MSI MEG X870E ACE MAX
2025Type
MotherboardPrice
$699 USIt'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 MSI's latest AM5 refresh motherboard, which is part of its "MAX" series, the MEG X870E ACE MAX. The ACE has returned to the AM5 platform after missing out on the initial X870E launch and returns with a powerful and gorgeous design, which we can't wait to test out.
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 2025. The company just recently launched new chips for the platform, and it looks like it will stick around for another year till 2026.
AMD is now launching its 2nd Generation AM5 platform under the new 800-series family. The lineup initially targeted 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 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 serve the mainstream segment. The following is what the chipset lineup looks 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 uses two Promontory 21 dies on the motherboards with support for USB4 & both Gen5 GPU/SSD support. X870 (Non-E) features just 1 of the dies but retain the same support in terms of I/O. Just the lanes are 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 feature support for DDR5-5600 MT/s memory speeds natively and over 8000 MT/s transfer rates on some of the high-end motherboards.
The AMD B850 motherboards feature the same Promontory 21 die, minus the native USB4 support. They carry Gen5 GPU support, but Gen5 M.2 support be optional. The B840 is the entry-level option within the series, with the older Promontory 19 die, which means you get just Gen4 GPU/SSD support, no CPU overclocking, and only memory overclock support. The B840 motherboards are very affordable in terms of pricing against sub-$200 US options from Intel.
AMD also has 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 feature a perfect square shape (45x45mm), but house a very chunky integrated heat spreader or IHS. The CPUs are 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 are fully compatible with the latest Ryzen CPUs.
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About the author: A Software Engineer by training and a PC enthusiast by passion, Hassan Mujtaba serves as Wccftech's Senior Editor for hardware section. With years of experience in the industry, he specializes in deep-dive technical analysis of next-generation CPU and GPU architectures, motherboards, and cooling solutions. His work involves not only breaking news on upcoming technologies but also extensive hands-on reviews and benchmarking.
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