ASRock Phantom Gaming X870 Nova WIFI Motherboard Review – 20 USB Ports, 8400 MT/s Memory, Dual Gen5 M.2 For Around $300

ASRock X870 PG Nova WIFI - Unboxing & Close Up Inspection

The ASRock X870 PG NOVA WIFI motherboard comes in a standard cardboard package. The front features a large picture of the motherboard along with a fancy purple color scheme. The packaging also lists a few features, such as WIFI7, Thunderbolt, and Polychrome Sync RGB.

The backside of the package lists the specifications and special features of the motherboard, such as the 18+2+1+1 SPS power system, dual USB Type-C ports, Dual Blazing M.2 ports (Gen5), and the EZ Release Design.

Inside the package is another box that contains the accessories and is located right below the box holder for the board itself. You get:

• 2 x SATA Data Cables
• 2 x ASRock WiFi 2.4/5/6 GHz Antenna
• 1 x ARGB Splitter Cable
• 1 x Thermistor Cables

With all the accessories done, it's time to put that box aside and take the motherboard out of its package.

The ASRock X870 PG NOVA WIFI motherboard is an ATX offering that measures 244 x 305 mm. The motherboard carries a black color scheme with purple and silver accents. The reflective shields and the whole design feel very exotic and premium.

ASRock's X870 PG NOVA WIFI is part of the iconic Phantom Gaming lineup which was previously known as the FAT1LTY series. This lineup is aimed purely at gamers. A similar rendition of this design was seen on ASRock's Z890 Nova WIFI, which we tested here.

The board uses the LGA 1718 socket to support AMD Ryzen "AM5" processors. The socket works with Ryzen 7000, Ryzen 8000G, and Ryzen 9000 CPUs and will also support future generations of AM5 Ryzen chips that are supported by the platform.

Next to the socket are four DDR5 DIMM slots that can support up to 256 GB of dual-channel (24/48/64 GB modules) memory.

These slots are rated to support XMP/EXPO profiles up to 8400 MT/s (OC Plus). Each slot is labeled, making it easier to install DIMMs in the proper orientation. DDR5 memory comes with a different latch position so forcing a DDR4 module into a DDR5 slot will cause permanent damage. Each slot is also combined with a reinforced design to make sure signal integrity remains good while keeping the slots durable for long-term usage. The full QVL list can be found here.

The ASRock X870 PG NOVA WIFI motherboard features an 18+2+1 (VCore/ VccGT/VccAUX)  phase SPS VRM power delivery that utilizes the MPS2434 "MP2857" PWM controller, and MPS2425 "MP8765" 80A stages for the VCore. All capacitors are labeled with 20K "270C E31" ratings.

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The VRMs and power delivery solution are scattered around the AM5 socket. The board uses an 8-layer server-grade PCB with 2oz thickened copper in a low-loss design, retaining signal integrity for stable CPU and memory operations.

The VRMs receive ample cooling from the Composite VRM heatsink solution, which covers the VRMs, M.2 slots, and the PCH.

The CPU is supplied power through an 8+8-pin power connector configuration. This will feed the CPU with up to 600 Watts of power. The AMD Ryzen 9000 CPUs are very power-hungry, with the maximum target power going above 220W for the flagship Ryzen 9 9950X CPU.

Coming to the cooling solution, we first have the XXL VRM heatsink, which makes use of two aluminum blocks with a series of fins that are stacked together.

Underneath the VRM heatsink are 7W/mK Thermal pads which transfer heat from the VRMs to the heatsink.

Expansion slots include two PCI Express x16 (1 x Gen 5.0 x16 & 1 x Gen 4.0 x4) and five M.2 slots.

CPU:

• 1 x PCIe 5.0 x16 Slot (PCIE1), supports x16 mode

Chipset:

• 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16 Slot (PCIE2), supports x4 mode
• 1 x Vertical M.2 Socket (Key E), supports type 2230 WiFi/BT PCIe WiFi module

The motherboard utilizes a full metallic slot and ASRock also implements its Graphics Card EZ release mechanism, which allows easy removal of graphics cards without having to release the PCIe lock manually.

The motherboard also has a vast array of M.2 slots, all of which are featured under dedicated M.2 XXL M.2 heatsinks.

One of the larger heatsinks also works as a cover plate for the motherboard's lower portion. It has a matte black finish and underneath, you can find dual-sided thermal pads. You need to remove the plastic sticker from the thermal pads before installing a new SSD for proper heat transfer. The slot comes with an EZ Release heatsink, making for a toolless design.

The rest of the M.2 SSD slots are featured under two larger cover plates, which feature a screw design. All five M.2 slots have thermal pads underneath them, while the two Blazing Gen5 slots have dual-sided heat pads.

Following is the full list of M.2 ports and their details on the ASRock X870 PG Nova motherboard:

CPU:

• 1 x Blazing M.2 Socket (M2_1, Key M), supports type 2280 PCIe Gen5x4 (128 Gb/s) mode
• 1 x Blazing M.2 Socket (M2_2, Key M), supports type 2280 PCIe Gen5x4 (128 Gb/s) mode\

Chipset:

• 1 x M.2 Socket (M2_3, Key M), supports type 2280 SATA3 6.0 Gb/s & PCIe Gen3x2 (16 Gb/s) modes
• 1 x Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_4, Key M), supports type 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) mode
• 1 x Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_5, Key M), supports type 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) mode
• 2 x SATA3 6.0 Gb/s Connectors

The X870 PCH is housed beneath a large heatsink with a stylish Phantom Gaming accent plate that features a reflective surface and also has the PG logo embedded into it.

The motherboard offers two RGB accent zones. First is the I/O cover, which has the Phantom Gaming logo lighting up in various hues, and the second is the bottom cover with several LEDs scattered in a horizontal position.

These can be turned off or customized using ASRock's Polychrome Sync software.

Storage options include two SATA III ports rated to operate at 6 GB/s. These can support 2 different storage devices at once. There are also 5 USB 3.2 front panel connectors (4x Gen1 Type-A & 1x Gen2x2 Type-C). 2 USB 2.0 (four ports) front panel connectors are also included.

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ASRock uses a 7.1 CH HD audio design with the latest Realtek ALC4082 CODEC, providing up to 130db SRN. There is a large selection of connectors on the motherboard such as the Power On/Off, Reset buttons, a DEBUG LED, and more.

• 1 x Thermistor Cable Header
• 1 x Power LED and Speaker Header
• 1 x RGB LED Header
• 3 x Addressable LED Headers
• 2 x CPU Fan Connector (4-pin) (Smart Fan Speed Control)
• 3 x Chassis Fan Connectors (4-pin) (Smart Fan Speed Control)
• 1 x AIO Pump Fan Connector (4-pin) (Smart Fan Speed Control)
• 1 x Water Pump Fan Connector (4-pin) (Smart Fan Speed Control)
• 1 x 24 pin ATX Power Connector (Hi-Density Power Connector)
• 2 x 8 pin 12V Power Connectors (Hi-Density Power Connector)
• 1 x Front Panel Audio Connector (15μ Gold Audio Connector)
• 2 x USB 2.0 Headers (Support 4 USB 2.0 ports)
• 2 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Headers (Support 4 USB 3.2 Gen1 ports)
• 1 x Front Panel Type C USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Header (20 Gb/s)
• 1 x Dr. Debug with LED
• 1 x Power Button with LED
• 1 x Reset Button with LED

ASRock is using the latest WIFI 7 Module (802.11be 2x2) to power wireless connectivity with a 160 MHz channel bandwidth and Bluetooth 5.4. In terms of Ethernet, there is a single 5GbE LAN port powered by the "RTL8126" controller.

The motherboard comes with the following I/O connectors:

• 2 x Antenna Ports
• 1 x HDMI Port
• 1 x Optical SPDIF Out Port
• 2 x USB4 Type-C Ports (40 Gb/s)*
• 2 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A Ports (10 Gb/s) (USB32_34 supports Ultra USB Power.)
• 3 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A Ports (USB32_12 are Lightning Gaming Ports.)
• 4 x USB 2.0 Ports
• 1 x RJ-45 LAN Port
• 1 x Clear CMOS Button
• 1 x BIOS Flashback Button
• 1 x Line Out Jack (Gold Audio Jack)
• 1 x Microphone Input Jack (Gold Audio Jack)

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