Our Verdict
The Gigabyte AORUS ELITE X870 WiFi7: Ice Blows Hot With This Gaming Powerhouse? boasts a stunning white design and impressive feature set, all at an affordable price point under $300. This configuration features tool-free heatsinks, PCIe 5.0 SSD support, GPU acceleration, and additional premium upgrades, including reversible Sort-C USB 4 ports, ensuring seamless future-proofing capabilities.
- A number of USB ports
- Enticing white design
- Full PCIe 5.0 assist
- Good VRM and M.2 cooling
- The fan header should ideally be placed closer to the CPU for optimal airflow.
- M.2 interfaces can sometimes pilfer GPU PCIe lanes for their own needs, potentially limiting the performance of your graphics card?
- B650 motherboards offer a cost-effective solution with comparable performance.
If you aim to build a cohesive white PC, selecting a motherboard that complements this aesthetic is crucial. One such option is a board featuring the X870 chipset, which offers a range of configurations to suit your needs. While the X870 chipset may seem incredible at first glance, it’s worth noting that the lack of an expensive X870E chipset still provides premium features like USB 4, Wi-Fi 7 and PCIe 5.0 M.2 and PCIe slots without the hefty $500 price tag.
If you’re seeking the best gaming motherboard to pair with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor and are willing to consider options utilizing the older B650 chipset, you’ll discover numerous affordable choices that can meet your requirements effectively. Despite this, Gigabyte is targeting enthusiasts seeking cutting-edge features like Wi-Fi 7 and USB 4, as well as a sleek aesthetic that withstands the test of time. The motherboard’s larger heatsinks provide an added advantage: the ability to accommodate a PCIe 5.0 SSD without excessive heat buildup, setting it apart from many B650 and X670 boards.
Priced at $290, the Gigabyte Aorus Elite X870 WiFi7 Ice is an affordably priced motherboard that has joined the ranks of reasonably priced options available since AMD’s Zen 5 Ryzen 9000 CPUs debuted on store shelves just a few months ago.
While all Socket AM5 motherboards support Ryzen 7000 and 9000 CPUs, the newly introduced 800-series boards prioritize compatibility with PCIe 5.0 SSDs and graphics cards, incorporating various enhancements to tool-free installation capabilities as well. Gigabyte has further refined its EFI and software to enhance user-friendliness, making it likely that the Aorus Elite X870 WiFi7 Ice will offer seamless installation and setup, backed by more than just an attractive exterior.
At our company, our skilled consultants dedicate countless hours to rigorously testing and thoroughly examining various hardware, video games, and virtual private networks (VPNs). We provide authentic, impartial perspectives to guide your decision-making and ensure you acquire the best possible solutions. Discover how we examine things.
Specs
| Gigabyte Aorus Elite X870 WiFi7 Ice | |
| 305 x 244mm | |
| AMD X870 | |
| AMD Socket AM5 | |
| Four DDR5 DIMM slots support up to 256GB of RAM, with speeds reaching as high as 8,200 MHz. | |
| One x PCIe 5.0 (16-lane), one x PCIe 4.0 (16-lane), and one x PCIe 3.0 (16-lane) | |
| Three high-performance storage slots: three M.2 PCIe 5.0 (four lanes each) with heat sinks to keep your drives running smoothly, plus one additional M.2 PCIe 4.0 slot (also four lanes) equipped with a heat sink for maximum reliability. | |
| Four USB-A 2.0 ports, four USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports, and two USB-C ports with a speed of 4? | |
| One × USB-C 3.2 Gen 2×2 port, one × USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, and two × USB-A 2.0 ports. | |
| Realtek ALC1220 | |
| RealTek 2.5GbE LAN, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.4 | |
| 8 x 4-pin | |
| Two USB-C audio jacks, one optical port, one HDMI port, and a dedicated Q-Flash Plus button. | |
| Advanced Cooling Solution: Chipset Heat Sink + RGB Lighting | |
| M.2 thermal pads |
Options
You’d be pleasantly surprised to find that none of Gigabyte’s price range was allocated to the colour scheme, as it turns out to be a modest yet effective design choice. All four M.2 ports feature effortless tool-free access, allowing for quick and easy installation or removal of solid-state drives (SSDs) as needed. While Gigabyte’s heatsinks are relatively straightforward to manage, they are indeed easier to deal with compared to those from other manufacturers we’ve encountered recently. Notwithstanding this, the topmost port above the graphics card is actively cooled both above and beneath the drive, whereas the remaining three ports lack the typical thermal pads often found on premium motherboards.
To simplify removal and installation of the graphics card, Gigabyte has incorporated a PCIe EZ-Latch Plus button, designed to overcome the challenges posed by the densely packed PCB and inaccessible locking mechanism of the graphics card. The strengthened slot’s locking latch is released by this mechanism, situated directly after the memory slots. This isn’t just essential; it also simplifies the process of removing your graphics card significantly more than traditional methods. Gigabyte has simplified the Wi-Fi aerial connections by replacing multiple connectors with a single one per section of the antenna, eliminating the need for tedious adjustments.
The headline feature of X870 chipsets is the expanded support for USB 4.0 capabilities. Additionally, the system will feature PCIe 5.0 on each of the first PCIe 16x slots as well as at least one M.2 port for enhanced connectivity options. In reality, this board boasts three PCIe 5.0-enabled M.2 ports; however, it’s crucial to note that using the lower two will divert lanes from your graphics card, making us recommend reserving the primary slot for optimal performance and restricting slot two to PCIe 4.0 speeds. Despite this, two M.2 SSDs typically suffice for most users.
You also receive Wi-Fi 7, a significant upgrade from the 600-series chipset’s offerings, but the 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port does not offer any notable speed improvements compared to recent predecessors? While the audio originates from Realtek’s ALC1220 codec, this is not a significant upgrade compared to what’s typically seen on X670 motherboards; nonetheless, it consistently delivers stable and satisfactory audio quality.
Many helpful options exist for tweaking and cooling systems to ensure optimal performance. The ASRock B450M Steel Legend Micro ATX motherboard features an I/O panel equipped with onboard energy and reset buttons, as well as an LED POST code display and a BIOS Flashback button. The board features eight 4-pin fan headers and two thermal probe inputs that can be assigned as fan speed controls, allowing for precise temperature monitoring.
Despite having fewer USB-C ports than some competitors, each USB-C port on the I/O panel supports USB 4.0 connectivity. Additionally, there are ten USB-A ports, comprising a mix of USB 2.0, 3.2 Gen 1, and 3.2 Gen 2 configurations. Meanwhile, a standard USB-C header features a conventional USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 port with 20 Gbps bandwidth, situated next to an HDMI port. Located alongside its counterpart on the rear I/O panel, this feature enables third-party 1080p 30Hz case screens to display animations or system information graphics within your system.
With the latest update, Gigabyte has cleverly incorporated a crisp white theme into its BIOS, imbuing it with a fresh and modern aesthetic. The result is a significantly cleaner interface compared to previous iterations, exuding an air of sophistication and refinement. Gigabyte has streamlined its motherboard management software, confining it primarily to RGB lighting control and fan management, which offers exceptional oversight of your computer’s cooling capabilities.
Design
What truly sets the Gigabyte Aorus Elite X870 WiFi7 Ice apart is its captivating colour palette, which would be a major draw for anyone considering this exceptional device. The device’s aesthetic features a subtle blend of grey and white hues, with the printed circuit board (PCB) seamlessly integrating into the design – an unexpected yet effective touch. When designing a sleek white-themed PC, this motherboard’s attention to detail truly shines, with its color scheme extending to subtle yet thoughtful touches such as fan headers, AMD socket cooler mounts, LED POST code display, and integrated I/O shield protection.
The design’s versatility is noteworthy, especially considering the convenience offered by the PCIe EZ-Latch Plus button on your graphics card, which simplifies the process of removing it significantly. Although Gigabyte has generally placed key ports and connectors along the periphery of the PCB to facilitate cable management, a notable exception is the placement of six out of eight 4-pin fan headers.
Positioned beneath the PCB’s surface, these components require alternative power sources to operate effectively, potentially necessitating extension cables routed from separate supplies, such as those provided by the CPU headers? Fortunately, the board features both 4-pin and 3-pin RGB headers at its top, along with additional 3-pin headers on its underside for further customization.
Benchmarks
The Gigabyte Aorus Elite X870 Wi-Fi 7’s Cinebench R24 scores demonstrate impressive performance, boasting 2,344 points in the multi-core test and 139 points in the single-core test, which aligns with expectations.
In our benchmarking tests for Whole Battle: Warhammer 3, we observed performance at 1080p resolution, achieving a 1% low of 159 frames per second (fps) and a median frame rate of 209 fps using an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super graphics card.
The audio performance in Rightmark Audio Analyzer exceeded expectations, consistently delivering high-quality results with the Realtek ALC1220 codec, showcasing impressive specifications: 102 dB(A) dynamic range and -102 dBA noise floor levels. While we’ve witnessed even more extensive designs, this layout still surpasses what’s typically found on a budget-friendly motherboard featuring an older ALC892 audio codec. Meanwhile, the top M.2 slot handled our PCIe 5.0 SSD seamlessly, with a peak temperature of 61°C during stress testing – an impressive feat achieved by only one slot capable of accommodating PCIe 5.0 SSDs without hogging bandwidth from the graphics slot.
The voltage regulator module’s temperature remained acceptably low at 55°C, as both the software and our thermal probe reported, when paired with our Ryzen 9 5950X test CPU. The overall system peak energy consumption peaked at 361 watts drawn from the wall, consistent with various Socket AM5 motherboards evaluated thus far.
Value
The Gigabyte Aorus Elite X870 WiFi7 Ice’s value proposition is evident at $289, surpassing rivals and previous models due to Gigabyte’s relentless pursuit of an exquisite icy white motherboard design. This board offers enhanced features beyond those of the B650 series, with some additional improvements also evident compared to X670 models.
If your budget allows for it, investing in a higher-end B650 motherboard that costs around $100 more can be the better option. While building a dream white PC, if you’re looking to invest in a motherboard that offers ample options and expansion capabilities, yet stays within your budget of approximately $300, the Aorus Elite X870 WiFi7 Ice provides a reasonable value proposition.
Verdict
While X870 motherboards offer impressive features for enthusiasts, their viability hinges on a crucial factor: competition from X670 and B650-based boards, which often deliver comparable performance when paired with the latest AMD Ryzen 9000 processors. While premium features like additional ports and design flourishes justify investing more, the $290 price tag still represents excellent value, especially when compared to its predecessor, the B650 model.
With the Aorus Elite X870 WiFi7 Ice, you’ll find a motherboard that wholeheartedly commits to its sleek white aesthetic, boasting enhanced tool-free features and cutting-edge connectivity via Wi-Fi 7 and USB 4.0 Type-C ports, effectively future-proofing your build from the get-go?
While more affordable options exist for the white X870 motherboard, Gigabyte impresses by ensuring that almost every component on the PCB is either white or a close match.
Equipped with top-tier cooling for the most demanding gaming SSDs and advanced VRMs, the Gigabyte Aorus Elite X870 WiFi7 Ice motherboard also boasts full PCIe 5.0 support, ample opportunities to customize an intricate air or water-cooling system, as well as cutting-edge Wi-Fi 7, USB 4.0, and a premium BIOS and software package. For those seeking a white motherboard compatible with AMD Ryzen 7000 or 9000 CPUs, we wholeheartedly recommend the Gigabyte Aorus Elite X870 WiFi7 Ice.
If you’re looking to upgrade to one of the latest AMD CPUs compatible with this board, consider reviewing our comprehensive evaluation of the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, where we put the industry’s top gaming CPU through its paces using our rigorous benchmarking suite.
