Ryzen 7000 processors are coming. Here are the top AM5 motherboards from Asrock, Asus, Biostar, Gigabyte, and MSI.
Mike Sexton
AMD’s AM5 desktop platform and Ryzen 7000 CPUs will launch this fall. We’ve seen peeks of the Ryzen 7000 series and new architecture since Computex 2022, but we’ve paid less attention to the motherboards that will house them.
AMD organised a preview event on August 4 to show off new motherboard designs. Now that the hardware launch is near, it’s time to look at the platform and some of AMD’s board partners’ cutting-edge desktop flagships.
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AMD AM5: PCIe 5.0, DDR5, and Overclocking
AMD described the AM5 platform and its chipsets. AM5 will support PCI Express 5.0, DDR5 memory, and USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, creating feature parity with Intel’s LGA1700-based 12th Gen “Alder Lake” architecture. At launch, there will be three AM5 chipsets: the B650, X670, and X670 Extreme (or X670E).
The B650 may be the most affordable alternative, but its qualities are unclear. It will support PCI Express 5.0 and DDR5, but that’s it. AMD X670 and X670 Extreme are clearer plays. The Extreme model is aimed for overclocking aficionados.
Other than overclocking, the X670 and X670 Extreme are similar. The X670 Extreme supports two PCI Express 5.0 lanes, not just one. This disparity seems odd, given recent games rarely support multi-GPU. This could be a turning point for content creators and workstation-like workloads.
Each chipset’s USB ports and PCI Express lanes are likewise unknown. An AM5 platform with a Ryzen 7000 series processor and X670 Extreme chipset will offer 24 PCI Express 5.0 lanes and up to 14 USB ports, but we don’t know how much of this hardware will run off the CPU.
We’ve seen some new AM5 motherboards from the chipmaker’s board partners, which gives us additional knowledge. AMD describes the AM5 platform as supporting up to 170 watts, and many of these motherboards have more robust power designs than AMD AM4 and Intel “Alder Lake” This may mean AMD is building power-hungry CPUs.
Let’s look at the five most interesting new motherboards and what they provide. (No board maker has disclosed price yet.)
ROG X670E Extreme
Asus’ AM5 flagship, the ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme, is loaded with high-end features. 20+2 110-amp circuits support high overclocking. DDR5 DRAM and USB 4.0 are supported. It will have a 10Gbps Marvell AQtion LAN controller and a Wi-Fi 6E chip.
The board’s visual flair is no surprise. The Crosshair will have LED lighting and a display for bespoke animations. Asus will offer the motherboard with two storage add-ons that use the secondary PCI Express 5.0 x16 slot.
Asrock’s X670E Taichi Carrara is its greatest AM5 motherboard. Not the Porsche “Carrera” but the Tuscan marble city.) This board has faux-marble heat spreaders and I/O shroud.
Asrock’s Carrara motherboard has 26 power phases, but additional data (such as the amperage each phase can handle) are unknown, making comparisons difficult. The multiple power phases are presumably high-end, which should ease overclocking.
The X670E Taichi Carrara has two USB4/Thunderbolt 4 connections, eight SATA 3.0 connectors, and a PCI Express 5.0 x4 M.2 slot. Asrock’s X670E Taichi Carrara has a 2.5Gbps LAN controller and a Killer AX1675X Wi-Fi 6E chip, compared to Asus’ ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme.
Biostar X670E
Biostar has an AM5 X670E motherboard to show off early, but the Valkyrie lags behind the competition. Its audio and networking features are based on older components. Though antenna connectors are visible on the back I/O panel, there’s no Wi-Fi controller specified. This could be an error, or it could mean the board lacks Wi-Fi and just has antenna connections for your own controller.
Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 aren’t listed as Biostar X6780E Valkyrie characteristics. The board appears capable and includes 22 105-amp power phases. The Biostar could be a contender if it has a competitive MSRP, despite being a touch behind the other flagship boards available.
Gigabyte X670EAorusXtreme
Gigabyte’s AM5 solution balances Biostar and Asus. Its audio circuitry is based on Realtek’s older ALC1220 audio codec, like the Valkyrie, but it has a higher-end front-panel codec. It features 22 105-amp power phases, like Biostar’s.
The Biostar board is different else. The X670E Aorus Xtreme has a 10Gbps Aquantia NIC and integrated Wi-Fi 6E, like the Asus ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme. A colourful LED light show over the rear I/O shroud adds extra pzazz.
Godlike MSI MEG X670E
The MEG X670E Godlike is part of MSI’s Godlike series of hyper-flagship motherboards. This board’s 24+2 105-amp power subsystem should rival Asus and Asrock AM5 flagships. It will have 10Gbps LAN, a 2.5Gbps LAN controller, and a Wi-Fi 6E chip.
MSI plans to equip these motherboards with an add-on card that supports two PCI Express 5.0 x4 NVMe solid-state drives for additional ultra-fast storage.
More info and reviews of AM5 goods are coming.
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