ASRock X870 Livemixer WIFI - Unboxing & Close Up Inspection
It's been three years since the AMD AM5 motherboard platform and the 600-series motherboards launched. Since its launch, the platform has seen the launch of several CPUs in the Ryzen 7000, Ryzen 8000, and Ryzen 9000 families. While the 600-series motherboards provide great features & compatibility with newer Zen 5 CPUs, motherboard makers are always looking to enhance user experiences through the latest technologies, so AMD has introduced a new chipset line called the 800-series.
Now, AMD has introduced both X870 and B850 series chipsets for high-end and mainstream AM5 motherboards. Both of these chips provide brand-new designs and brand-new features that are sure to entice new AMD builders and older AM4 users into investing in a new motherboard for their gaming and content creation needs.
We received a load of motherboards from various manufacturers, so let's start by taking a look at these updated designs. For this review, we will be testing out ASRock's latest mainstream motherboard, the X870 Livemixer WIFI.
The AMD AM5 Platform
The AMD AM4 platform has been the longest-running modern-day platform to date, which was first introduced in 2017 & is very much alive and kicking in 2024. The company just recently launched new chips for the platform, and it looks like it will stick around for another year till 2025.
AMD is now launching its 2nd Generation AM5 platform under the new 800-series family. The lineup will initially target the high-end enthusiasts with the X870E and X870 chipsets. These chipsets are designed to offer better features, IO memory support, and additional OC features for Ryzen CPUs such as the Zen 5-based Ryzen 9000 "Granite Ridge" family and future Ryzen launches.
Certain aspects that have been upgraded on the AMD X870E & X870 motherboards include:
- USB 4.0 standard on all X870/X870E motherboards
- PCIe Gen5 on Graphics & NVME on all X870/X870E motherboards
- Higher EXPO memory clock support on X870/X870E motherboards
AMD did disclose that there would be new PBO and CO algorithms introduced with Ryzen 9000 CPUs, and these new motherboards will fully support them out of the box. In addition to the X870E and X870 motherboards, the company also plans to introduce its B850 & B840 chipsets, which will serve the mainstream segment. The following is what the chipset lineup will look like:
- X870E (Promontory 21 x2)
- X870 (Promontory 21 x1)
- B650 (Promonotory 21 x1)
- B840 (Promontory 19 x1)
So in terms of what each chipset offers, the X870E series will use two Promontory 21 dies on the motherboards with support for USB4 & both Gen5 GPU/SSD support. X870 (Non-E) will feature just 1 of the dies but retain the same support in terms of I/O. Just the lanes will be fewer.
AMD Chipset Features and Specifications:
| Wccftech | X870E | X870 | X670E/X670 | B650E/B650 | A620 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CrossfireX/SLI | 2-Way CFX | 2-Way CFX | 2-Way CFX | 2-Way CFX | N/A |
| CPU Lanes (Usable) | 24 Gen 5 (with Ryzen 7000 CPUs & above) | 24 Gen 5 (with Ryzen 7000 CPUs & above) | 24 Gen 5 (with Ryzen 7000 CPUs & above) | 24 Gen 5 (with Ryzen 7000 CPUs & above) 24 Gen 4 for B650 | 24 Gen 4 (with Ryzen 7000 CPUs & above) |
| PCH Lanes (Usable) | 8 Gen4 12 Gen3 | 4 Gen4 8 Gen3 | 12 Gen4 8 Gen3 | 8 Gen4 4 Gen3 | 8 Gen 3 |
| USB4 | Standard | Standard | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| USB 3.1/3.2 Gen2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| USB 3.1/3.2 Gen1 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 6 | 2 |
| USB 2.0 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 |
| SATA 6Gb/s | 8 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 4 |
| DDR5 DIMMs | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| DDR4 DIMMs | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Overclocking Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A |
| XFR2 Enhanced | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A |
| Precision Boost Overdrive | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A |
| NVMe | Yes (Gen 5.0) | Yes (Gen 5.0) | Yes (Gen 5.0) | Yes (Gen 5.0) | N/A |
| Form Factor | ATX/ITX | ATX/mATX/ITX | ATX/mATX/ITX | ATX/mATX/ITX | mATX/ITX |
The motherboards will feature support for DDR5-5600 MT/s memory speeds natively and over 8000 MT/s transfer rates on some of the high-end motherboards that we will be getting by the July timeframe.
The AMD B850 motherboards will feature the same Promontory 21 die, minus the native USB4 support. They will carry Gen5 GPU support, but Gen5 M.2 support will be optional. The B840 will be the entry-level option within the series, with the older Promontory 19 die, which means you will get just Gen4 GPU/SSD support, no CPU overclocking, and only memory overclock support. The B840 motherboards are going to be very affordable in terms of pricing, so that will be competitive against sub-$200 US options from Intel.
AMD will also have the A620/A620A series continuing its role to serve the entry-level segment. There are plans to offer even more price adjustments, making them a viable option for ODMs and system builders to attract more customers.
AMD AM5 Chipset Comparisons:
| Chipset Name | PCIe Lanes Gen (PCH) | USB Support (Max) | Overclocking Support | Graphics Configs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| X870E | Gen5 (GPU & NVMe) | USB4 | CPU+Memory | 1x16, 2x8 |
| X670E | Gen5 (GPU & NVMe) | USB 3.2 (20 Gbps) USB4 (Optional) | CPU+Memory | 1x16, 2x8 |
| X870 | Gen5 (GPU & NVMe) | USB4 | CPU+Memory | 1x16, 2x8 |
| X670 | Gen5 (NVMe) Gen4 (GPU) | USB 3.2 (20 Gbps) USB4 (Optional) | CPU+Memory | 1x16, 2x8 |
| B850 | Gen5 (NVMe / GPU Opt) Gen4 (GPU) | USB 3.2 (20 Gbps) | CPU+Memory | 1x16, 2x8 |
| B650E | Gen5 (NVMe / GPU) | USB 3.2 (20 Gbps) USB4 (Optional) | CPU+Memory | 1x16, 2x8 |
| B650 | Gen5 (NVMe) Gen4 (GPU) | USB 3.2 (20 Gbps) USB4 (Optional) | CPU+Memory | 1x16, 2x8 |
| B840 | Gen3 (NVMe / GPU) | USB 3.2 (10 Gbps) | Memory Only | 1x16 |
| A620 | Gen4 (NVMe / GPU) | USB3.2 (10 Gbps) USB4 (Optional) | Memory Only | 1x16 |
Meet The LGA 1718 Socket - How Long Will This One Last?
As mentioned earlier, AM4's reign is finally over, and the AM5 socket is here now. The new socket moves from a PGA (Pin-Grid-Array) design to an LGA (Land-Grid-Array) layout. The new LGA 1718 socket offers more pin connections to the CPU, allowing for more communication channels with the board itself and enabling support for enhanced features that the new platform has to offer.
As for longevity, AMD has committed to a 2027+ plan for its latest AM5 socket. The AM4 platform is a testament to AMD's support for its consumers, and while the newer 500-series lineup was locked out initially, the company and its partners worked towards extending support for older processors on the newer chipsets and newer CPUs on older motherboards. The AM4 platform continues to be the best seller in the Ryzen lineup, but that would change with the introduction of more budget and feature-rich designs for the AM5 socket, like the 800-series.
Cooler Compatibility With AM5 Socket
The AMD Ryzen 7000/8000/9000 Desktop CPUs will feature a perfect square shape (45x45mm) but will house a very chonky integrated heat spreader or IHS. The CPUs will be the same length, width, and height as the existing Ryzen Desktop CPUs and are sealed across the sides, so applying thermal paste won't fill the interior of the IHS with TIM. That's also why current coolers will be fully compatible with the latest Ryzen CPUs.
The ASRock X870 LiveMixer WIFI motherboard comes in a standard cardboard package. The front features a large picture of the motherboard along with a purple and black color scheme. The box also lists a few features, such as WIFI7, HDMI, and Polychrome Sync RGB.
The backside of the package lists the specifications and special features of the motherboard, such as the 16+2+1 SPS power system, Ultra USB Power & Lightning Gaming ports, Dual Blazing M.2 ports (Gen5), Dual USB4 Type-C, WIFI7, 5G LAN & Toolless Multi-Layer M.2 heatsink.
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 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 LiveMixer WIFI motherboard is an ATX offering that measures 244 x 305 mm. The motherboard carries a black color scheme with silver colored heatsinks and face plates that adopt a reflective touch.
ASRock's X870 LiveMixer WIFI is part of the relatively new LiveMixer lineup. Previous iterations have featured a very colorful PCB and board layout, but this time, ASRock has gone with more natural colors. We saw the same design on the Z890 variation of the Livemixer, too.
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 EXPO/XMP profiles up to 8000 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 Livemixer WIFI motherboard features a 16+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.
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 a large aluminum heatsink solution, which covers the VRMs.
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 Aluminum 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:
- 2 x PCIe 3.0 x16 Slots (PCIE2 and PCIE3), support x4 mode
- 1 x M.2 Socket (Key E), supports type 2230 WiFi/BT PCIe WiFi module
- 15μ Gold Contact in VGA PCIe Slot (PCIE1)
The motherboard utilizes a full metallic slot for the first Gen5 x16 connector.
The motherboard also has a vast array of M.2 slots, three of which are featured under dedicated M.2 XXL M.2 heatsinks. The primary M.2 slot features Gen5 connectivity with dual-sided thermal pads and an EZ release mechanism.
The other slots are situated under two separate heatsinks, which also act as a cover plate for the board. They feature a silver finish and extend from the PCH heatsink.
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 first Blazing Gen5 slot has dual-sided heat pads.
Following is the full list of M.2 ports and their details on the ASRock X870 Livemixer WIFI 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 Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_3, Key M), supports type 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) mode
- 1 x Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_4, Key M), supports type 2230/2242/2260/2280 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 Livemixer accent plate that features a reflective surface. The cover plates have audio synth waves etched on them as a theme.
The motherboard features just one RGB accent zone, which is below the larger M.2 Armor heatsinks with several LEDs scattered in a horizontal position. These can be turned off or customized using ASRock's Polychrome Sync software.
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.
ASRock uses a 7.1 CH HD audio design with the latest Realtek ALC4082 CODEC, providing up to 130 dB SNR.
- 1 x SPI TPM Header
- 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 Connectors (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 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
- 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)
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)
- 1 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C Port
- 7 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A Ports (USB32_34 are Lightning Gaming Ports. USB32_56 support Ultra USB Power)
- 6 x USB 2.0 Ports
- 1 x RJ-45 LAN Port
- 1 x BIOS Flashback Button
- 1 x Line Out Jack (Gold Audio Jack)
- 1 x Microphone Input Jack (Gold Audio Jack)
For testing, I used the Ryzen 9 9950X CPU, which was sent to us by AMD, on a range of X870E and X870 motherboards.
AMD 800-series "AM5" Motherboard Test Platform:
| Processors | AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D |
|---|---|
| Motherboard | MSI MPG X870E Carbon MAX WIFI (7E49v2A10) Gigabyte X870E AERO X3D Wood (13F7) MSI MEG X870E ACE MAX (7E85v1A20) ASRock X870E Taichi OCF (v1.03) MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk MAX WIFI (7E84v1A10) Gigabyte X870E AORUS Master X3D ICE (F4) ASRock X870 Taichi Creator (3.40) ASRock PG X870 Nova WIFI (3.30) ASRock X870 Livemixer WIFI (3.31) Colorful CVN X870 ARK Frozen V14 (BIOS 1011) MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk WIFI (7E51v1A24) MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WIFI (7E59v2A3) MSI MPG X870E EDGE TI WIFI (7E59v1A2) MSI MPG X870E Carbon WIFI (7E49v1A12 AGESA 1.2.0.2) ASRock X870E Taichi (3.08 AGESA 1.2.0.2) ASRock X870E Taichi LITE (3.08 AGESA 1.2.0.2) ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi (3.08 AGESA 1.2.0.2) AORUS X870 ELITE WIFI7 ICE (F3B AGESA 1.2.0.2) |
| Power Supply | FSP Hydro G 1200W PSU |
| Solid State Drive | Crucial T700 2 TB Gen5 SSD |
| Memory | T-Force Delta RGB DDR5-7200 (CL34 2 x 16 GB) |
| Video Cards | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition |
| Cooling Solutions | Arctic Liquid Freezer III 420mm AIO |
| OS | Windows 11 64-bit |
Our test rig includes the Crucial T700 2 TB Gen5 SSD that boots up our main OS. In addition to these, we are running an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition graphics card and an FSP Hydro G 1200W PSU. For this specific review, we used the T-Force Delta RGB DDR5-7200 memory kit running at CL34 timings.
3DMark CPU Profile Benchmark
Instead of producing a single number, the 3DMark CPU Profile shows you how your CPU's performance changes and scales with the number of cores and threads used. The 3DMark CPU Profile has six tests that help you benchmark and compare CPU performance for gaming and other activities.
3DMark CPU Profile (Max Threads) (Higher is Better)
Blender
Blender is a free and open-source 3D creation suite. It supports the entirety of the 3D pipeline—modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing and motion tracking, and even video editing and game creation.
Blender 2.8 (Lower is Better)
Cinebench 2024
Cinebench 2024 utilizes the power of Redshift, Cinema 4D's default rendering engine, to evaluate your computer's CPU and GPU capabilities. Cinebench 2024 is designed to accommodate a broad range of hardware configurations, while it seamlessly supports x86/64 architecture (Intel/AMD) on Windows and macOS.
Cinebench 2024 (Higher is Better)
Cinebench R23
Cinebench is a real-world cross-platform test suite that evaluates your computer’s hardware capabilities. Improvements to Cinebench Release 20 reflect the overall advancements to CPU and rendering technology in recent years, providing a more accurate measurement of Cinema 4D’s ability to take advantage of multiple CPU cores and modern processor features available to the average user.
Cinebench R23 (Higher is Better)
CPU-Z
CPUz is a freeware that gathers information on some of the main devices of your system, such as the Processor name and number, codename, process, package, cache levels, Mainboard, chipset, Memory type, size, timings, and module specifications (SPD), and Real-time measurement of each core's internal frequency, memory frequency.
CPU-z (Higher is Better)
Geekbench 6
Geekbench 6 is a cross-platform benchmark that measures your system's performance with the press of a button.
Geekbench 6 (Higher is Better)
HandBrake
HandBrake is a tool for converting video from nearly any format to a selection of modern, widely supported codecs.
Handbrake (Higher is Better)
PCMark 10
PCMark 10 is a complete PC benchmarking solution for Windows 10. It includes several tests that combine individual workloads covering storage, computation, image and video manipulation, web browsing, and gaming. Specifically designed for the full range of PC hardware from netbooks and tablets to notebooks and desktops, PCMark 10 offers complete Windows PC performance testing for home and business use.
PCMark 10 (Higher is Better)
POV-Ray
The POV-Ray package includes detailed instructions on using the ray tracer and creating scenes. Many stunning scenes are included with POV-Ray, so you can start creating images immediately when you get the package.
POV-Ray 3.7 (Higher is Better)
SuperPI
Super PI is used by many overclockers to test the performance and stability of their computers. In the overclocking community, the standard program provides a benchmark for enthusiasts to compare “world record” pi calculation times and demonstrate their overclocking abilities. The program can also be used to test the stability of a certain overclock speed.
SuperPi 32M (Lower is Better)
WinRAR
WinRAR is a powerful archive manager. It can back up your data and reduce the size of email attachments, decompress RAR, ZIP, and other files downloaded from the Internet, and create new archives in RAR and ZIP file formats.
Winrar (Lower is Better)
V-Ray Render Benchmark
V-Ray Benchmark is a free, standalone application to test how fast your system renders. Three custom-built test scenes are also included to put each V-Ray 6 render engine through its paces.
V-Ray 6 (Higher is Better)
Battlefield V
Battlefield V brings back the action of the World War 2 shooter genre. Using the latest Frostbite tech, the game does a good job of looking gorgeous in all ways possible. From the open-world environments to the intense and gun-blazing action, this multiplayer and single-player FPS title is one of the best-looking Battlefield titles to date. The game was tested at max settings at 1440p.
Battlefield V (2K)
Battlefield V (2K) PBO+CO
DOOM Eternal
DOOM Eternal brings hell to Earth with the Vulkan-powered idTech 7. We test this game using the Ultra Nightmare Preset and follow our in-game benchmarking to stay as consistent as possible.
DOOM (2K)
DOOM (2K) PBO+CO
GTA V
GTA V is one handsomely optimized title for the PC audience. It's scalable across various PC configurations and delivers an impressive frame rate. Rockstar did an amazing job with the PC build of GTA V, and it comes with a large array of settings that can be configured by PC gamers. We tested the title at 1440P with everything set to Ultra and 4x MSAA.
GTA V (2K)
GTA V (2K) PBO+CO
Metro Exodus
Metro Exodus continues the journey of Artyom through the nuclear wasteland of Russia and its surroundings. This time, you are set over the Metro, going through various regions and different environments. The game is one of the premier titles to feature NVIDIA’s RTX technology and does well in showcasing the ray-tracing effects in all corners. The game was tested at Ultra settings with RTX settings turned off at 1440p.
Metro Exodus (2K)
Metro Exodus (2K) PBO+CO
Shadow of The Tomb Raider
Sequel to The Rise of the Tomb Raider, Shadow of the Tomb Raider is visually enhanced with an updated Foundation Engine that delivers realistic facial animations and the most gorgeous environments ever seen in a Tomb Raider Game. The game is a technical marvel and shows the power of its graphics engine in the latest title.
Shadow of The Tomb Raider (2K)
Shadow of The Tomb Raider (2K) PBO+CO
The AMD Ryzen 9000 CPUs come in the same two or three chiplet configurations as the Ryzen 7000 series, with one or two of which are the aforementioned AMD Zen 4 CCDs fabricated on the 4nm process node. Then we have the larger die around the center, the IOD, based on a 6nm process node. The AMD Ryzen 9000 CCD measures a die size of 70.6mm2 and features a total of 8.6 billion transistors per CCD. The IOD has a die size of 122m2 and features 3.4 billion transistors.
Scattered around the package are several SMDs (capacitors/resistors) that usually sit under the package substrate if we consider Intel's CPUs. AMD is instead featuring them on the top layer, and as such, they had to design a new kind of IHS, which is internally referred to as the Octopus.
Power Consumption (Stock System) Stress Test
Power Consumption (Stock) Gaming Test
Power Consumption (Stress PBO+CO) Cinebench Test
AMD's Ryzen 9000 Desktop CPUs utilize a brand new Zen 5 core architecture that is built on the 4nm process node; as such, these chips are designed to be extremely efficient. The chips feature gold-plated IHS for efficient thermal transfer.
Temperatures (Stock)
Temperatures (Stress PBO+CO) Cinebench Test
AMD's Ryzen CPUs, especially the cost-effective X3D options, are currently selling like hotcakes. This huge demand has led motherboard makers to offer new, cost-optimized, and feature-rich options based on the X870 chipset since that is the most popular choice for mainstream builders. ASRock, seeing this demand, is introducing a new set of X870 motherboards, which were initially shown at Computex 2025. Today, we got to test & evaluate their latest X870 Livemixer offering, a well-rounded motherboard for around $250.
ASRock's X870 LiveMixer goes for a more simplistic and modern look this time around, featuring all the goodies that a streamer or content creator would need at a fantastic price point.
The motherboard aims to be a good mainstream product, which it does in terms great IO package, a strong VRM, and great memory support (256 GB @ 8000 MT/s). Performance was on par with the other boards that we tested at both stock and overclocked configurations. The VRMs can get a little warm, but it's not a huge deal to worry about, as they are within spec. The board also offers four M.2 slots, solid in this price range, and a total of 25 USB ports, which is just crazy.
Things I liked about the ASRock X870 Livemixer WIFI motherboard:
- Pricing expected in the sub $250 range
- New Livemixer theme looks neat
- Solid 16+2+1 VRM with 80A power stages
- Solid BIOS and update program
- 256 GB DDR5 support & up To 8000 MT/s Speeds
- 256 MB BIOS (Ready For Current / Next-Gen Ryzen CPUs)
- Great layout with XXL heatsinks on VRMs & M.2 heatsinks
- Dual Gen5 M.2 Slots
- EZ Release Mechanism on M.2 Gen5 slot
- 25 USB ports, including two USB40 Type-C
- 5 GbE LAN + WIFI 7 + BT 5.4 for connectivity
- Lots of Fan headers, ARGB+RGB headers
Things to be concerned about:
- Just 2 SATA III ports
- VRMs can get a bit hot when overclocking
- 160MHz WIFI7 (320Mhz full bandwidth)
In terms of features, the motherboard has four M.2 slots, all of which are cooled by heatsinks, including two Gen5 slots. WIFI7+BT5.4, along with 5GbE LAN, is also great, while the full list of USB (25 in total) options includes:
- 6x USB 2.0 (Rear)
- 4x USB 2.0 (Front)
- 7x USB 3.2 5 Gbps Type-A (Rear)
- 4x USB 3.2 5 Gbps Type-A (Front)
- 1x USB 3.2 5 Gbps Type-C (Rear)
- 1x USB 3.2 20 Gbps Type-C (Front)
- 2x USB 4 40 Gbps Type-C (Rear)
The motherboard comes with a 256M BIOS, support for up to 256 GB capacities, and up to 8000 MT/s DDR5 speeds. The motherboard supports built-in RGB lighting and external RGB support through 3 ARGB & 1 RGB headers (all controllable through the Polychrome Sync) software. WIFI 7, ALC 4082 7.1 channel audio, and tons of USB ports.
The ASRock X870 Livemixer WIFI is expected to be priced somewhere around $250. I don't think any other motherboard out there in this price range offers this crazy amount of USB ports while retaining a stronger VRM solution with 16 phases for the CPU alone.
With fantastic IO, which would be enough to meet the needs of creators and more than enough for an average user, 256 GB memory support with solid 8000 MT/s speeds, and a sleeker design, the new AM5 Livemixer WIFI series not only receives a recommendation from us but also gets a super value award.
Note: As of writing this post (8/12/2025), the latest BIOS (v3.31) is based on the AGESA 1.2.0.3e patch, and includes support upcoming CPU, likely the Ryzen 7 9700F. It should also be pointed out that while ASRock's AM5 motherboards have seen issues with Ryzen CPUs, the company has gone an extra mile in tuning its BIOS to ensure that these issues are fixed. Always check the latest BIOS support for your ASRock boards for fixes and patches.
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