In the event you’re out there for high quality X670E motherboard, the probabilities are that you’ve got recoiled on the costs of lots of them. {The electrical} complexities of the platform, on prime of wider financial points have precipitated a spike in costs to ranges that may have been thought-about laughable a couple of years in the past.
However let’s not overlook there are two variations of the X670 chipset. X670E contains one x16 or two x8 PCIe 5.0 growth slots whereas the non-E model sticks with PCIe 4.0. Nonetheless, each variations can embody PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots relying on the motherboard. Excessive-end motherboards usually tend to be X670E fashions. A part of the explanation X670E boards price so much is due to the high-quality signalling required for each PCIe 5.0 growth and M.2 slots.
PCIe 5.0 x16 for graphics playing cards means nothing proper now, so if you happen to need not tick that characteristic field (and you actually do not), an X670 board is a wonderfully viable possibility. We have now the Gigabyte X670 Aorus Elite AX in for assessment. At $289 / £349 / AU$599, it is priced a heck of so much decrease than excessive finish X670E boards. However does the Elite AX should sacrifice somewhat or so much to come back in at that value?
As an X670 non-E board, it drops PCIe 5.0 slot assist, but it retains a single PCIe 5.0 x4 M.2 slot. Not that you simply’d count on to save lots of a whole lot of {dollars} from that alone. It nonetheless has 4 M.2 slots, together with high quality connectivity, I/O and a VRM with succesful cooling. The Elite AX just isn’t some cut-to-the-bone cheapie.
X670 Aorus Elite AX specs
Socket: AMD Socket AM5
CPU compatibility: AMD Ryzen 7000 desktop processors
Kind issue: ATX
Reminiscence assist: As much as DDR5-6666 (OC), As much as 128GB
Storage: 4x M.2; 4x SATA
USB: As much as 2x USB 3.2 Gen2x2, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 10x USB 3.1 Gen 1, 8x USB 2.0
Show: 1x HDMI 2.1
Networking: AMD RZ616 Wi-Fi 6E; Realtek 2.5G LAN
Audio: Realtek ALC897 7.1 Channel HD Audio
Value: $289 / £349 / AU$599
The board isn’t what I’d describe as lovely. It appears to have numerous oddly matched metallic highlights, as if Gigabyte rummaged across the manufacturing unit to search out heatsinks to incorporate. However they do not lack performance. The heatsinks are efficient, notably the VRM one, which might have been thought-about large just some years in the past, although sadly Gigabyte opted to not embody its glorious finned heatsink design on this mannequin.
The first M.2 heatsink is not as huge and chunky like these you will discover on high-end boards. Time will inform if it is satisfactory sufficient to maintain a scorching operating PCIe 5.0 SSD cool, particularly if it is sitting adjoining to a GPU pumping out warmth. In complete there are 4 M.2 slots made up of the aforementioned main PCIe 5.0 x4 one, plus an extra three PCIe 4.0 x4 slots which can be cooled by a single massive heatsink. There are 4 SATA ports to spherical out the storage complement.
And get this, there are not any RGB LEDs on the board itself! We have positively hit peak RGB. Although if you happen to love a splash of lighting, the board contains a mixture of RGB and ARGB headers, with 5 in complete.
Different highlights embody a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 type-C header, energy, reset, and CMOS clear buttons, and a Thunderbolt 4 header.
Picture 1 of 7
The board comes with a 16+2+2 section VRM with 70A energy levels. As you’d count on, it’s not as beefed up as that of boards at double the value, but it surely’s hardly a secret that the common consumer merely doesn’t have to shove 1000W or extra right into a CPU. Throw a Ryzen 9 7950X (opens in new tab) with PBO enabled into the Elite AX and also you gained’t have an issue. Your cooling will hit that 95C working temperature of a 7950X lengthy earlier than the VRM will get pressured.
Even when Zen 5 or Zen 6 CPUs take a step up in TDP, it’s onerous to think about the Aorus Elite AX struggling to energy them.
So, the cooling, storage, and VRM is greater than sufficient to go well with most customers. Is the I/O missing then? Hardly. The Aorus Elite AX contains AMD’s RZ616 Wi-Fi 6E and Realtek 2.5G LAN. You’d count on to overlook out on USB 4 at this value, however the remainder of the USB depend is stellar. You get a 3.2 Gen 2×2 type-C port, two Gen 2 ports, six Gen 1 ports, and 4 2.0 ports. That is 13 rear USB ports! There is a HDMI 2.1 port to be used with Ryzen 7000’s newly included built-in graphics together with a BIOS flashback button.
The audio is nothing particular, with an growing older Realtek ALC897 codec caring for issues. An S/PDIF output could be good too, however other than that, there’s not a lot to complain about with reference to connectivity.
System Efficiency
Gaming Efficiency
Although benchmarks do not reveal so much except one thing is especially amiss, it is good to see the Aorus X670 Elite AX constantly topping the assorted benchmark lists. Although it is solely a % right here or there, it is all the time preferable to guide the pack, moderately than path it.
Check rig
CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
Graphics: Zotac GeForce RTX 3080 Ti AMP Holo
RAM: 2x 16GB G.Ability Trident Z5 DDR5-6000 C30
Storage: 2TB Seagate FireCuda 530
Cooling: Cooler Grasp PL360 Flux 360mm AIO
PSU: Corsair AX1000
Typically, the X670 Aorus Elite AX looks like a mature providing. Not each motherboard producer can say that for all of its boards. We have to keep in mind that we’re on the very daybreak of the AM5 platform. There will likely be years of AGESA updates and tweaks to come back. Evaluating the primary era X370 boards on the time of the Zen 1 launch to now, I consider AMD is in a a lot better place this time.
Like nearly each different board producer for the reason that debut of UEFI BIOS interfaces, the X670 Elite AX’s aesthetic modifications are minimal. If I’ve a criticism, it is that it is somewhat characteristic mild. For many customers that will not matter. We’re not speaking about Gigabyte’s excessive Aorus Tachyon right here. When you allow XMP and set up your Home windows, many players might by no means return to the BIOS, and most of us actually need not.
The enticing value of the X670 Aorus Elite AX comes as a little bit of a shock when all too many excessive priced X670/E boards.
The enticing value of the X670 Aorus Elite AX comes as a little bit of a shock when all too many excessive priced X670/E boards. It doesn’t have the all out characteristic guidelines of excessive finish boards, however if you happen to’re somebody who runs an M.2 drive or two and GPU, you then’ll lose subsequent to nothing.
In the event you should have a PCIe 5.0 slot for a GPU, the Asrock X670E Professional RS (opens in new tab) is an possibility properly value contemplating, although its VRM and cooling aren’t pretty much as good as that of the Aorus.
In equity to the opposite producers, in addition they have very aggressive boards on this value vary, they usually shouldn’t be ignored. However, if nothing else, the Elite AX exhibits that producers are getting a bit grasping on the high-end of the market. In the event you completely should have USB4, 10G LAN or Thunderbolt, you will should pay a LOT extra for it. For the mainstream market, a board just like the Aorus Elite AX is the place it is at.
