ASUS has officially launched its ROG Crosshair X870E APEX motherboard, marking the company's foray deep within the high-performance segment aimed at overclocking enthusiasts. This new motherboard, developed using the AMD X870E chipset, is set to provide advanced features and capabilities to those eager to push their hardware to its limits.
Designed with serious overclockers in mind, the ROG Crosshair X870E APEX aims to help reinforce AMD's standing within the overclocking community. This motherboard is characterized by its innovative design, featuring only two DDR5 DIMM slots for maximum overclocking potential. The choice to limit the DIMM slots may seem counterintuitive, but it actually paves the way for improved signal integrity, allowing enthusiasts to achieve higher speeds and lower latencies.
According to reports from Tom's Hardware, professional overclocker SAFEDISK has made headlines by achieving eight Global First Place records using the ROG Crosshair X870E APEX paired with the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X. Notably, he managed to push G.SKILL's DDR5 memory kit to astonishing speeds, hitting the milestone of 10,200 MT/s using air cooling for the Ryzen 5 8500G APU. This capability positions the APEX as not just another motherboard but as one of the premier choices for anyone serious about extreme overclocking.
The ROG Crosshair X870E APEX features impressive specifications and advanced cooling solutions. Equipped with heavy-duty heatsinks linked by an L-shaped heat pipe, this motherboard effectively dissipates heat generated during those intensive operations. Alongside this, multiple fan headers, including one for AIO pumps and high-amperage headers, provide flexibility for extensive cooling setups. Plus, the included ROG Memory Fan Kit delivers necessary airflow to both memory slots and VRM heatsinks.
Supporting two PCIe 5.0 x16 slots sets this motherboard apart, offering options for multi-GPU setups without sacrificing performance. With three PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots and two PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots through the ROG DIMM.2 card, storage options remain ample and fast. Support for SATA 6Gbps ports adds even more configurability for data-heavy tasks, ensuring creators and gamers can achieve exceptional performance.
Connectivity options include WiFi 7 capabilities with 2x2 modules supporting 320MHz channels, alongside two 40Gbps USB4 ports and eight additional USB ports of various speeds. Enhanced charging for devices is addressed with the front-panel USB 20Gbps port, which supports Quick Charge 4+ for fast charging. These features exemplify how the ROG Crosshair X870E APEX is not just for gaming, but also caters to content creators who require speed and reliability.
With the market eager for innovative and powerful hardware options, the ROG Crosshair X870E APEX is positioned as ASUS's entry to set new benchmarks within the performance and enthusiast segments. While pricing details remain under wraps, the availability of this motherboard is anticipated by the end of the first quarter of 2025. Such innovations are likely to motivate other manufacturers to step up their game as well.
Overall, the launch of the ROG Crosshair X870E APEX motherboard marks a significant move for ASUS, one focused on engaging and empowering the overclocking community it aims to serve. With its state-of-the-art specifications and proven capabilities, it is clear ASUS is committed to not only competing but leading within the high-performance motherboard sector.