Motherboards Reviews

ASUS ROG Strix X670E-I Gaming WiFi Motherboard Review – Features, Design & BIOS

ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-I Feature Image

Introduction

Ryzen 7000 CPUs are finally here, and with the release of these new processors are loads of brand new products, like RAM and motherboards. We’re excited to take a look at all of the new boards on the AM5 platform, but what are your options if you’re trying to build a more portable setup?

Finding an alternative form factor motherboard can be a complicated task, as these boards tend to be somewhat niche in their market positioning. However, we’ve got an excellent board from the ASUS ROG Strix range, the X670E-I Gaming WiFi. With support for the latest features, and despite the small size this board definitely packs a punch.

Buy the ASUS ROG Strix X670E-I Gaming WiFi on:

Suggested Article: AMD Ryzen 5 7600X VS AMD Ryzen 9 7900X – What are the Key Differences?

The X670E Chipset & Mini-ITX Form Factor

The X670E chipset is the top-end option geared towards enthusiasts and overclockers to get the best build money can buy. This chipset will utilise the most amount of PCI-E lanes, giving consumers the most in terms of upgrade paths along with the most amount of slots. This also allows users to enjoy brand new features like USB4, and support for a powerful WiFi 6E modular.

ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-I CPU Socket

However, when you start to look at small form factors, the amount accessible to you starts being put into question. Because Mini-ITX motherboards are so small, although you’re getting the benefits of a portable setup, you’ll start sacrificing a number of these new features. Mini-ITX boards only tend to have one PCI-E x16 slot, so for multi-GPU users, Mini-ITX boards are pretty much out of the question. You’ll also be limited on the number of storage options too. Although the ASUS ROG Strix X670E-I is a top-end board, there is only likely to be one or two SSD slots for you to use.

One benefit of the X670E platform utilising DDR5 is that the individual DIMMs themselves can be much bigger compared to the previous generation. Though you’ll only have two DIMM slots on this Mini-ITX, the sticks of RAM can be much bigger, still allowing for high performance without sacrificing too much capacity. With concerns to other features, Mini-ITX motherboards on the new platform should be very capable, generally speaking, but will lose certain features here and there based on the sheer size.

ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-I CPU Power Connector
Due to the small size of this board you only need to plug in one 8-Pin CPU power connector.
ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-I USB 3 Header
On the front panel you8217ve got access to some high speed USB 32 ports
ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-I VRM Cooling Fan
The VRMs have plenty of cooling for overclocking, with this large heatsink and fan.
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Table of Differences

To provide some context on the differences between the X670E chipset and alternative options, the table below highlights the key differences between two different motherboards as a point of comparison. We’ve taken a look at the ASUS ROG Strix X670E-I, and compared it against a Gigabyte board on the X670 chipset to give you an idea of the sacrifices you might make between chipsets.

FeaturesASUS ROG Strix X670E-I Gaming WiFiGigabyte X670 AORUS Elite AX
CPU Overclocking SupportYesYes
VRM Power Phases18+2?16+2+2
PCI-E 5.0 Slots1x x16 PCI-E 5.0 Slot
1x x4 PCI-E 5.0 Slots
1x x4 PCI-E 5.0 Slot
PCI-E 4.0 Slots1x x4 PCI-E 4.0 Slot2x x16 PCI-E 4.0 Slot
3x x4 PCI-E 4.0 Slots
USB Connections (Rear)5x USB 3.2 Gen1
2x USB4
2x USB 3.2 Gen2
2x USB 3.2 Gen1
4x USB 2.0
USB Connections (Front)4x USB 3.2 Gen1
1x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C
1x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C
4x USB 3.2 Gen1
4x USB 2.0
LAN Type2.5 Gigabit LAN2.5 Gigabit LAN
WiFi ModuleWiFi 6EWiFi 6E
Estimated MSRP$700?$400?

Comparison of Features

At a quick glance, both of the boards hold up relatively well against each other. The biggest difference that you’ll see here is the inclusion of PCI-E 5.0 on both boards. The X670 chipset has far less accessibility to the new standard of PCI-E 5.0. This means that upgrading to the newest GPUs and SSDs will be somewhat problematic. The ASUS ROG Strix X670E-I has dual PCI-E 5.0 slots, with one of them being an x16 for your GPU, and one x4 for SSDs. Despite being small in size, you can still upgrade to the latest hardware which is good to see.

Looking at rear IO, we’re also seeing much better high speed USB options on the X670E-I. The Gigabyte X670 AORUS Elite AX still has plenty of options when it comes to rear and front IO, but there are less top-end options. Networking is the same on both boards, with users having access to 2.5 Gigabit LAN and a WiFi 6E module.

Generally speaking, both of these boards are relatively similar when it comes to features. However, consumers will potentially lose out on upgradeability when it comes to the standard X670 chipset. If you’re looking to pick up some of the latest components, then you’ll want to weigh up your options when it comes to chipsets. But if you’re not worried about getting an upgrade to an RTX 4000 card, or one of AMD’s latest GPUs, then you may find that the X670 chipset is a suitable solution!

ASUS ROG Strix X670E-I Gaming WiFi Aesthetics & Design

Moving onto the design of the ROG Stix X670E-I, I’m pretty impressed with the overall design of this board. ASUS seem to have embraced the smaller form factor fully and have put many nice design elements into the board as possible. The board has a shimmering black design with various ROG logos on the SSD heatsink and rear IO panel. We’re seeing less of an extended heatsink design on this board, possibly due to the size, but there seems to be plenty of cooling on the VRMs. There’s also less exposed PCB on this board, based on how many features have been crammed into this design.

ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-I Whole Motherboard
ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-I Box

Look at the rest of the board, you’ll notice that it is quite chunky. Compared to other designs with large heatsinks for SSDs, the X670E-I reigns supreme with a massive heatsink for the PCI-E 5.0 M.2 SSD. However, this will help alleviate some of the thermal issues that come with powerful SSDs. Otherwise, the rest of the motherboard is relatively simple overall. ASUS are well known for going a bit crazy with the RGB, but we’re not seeing that on this motherboard, instead the Mini-ITX design is more minimalist which I prefer. I’m very happy with the aesthetic that this board offers, and I hope ASUS provide similar designs for other additions.

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Features

Now onto the section you’ve all been waiting for – the features. Even though this motherboard has a smaller more compact design, there’s plenty of features on offer for consumers to sink their teeth into, and we’ve noted them down below.

PCI-E 5.0 Support

The ROG Strix X670E-I allows users to embrace brand new components by utilising the new standard for PCI-Express, PCI-E 5.0. For GPUs, there is one x16 slot, fully compliant with the Gen5 technology. You’ve also got access to a Gen5 slot on the M.2 side and a Gen4 SSD slot if you need some extra storage space.

ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-I Gen5 SSD Slot

ASUS ROG FPS-II Card

The ROG FPS-II Card is a unique add-in option that is included in the box with this motherboard. The card has to USB Type-C ports that easily slot into the connectors on the right side of the board. The point of the card is to allow you to easily access your front panel and extra ports, along with the ability to clear CMOS and enable CPU overvoltage.

ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-I USB C Ports for FPS Card
ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-I ROG FPS-II Card

ASUS ROG Strix Hive

The ASUS ROG Strix Hive is a brand new inclusion in the wake of Ryzen 7000 CPUs. This magnetic add-on allows you to quickly change various settings on the fly without having to go back into your BIOS and restart your PC. The Hive also houses a top-shelf audio codec and DAC, bringing incredible quality audio to your PC!

ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-I ROG Hive 1
At the front you have access to PBO, Flex Key and BIOS flash, this is also the correct orientation to change volume.
ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-I ROG Hive 2
One the left side is a USB Type-C port along with audio that supports S/PDIF out.
ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-I ROG Hive 3
And on the right is how you power the ROG Strix Hive by plugging it into the BIOS USB, along with a Type-C port.

USB4 Ports

USB4 ports are a new addition to the PC gaming and building scene, giving users access to hyper-fast speeds. It also brings the ability to charge devices at rapid speeds with QuickCharge 4+. The ROG Strix X670E-I has two on the rear IO in the Type-C format for you to use to your heart’s content.

ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-I Rear IO

What’s In The Box?

The ASUS ROG Strix X670E-I Gaming WiFi motherboard comes with a load of extra features in the box that supplements building your PC, but also adds some usability features that can make your gaming experience much better.

ROG FPS-II Card

ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-I ROG FPS-II Card
The ROG FPS-II card allows you to easily access your front panel connectors on this small board.

ROG Strix Hive

ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-I ROG Hive 1
The brand new ROG Strix Hive allows you to change PC settings on the fly!

SATA Cables

Gigabyte X670E AORUS Master SATA Cables
If you want more storage for your PC, you can utilise the included SATA cables to plug in more drives.

Cable Ties

ASUS ROG Strix X670E-I Gaming WiFi Cable Ties
You can reduce any cable clutter with the included cable ties!

WiFi Antenna

ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-I WiFi Antenna
To make use of your onboard WiFi 6E you8217ll need to install the antenna

M.2 Latch

ASUS ROG Strix X670E-I Gaming WiFi M.2 Latch
The M.2 latch allows you to easily install your SSDs without tools.
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BIOS

ASUS X670 Advanced Mode
You will need to come to the advanced mode to change any major settings But once you8217re here you can make any amends to overclocking XMP profiles and boot priorities
ASUS X670 Overclocking
The Extreme Tweaker tab allows you to change any overclocking configurations for your build so you can get the most performance out of your CPU.
ASUS X670 EXPO
Select RAM kits support the brand new EXPO memory technology from AMD. You will want to come here to enable this setting to get some performance boost out of your system.
ASUS X670 Fan Curve
For those that want the best airflow and thermals, the simple fan curve settings are built to allow you to easily change speeds and set profiles for maximum performance.
ASUS X670 Boot Priorities
Before jumping into some games, you will want to take a look at the Boot tab in order to configure your drives to get access to the Windows Boot Manager.

Compatible Processors

Although Ryzen 7000 CPUs aren’t locked behind a particular chipset, finding the best CPU for your motherboard is vital in getting the best value for money. As much as you could throw a low-end CPU into this motherboard, the ROG Strix X670E-I will be better suited with some more high-end Ryzen 7000 CPUs to get the best out of the performance.

CPU NameCompatibilityDo We Recommend?
Ryzen 9 7950X
Ryzen 9 7900X
Ryzen 7 7800X?
Ryzen 7 7700X
Ryzen 5 7600X?
Ryzen 5 7500?
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Conclusion

ASUS ROG Strix X670E-I Gaming WiFi

Product Name: ROG Strix X670E-I Gaming WiFi

Brand: ASUS

  • Features
  • Design
  • Performance
  • Value For Money
3.8

Summary

The ASUS ROG Strix X670E-I Gaming WiFi is a great addition to the market giving consumers the opportunity to enjoy some of the latest features but with a smaller form factor. The inclusion of PCI-E 5.0 gives you the chance to enjoy the brand new components when they release, along with some incredibly fast USB ports offering insane speeds. However, I’m a little bit confused about the ROG Strix Hive. The board itself is perfectly fine, but I feel the Hive add-on doesn’t really serve much of a purpose that is needed. Most headsets have integrated media controls, and for those that want to change overclock settings or clear CMOS, all of this can be done easily enough with the BIOS, or with a button on the rear IO. I’m also concerned that the inclusion of this add-on might be driving up the price of this board too. Regardless, if you’re happy with the price and the somewhat redundant add-on, the ROG Strix X670E-I is a great board for those that want to build a smaller setup.

Pros

✅ New high speed USB4 ports.

✅ Dual PCI-E 5.0 slots.

✅ ROG FPS-II card is very useful!

Cons

❌ ROG Hive seems pointless.

❌ Mini-ITX form factor not for everyone.

❌ Doesn’t have 10 Gigabit LAN.

editor
Jay Harris is an expert in everything PC hardware! With a degree in Cybersecurity, and a PC hardware background Jay has all of the technical knowledge required to make informed recommendations. Jay is an avid keyboard builder and gamer, with a major passion for tech. In fact, Jay's personal rig boasts a white RX 7900 XTX graphics card, inside of the Lian O11D Mini - a true enthusiast's dream!