Test Setup
It's been two years since the launch of the AMD AM5 motherboard platform and the 600-series motherboards. Since its launch, the platform has seen the launch of several CPUs in the Ryzen 7000, Ryzen 8000, and Ryzen 9000 family. 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 which is why AMD has introduced a new chipset line called 800-series.
Today, the first wave of AMD 800-series motherboards is hitting shelves in the form of the X870E for Enthusiasts and X870 for high-end gamers. 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 ASRock's X870E Taichi LITE motherboard which is priced at $399 US.
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. 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 of 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 X870E Taichi LITE motherboard comes in a standard cardboard package. The front features a large Taichi logo. The packaging also lists down a few features such as WIFI7, & support for PCIe 5 (GPU/NVMe), DDR5, and Overclocking.
The backside of the package lists the specifications and special features of the motherboard such as the 24+2+1 SPS power system, the premium EZ Release design, USB4 support, 20K caps with 1000uF capacitance, WIFI7 wireless connectivity, 5GbE LAN and 8-layer PCB.
Inside the package is another box that contains the accessories and is located right below the box holder for the board itself. You get:
- 4 x SATA Data Cables
- 1 x ASRock WiFi 2.4/5/6 GHz Antenna
- 1 x ARGB Splitter Cable
- 3 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 X870E Taichi LITE motherboard is an E-ATX offering that measures 267 x 305 mm. The motherboard carries a silver and black color scheme and while it isn't as flashy as the standard Taichi variant, it still looks brilliantly designed.
While the ASRock X870E Taichi may feature some fancy features, the LITE variant is more or less the same motherboard, rocking the same high-end PCB and retains a very serious look. The LITE series are often the better value for overclockers who just want to use the PCB prowess to achieve world records.
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 192 GB of dual-channel (24/48 GB modules) memory.
These slots are rated to support XMP profiles up to 8200 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. There are at least 9 memory kits rated at DDR5-8200 which are supported by the motherboard. The motherboard fully supports XMP & EXPO profiles.
The ASRock X870E Taichi LITE motherboard features a 24+2+1 (VCore/ VccGT/VccAUX) phase SPS VRM power delivery that utilizes the Renesas RAA 229628 PWM controller & R2209004 HBD S2347UBU (110A) stages for the VCore. All capacitors are labeled with 20K "1000B E19 & 270C D49" 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 CPU is supplied power through an 8+8 pin power connector configuration. This will feed the CPU with up to 300 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 VRM heatsink which makes use of two aluminum blocks with a series of fins that are stacked together. The heatsink doesn't feature any heat pipe.
Underneath the VRM heatsink are 9W/mK Thermal pads which transfer heat from the VRMs to the heatsink. Expansion slots include two PCI Express x16 (2 x Gen 5.0 x16) and four M.2 slots.
CPU:
- - 2 x PCIe 5.0 x16 Slots (PCIE1 and PCIE2), support x16 or x8/x8 modes
Chipset:
- - 1 x Vertical M.2 Socket (Key E), supports type 2230 WiFi/BT PCIe WiFi module
The motherboard utilizes reinforced steel PCIe 5.0 slots which feature extra anchor points, stronger latches, and can install heavy-weight graphics cards without worrying about GPU sag or slot tears. The LITE variant doesn't feature the EZ Graphics Release solution.
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 silver 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. This is the only M.2 heatsink that requires tools for removal.
The third M.2 slot is located next to the DIMM slots. This XXL M.2 heatsink features a toolless design and doesn't require you to use any tools for installation or removal of the SSD.
The primary M.2 XXL heatsink is the bigger one and provides better cooling to a Gen5 M.2 SSD. This has the same toolless mechanism for the M.2 SSDs. Following is the full list of M.2 ports and their details on the ASRock X870E Taichi motherboard:
CPU:
- 1 x Blazing M.2 Socket (M2_1, Key M), supports type 2280 PCIe Gen5x4 (128 Gb/s) mode
Chipset:
- 1 x Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_2, Key M), supports type 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) mode
- 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 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) mode
- 6 x SATA3 6.0 Gb/s Connectors
The X870E PCH is housed beneath a large heatsink with the Taichi logo and the Taichi gears engraved into the reflective cover.
The motherboard doesn't feature any RGB LEDs but it has various RGB connectors for those who want illumination within their PCs.
Storage options include four SATA III ports rated to operate at 6 GB/s. These can support 4 different storage devices at once. There are also 3 USB 3.2 front panel connectors (1 x Gen 2x2 + 4 x Gen 1). 4 USB 2.0 front panel connectors are also included.
ASRock uses a 5.1 CH HD audio design with the latest Realtek ALC4082 CODEC with WIMA audio capacitors and ESS SABRE9219 DAC for rear panel audio, 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.
The full list of connectors on the motherboard is listed as follows.
- 3 x Thermistor Cable Headers
- 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)
- 4 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 to power wireless connectivity with a 160MHz channel bandwidth and Bluetooth 5.4. In terms of Ethernet, there is a single LAN port powered by the 5GbE 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)
- 5 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A Ports (10 Gb/s) (USB32_12 are Lightning Gaming Ports.)
- 3 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A Ports (USB32_34 supports Ultra USB Power.)
- 2 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)
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 format.
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 Battlefields 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 setting 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
Last year, ASRock introduced its Taichi LITE series in B650E and Z790 flavors. These motherboards were essentially the same Taichi designs in terms of PCB minus a few flashy features such as VRM heatsinks without active cooling, no RGB LEDs, and a toned-down design. This time, ASRock offers a LITE variant of its X870E Taichi motherboard from the start which is a bold decision. We have a lot of great things to say about the X870E Taichi but the Taichi LITE variant stands out on its own with a more affordable price point.
The ASRock X870E Taichi LITE is essentially the same motherboard as the X870E Taichi, with the same powerful PCB with a 24+2+1 phase design, the same memory support of up to DDR5-8200, the same amount of PCIe Gen5 capabilities, and the same amount of USB and rest of the IO features. That's a great product for $50 US less.
The things we loved about the ASRock X870E Taichi LITE:
- Lower Priced Than X870E Taichi
- Features the same high-end PCB design
- Great VRM Solution
- Up To 8200 MT/s DDR5 Support
- Four M.2 slots with heatsinks
- Lots of USB ports (Including USB4)
- Latest WIFI7 & BT5.4 Support
- Solid BIOS Firmware
- Great for overclockers
Things that we would have liked to see:
- More Gen5 M.2 Slots
- Lower VRM Temps
What's changed are the VRMs which are a little less denser and take away the active-cooling solution which leads to higher temperatures for sure but the Taichi LITE has a secret purpose which is kind of genius on ASRock's part. See when you have a powerful PCB offered at a lower price point, there are bound to be several enthusiasts and overclockers who will flock to buy the LITE variant over the standard model since they don't go after flashy features such as RGB LEDs, etc. No doubt the standard Taichi X870E is an absolutely beautiful design but overclockers don't find them as interesting as the power delivery components and that makes for a good use of the Taichi LITE.
Other features that aren't available on the Taichi LITE are the EZ PCIe release slots and just one M.2 slot features this feature and that's the primary one. Again, not much of a hassle. But even with a toned-down design, the Taichi LITE has the looks and feels of a solid server-grade motherboard with its silver and black aesthetics.
The $399 US pricing for this high-end design with the same set of features makes the ASRock X870E Taichi LITE a competitive product in the 800-series lineup. It's great for tuners and even for those who want to save some bucks or don't find the additional features on the standard Taichi that much useful for themselves.
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