Anyone disappointed with AM5 X870 boards?

[JollyJamma]

I have the ASUS X870E motherboard and i have to admit the LED debug screen is a useful touch. Should be standard on all high end motherboards.

It used to be the standard on motherboards but it was removed and replaced with marketing stuff like RGB.

I had an MSI Z77 Mpower which was great and had the debug code LED. I even had an Asrock ITX Z77 motherboard with one on it.

Bring back LED code readouts and bring back the DFi LanParty series with its UV reactive PCI-e lanes is all I can say.

 

[Troezar]

There's lots of stuff on these latest boards but I do wonder if the pricing rise is also due to the platforms lasting much longer now. Look how long AM4 has lasted, must have eaten into motherboard sales.

Simple answer, if they last twice as long, double the price to maintain revenue.

 

[aaronyuri]

It used to be the standard on motherboards but it was removed and replaced with marketing stuff like RGB.

I had an MSI Z77 Mpower which was great and had the debug code LED. I even had an Asrock ITX Z77 motherboard with one on it.

Bring back LED code readouts and bring back the DFi LanParty series with its UV reactive PCI-e lanes is all I can say.

I know it became extremely popular, but **** me, I really hate RGB. I wish that fad would die.

My last board didn't have a debug LED and my current one does. I had forgotten how useful it is, especially when tinkering and being able to spot memory training at a glance!

DFI boards were so good back in the day. They always had the best and most whacky colour schemes, too.

 

[jms198]

The debug LED replaced the beep code. Looking at a b650 motherboard, I can not see where you would plug it in. Can you still use one? (Found it, it's separate to the front panel header)

If the boards last longer I can't see how intel have justified a whacking three generations for the price rise.

 

[Trifid]

Ah - an update from ASRock support, if people are interested (@Shaolin Chicken / @Meddling-Monk).



Ok well if it can be turned off I guess that’s OK

Asrock X870E Nova WIFI (Socket AM5) DDR5 ATX Motherboard

Order Asrock X870E Nova WIFI (Socket AM5) DDR5 ATX Motherboard now online and benefit from fast delivery.

www.overclockers.co.uk

You can see the fan cable in one of the photos, so presumably its easy to just unplug when building it. Is it definitely OK to run permanently in that setup? I'm not going back to noisy little fans.

 

[Nitefly]

Asrock X870E Nova WIFI (Socket AM5) DDR5 ATX Motherboard

Order Asrock X870E Nova WIFI (Socket AM5) DDR5 ATX Motherboard now online and benefit from fast delivery.

www.overclockers.co.uk

You can see the fan cable in one of the photos, so presumably its easy to just unplug when building it. Is it definitely OK to run permanently in that setup? I'm not going back to noisy little fans.

There’s not going to be any point unplugging it if you can just turn it off.

Might as well leave it plugged in, see if it’s actually annoying, then if it is annoying disable it in the bios.

 

[JollyJamma]

There's lots of stuff on these latest boards but I do wonder if the pricing rise is also due to the platforms lasting much longer now. Look how long AM4 has lasted, must have eaten into motherboard sales.

Simple answer, if they last twice as long, double the price to maintain revenue.

AM4 was one of the best motherboard generations of all time.

A cheap B450 motherboard is still getting new BIOS updates and CPU releases from AMD.

X670 and X870 just come across as marketing exercises when B650 is enough for almost everyone.

Watch them release PCI-e gen 6 for X970 (or whatever) to again try to push more expensive motherboards that have no actual performance benefit.

 

[hornetstinger]

AM4 was one of the best motherboard generations of all time.

A cheap B450 motherboard is still getting new BIOS updates and CPU releases from AMD.

X670 and X870 just come across as marketing exercises when B650 is enough for almost everyone.

Watch them release PCI-e gen 6 for X970 (or whatever) to again try to push more expensive motherboards that have no actual performance benefit.

Oh stop complaining. I think motherboard makers should start introducing monthly subscription systems, if you want to use the CPU socket that's £10 a month, per nvme socket another £10 each, and for every other socket £10 a month, ie memory, sata, etc. You want to use the power switch? Another £10 amonth, and a fee every time it's switched on. Overclocking? That's another DLC to pay for.

Then pop up adverts that are unskippable at random times, ie when playing a online MMOPG.


A good idea, huh?


What I find stupid the number of boards per chipset, and then E versions, so basically 15+ boards from one brand alone (ie ATX) It's stupid.

 

[aaronyuri]

Oh stop complaining. I think motherboard makers should start introducing monthly subscription systems, if you want to use the CPU socket that's £10 a month, per nvme socket another £10 each, and for every other socket £10 a month, ie memory, sata, etc. You want to use the power switch? Another £10 amonth, and a fee every time it's switched on. Overclocking? That's another DLC to pay for.

Then pop up adverts that are unskippable at random times, ie when playing a online MMOPG.


A good idea, huh?


What I find stupid the number of boards per chipset, and then E versions, so basically 15+ boards from one brand alone (ie ATX) It's stupid.

Gigabyte has an option in their BIOS enabled by default that creates an annoying notification after logon that encourages me to download their crappy GCC software. It has already begun.

 

[edgedemon]

I ponied up the princely sum of £408 for the Asus X870 STRIX-I mini itx board. As the only X870 mini itx board on offer I guess they can charge what they like as there is no competition.
It does feel like quality, it is heavy for its size not that it makes my wallet feel any better

 

[aaronyuri]

I ponied up the princely sum of £408 for the Asus X870 STRIX-I mini itx board. As the only X870 mini itx board on offer I guess they can charge what they like as there is no competition.
It does feel like quality, it is heavy for its size not that it makes my wallet feel any better

Here's something to help with your situation:

 

[mahius]

Some motherboard makers are using the front audio panel audio out as well to get the 5.1 (3 x dual) channel setup, so they can reduce the amount of ports on the back and add other stuff instead.

Just a sign of the trends unfortunately, as things are moving away from analogue 5.1 and moving to digital forms of it (HDMI, Optical, Coax, etc - and even the latter two have hard effort in phasing them out, just they're going really slowly).

This is a bit of a deal-breaker for me with these new X870 boards. Almost none of them have the full set of 5 audio ports, which is a downgrade over previous boards for me (I have a lot of audio I plug in). I bought an Asus Strix B650e-e for my recent build and it was still a downgrade from my previous Z97 board, less SATA ports, no onboard power/reset buttons. But at least it had the rest, like full 5-audio ports and readout code. Which already became useful within weeks of doing the build. An old GPU died (rather it was already dead and I was hoping it was still working) and the PC wouldn't boot at all, but the post codes helped me figure out it was getting stuck with either GPU or memory training errors. Replacing the GPU and using the CMOS reset button fixed it.

I guess one plus side with these boards is the connectivity and the fact that post-codes now also come on non-E X870 boards for cheaper too. For B650-E/X670, post-codes were only available on the boards that RRPed well over £300. Now I've seen them on these new 870 under £300. And even the more budget X870 boards closer to £200 have the onboard power/reset buttons, which my more costly Strix B650E-E doesn't have.

It's a hit or miss depending on what folks need, but for me, I'm fine with what I have. Even though the bluetooth sometimes gives me issues on this board (my old cheap-as-chips CSR4.0 dongle never had issues like this).

If anyone does get one of these new X870 boards, please let us know how the bluetooth and/or wifi performs. I know someone in the market for a new board/build.

 

[Caracus2k]

KitGuru summed it up best, X870 is X670 with USB 4.

That options been there anyway.

My x670e Asus Proart has USB4

An expensive a lightly used addition for most users. Apparently incorporated into this chipset to justify an expensive new set of boards when the option was always there before for people that needed/ wanted such IO!

And yet more shenanigans with the X870 branding... is there no one at AMD who says "what a minute why don't we not insult the intelligence of our customers and improve our brand image by not engaging in the sort of nonsence Nvidia and Intel pull with their branding"

 

[Elevon]

There is always an option for USB4 PCIe add in cards, so any board with a spare slot can add USB4.

 

[Vince]

Some of the boards are fine and priced similar to their 600 counterparts but some are blatant cash grabs. Take the ASUS X870-F strix for example has a huge price rise over its 600 series predecessor.

My basket at OcUK:

• 1 x Asus ROG Strix B650E-F Gaming WIFI (Socket AM5) DDR5 ATX Motherboard (SKU: MB-6JX-AS) = £215.99
• 1 x Asus ROG STRIX X870-F GAMING WIFI (Socket AM5) DDR5 ATX Motherboard (SKU: MOT-ASU-03086) = £408.98

Total: £632.96 (includes delivery: £7.99)​

That's not it predecessor though, one is a b series and the other an x series. X870 predecessor would be an x670 surely

 

[Meddling-Monk]

There is always an option for USB4 PCIe add in cards, so any board with a spare slot can add USB4.

This is true, but as in most cases, when you factor in the cost to obtain one (10gb ports, USB4/Thunderbolt etc, and of course you knowing you will need it) if the option is already built in, you won't have to lose the PCIe slot if you do eventually need it for something else and only need to add the price in.

Although we also run foul of instances like the USB4 20g(or was it 40g) ports on the back sharing lanes with the PCIe 5.0 m.2 slot as well on the Asus Proart X670E when the manufacturers didn't even list it as linked as such and users have to figure it out on their own.

So there's pitfalls everywhere you go. Just need to weigh up what's important for you and go for it first time I guess.

 

[Joxeon]

That's not it predecessor though, one is a b series and the other an x series. X870 predecessor would be an x670 surely

Don’t fool for marketing, the X870 (non E) shares the chipset same spec as the B650E.

I'm sure the consumer confusion is all part of the plan though.


So even reviewers are now confused, B650E = X870 with USB4 mandatory.

X670 has essentially been discontinued.

 

[aaronyuri]

That's not it predecessor though, one is a b series and the other an x series. X870 predecessor would be an x670 surely

Logically, you would be safe to assume that. But not on this occasion. X870 is B650E's successor.

Not sure why they are pulling this crap, but alas.

 

[Troezar]

I cured my desire for expensive motherboards by buying one. Very nice, but lots of features I either didn't need or didn't use. I'm now buying cheaper and so far not noticed the difference. I don't like the deliberate exclusion of cheap features to upsell.

 

[Joxeon]

Logically, you would be safe to assume that. But not on this occasion. X870 is B650E's successor.

Not sure why they are pulling this crap, but alas.

People assume X870 is a higher tier of product so are more likely to accept the higher price tag.