 and X870E come with it this time round, so this isn’t a deciding factor. In a nutshell, X870E boards in the current gen come with more USB ports, more SATA ports, and additional PCI-e lanes that can be used for non-GPU components (e.g sound cards, capture cards, WiFi, and additional storage including RAID controllers); the X870E boards have an additional chipset to control all of this. X870 motherboards are cheaper however, and if you’re not going to use all the extra ports then it might not make sense to spend that extra cash, in which case, have a look at the various X870 models on offer.
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The AORUS X870E motherboards currently available
There are currently three different X870E motherboards available to purchase that are listed on the Gigabyte site: the AORUS Elite, AORUS Pro and AORUS Master. All three of these boards come with a Digital Twin 16+2+2 VRM solution, which is ideal for overclocking should you wish to, though they have different DrMOS phase amplification (more on this below). All support WiFi7, Bluetooth 5.4, USB4, and DDR5 RAM to speeds of at least 8000MT/s (though some go beyond this), and have multiple PCIe 5.0 slots, though the exact amount differs between them.
This latest range all have features that make putting them in your build as easy as possible, including ‘EZ-Latch’ designs on the M.2 slots, heatsinks, and PCIe slots that remove the need for fiddling with screws and have a quick and easy release action. Additional heat protection exists across all thanks to their VRM Thermal Armor Advanced plus M.2 Thermal Guard L construction, further enabling you to overclock your processor to greater temps.
Aorus X870E Elite WiFi7: a solid high-end motherboard for gamers & creatives
Specifications
Socket: LGA 1718 (AM5)
Chipset: X870E
Form Factor: ATX Form Factor; 12″ x 9.6″ / 30.5 x 24.4cm
PCIe Version: 1x PCIe (x16) Gen 5, 1x PCIe (x4) Gen 4, 1x PCIe (x4) Gen 3, plus 4x M.2 slots
Memory speed: Up to 8000 MT/s
Memory capacity: 256GB DDR5
VRM power staging: 16(60A)+2(60A)+2(Ppak)
Internet connectivity: 2.5GbE ethernet, WiFi 7
Rear I/O: 1x Q-Flash Plus button, 4x USB 2.0/1.1, 4x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1x HDMI, 2x USB4 / Type-C (DP), 1x RJ-45, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (red), 2x antenna connectors (2T2R), 2x audio jacks, 1x optical S/PDIF Out connector
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The Aorus X870E Elite is the option that makes sense for most gamers and creatives, coming with 16(60A)+2(60A)+2(Ppak) power staging, certainly providing sufficient power stability for a degree of overclocking. Besides what’s mentioned above, you get four DDR5 DIMM sockets supporting up to a whopping 256GB of RAM in total, should you have any need of this ridiculous amount. There are two USB4 sockets that also support DisplayPort and HDMI connections. LAN support comes via a 2.5Gb ethernet socket; you also get a ‘Sensor Panel Link’ which makes it easy to setup an onboard video port.
The motherboard comes with Realtek ALC1220 HD Audio plus Audiophile Grade Capacitors. Besides this you get 7.1 channel audio support within the onboard software: ideal for home cinema setups and video/audio creatives working with this.
Aorus X870E Pro / Pro ICE: black & white variants with an enhanced power stage
Specifications
Socket: LGA 1718 (AM5)
Chipset: X870E
Form Factor: ATX Form Factor; 12″ x 9.6″ / 30.5 x 24.4cm
PCIe Version: 1x PCIe (x16) Gen 5, 1x PCIe (x4) Gen 4, 1x PCIe (x4) Gen 3, plus 4x M.2 slots
Memory speed: Up to 8000 MT/s
Memory capacity: 256GB DDR5
VRM power staging: 16(80A)+2(80A)+2(Ppak)
Internet connectivity: 2.5GbE ethernet, WiFi 7
Rear I/O: 1x Q-Flash Plus button, 2x USB 2.0/1.1, 1x HDMI, 4x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 2x USB4/Type-C (DP), 3x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (red), 1x RJ-45, 2x antenna connectors (2T2R), 1x optical S/PDIF Out connector, 2x audio jacks
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The Aorus X870E Pro and Pro ICE are basically the same motherboard, just in different colors: black and white (ice). Both boards build upon the features of the Aorus Elite, but with an enhanced 80A Smart Power Stage (meaning a 16(80A)+2(80A)+2(Ppak) VRM) and a ‘New Power Monitor’ in HWinfo that provides real-time monitoring on CPU power phases, making it even better for overclocking that bit further.
You also get a few extra fan and water cooling pump headers for your build than you do in the Elite, a couple more USB-A sockets, plus WiFi signal output of 11be 320MHz, as opposed to the 11be 160MHz in the Elite.
Aorus X870E Master: the dream for CPU & RAM overclocking
Specifications
Socket: LGA 1718 (AM5)
Chipset: X870E
Form Factor: ATX Form Factor; 12″ x 9.6″ / 30.5 x 24.4cm
PCIe Version: 1x PCIe (x16) Gen 5, 1x PCIe (x4) Gen 4, 1x PCIe (x4) Gen 3, plus 4x M.2 slots
Memory speed: Up to 8600 MT/s
Memory capacity: 256GB DDR5
VRM power staging: 16(110A)+2(110A)+2(Ppak)
Internet connectivity: 5GbE ethernet, WiFi 7
Rear I/O: 1x Q-Flash Plus button, 1x Clear CMOS button, 1x HDMI port, 2x USB4/USB Type-C (DP), 4x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (red), 4x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 2x USB 2.0/1.1, 1x RJ-45 port, 2x antenna connectors (2T2R), 2x audio jack, 1x optical S/PDIF Out
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The X870E AORUS Master is a true high-end overclocker’s motherboard. It comes with all the features of the Pro but with support for higher RAM speeds for memory overclocking aficionados (including 8200, 8400, and 8600MT/s), plus a 110A Smart Power Stage (meaning a 16(110A)+2(110A)+2(Ppak) VRM), giving unparalleled CPU overclocking stability to boot. RAM overclocking is further facilitated by DDR Wind Blade technology, which essentially means superior cooling for your memory modules.
Additionally you get a 5GbE ethernet connection rather than just a 2.5GbE, DTS:X Ultra audio support, a dedicated Clear CMOS button and an additional USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, plus Aorus lighting around the I/O area.
