Asus Prime X670-P assessment: A primed and prepared motherboard

In case you’re entering into AMD’s AM5 Ryzen 7000 CPUs, you’ll desire a competent motherboard to accompany you. With platform prices at all times being a priority with a brand new entry, discovering good values are important. 

That’s the place the Asus Prime X670-P is available in. This customary X670 providing could have just a few PCIe lane compromises, however in the event you don’t want a couple of PCIe Gen 5 lane, it doubtless received’t have an effect on you a lot. 

The place you’ll see a extra noticeable impact is within the worth: With an MSRP of $299, it’s a way more enticing entry level for this next-generation chipset. DDR5 and AMD’s quickest CPUs are all supported right here, letting you’ve your cake and eat it too! 

With a minimalist design and targeted function set, there’s loads to love. We’ll take a look at the specs, options, design, and efficiency. Is that this the balanced motherboard that your construct deserves? Let’s discover out!

Asus Prime X670-P: The specs

The Asus Prime X670-P comes with AM5’s X670 chipset providing. In comparison with the “Extreme” X670E, the usual X670 grants you solely a single PCIe Gen 5 slot for storage. (All the pieces else is Gen 4 and under.) 

You’ll be able to nonetheless use the identical CPUs from AMD’s Ryzen 7000 lineup, together with the beefy Ryzen 9 7950X. iGPU is customary with the brand new CPUs out of the field as properly, which could be very helpful for diagnostics with out a discrete GPU.

The unboxing expertise is apparent and customary, as befits the $299 MSRP. You’ll get just a few equipment, similar to SATA cables, however nothing like on extra premium motherboards. (No M.2 PCIe playing cards or different trinkets.) 

No Wi-Fi antenna both, since this board doesn’t help it. (You’ll want the X670-P Wi-Fi for that).

• ATX kind issue 
• Assist for Ryzen 7000 CPUs 
• 12+2 DrMos energy levels 
• DDR5 RAM, twin channel as much as 4 DIMMs 128GB
• 3x onboard M.2 slots with Q-Latch (1x PCIe Gen 5) 
• HDMI and DisplayPort out 
• 10 USB ports on again
• Realtek 2.5GbE LAN
• RGB headers
• 6 SATA 6Gb/s ports 
• 6 PWM fan headers 
• BIOS Flashback
• Realtek 7.1 Audio 
• MSRP $299

Asus Prime X670-P: Options

$299 MSRP will not be what we’d traditionally name a price range providing, however in at this time’s setting, it’s a aggressive worth for X670.  

How do the options stack up for the worth? It’s a pleasant balanced combine for each avid gamers and content material creators who don’t wish to break the financial institution. 

First, you’ll get help for DDR5 and Ryzen 7000 CPUs. After all, you doubtless received’t have the ability to push overclock limits as you’d on one thing like an Asus X670E Hero we reviewed, however it can do advantageous for many customers. 

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You’re lacking Wi-Fi right here, however there’s a Wi-Fi model out there—our choice can be that there’s just one model to restrict confusion for customers. (Wi-Fi ought to now be customary at this worth degree).

As talked about, X670 does permit you entry to a PCIe Gen 5 slot, which might be used for very quick M.2 storage. With three whole M.2 slots on the board, it’s enough for many gaming and workstation entry-level builds. Energy customers might want 4 or extra M.2 slots, as you’ll discover on higher-priced choices. SATA ports are additionally good right here, with six whole, usually greater than B650 choices we’ve seen. Q-Latch is right here on the M.2 slots, permitting for straightforward set up and elimination, too.

You’ll have PCIe Gen 4 16x for the GPU, which ought to be enough as even the mighty RTX 4090 is simply Gen 4.  

The decrease M.2 slots do not need a heatsink out there to them, so that you’ll have to offer your personal. We’d prefer to see the silver design lengthen additional down to incorporate these heatsinks, each aesthetically and functionally.

USB port choice is sweet, with 10 out there ports. You received’t get USB4 at this worth degree, nevertheless it does have a Thunderbolt 4 header that you could broaden with a supported accent. You’ll additionally get a PS/2 port—a legacy function that’s typically nonetheless utilized in older or area of interest use circumstances. 

HDMI and DisplayPort out can be found—which pair properly with the iGPU of the Ryzen 7000 GPUs if you want a fast, GPU-less diagnostic session. 

Rounding out the I/O, you’ve three audio connections for the Realtek 7.1. The codec will not be as high-end as a few of the others out there on Strix and ROG motherboards, nevertheless it’s enough for good sound. 

Word there is no such thing as a built-in I/O defend right here, a function we’d prefer to see on all motherboards going ahead. (Who hasn’t completed off a construct, solely to comprehend you forgot to put in the I/O defend?)

Asus Prime X670-P: Design

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The Asus Prime X670-P has numerous silver-centric design components, with black lettering. It’s a sexy providing, minimal by nature and monochromatic. It will look nice in any construct, from gaming PCs to workstations.

In comparison with dearer motherboards, it’s definitely no-frills in the remainder of the aesthetics. Beneath the highest PCIe slot areas, the motherboard is completed off at the hours of darkness PCB colour. A minimum of the battery is in plain sight, versus being hidden underneath a hard-to-access shroud! We’d like to see the design continued all through the whole motherboard, nonetheless, because it seems a bit unfinished stopping half means down. (Plus no heatsinks for the 2 decrease M.2 slots).

There’s no backplate, however the rear does match the character of the entrance—although you’ll by no means see it after you’ve completed your construct. General, this can be a very useful, minimalist design that’s definitely recognizable as being a part of the Prime collection we’ve seen for years from Asus.

Asus Prime X670-P: Efficiency, software program, and BIOS

With a VRM of 12+2 DrMos packing 60 amps, plus a six-layer PCB, even the Ryzen 9 7950X will do advantageous right here. For this class motherboard, it might be higher paired with the opposite CPUs within the lineup, such because the Ryzen 7 7700X. It does finest at inventory and manufacturing unit settings because it isn’t primarily meant for hardcore overclocking. 

In case you do wish to tinker, the Asus BIOS has at all times been a pleasure to make use of, and stays so right here. You’ll have the ability to tune the CPU to your liking, together with setting Eco Modes and your DDR5 Expo profiles. “Intelligent” and Ai overclocking choices are additionally current, which permit for less complicated efficiency enhancements with no need approval from NASA. 

We’d suggest extra frequent early BIOS updates because the X670 chipset is so new. Issues are always getting addressed and glued even on seemingly secure boards. Fortunately, Asus makes it straightforward to replace the BIOS, and even contains BIOS Flashback if you’ll want to get better from system points. Some longer boot occasions could also be a problem on preliminary builds, nevertheless it’s not distinctive to this explicit motherboard.

Asus Armoury Crate is accessible as a obtain for an “All In One” software program package deal. It would allow you to modify Aura Sync RGB profiles for all related elements on the contact of a button. (You’ll be able to set it to darkish mode too, for non-RGB aficionados). 

You’ll have the ability to modify the fan curves of the six PWM fan headers, and even let Ai tune the fan curves for you. You’ll additionally test for driver updates, and utility downloads instantly from Asus. It’s definitely the perfect motherboard software program we’ve seen from the varied manufactures, with a nicer polish than most. 

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Must you purchase the Asus Prime X670-P?

The Asus Prime X670-P provides customers a balanced motherboard for underneath $300, whereas providing the advantages of the brand new X670 chipset. With Ryzen 7000 CPUs being just lately discounted at retailers, it might be the proper pairing for customers with a midrange Ryzen 7000 CPU. 

Players will profit from the competent efficiency, and it even has RGB headers too! Content material creators can be proud of the USB ports and storage choices readily available. Extra demanding customers will miss sooner USB choices, and maybe extra PCIe Gen 5 lanes. 

We’d like to see Wi-Fi customary with out having a separate Wi-Fi model, and I/O built-in shrouds are welcomed. The uncovered decrease M.2 NVMe slots would additionally profit from a heatsink, each aesthetically and functionally. 

General, this can be a competent motherboard that gives sufficient options to fulfill most customers, with out a steep worth premium.