ASUS ProArt X870E-CREATOR WIFI review: For content creators!

The options for building a new computer based on the latest AMD Ryzen 9000, 8000, and 7000 Series processors are quite generous, with professionals having plenty of motherboards and chipsets to choose from. One of the most interesting is the ASUS ProArt X870E-CREATOR WIFI, a motherboard featuring the high-end X870E chipset, capable of delivering extreme performance and offering a wealth of expansion options and high-quality components. If you’re a content creator looking for top-tier performance and features, this motherboard might be the perfect choice for you. Do you want to know more about it? Then read this review:

ASUS ProArt X870E-CREATOR WIFI: Who is it good for?

This is the motherboard you should get if:

• You’re a professional content creator who aims for top-notch performance and extensive connectivity
• You want PCI Express 5.0, DDR5 support, and multiple x16 and M.2 slots
• You’re looking for a motherboard based on the high-end X870E chipset for AMD Ryzen processors

Pros and cons

Here are the main positive aspects of this motherboard:

• All-black design with high-quality components
• PCI Express 5.0 support and two x16 slots
• Works with fast DDR5 memory (up to 8000 MT/s)
• Dual Ethernet ports: 10 Gbps and 2.5 Gbps
• Wi-Fi 7 for high-speed wireless connectivity
• Solid Voltage Regulator Modules (VRMs) and large heatsinks
• Dual USB4 ports and USB 20Gbps Type-C front-panel connector with Quick Charge 4+

The main downsides to this motherboard are:

• Its premium price point
• The absence of onboard RGB lighting might not appeal to some users

Verdict

Leaving aside the fact that it’s quite expensive, the ASUS ProArt X870E-CREATOR WIFI is an exceptional motherboard. If you’re a content creator or a professional looking to build a new desktop computer based on a high-end AMD Ryzen processor, want extremely fast wired and wireless connectivity, and need access to a lot of expansion options (both x16 slots and M.2 slots), then you’ll certainly like the ASUS ProArt X870E-CREATOR WIFI. In my opinion, the board deserves a 4.5 stars rating and because I personally like it a lot, the Editor’s Pick badge.🙂

Unboxing the ASUS ProArt X870E-CREATOR WIFI

ASUS packaged the ProArt X870E-CREATOR WIFI motherboard in a premium cardboard box. The top cover features a minimalist design with the name of the motherboard and some of its main features.

The packaging for ASUS ProArt X870E-CREATOR WIFI looks pretty good

Inside the box, besides the motherboard itself, there’s a generous bundle of accessories: a DisplayPort cable, a thermal pad for M.2 22110, an ASUS WiFi Q-Antenna, a Q-connector, an M.2 Q-Latch package, two M.2 Q-Latch Q-Slide packages for M.2 backplates, and two rubber packages for M.2. Additionally, you find a ProArt ruler, a user guide, and one ASUS Control Center Express Activation Key Card (check the last section of this review for a couple of details about this).

ASUS ProArt X870E-CREATOR WIFI bundles many accessories

The packaging of the ASUS ProArt X870E-CREATOR WIFI is well-designed, and the number of accessories accompanying the motherboard make the unboxing experience quite satisfying.

Hardware specifications and design

The ASUS ProArt X870E-CREATOR WIFI is an ATX motherboard, measuring 30.5 cm (12 inches) in length and 24.4 cm (9.6 inches) in width. At its core is the high-end AMD X870E chipset, designed to deliver maximum performance for AMD Ryzen 9000, 8000, and 7000 Series desktop processors. The X870E chipset includes support for PCI Express 5.0 on both the graphics and storage interfaces, ensuring future-proof connectivity. In terms of memory, the motherboard is designed to work with DDR5 memory running at speeds from 4800 MT/s up to 8000 MT/s (OC).

The ASUS ProArt X870E-CREATOR WIFI has an ATX format

The design of the ASUS ProArt X870E-CREATOR WIFI motherboard is professional and understated. The all-black aesthetic is complemented by subtle gold accents and minimalistic branding. There are no RGB lights, aligning with the ProArt series’ focus on a professional look. The motherboard features large heatsinks and shrouds covering key components like the VRMs and M.2 slots, ensuring optimal thermal performance.

The motherboard looks robust

It offers a robust 16+2+2 teamed power stage design (rated for 80 Amperes), and the CPU VRMs are covered by massive heatsinks. This design ensures you can extract the highest performance from your AMD Ryzen processor, with excellent stability even during overclocking. You need to plug in two 8-pin EPS power connectors in the top-left corner of the motherboard to provide the necessary power for the processor.

The VRMs are large

As mentioned earlier, the motherboard supports DDR5 RAM: the DIMM slots are located towards the top-right area and can accommodate up to four memory modules with a total capacity of 192 GB. Next to them, there’s the main 24-pin ATX power connector.

The board supports DDR5 memory

The features of this motherboard depend on the AMD Ryzen processor used. With high-end Ryzen 9000 and 7000 series CPUs, you get full access to two PCIe 5.0 x16 slots (operating at x16, x8/x8, or x8/x4/x4 modes) and support for two PCIe 5.0 x4 M.2 SSDs, offering the fastest storage options. Mid-range Ryzen 8700, 8600, and 8400 CPUs activate one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot at x8 speed, while the second slot is disabled. Lower-end Ryzen 8500 and 8300 series reduce the PCIe 4.0 x16 slot to x4 speed, with the second slot also disabled.

ASUS ProArt X870E-CREATOR WIFI features plenty of PCIe and NVMe slots

The AMD X870E chipset provides two more M.2 slots that support PCIe 4.0 SSDs, plus four SATA ports for traditional drives. Be aware that the second PCIe x16 slot shares bandwidth with the M.2_2 solid-state drive slot, so using one can affect the other one’s performance.

The board offers PCIe 5 for graphics and SSDs

This motherboard also comes equipped with top-of-the-line connectivity features. For wired networking, it offers two Ethernet ports: a Marvell AQtion port that supports ultra-fast 10Gbps speeds for lightning-fast network connections, and an Intel port that supports 2.5Gbps for high-speed LAN connectivity.

For wireless networking, it includes an Intel Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) module with a 2×2 antenna setup, supporting the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz frequency bands. This Wi-Fi 7 module provides up to 6.5 Gbps transfer rates on a 320 MHz bandwidth, delivering faster wireless speeds and lower latency. Additionally, the motherboard features Bluetooth 5.4 for connecting wireless peripherals.

This motherboard features a high-quality Realtek ALC1220P audio codec that supports 7.1 surround sound with a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 120 dB for stereo playback and 113 dB for recording (line-in), which translates into clear and detailed sound. It’s also worth noting that it supports audio playback up to 32-bit/192 kHz, though due to bandwidth limitations, this high-resolution audio isn’t available in 7.1 surround mode. Additional features include audio shielding, premium audio capacitors, dedicated audio PCB layers, and a unique de-pop circuit to minimize unwanted noises.

The motherboard offers high-quality audio

ASUS ProArt X870E-CREATOR WIFI features a generous array of ports on its back panel. It includes two USB4 Type-C ports capable of super-fast 40 Gbps data transfer speeds, one USB Type-C port at 20 Gbps, and seven USB Type-A ports at 10 Gbps for high-speed peripheral connections. There’s also one USB 2.0 Type-A port for older devices and BIOS updates.

For video output, you get one HDMI 2.1 port and a DisplayPort (input only). I’ve covered networking options earlier, but it’s worth noting that the panel has two RJ45 ports for LAN networks and two ports for the bundled Wi-Fi antenna. Audio connectivity is available through three audio jacks.

Last but not least, the back panel includes a BIOS FlashBack button, which lets you update the motherboard’s UEFI firmware without booting into the operating system, and a Clear CMOS button to reset the BIOS settings to default, which is useful if overclocking or other changes cause issues.

The input/output back panel

On the board, you’ll also find additional connectors for cooling, power, and peripherals, including headers for fans, AIO pumps, USB, RGB lighting, chassis intrusion, front panel, and thermal sensors. If you want to see all the details on that and everything else this motherboard has to offer, visit its official webpage: ASUS ProArt X870E-CREATOR WIFI.

The board has many internal ports and headers

ASUS ProArt X870E-CREATOR WIFI is a high-end motherboard packed with features and options. Designed for AMD Ryzen 9000, 8000, and 7000 Series processors, it includes everything you might want from a modern and powerful computer, including PCI Express 5.0, support for DDR5 memory, 10Gb Ethernet, Wi-Fi 7, and USB4.

Using the ASUS ProArt X870E-Creator WiFi motherboard

Building a PC with the ASUS ProArt X870E-Creator WiFi is simple, even for beginners. The motherboard’s clear labels and design make it easy to know where everything goes. There’s plenty of space around the CPU area, so installing my all-in-one (AIO) liquid cooler was not difficult. These are the hardware components I used to assemble the test computer:

The computer I built upon this motherboard offered, as you’d expect, a smooth experience both when I had to work and when I relaxed playing games. 🙂

Details about the test system

In everyday use, the PC I built with this motherboard delivers impressively fast boot times and quick app launches, thanks to its support for high-speed SSDs. Even as I write this, I can multitask effortlessly: browsing the web across multiple tabs, working in Microsoft Office, listening to music, and chatting simultaneously. Everything runs great, the computer remains responsive and completely free of lag.

Working on the test system was great

As a gamer, I’m super satisfied with its performance. Pair it with a fast graphics card, DDR5, and solid-state drive, and the motherboard can ensure smooth gameplay and excellent frame rates in any modern game. Considering that content creators’ needs are more or less similar with those of gamers, it’s safe to say that the motherboard will do great in any demanding task (like video editing, for instance), not just in games.

The motherboard is great for gaming, too

Overall, the ASUS ProArt X870E-Creator WiFi is a great choice for gamers, content creators, and everyday users, offering excellent features and performance.

On the next page, I’ll go over benchmark results to see how the ASUS ProArt X870E-CREATOR WIFI compares with two other motherboards designed to work with the latest AMD Ryzen processors, the ASRock X870E Taichi and the ASUS ROG Strix X870-A Gaming WiFi.