Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Dark Hero Motherboard

The ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Dark Hero is a full-size ATX motherboard built around the AMD X870E chipset and AM5 socket, designed for AMD Ryzen 9000, 8000, and 7000 series desktop processors. Its understated all-black aesthetic pairs premium component quality with a comprehensive feature set, making it a strong platform for high-end PC builds that demand both performance headroom and long-term expandability. At the heart of the power delivery is a 20+2+2 power stage layout, complemented by 10K black metallic capacitors and MicroFine alloy chokes under a dedicated VRM heatsink. These components are intended to deliver stable voltage to the CPU under sustained workloads and overclocking scenarios. Memory support spans four DDR5 DIMM slots capable of holding up to 256 GB total. Operating speeds reach up to 8600+ MT/s with Ryzen 9000 series processors using EXPO or AEMP profiles, and up to 9600+ MT/s via manual overclocking configuration. AMD EXPO, ASUS AEMP, and NitroPath DRAM Technology are all supported. The board also features DIMM Fit and DIMM Fit Pro for compatibility guidance. Two PCIe 5.0 x16 expansion slots serve Ryzen 9000 and 7000 series CPUs, supporting x16 or x8/x8 configurations for graphics cards or high-speed add-in cards. Storage is handled by five M.2 Key-M slots — each equipped with a heatsink, including a 3D vapour chamber (3D VC) M.2 heatsink on one slot for advanced thermal dissipation — alongside four SATA 6 Gb/s ports. Connectivity is equally comprehensive. The rear I/O includes two USB4 ports at 40 Gbps (USB Type-C), nine USB 10 Gbps ports (six Type-A plus three Type-C), a Realtek 10 Gb Ethernet port, a Realtek 5 Gb Ethernet port, an HDMI output, two gold-plated audio jacks, and an optical S/PDIF output. Wireless networking is provided by a Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 module with a Q-Antenna connector. Front-panel USB 20 Gbps headers support Quick Charge 4+ up to 60 W when the 8-pin PCIe power connector is connected. ASUS Q-Design features include M.2 Q-Latch, Q-Release, Q-Slide, PCIe Q-Release with SafeSlot, Q-Code debug display, Q-LED indicators (CPU, DRAM, VGA, Boot), Q-Connector, Q-Dashboard, and BIOS FlashBack for convenient building and troubleshooting. Polymo Lighting II and three Addressable Gen 2 headers support Aura Sync RGB ecosystems. A dedicated LN2 Mode jumper, ReTry button, FlexKey button, and onboard Start button cater to enthusiast and extreme overclocking use cases. Software support includes Armoury Crate, Fan Xpert 4 with AI Cooling II, AI Overclocking guidance in UEFI, ROG CPU-Z, Dolby Atmos, HWiNFO, ASUS AI Advisor, AIDA64 Extreme (one-year licence), and more. Verified Specifications: - Socket: AMD AM5 | Chipset: X870E | Form Factor: ATX - CPU Compatibility: AMD Ryzen 9000, 8000, 7000 series desktop processors - Memory: 4 x DDR5 DIMM, max 256 GB, dual-channel; up to 9600+ MT/s (OC, manual); up to 8600+ MT/s (EXPO/AEMP, Ryzen 9000); ECC/Non-ECC unbuffered - Expansion: 2 x PCIe 5.0 x16 (Ryzen 9000/7000); 2 x PCIe 4.0 x16 (Ryzen 8000 series, bandwidth varies) - Storage: 5 x M.2 (Key M) with heatsinks incl. 3D VC heatsink; 4 x SATA 6 Gb/s - Rear USB: 2 x USB4 40 Gbps Type-C; 9 x USB 10 Gbps (6 Type-A + 3 Type-C) - Networking: Realtek 10 Gb Ethernet; Realtek 5 Gb Ethernet; Wi-Fi 7; Bluetooth 5.4 - Display Output: 1 x HDMI, 1 x DisplayPort (from integrated graphics) - Power Delivery: 20+2+2 power stages; 2 x 8-pin CPU power; 1 x 8-pin PCIe power - Warranty: 3 Years