Best X870 Motherboards to Buy in 2024

With the arrival of Ryzen 9000 in August of 2024, the X870 chipset launched shortly afterwards, bringing marked improvements and refinements to the core technologies available on the AM5 platform. These boards bring better high-speed IO, widespread support for Gen5 components across the SSD and GPU slots, and better overclocking capabilities. But picking out the strongest board isn’t easy, with so many boards saturating the market and more likely to be released over time. So, what better way to determine the best X870 motherboards than by testing a range of these designs out?

This motherboard buyers guide provides an in-depth look at a selection of X870 boards, all of which are suited to various budgets and use cases. We’ve picked out boards for enthusiasts and options catering to those looking to save some cash. As always with our buyers guides, we’ll delve into each board’s specs, design, features, and pricing to determine its value proposition.

Our Top Pick: ASUS ROG Strix X870-A Gaming WiFi

The best X870 motherboard is the ASUS ROG Strix X870-A Gaming WiFi. This board offers an exceptionally strong value proposition thanks to its high-speed IO and connectivity, featuring USB 4, two Gen5 SSD slots, and WiFi 7 networking. Additionally, it is one of the few X870 motherboards on the market that has a gorgeous all-white design, further cementing its value compared to other boards.

$329.99 at Amazon

Last updated: 2024-12-29 15:51:52 ET

Newegg

The Best X870 Motherboards

1. ASUS ROG Strix X870-A Gaming WiFi

First up is the ASUS ROG Strix X870-A Gaming WiFi. This is our top pick in this roundup, offering a gorgeous white design that includes colouring on the PCB. White motherboards are rare, with Gigabyte being one of the only manufacturers offering entirely white options. The ROG Strix X870-A Gaming WiFi has a light theme across the heatsinks, the majority of which are removable without any tools or with minimal screws. The white design looks excellent and provides a choice for those building a white system.

Connectivity-wise, there’s plenty on offer. This board offers a single Gen5 x16 graphics card slot, two Gen5 M.2 SSD slots, and three Gen4 SSD slots. This board is very well equipped on the front IO, offering a USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C header, followed by two USB 3.2 Gen1 headers and two USB 2.0 headers. The latter two support up to four ports at the maximum.

On the rear, there are twelve ports in total, including two USB4 Type-C ports, six USB 3.2 Gen2 ports (five Type-A and one Type-C), and four USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports. Twelve ports is a solid offering and accommodates those with plenty of peripherals. For networking, there is a 2.5 Gigabit LAN and WiFi 7 for those with a supporting router. While audio is slightly more limited, seeing optical S/PDIF alongside the basic in and out 3.5mm jacks is nice.

Regarding pricing, the ROG Strix X870-A Gaming WiFi is one of the more expensive X870 motherboards at $369.99 MSRP. While the price won’t be worth it for some, this board is very closely aligned on the specs front with many of the X870E motherboards we’ve reviewed, but it is much cheaper. For this reason, the ROG Strix X870-A Gaming WiFi is a board that we urge enthusiasts to pick up if they’re looking to build a white PC.

2. Gigabyte X870 AORUS Elite WiFi7

The Gigabyte X870 AORUS Elite WiFi7 is a well-rounded motherboard for the price-conscious. The X870 chipset generally includes a mixture of high-end motherboards and mid-range boards with slightly reduced features to remain cheaper. The Gigabyte X870 AORUS Elite WiFi7 is the latter of these options. But despite being more affordable than other X870 boards we’ve looked at, it is still very well-equipped.

On the expansion front, there is a Gen5 graphics card slot ready for the next generation of GPUs, alongside three Gen5 SSD slots and a single Gen4 slot for those looking to increase storage to the maximum. This board has a 16+2+2 VRM power phase configuration for overclocking support, which is more than enough to push your boost clock speed, and RAM caps out at 8000MT/s.

For IO, this is where we’re starting to see a degree of cost-cutting. There are twelve ports in total. Four of these are USB 2.0, which is a shame, but there’s still a good selection of USB ports. The rest of the rear IO comprises two USB4 Type-C ports, four USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports, and two USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A ports. Audio is reasonably basic, with one optical S/PDIF and two 3.5mm audio jacks. As for networking, the X870 AORUS Elite WiFi7 uses the same ports as the ROG Strix X870-A Gaming WiFi, which is 2.5 Gigabit LAN and WiFi 7.

The most significant caveat of this motherboard is its feature set and design. The connectivity has some drawbacks, such as the USB 2.0 ports, which are likely included to bulk out the selection of ports on offer alongside the restricted audio options. However, as an affordable motherboard, this isn’t a deal-breaker for us, and this is a board that we’d recommend to those on a budget.

3. ASUS TUF Gaming X870-Plus WiFi

ASUS TUF Gaming motherboards are a mainstay in the market, and this TUF Gaming X870-Plus WiFi is a solid mid-range board geared towards those looking to save some cash. We’re big fans of the ASUS TUF range because they’re designed for one specific purpose – great value and low pricing. The current range of X870 boards is quite pricey, so the TUF Gaming X870-Plus WiFi is a somewhat cheaper alternative.

Regarding overclocking, the TUF Gaming X870-Plus WiFi supports RAM speeds up to 8000MT/s and has a 16+2+1 VRM power phase configuration, enough to sustain a decent boost clock speed. For expansion, builders have access to a single Gen5 GPU slot, two Gen5 SSD slots, and two Gen4 SSD slots, so there’s plenty of room to upgrade once new components are released.

The number of USB ports on the TUF Gaming X870-Plus WiFi is slightly more limited compared to other boards in this roundup, but the rear IO is primarily made up of high-speed ports, of which there are ten in total. There are slightly more audio options overall, with five 3.5mm jacks, opening up options for those with speaker setups. As expected, this board features 2.5 Gigabit LAN and WiFi 7 for networking, a mainstay across most X870 motherboards.

In terms of cons, I think the main weakness of the TUF Gaming X870-Plus WiFi is its aesthetic. I’m a fan of the industrial design, but we can understand why it won’t appeal to everyone, especially if you opt for a more neutral black theme. However, I think the TUF Gaming X870-Plus WiFi offers an excellent value proposition overall.

4. ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi

The ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi is a Mini-ITX motherboard designed for those building a small-form-factor gaming PC. While this motherboard is small, it is incredibly mighty. Equipped with a Gen5 graphics card slot and two SSD slots (one Gen5 and one Gen4), this small board offers solid expansion options to maximise performance and storage capacity.

Because of its small form factor, RAM capacity is limited to 96GB at the maximum, but it can be overclocked to 8400MT/s, which is great to see. The ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFI also isn’t specifically geared towards overclocking. So, the VRM power phase configuration (at 10+2+1) is slightly weaker than the ATX boards we’ve looked at, which have more robust cooling for the VRMs.

Front IO connectivity is somewhat limited out of the box, but installing the ROG Strix Hive II and ROG FPS Card (included) opens up the port selection with additional USB 3.2 Gen2 and USB 2.0 headers. On the rear, ASUS has included two USB4 Type-C ports, five USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A ports, and three USB 2.0 ports, an excellent set of options despite this board’s size. For networking, prospective buyers can utilise the 2.5 Gigabit LAN port, or WiFi 7 for those who prefer a wireless setup.

This motherboard’s most apparent weakness is its size, which limits its features. If you’re used to a traditional ATX motherboard experience with ample headers, ports, and slots, then Mini-ITX boards will come as a bit of a shock. Sacrifices have to be made to slim down the size of the PCB, which means there are fewer RAM DIMMs, PCI-E slots, and internal connections. However, ASUS has done their best to improve this by providing the ROG Strix Hive II and FPS card add-ons.

5. MSI Pro X870-P WiFi

The final board to look at in this roundup is the MSI Pro X870-P WiFi. This board is an exciting option because, at a glance, it looks pretty barebones and isn’t the most attractive board on the market. However, under the hood, it offers a solid selection of features and connectivity while coming in at a lower price than most X870 motherboards.

Looking at the specs, this Pro X870-P motherboard offers RAM overclocking up to 8200MT/s. It also features a 14+2+1 VRM power phase configuration, slightly weaker than some other boards but still enough to sustain a moderate overclock. Compared to other boards, expansion is also somewhat restrictive, with this board offering one Gen5 GPU slot alongside a PCI-E 5.0 SSD slot and two Gen4 slots.

On the rear IO, the MSI Pro X870-P WiFi features ten ports total: four USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports, two USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A ports, one USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C port, and a USB4 Type-C port. We’d prefer more high-speed ports than USB 2.0, but there’s good variety here. Surprisingly, the Pro X870-P WiFi also offers WiFi 7 and 5 Gigabit LAN, a unique offering worth considering for those looking for strong networking speeds.

Much like the TUF Gaming X870-Plus WiFi, this board’s biggest caveat is its design. While the integrated rear IO shield is a nice value add, the vast majority of the board is pretty exposed, featuring only a few heatsinks. The grey design is also quite plain, so this board might not be the best choice if you’re looking to build a fancier-looking system.

How We Tested the Best X870 Motherboards

To pick out the best X870 motherboards, we put all the boards in this roundup through the wringer, evaluating their specs, design, features, and pricing to determine their value proposition. All the motherboards we’ve looked at are also built with in a gaming PC to assess the building quality and experience. We’ve compiled articles detailing our testing procedures and methodologies used to benchmark these CPU coolers.

Frequently Asked Questions

X870 vs X870E?

X870s are generally geared towards the mid-range of the market and will have weaker overclocking capabilities, while X870Es are the extreme boards for enthusiast builds.

Do I Need to Update the BIOS for Ryzen 9000?

All of the X870 boards work with Ryzen 9000 out of the box, so there’s no need to update the BIOS.

Is There A B850 Chipset?

Not yet, but there are rumours that the B850 will launch towards the start of 2025.