Best X870E motherboard in 2026: Crosshair Hero, Strix X870E-E, Taichi Lite, AORUS Pro ICE or Gaming Plus, and when a B850 is enough

An X870E motherboard does not deliver any extra FPS versus a solid B850 with the same Ryzen. What you pay for is I/O: guaranteed USB4, guaranteed PCIe 5.0 for the graphics card, plus more PCIe lanes and ports from the dual chipset. Our picks:

• No-compromise flagship: ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Hero, for overclocking and a Ryzen 9 9950X3D.
• Almost a Crosshair: ASUS ROG Strix X870E-E Gaming WiFi, same VRM and five M.2 slots.
• Best white build for Ryzen X3D: GIGABYTE X870E AORUS Pro X3D ICE.
• Most accessible X870E: MSI X870E Gaming Plus WiFi.
• Best features for the segment: ASRock X870E Nova WiFi.
• If you do not need USB4: a B850 like the MSI MAG B850 Tomahawk Max WiFi II is enough for gaming.

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All AM5 800-series chipsets support the same CPUs (Ryzen 7000, 8000 and 9000), DDR5 and overclocking. The difference is what AMD requires from motherboard makers:

• X870E: two Promontory 21 chips in series, mandatory USB4, mandatory PCIe 5.0 for the GPU and SSD. The richest platform for PCIe lanes, USB and SATA ports.
• X870: a single Promontory 21 chip, but USB4 and PCIe 5.0 for GPU + SSD remain mandatory.
• B850: a single chip, mandatory PCIe 5.0 for one SSD only. PCIe 5.0 for the GPU and USB4 are optional, depending on the model.

For the previous generation in detail, read our B650 vs B850 comparison, and our guide on which motherboard chipset to choose.

Specs checked against manufacturer sheets (ASUS, ASRock, GIGABYTE, MSI). M.2 counts include chipset-linked slots; on several models, filling some Gen5 M.2 slots reduces lanes on the GPU slot.

For a Ryzen 7 9800X3D in gaming, a well-powered B850 does the same job as an X870E: the CPU draws little power and performance is identical. Pick an X870E if you actually use what it adds:

• Several fast SSDs: more M.2 slots and chipset lanes (and PCIe 5.0 SSDs that do not steal GPU bandwidth on the AORUS Pro X3D ICE).
• USB4: fast external SSDs, docks, video out over USB-C.
• Ryzen 9 9950X3D and overclocking: a stout VRM (Crosshair, Strix X870E-E, Taichi Lite, Nova WiFi) keeps headroom under heavy load.

On cooling, our guide on which cooler for a Ryzen 7 9800X3D complements this selection.

Indicative segments checked on October 13, 2026 (best new offers in the DropReference catalog; they change every day):

• Accessible X870E boards (Gaming Plus WiFi, Nova WiFi, AORUS Pro ICE): midrange segment.
• Upper-mid X870E boards (Taichi Lite, AORUS Pro X3D ICE, Strix X870E-E): upper-mid segment.

The Crosshair X870E Hero and the B850 Tomahawk Max WiFi II sit alone in their segments here: check their live prices in their blocks below.

Seven X870E boards and one comparison B850, each linked to the exact model listing.

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DropReference compares offers for you: filter by chipset, form factor or brand and find the best current price on the motherboard comparison tool.

For gaming, a good B850 is enough: performance is identical with the same CPU. X870E makes sense for USB4, guaranteed PCIe 5.0 on the GPU slot, and more M.2 and ports.

Both mandate USB4 and PCIe 5.0 for the GPU and SSD. X870E adds a second Promontory 21 chip: more PCIe lanes, USB ports and SATA.

Useful if you want to overclock, run many SSDs or use USB4. Otherwise a B850 with a solid VRM runs a 9950X3D without issue.

Today, graphics cards lose very little on PCIe 4.0 x16. It is mainly future-proofing.

The best X870E motherboard depends on what you will plug into it. For overclocking and absolute high-end, the Crosshair X870E Hero; for almost as much for less, the Strix X870E-E; for a white Ryzen X3D build, the AORUS Pro X3D ICE; to enter X870E, the Gaming Plus WiFi or Nova WiFi. And if USB4 is useless to you, a B850 like the Tomahawk Max WiFi II remains the most rational pick for gaming.