AMD’s all-new X870 and X870E motherboards launch: Where to buy the best match for Ryzen 9000 CPUs

AMD's all-new X870 and X870E motherboards launch: Where to buy the best match for Ryzen 9000 CPUs

What you need to know

  • New motherboards supporting AMD’s X870 and X870E chipset are now available, launching first on Newegg.
  • All boards support the new AMD Ryzen 9000 Series desktop processors with the AM5 socket.
  • The new chipsets introduce USB 4.0 ports as standard, alongside DDR5-8000 memory and PCIe 5.0 for expansion cards and storage.

As a seasoned researcher with decades of experience under my belt, I must admit that the arrival of AMD’s X870 and X870E chipset motherboards feels like stepping into the future. Having built countless PCs throughout my career, the prospect of integrating USB 4.0 ports, DDR5-8000 memory, and PCIe 5.0 for expansion cards and storage is nothing short of exhilarating.


Today sees the launch of motherboards supporting AMD’s Ryzen 9000 Series, with the high-end X870 and X870E chipsets hitting stores. For those planning a full-sized ATX PC build, this is an excellent opportunity to go all out. However, if you’re aiming for a smaller micro-ATX or mini-ITX setup without sacrificing the USB 4.0 standard, you might need to exercise some patience as these smaller formats are yet to arrive on the market. Nonetheless, early adopters can choose from several models across brands like ASRock, ASUS, Gigabyte, and MSI, with initial stocks now available on Newegg.

800 Series motherboards aren’t essential for the latest AMD processors, such as the high-performance AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and 9950X, because they are compatible with previous generation boards that use a 600 Series chipset and AM5 socket. However, the new series of motherboards does support the latest DDR5 memory at speeds up to 8000 MHz with AMD EXPO RAM profiles, and can boost CPU performance by approximately 60% for Ryzen 9000 chips using their stock AGESA PI 1.2.0.2 BIOS software.

Which X870 and X870E boards are the cheapest?

AMD's all-new X870 and X870E motherboards launch: Where to buy the best match for Ryzen 9000 CPUs

As an analyst, I’ve found at least 25 motherboards compatible with the X870 and X870E chipset listed on Newegg today. However, a handful of these boards come with eye-catching (and rather amusing) price tags, reaching as high as $699.99. For those with deep pockets who don’t need further persuasion, I suppose the cost is justified. But for budget-conscious builders like myself, here are the most affordable options available in both X870 and X870E variants.

What’s new in X870 and X870E?

AMD's all-new X870 and X870E motherboards launch: Where to buy the best match for Ryzen 9000 CPUs

The shift from 600 Series motherboards to the latest 800 Series doesn’t appear to be a significant overhaul at first glance, but there are notable improvements. One of these is the inclusion of USB 4 ports as a standard feature instead of an extra cost option. Additionally, it supports lightning-fast DDR5-8000 RAM. This represents a generational leap in storage and expansion capabilities, although it may take some time before it becomes widely adopted.

Nevertheless, becoming an early adopter isn’t as painfully expensive as I might have expected. While there aren’t any confirmations, it’s not impossible to believe that NVIDIA’s high-end RTX 5000 graphics cards could move to PCI 5.0, though it might leave too many users behind unless reserved only for a fabled RTX 5090. On the other hand, storage offers some of the fastest SSDs with PCIe 5.0 M.2 socket support, so an X870 motherboard could at least deliver some of the best transfer speeds and boot times in Windows 11.

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2024-09-30 19:09