AMD X670E vs. X670: Major Differences & Which Motherboard to Choose?

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the PC hardware industry has the most confusing of names at times. Currently, the leader of confusing name schemes is AMD, and it is apparent with the X670 and X670E motherboard chipset.

Placing an E at the end of the name and calling it a new motherboard chipset can indeed be very confusing for consumers. If you are also confused between these two motherboards, don’t fret. 

In this article, X670 and X670E motherboards will face off in a head-to-head battle. I will provide a detailed comparison of both of these motherboards, explain their differences, and highlight their use cases. 

Rest assured, at the end of the article, you will no longer be confused as to whether you should choose the X670 or the X670E for your PC. 

So, without further ado, let’s dive straight into the X670 vs X670E battle. 

The “E” in the X670E stands for Extreme. X670E released with Ryzen 7000 series processors. It is based on AMD’s latest AM5 platform. 

For the X670E, AMD switched from a Pin Grid Array (PGA) socket, which has pins on the CPU itself, to a Land Grid Array (LGA) socket, which has pins on the motherboard CPU socket rather than the CPU itself. 

The X670E motherboard is AMD’s take on making a motherboard that contains all the latest features, technology, and specs that their AM5 platform has to offer. 

In short, the X670E is AMD’s take on a motherboard that caters to PC enthusiasts who like to get the most out of their PC hardware. Therefore, it has some additional features and specs compared to an X670 motherboard. 

The premise of this comparison is to establish whether you need the additional features that come with the X670E motherboard and if its price premium is justified over the X670.

The X670 motherboard is the baseline high-end motherboard chipset. Like its extreme counterpart, the X670 was also released with Ryzen 7000 series processors and is based on the latest AM5 platform. 

The X670 has a similar architecture to the X670E and uses the Land Grid Array (LGA) socket as opposed to the Pin Grid Array (PGA) socket. 

The X670 motherboard contains most of the features that the X670E offers, minus a few. I will base my comparison of the X670 on whether this motherboard has enough capability and features that buying the X670E is redundant. 

For this purpose, I will explore all the key characteristics and main features of this motherboard and compare it with the X670E.

In this comparison, I will highlight and evaluate all the key characteristics and features of the X670 and the X670E. After assessing what they have to offer, I will provide some use cases of both of these motherboards so you can decide which one is better for your needs. 

1. Specs Overview

On paper, the X670 and X670E look quite similar. However, specs can be often deceiving because they don’t tell the whole picture. The following are the specs comparison chart of the X670 and the X670E. 

While they may appear similar, there are fundamental differences between the two motherboards when it comes to specs. 

From the specs table, I would like to highlight your attention towards PCIe Gen 5.0 lanes. The X670E has twenty-four PCIe Gen 5.0 Lanes. Meanwhile, X670 gets access to only four PCIe Gen 5.0 lanes. 

The difference in PCIe Gen 5.0 lanes makes all the difference when it comes to connectivity and future-proofing, as we will discuss in the PCIe Lanes section. 

Apart from that, another on-paper difference between the X670E and X670 is VRM. Given that X670E is a more premium chipset, it has a high capacity of VRM. This also comes into play when overclocking a Ryzen processor, as you will see in the overclocking section of the comparison.

Besides that, there isn’t much of a difference between these two motherboards, at least on paper, but as I always say, specs only tell half the picture. Therefore, you shouldn’t solely rely on the specs alone to make your buying decision. 

2. CPU Support 

One of the most critical aspects of a motherboard is its ability to support multiple CPUs. As a consumer, the last thing you want is to upgrade the motherboard every so often because the new hardware is not compatible with the motherboard. 

In terms of CPU support, both the X670E and the X670 stand on equal footing. Since they are based on the new AM5 socket, they only support Ryzen 7000 series and newer processors. 

They are not backward compatible with any previous generation Ryzen processors, not even the Ryzen 5000 series processors, which is disappointing but expected. 

The AM5 socket has undergone a drastic change, and it is based on Land Grid Array architecture as opposed to the Pin Grid Array architecture used by AM4 motherboards. 

Therefore, since the technology is different, the X670E and X670 cannot support older generation Ryzen processors. 

What is promising, though, is AMD’s claim to support the X670E and X670 till 2025 and beyond. Seeing AMD’s track record, five-year support for these motherboards is quite possible. 

What this means is that newer Ryzen processors that will be released in the future will be compatible with the X670E and the X670. So, when upgrading to a newer generation, you will not need to change the motherboard. 

3. Memory Support 

Ryzen processors place extra emphasis on memory and significantly benefit from faster DDR5 RAM. 

DDR5 is the latest standard of RAM technology. Since both the X670E and the X670 present the latest AMD has to offer, they support DDR5 RAM. 

Supporting DDR5 RAM is one piece of the puzzle. In DDR5 RAM, there are multiple RAM speeds, which, in technical terms, are called clock speeds. 

Faster clock speeds can greatly boost the performance of the computer. However, the caveat here is that not all motherboards can support fast memory speeds. 

Fortunately, AMD has not capped memory speeds on any of these motherboards. Therefore, they can achieve similar RAM speeds. You can expect to achieve similar memory speed on both of these motherboards. 

4. PCIe Lanes 

PCIe Lanes are the backbone of a motherboard. A motherboard has several components, for instance, PCIe slots, SATA ports, M.2 slots, CPU socket, etc. 

To work in harmony, all these different components need to be connected to one another. The PCIe lanes are the pathways that carry information and data to and from the different components of a motherboard and connect them to one another. 

The importance of PCIe Lanes cannot be understated because, without PCIe Lanes, a motherboard won’t work. Similarly, having more PCIe Lanes means that data and information can be exchanged at a much faster rate, leading to higher effectiveness and efficiency. 

In PCIe Lane technology, the PCIe Gen 5.0 is the latest standard, and PCIe lanes that utilize Gen 5.0 can carry more data. Therefore, having PCIe 5.0 Lanes in a motherboard is quite beneficial. 

The main difference between these motherboards stems from PCIe Lanes. The X670E gets 24 PCIe 5.0 Lanes, while the X670 gets only 4 PCIe Lanes. 

This means that on X670E, the main X16 PCIe slot for graphics cards runs at PCIe 5.0. Also, an X670E has two PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots. On the contrary, an X670 motherboard only has one PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot and no PCIe 5.0 slot for the graphics card. 

Currently, no graphics card runs at PCIe 5.0, and there are only a handful of M.2 drives that operate at PCIe 5.0, but they are very costly. So, the utility of PCIe 5.0 is quite limited for now, but this will all change as technology progresses. 

Since the X670E and X670 motherboards will be supported for five more years, I firmly believe that in that time frame, PC hardware technology will catch up, and we will start seeing PCIe 5.0 graphics cards become the norm. 

So, for future-proofing, PCIe 5.0 is the way to go. Hence, it is safe to assume that the X670E will fare better in the long run because of its support for a PCIe 5.0 graphics card slot and two PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots, as opposed to X670 having no PCIe 5.0 graphics slot and only one PCIe M.2 slot. 

5. VRM

The Voltage Regulator Module (VRM) is the component of the motherboard that is tasked with distributing power to all PC hardware connected to the motherboard and regulating the voltage. 

PC parts, such as processors, memory, etc as very fragile to electric disruption. Deviation in voltage can cause the computer parts to malfunction and sometimes can cause even permanent damage.

Therefore, to keep a computer working optimally, you want a motherboard with good quality VRM. Besides the quality, the amount of VRM also matters because the higher the VRM capacity of the motherboard, the higher the load it will be able to handle. 

In terms of the VRM, the X670E has a clear lead when compared to the X670. The VRM of X670 isn’t bad and can handle Ryzen 7000 processors, DDR5 memory, and the latest graphics card without impacting stability. 

However, the VRM of the X670E can handle a higher load and also support better overclocking because of its higher VRM count. 

For instance, the Gigabyte X670E Xtreme has an 18+2+2 phase VRM, and each phase supports a 105A power stage. Meanwhile, the Gigabyte X670 Aorus Elite has a 16+2+2 phase VRM but only supports a 70A power stage. 

Practically speaking, If you want to pair the Ryzen 9 7950X with a motherboard, then I would suggest the X670E because of its more capable VRM. However, for the Ryzen 9 7900X and lower, you can safely go with the X670 because its VRM is more than capable of handling those processors.

6. Overclocking  

AMD does not place any overclocking restrictions on its motherboard. Therefore, meaning that both the X670E and X670 support overclocking. However, their overclocking prowess and capability are not the same. 

Overclocking means increasing the clock speed of a specific PC hardware to extract higher performance. Overclocking is of two types: CPU overclocking and memory overclocking. 

CPU overclocking depends on VRM, and X670E has a better VRM. Besides having a better VRM, the X670E motherboard also benefits from overclocking-specific features, which are lacking in the X670. 

Therefore, when overclocking, for instance, the Ryzen 9 7900X on the Gigabyte AORUS X670E Xtreme, you will be able to achieve higher clock speeds as opposed to overclocking the Ryzen 7 7900X on the Gigabyte X670 Aorus Elite. Hence, this leads to better performance on the X670E. 

In terms of memory overclocking, both these motherboards display similar behavior. Their memory overclocking capability is almost the same. 

So, needless to say, there won’t be much of a difference when overclocking memory on either the Gigabyte AORUS X670E Xtreme or the Gigabyte X670 Aorus Elite. 

Overall, the X670E leads the X670 in terms of overclocking because it can handle CPU overclocking in a better manner. 

7. USB Ports 

High-speed USB ports that support enhanced bandwidth are becoming increasingly important because more and more external storage drives and other PC peripherals are taking advantage of enhanced bandwidth offered by high-speed USB ports. 

Comparing the X670E and the X670, they both have two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports that support 20 Gbps bandwidth. Having two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports is the maximum you will get on current-generation hardware, so it is nice seeing AMD didn’t skimp on these ports on the X670. 

Both the X670E and X670 also have an equal number of USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, i.e., 12 ports. The USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports support 10 Gbps, which is less than USB 3.2 Gen 2, but they are also categorized under high-speed USB ports. 

Practically speaking, both of these motherboards have enough high-speed USB ports that you will be able to connect high-speed external SSDs, DAC/Amps, Wi-Fi cards, and other peripherals without running out of ports. 

8. Cost 

Cost is a major deciding factor when deciding between the X670E and the X670. The difference between their prices is so high that even folks with cash burning a hole in their pocket will take a second guess. 

A high-end X670E motherboard with all the bells and whistles, like the Asus ROG Crosshair X670E Hero, costs $700, while others like the Gigabyte Aorus Xtreme and the MSI Godlike X670E can run closer to $800-900. 

Meanwhile, a high-end X670 like the Gigabyte X670 Aorus Elite costs approximately $300, and the Asus X670 Prime is also closer to $270

If we compare the prices, on average, the price difference between the two motherboards accounts for roughly $400-500, which is a lot of money. For this price, you can even buy a new Ryzen 7 7900X processor. 

If we compare the same variant of the X670E and X670 motherboard, prices start to make a lot more sense. 

The Asus Prime X670E costs roughly $350. Comparing it with the Asus Prime X670, which costs $270, the price of buying an X670E over an X670 does not seem like a lot. 

I wanted to highlight this because many people only compare the top-of-the-line X670E with X670 motherboards, but in reality, we should be comparing the same variant of the X670E and the X670 motherboard for a more fair comparison. 

Ultimately, the decision is yours to make. Even when comparing two similar motherboards, there is a difference of $70-80. So, you have to evaluate if this price difference is justifiable for you or not.

The X670E motherboard should be your choice if you,

• Want PCIe 5.0 in your motherboard X670E offers a PCIe 5.0 graphics card slot and two PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots. 
• Want better overclocking support due to a more capable VRM 
• Want better future-proofing for upgrading to newer Ryzen processors and GPUs when they come out 

The X670 motherboard should be your choice if you, 

• Do not care for PCIe 5.0 and don’t plan on installing more than one PCIe 5.0 M.2 drive.
• You do not plan on upgrading to newer processors and GPUs and will stick to your current hardware for a long time. 
• Are on a strict budget and cannot justify spending $70-80 extra for the X670E. 
• Want to jump into the AM5 platform and start without having any plans for future upgrades. 

In this long and comprehensive comparison, I have discussed the merits and demerits of the X670E and the X670 motherboard. However, a word of advice: if you have the money to buy the X670E, even if you don’t plan on upgrading. In the future, if you do end up changing your mind, you are going to regret your X670 purchase. So, it is something I would do, and I advise you to do the same. 

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