Choosing The Right X570 Motherboard

Overall, there are more than 35 X570 motherboards available just as part of the first wave of designs. And there will be quite a few more to be announced later on, such as the ASRock X570 Taichi Ultimate, Biostar's mini-ITX X570GTN and a number of models from ASUS. This can be a lot to dig through.

Selecting the right motherboard comes down to personal preferences and needs, and there are many different variables to consider as part of that process. This includes the number of M.2 slots onboard, SATA ports, support for NVIDIA SLI, etc. The vast majority of boards come with a strong feature set, which is to be expected from a premium desktop platform such as X570. This is no small part due to vendors finally bringing their high-end feature sets to AMD boards, on the heels of AMD's success in the market with the first and second generations of Ryzen processors.

So, similar to what we did in our previous Intel Z390 round-up from last year, we've taken some of the most common requirements when choosing the foundation for a new system, and narrowed them down to help users select a board based on specific features.

Overall, vendors have a lot of flexibility here for the X570 generation of boards. With support for more chipset USB 3.1 G2 lanes, as well as 12 to 16 flexible PCIe 4.0 lanes, motherboard makers have plenty of I/O for adding features and playing around with their PCIe/M.2 slot configurations. This modular system allows vendors to quickly create different types of boards based on the product's target market, trading off between SATA ports and various ways to use PCIe lanes. For example, a vendor can select to add two blocks of 4 x SATA ports for boards looking to offer superior storage capabilities, while the remaining 8 flexible PCIe 4.0 lanes being set aside for devices such as x4 M.2 slots. Then on top of all this, additional controllers can be added.

Finally, it's interesting to note that vendors have been surprisingly consistent in implementing the latest Intel and Realtek Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax wireless interfaces, both of which also include support for BT 5. Even counting "duplicate" designs in the total, a full 18 of the 35 launch boards have some form of Wi-Fi support.

Choosing the Right X570 Motherboard
          If You Need                  Then The Options Are          Size Amazon Newegg
10 Gigabit Ethernet ASRock X570 Aqua ATX - -
  ASRock X570 Creator ATX - -
  GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Xtreme EATX - $700
  MSI MEG X570 Godlike (Add-on card) EATX $700 $700
  MSI Prestige X570 Creation EATX - $500
 
5 Gigabit Ethernet ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Formula ATX $700 $700
 
2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming X ATX - $350
  ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Hero WIFI ATX - $380
  ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Hero ATX - -
  ASUS ROG Strix X570-E Gaming ATX $330 $330
  GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Master ATX - $360
  MSI MEG X570 Godlike EATX $700 $700
  MSI MEG X570 Ace ATX $370 $370
  MSI MEG X570 Unify ATX - -
 
Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax ASRock X570 Aqua EATX - -
  ASRock X570 Taichi ATX $339 $300
  ASRock X570 Creator ATX - -
  ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming-ITX TB3 mITX - -
  ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Formula ATX $700 $700
  ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Hero WIFI ATX - $380
  ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Impact mDTX - -
  ASUS ROG Strix X570-E Gaming ATX $330 $330
  ASUS ROG Strix X570-I Gaming ATX - -
  GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Xtreme EATX - $700
  GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Master ATX - $360
  GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Ultra ATX $300 $300
  GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Pro WIFI ATX - $270
  GIGABYTE X570 Elite WIFI ATX - -
  GIGABYTE X570 I Aorus Pro WIFI mITX - $220
  MSI MEG X570 Godlike EATX $700 $700
  MSI MEG X570 Ace ATX $370 $370
  MSI MEG X570 Unify ATX - -
  MSI MPG X570 Gaming Pro Carbon WIFI ATX $260 $260
 
3 or more M.2 Slots ASRock X570 Taichi ATX $339 $300
  ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming X ATX - $350
  Biostar X570 Racing GT8 ATX - -
  GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Xtreme EATX - $700
  GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Master ATX - $360
  GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Ultra ATX $300 $300
  MSI MEG X570 Godlike EATX $700 $700
  MSI MEG X570 Ace ATX $370 $370
  MSI MEG X570 Unify ATX - -
 
U.2 Port ASUS Pro WS X570-Ace ATX - $380
 
8 or more SATA Ports ASRock X570 Aqua EATX - -
  ASRock X570 Taichi ATX $339 $300
  ASRock X570 Creator ATX - -
  ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming X ATX - $350
  ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Hero ATX - -
  ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Hero WIFI ATX - $380
  ASUS ROG Strix X570-E Gaming ATX $330 $330
  ASUS ROG Strix X570-F Gaming ATX - $200
 
3 or more USB 3.1 G2 Type-A ASRock X570 Taichi ATX $339 $300
  ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming-ITX TB3 mITX - $300
  ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Formula ATX $700 $700
  ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Hero ATX - -
  ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Hero WIFI ATX - $380
  ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Impact mDTX - -
  ASUS ROG Strix X570-E Gaming ATX $330 $330
  ASUS ROG Strix X570-F Gaming ATX - -
  ASUS ROG Strix X570-I Gaming mITX - -
  ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus ATX $190 $190
  ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus WIFI ATX $200 $200
  ASUS Pro WS X570-Ace ATX $380 $380
  ASUS Prime X570-Pro ATX $250 $250
  ASUS Prime X570-P ATX $170 $170
  GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Xtreme EATX $700 $700
  GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Master ATX - $360
  GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Ultra ATX $300 $300
  GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Pro ATX - -
  GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Pro WIFI ATX - -
  MSI MEG X570 Godlike EATX $700 $700
  MSI MEG X570 Ace ATX $370 $370
  MSI Prestige X570 Creation EATX - $500
  MSI MPG X570 Gaming Pro Carbon WIFI ATX $260 $260
 
Thunderbolt 3 ASRock X570 Aqua ATX - -
  ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming-ITX TB3 mITX - -
 
BIOS Flashback Button ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming X ATX - $350
  GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Master ATX - $360
  GIGABYTE X570 I Aorus Pro WIFI mITX - $220
  MSI MEG X570 Godlike EATX $700 $700
  MSI MEG X570 Ace ATX $370 $370
  MSI MEG X570 Unify ATX - -
  MSI MPG X570 Gaming Pro Carbon WIFI ATX $260 $260
  MSI MPG X570 Gaming Edge WIFI ATX $210 $210
 
E-ATX ASRock X570 Aqua EATX - -
  GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Xtreme EATX - $700
  MSI MEG X570 Godlike EATX $700 $700
  MSI Prestige X570 Creation EATX - $500
 
Micro-ATX ASRock X570M Pro4 mATX - $186
 
Mini-ITX ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming-ITX TB3    mITX - -
  ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Impact (m-DTX) mDTX - -
  ASUS ROG Strix X570-I Gaming mITX - -
  GIGABYTE X570 I Aorus Pro WIFI mITX - $220

Normally we would also note which boards include a Realtek ALC1220 HD audio codec in the table, but it's actually quicker and easier to list which boards don't have it, as it's now a regular feature across most X570 boards. Only a limited number of boards in the entry-level segment feature a non-ALC1220 codec.

X570 Motherboard Audio
Codec Boards
Realtek ALC1220 Almost Everything, Except The Following
Realtek ALC1200 ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming 4
  ASRock X570 Steel Legend
  ASRock X570 Pro4
  ASRock X570M Pro4
  GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Elite
  GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Elite WIFI
Realtek S1200A ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus WIFI
  ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus
  ASUS Prime X570-P
Realtek ALC887 GIGABYTE X570 Gaming X
Realtek ALC1150 Colorful CVN X570 Gaming Pro V14

The other big variable to consider when selecting between the various motherboards is price. As with any other motherboard lineup, you have the entry-level models which usually offer a good mixture of mid-range controller selections, but with cut down features. The mid-range models usually include a strong premium controller set, but with other cost-reducing variables such as fewer M.2 slots and less heatsink space on the board.

The premium flagship models go all-out, offering as much as they can cram onto the PCB. Of course, it's unfair to compare a $199 board to a $699 board without also appreciating the step up in refinements such as the power delivery, extra controllers such as 10 G/5 G/2.5 G NICs, and other integrated features. 

All of the boards we've covered today, with the exception of the Colorful CVN X570 Pro V14, are set to be available to buy this week in the USA, EU, and the UK, across various retailers such as Amazon, Newegg, Overclockers UK, etc. There may be other models available for other parts of the world such as the Asian market which we haven't covered, but none of these was announced during the unveiling of the X570 chipset at Computex 2019.

A much talked about feature on the X570 products is the implementation of an actively cooled chipset which has raised questions on noise, how hot the X570 chipset actually runs, and why it runs so hot. Adding PCIe 4.0 lanes over PCIe 3.0 currently requires a higher power draw and is the primary reason for the 11 W TDP that the X570 chipset has. So far only one model in the entire X570 product stack has a passively cooled heatsink, the flagship GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Xtreme, so it will be interesting to see how the heatsink compares to other boards.

ASRock X570 Product Stack

Starting alphabetically, ASRock has 10 different X570 models, with a single E-ATX sized board in the form of the limited edition X570 Aqua. The company also has one mini-ITX board with Thunderbolt 3, and the only mATX board in the entire X570 product stack (at launch), the X570M Pro4.

One board that dominates with features is the flagship ASRock X570 Aqua, which includes an Aquantia AQC107 10 G NIC, two PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slots, and 8 SATA ports. The Phantom Gaming series also makes a reappearance with its flagship gaming model, the X570 Phantom Gaming X. This board includes a Realtek RTL8125-AG 2.5 G NIC, and the Wi-Fi enabled models adding an Intel AX200 802.11ax wireless interface.

Availability and Pricing of ASRock AMD X570 Motherboards (07/09)
Model Size AT
Overview
Amazon Newegg
ASRock X570 Aqua E-ATX Link - -
ASRock X570 Taichi ATX Link $339 $300
ASRock X570 Creator ATX Link - -
ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming X ATX Link - $350
ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming 4 ATX Link - $155
ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming-ITX TB3 mITX Link - -
ASRock X570 Steel Legend ATX Link $260 $200
ASRock X570 Extreme4 ATX Link - $240
ASRock X570 Pro4 ATX Link - $170
ASRock X570M Pro4 mATX Link - $186

There is no X570 Taichi Ultimate as of yet, but it's expected to come out after launch. Meanwhile, the standard X570 Taichi model does make an appearance in the product stack. Also making a reappearance is the X570 Steel Legend, which is essentially the X570 Extreme4 with a different aesthetic design, and the X570/X570M Pro4 models which are generally targeted more towards professional users.

ASUS X570 Product Stack

Moving onto the ASUS models, there are a total of 12 models to select from, which is the largest array of any vendor at launch. This is due to certain models being "doubled up", with both WI-Fi and non-Wi-Fi versions available for the ROG Crosshair VIII Hero and TUF Gaming X570-Plus. The Wi-Fi enabled variants to come with an Intel AX200 802.11ax wireless controller, which is the only difference between to the versions without Wi-Fi.

The flagship ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Formula includes an EKWB water block for the power delivery system, all the while the range filters down to the mini-DTX sized ROG Crosshair VIII Impact, which is sure to please extreme overclockers and small form factor enthusiasts. The majority of ASUS's X570 product stack includes three or more USB 3.1 G2 ports on the rear panel, which is nice to see, and this includes the cheaper Prime series models too. Also included on the vast majority of the ASUS X570 product stack are eight (or more) SATA ports; handy for users looking to make use of the X570 chipset's support of RAID 0, 1, and 10 arrays.

Availability and Pricing of ASUS AMD X570 Motherboards (07/09)
Model Size AT
Overview
Amazon Newegg
ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Formula ATX Link $700 $700
ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Hero WIFI ATX Link - $380
ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Hero ATX Link - $360
ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Impact mDTX Link - -
ASUS ROG Strix X570-E Gaming ATX Link $330 $330
ASUS ROG Strix X570-F Gaming ATX Link - $300
ASUS ROG Strix X570-I Gaming mITX Link - -
ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus WIFI ATX Link $200 $200
ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus ATX Link $190 $190
ASUS Pro WS X570-Ace ATX Link $380 $380
ASUS Prime X570-Pro ATX Link $250 $250
ASUS Prime X570-P ATX Link $170 $170

The other models in the range include the mid-range Strix series with three boards – two ATX and one mini-ITX – and the ASUS TUF Gaming caters to the gamers looking for more a more affordable option. For non-gamers, there's the anticipated ASUS Pro WS X570-Ace, which incorporates three full-length PCIe 4.0 slots with x8 or better bandwidth, which should be particularly useful for building out systems with lots of accelerators. Other boards include a pair of Prime series parts, with the Prime X570-Pro and the lower spec but ultimately cheaper Prime X570-P.

GIGABYTE X570 Product Stack

GIGABYTE has a total of 9 X570 models at launch, with their top board being the E-ATX sized X570 Aorus Extreme. This board bundles a number of high-end features, including an Aquantia AQC107 10 G NIC and a large 16-phase power delivery system, and interestingly enough it's also the only board so far to feature a passively cooled X570 chipset. Meanwhile, all but one of GIGABYTE's boards come from its Aorus gaming brand, including a single mini-ITX model in the X570 I Aorus Pro WIFI, which is a cut-down version of its ATX sized X570 Aorus Pro Wi-Fi. 

Availability and Pricing of GIGABYTE AMD X570 Motherboards (07/09)
Model Size AT
Overview
Amazon Newegg
GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Xtreme E-ATX Link - $700
GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Master ATX Link - $360
GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Ultra ATX Link $300 $300
GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Pro WIFI ATX Link - $270
GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Pro ATX Link - -
GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Elite WIFI ATX Link - -
GIGABYTE X570 Aorus Elite ATX Link $200 $200
GIGABYTE X570 I Aorus Pro WIFI mITX Link - $220
GIGABYTE X570 Gaming X ATX Link - $170

Moving down the product stack from the Xtreme, Master, Ultra, Pro, and Elite, is the entry-level GIGABYTE X570 Gaming X. This is the only board not to hail from the Aorus series, and it includes a more wallet-friendly feature set. From the X570 Aorus Pro/Aorus Pro WIFI and up the product stack, each model includes three or more USB 3.1 G2 ports on the rear panel. It's also worth noting that for users looking for a lot of SATA ports, no board in GIGABYTE's product stack includes more than six.

MSI X570 Product Stack

The last of the major motherboard vendors are MSI, and it has the smallest product stack out of the big four, with just 7 X570 boards at launch. Usually coming out with one of the larger product stacks, MSI has condensed its range a bit, as the MPG X570 Gaming Pro Carbon WIFI and X570 Gaming Edge WIFI does not have non-Wi-Fi variants like on we've seen on previous chipsets. Both these boards sit in the mid-range segment, while the company has a trio of high-end models, including the two enthusiast models: the MEG X570 Godlike, and MEG X570 Ace. Otherwise the new Prestige X570 Creation is aimed at content creators and professionals, and it has the best USB-laden rear panel of any X570 board thus far. 

Availability and Pricing of MSI AMD X570 Motherboards (07/09)
Model Size AT
Overview
Amazon Newegg
MSI MEG X570 Godlike ATX Link $700 $700
MSI MEG X570 Ace ATX Link $370 $370
MSI MEG X570 Unify ATX Link - -
MSI Prestige X570 Creation E-ATX Link - $500
MSI MPG X570 Gaming Pro Carbon WIFI ATX Link $260 $260
MSI MPG X570 Gaming Edge WIFI ATX Link $210 $210
MSI MPG X570 Gaming Plus ATX Link - $170
MSI X570-A Pro ATX Link - $160

Moving down the MSI product stack is the MPG X570 Gaming Plus, which represents good value for money thanks to a decent feature set that doesn't break the bank. There is also the entry-level and professional focused MSI X570-A Pro, which drops the gaming theme of the other models (barring the Creation) and looks to offer users a solid entry-point into the X570 platform. The MSI MEG X570 Godlike also has one of the best feature/accessory bundles of any X570 board, with a dual PCIe 4.0 x4 slot (Xpander-Z) add-on card, as well as a Super LAN Aquantia AQC107 10 G NIC.

Other X570 Product Stack Options

Other X570 boards outside of the usual vendors include the X570 Racing GT8 from Biostar, which they actually blundered with and leaked way ahead of the X570 launch. Biostar also has plans to release a mini-ITX board later this year, a follow on of the X470GTN that's most likely to be called the X570GTN.

Last but not least on the list is the US Navy-inspired Colorful CVN X570 Gaming Pro V14, which we got hands-on with at Computex 2019. We expect that the Colorful model will be available primarily in the Asian market.

Availability and Pricing of Other AMD X570 Motherboards (07/09)
Model Size AT
Overview
Amazon Newegg
Biostar X570 Racing GT8 ATX Link - -
Colorful CVN X570 Gaming Pro V14 ATX Link - -
MSI X570-A Pro
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  • Tunnah - Tuesday, July 9, 2019 - link

    I really love how advanced motherboards are nowadays. I can pick up the most "basic" model and it'll cover everything I need, and even include stuff I won't. Gone are the days frantically trying to find a motherboard that ticks all the boxes for even the most basic of needs.

    Plus having such a competent board as my soon-to-be secondary system means I can leave all my drives in that and put it in a nice quiet place. I'm fairly certain the 8 HDDs in this one are what caused my tinnitus :/
  • Jansen - Tuesday, July 9, 2019 - link

    The ASUS Pro WS X570-Ace has officially validated ECC support. This is a really big deal, as Ryzen has usually only had unofficial ECC support. It opens up a whole other revenue steam for AMD that Intel has deliberately cut off in order to drive Xeon sales.

    Micron is ramping up its 16GB 3200MHz DDR4 ECC modules MTA18ADF2G72AZ-3G2 specifically for this market.
  • JoeyJoJo123 - Tuesday, July 9, 2019 - link

    I'd much sooner get a Ryzen platform for their value and unbuffered ECC support for an upgrade for my NAS box running FreeNAS, but it's well documented that FreeBSD still has teething issues with Ryzen chips, scheduling, and overall reliability... FreeBSD is what powers FreeNAS OS.

    So I'm kind of stuck with Intel workstations/server CPUs and ECC ram for a FreeBSD machine (assuming I don't want to do the legwork of trying to get it stable first, and even so, I may not always have the same stability that mature FreeBSD+Intel support...)

    I'll very likely be moving to Ryzen for my main PC, though.
  • quorm - Tuesday, July 9, 2019 - link

    I agree with the general sentiment. Core i3 is another option if you don't need a lot of cpu power.
  • teldar - Wednesday, July 10, 2019 - link

    I used a ryzen 1600 for my bad. Rock solid after updating board bios.
  • danjw - Wednesday, July 10, 2019 - link

    I built a file server on Ubuntu Server. You might try that.
  • BillC - Saturday, October 31, 2020 - link

    You might want to check out Open Media Vault which uses Debian Linux for the OS, it can be installed as a NAS only installation or on top of the full Debian OS.
  • spikebike - Tuesday, July 9, 2019 - link

    Wow, pricey board. Sad that AMD handles ECC in such a half assed way. Intel's price premium for low end servers is approximately $0. Xeon E3's were priced very similarly or even cheaper to the similar desktop parts. In particular the cheapest hyperthreading E3 was often cheaper than the cheapest i3/i5/i7 with 4 cores/8 threads. Similar with the HEDT, the intel premium for a better socket/additional memory busses is much less than the low end Eypc/Threadripper.

    So you either have the luck of the draw trying to buy a reliable AMD with ECC (not just physically compatible, but actually corrects memory errors), or you pay a substantial price premium.
  • Aikouka - Thursday, July 11, 2019 - link

    ASRock Rack has a Ryzen motherboard that officially supports ECC and also has IPMI support (X470D4U). They're also developing a Threadripper variant of their Epyc server board that has IPMI support, but it uses the X370 chipset.
  • cascadehealthcare - Tuesday, August 13, 2019 - link

    Authorized seller of thousands of top-quality medical products, supplies and equipment at a competitive price. We have online presence that serves the needs of Assisted Living Homes, Nursing Facilities, Hospitals, Government Agencies, Schools and Military Locations across the country. Cascade Healthcare Solutions was founded on the premise of helping our customers save money and making their buying experience as smooth as possible.
    Authorized seller of thousands of top-quality medical products, supplies and equipment at a competitive price. We have online presence that serves the needs of Assisted Living Homes, Nursing Facilities, Hospitals, Government Agencies, Schools and Military Locations across the country. Cascade Healthcare Solutions was founded on the premise of helping our customers save money and making their buying experience as smooth as possible.
    https://www.cascadehealthcaresolutions.com/

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