Aorus X870 Elite WiFi 7 Motherboard Review

Dual channel memory comes standard on the AM5 Processor platform and the X870 Aorus Elite WiFi 7 supports standard speed DDR5 modules with overclocking support up to 8200MT/s+.  Actual speeds will depend on your module choice and processor quality.  A maximum of 256GB is addressable with the proper module density.  

There is a lot going on around the memory sockets.  To the right, you’ll find several PWM fan headers and two of the RGB and ARGB connections.  Benchtop controls are back with power and reset located at the top and a debug LED nearby.  For those who have no idea what the BIOS codes mean there are four LEDs that will light up during the boot process to indicate what might be causing the problem if you have trouble booting.

Another interesting feature is the inclusion of a single internal HDMI connector next to the power socket and internal header with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Support.  I also like the screened graphics above the memory sockets indicating which slots to populate first.  It should be common knowledge at this point but, there are some people out there who would prefer to drink the contents of an automotive battery over learning how to lash valves.

One of the biggest shifts when it comes to motherboard design is support for storage.  For years storage has been the bottleneck and we have gone to great lengths to ensure that our data access is fast.  Well, it would seem that when storage is no longer a bottleneck every motherboard designer finds it necessary to include as many PCI Express enabled M.2 slots as possible.

In the place of the usual PCI Express expansion slots you will find a total of four M.2 sockets.  Three support PCI Express 5.0 while the remaining only supporting PCI Express 4.0.  All are cooled by integrated cooling solution to keep the drives from throttling.  The top slot is using bandwidth from the CPU and also comes with the largest heatsink of the bunch.  You’ll want t use this one for your primary drive while the others can be for storage.

Another amazing feature of the “X” generation motherboards is the quick latch system.  This system gives you 100% toolless access to the M.2 drives through a spring-loaded metal twist latch.  Simply twist to release the heatsink cover and press the cover down to reinstall.    This makes installation a snap and something you can do without fear of breaking the latch.