ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme:
Architecture:
This ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme is built around the new X670E chipset. At the moment, we know that AMD is planning to launch several “new” chipsets in the coming weeks.
In addition to this X670E chipset, we will also see X670, B650E and B650 motherboards land, and by the end of October all four of these chipsets should be available to the general public. Here is a table that highlights the differences between these four chipsets. The B650E chipset could also be very interesting to build a configuration with a Ryzen 7000.
Bundle:
A little tour through the bundle of this ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme to see if it benefits from “special accessories”. And the least we can say is that there is a lot to present you with a very complete bundle!
But some goodies stand out with the presence of a ROG keychain, a support for GPU and the “ROG True Voltician”. This is an oscilloscope in USB format and is in the suite of the V-Latch always integrated on the PCB of the motherboard. The mini-USB port that it has allows it to manage the software on a separate PC.
This is a module that we have already found in the bundle of Z690 APEX and Extreme. It seems that this module is now present on the versions of high-end motherboards from Asus. We then find a series of accessories always very useful as a ROG FAN controller, the new support SSD M.2 second generation and a ROG Clavis DAC. This is actually a USB-C to 3.5mm jack sound card. It provides the possibility to enjoy enhanced sound for a studio quality audio rendering. In addition, it features ASUS AI noise cancellation technology that enhances your headset microphone by eliminating background noise.
Asus also provides a PCIe card that has a slot for a hard drive in M.2 SSD format and PCIe 5.0 compatible. The interest is that when these drives are available, you can add one to your configuration via this card. Currently no SSDs are available in this standard but they should be available soon.
A new socket, hello socket AM5:
After the Z690 chipset and the LGA-1700 socket, it’s AMD’s turn to make its revolution. Goodbye socket AM4, hello socket AM5. It’s time to forget the PGA socket (Pin Grid Array) in which you used to put your processor in order to welcome the LGA socket (Land Grid Array). This socket will look like those already present for years on Intel motherboards. Why this change? Simply because of the larger number of pins on the Ryzen 7000 (1718).
AMD decided, with the AM5 socket, to keep a back plate already present for the AM4 socket. The 4 external holes that hold the retention system to fix your cooling system are still present. The distance between these 4 holes is identical to the AM4 socket, so you can still use your cooling system.
But AMD goes further and adds 4 more holes. These will be used to hold the AM5 socket in place but also to hold the backplate in place. This one should not be removed anymore like on the previous generation. Finally, the locking mechanism changes. We find the reinforcement frame, the force frame and the latch. Once your Ryzen 7000 is placed in the right position, you just have to close the latch to keep it in place.
Small remark following my tests, where I have several times removed and put back these new Ryzen 7000, know that the grip is far from being obvious with the particular shape of the IHS. There is a risk of accidents if you are not careful with the processor which could slip out of your hands and damage the socket pins. So be careful!
The different heat sinks :
The dimensions of the board are 305 mm x 277 mm, which corresponds to the E-ATX format. The dominant colors on the PCB are black and gray. This is a choice made by Asus to keep the color neutral in order to fit in any kind of installation. The design is partly based on the previous generation with a card that has an “armor”. And the least we can say is that it is heavy with its 3.080 kg! The PCB cooling should follow.
Let’s start the tour with the radiators, of which there are three! First of all, the two radiators located on the top of the motherboard and which cover the power supply stage. These two radiators are connected together by a heat pipe. The plastic cover, which covers part of the radiator and the external connectors, has a Matrix RGB backlighting which we will talk about below. We have here a completely passive system.
Finally, the third one that covers the chipset. It is not really a radiator since it is the location of part of the RGB backlight. The height is low in order to allow easy placement of the graphics cards. As I said, there is a part of the ROG logo that has been pixelated and provided with an RGB backlight.
Just below is a large part of the tools for overclocking inserted on the PCB and which we will return to on the next page.
DDR5 support:
This new X670E chipset also brings DDR5 support. Our Crosshair X670E Extreme has four memory slots. The specifications in the Asus manual state that it is compatible with up to 6400 MT/s (OC). We should have no problems with our GSKill Trident Z5 NEO 6000 MT/s CL30 kit.
AMD, in collaboration with the manufacturers of memory modules, now offers kits with “EXPO” technology. This is an alternative to the XMP profile (A-XMP at AMD). As a reminder, XMP allows, via the BIOS, to automatically activate the characteristics of your memory kit: the frequency, the timings as well as the voltage. The AMD EXPO technology will also allow you to overclock DDR5 in a single click in combination with the Ryzen 7000.
Four M.2 SSD slots and PCIe 5.0:
A black aluminum plate with a cutout that perfectly matches the one on the chipset covers two M.2 SSD slots, both 2242/2260/2280 PCIe 5.0 x4.
But that’s not all, because as on the previous generation, in order to save space, Asus has resorted to a second generation GEN-Z slot. This is the second time we meet this new generation on a ROG motherboard since the ROG Crosshair X670 Gene is also equipped with it.
This rack can accommodate two SSDs of type M2 2242/2260/2280/22110 but which are different. The GEN-Z.2_1 slot is wired for PCIe 5.0 x4 while the other GEN-Z.2_2 slot is wired for PCIe 4.0 x4. The heatsink that dissipates the heat from these storage drives is also changing and now uses a heat pipe with a heatsink on top to dissipate the heat.
The motherboard has two PCIe 5.0 16x (x8/x8) ports as well as a PCI Express PCIe 4.0 port running in x4. As on the high-end Asus Z690 motherboards, there is a button called Q-Release. When a card is plugged into the first PCIe slot, pressing this button opens the retention system and releases your graphics card. This was a concern we had with the previous generation when a heatsink was too close to the first PCIe slot.
An OLED display but also the AniMe Matrix display:
The most attentive among you will have noticed the presence of the OLED screen. It is located in the middle and just below the socket of the motherboard. It can be set via the Asus software but displays by default the motherboard boot sequence.
And that’s not all! On the top of the heatsink positioned on the top of the motherboard, there is an “Anime Matrix” screen that has no less than 222 LEDs. It can be configured to play custom animations, pictures, animations and audio visualization. It can also display the system time and date.
