AMD’s X670E chipset is proving a preferred platform, and the subsequent appropriate motherboard to hit our take a look at bench is the ASRock X670E PG Lightning. This value-priced board ($259.99, readily discovered for $229.99 at retail) presents well-rounded specs and a impartial, black-and-light-gray look that blends in properly with most construct themes however may not be everybody’s cup of tea. With 4 M.2 sockets and 4 SATA ports, two speedy 20Gbps USB Sort-C ports, succesful energy supply, a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port, a dozen USB ports on the rear I/O, and a budget-class audio codec, it is a competent funds motherboard for each productiveness and gaming PCs.
Design, CPU, and Reminiscence
The PG Lightning design is kind of easy. The black 8-layer PCB and black heatsinks, slots, and sockets stand out among the many grey design parts overlaying the board. Lined patterns dominate the remainder of the PCB, which some customers could not like. It appears to be like a bit extra subdued inside your chassis than in your bench, because the board has no built-in RGB lighting, but it surely does present a distinct look than a plain black motherboard in the event you do not thoughts the stenciled-on sample. The heatsinks for the facility supply and PCIe 5.0 socket seem to have sufficient mass and floor space to do the job. In all, we like how the ASRock appears to be like.
The board helps AMD Ryzen (AM5) processors with 19-phase VRMs powering them. The 960A obtainable (16 phases devoted to the processor utilizing 60A MOSFETs) proved sufficient to deal with our flagship Ryzen 9 7950X each at inventory and overclocked speeds throughout our testing. The VRM heatsinks did a fantastic job holding the facility supply cool and inside spec. As standard, in the event you’re into overclocking, you will be restricted by your CPU cooling technique moderately than the facility supply.
ASRock says the X670E PG Lightning helps reminiscence speeds as much as DDR5-7200+ (OC), one of many larger specs you will see (although many motherboard companions have lately been updating their BIOSes to help sooner speeds, so ASRock will not be alone for lengthy). We nonetheless contemplate the worth/efficiency candy spot to be within the DDR5-6000 to DDR5-6400 vary. In case you want a number of RAM, the PG Lightning can accommodate as much as 192GB with the newest BIOS.
Our DDR5-5600 and DDR5-6000 kits ran stably by setting the interior profile (XMP on one package, EXPO on the opposite), so all is properly at these speeds. If overclocking reminiscence is in your want record, you may simply extract the final couple of share factors of efficiency as there are a lot of reminiscence timings to tweak within the BIOS. Certainly, new BIOS releases sporting the newest AEGESA updates (1.0.0.7b/c) permit the board to achieve even larger speeds. Once we examined our Teamgroup DDR5-7200 package, it did not work, however these sticks aren’t on ASRock’s Reminiscence QVL record, so we will not complain an excessive amount of. It is all the time value making an attempt the RAM you could have available, however keep on with the QVL record for assured performance.
Structure and Inner Connectors
Beginning within the prime left nook, the primary issues we see are the 8-pin and 4-pin EPS connectors to energy the CPU. Solely the 8-pin is required—you do not want the 4-pin except you are making an attempt to push overclocks on one in every of AMD’s extra power-hungry processors. Retaining the VRMs cool are two giant heatsinks on the left and above the socket. The lined sample on the PCB makes its means onto the left heatsink and the Lightning branding, all in a stealthy black.
The primary two of six 4-pin fan/pump headers reside previous the socket space earlier than the DRAM slots. CPU_FAN1 helps as much as 1A/12W whereas the remaining help as much as 2A/24W. These values ought to suffice for a number of followers and a pump for customized/AIO water cooling with out difficulty. Do not overload these headers, nonetheless, as doing so might completely injury your board. To the appropriate are 4 unreinforced DRAM slots that safe their sticks with locking mechanisms on each side.
Transferring down the appropriate edge, we spy the primary two of three 3-pin ARGB headers. The opposite ARGB header and the 4-pin RGB header are positioned alongside the underside edge. Management over any hooked up RGB gadgets is managed by means of ASRock’s Polychrome Sync utility, which presents a number of canned modes and different changes. Subsequent, we discover the 24-pin ATX connector for board energy, a 19-pin entrance panel USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps) Sort-A port, and 20Gbps Sort-C port.
Audio, Growth, Storage, and Rear I/O
On the underside left aspect is a completely uncovered audio part utilizing the funds Realtek ALC4082 audio codec. A number of yellow capacitors are devoted to the audio part, but it surely’s lacking premium options together with EMI safety for the codec and built-in amplifiers/DACs. Many customers shall be glad with this audio setup, however essential listeners or audiophiles might want one thing higher.
Three full-length enlargement slots and an open-ended x1 slot are in the course of the board. The highest slot (PCIE1), main for graphics playing cards, connects by means of the CPU and is your PCIe 5.0 x16 slot. The second full-length slot (PCIE3) additionally connects by means of the CPU and runs at PCIe 4.0 x4 speeds. The underside slot (PCIE4) and the x1 slot (PCIE2) join by means of the chipset, yielding PCIe 4.0 x1 bandwidth for each.
In and round these slots are the 5 complete M.2 sockets with 4 devoted to storage (Key-M) and the fifth (Key-E) for a CNVi- or CNVi2-based Wi-Fi card (not included). The highest M.2 socket below the massive heatsink is the CPU-connected PCIe 5.0 x4 (128Gbps) socket, whereas the remaining supply their bandwidth by means of the chipset and supply as much as PCIe 4.0 x4 (64Gbps) speeds. The entire M.2 storage sockets help as much as 80mm modules and RAID 0/1/10 modes. There are many M.2 sockets obtainable.
Transferring proper previous the chip are the primary two of 4 SATA ports; the opposite two are mounted vertically alongside the underside edge. For these in search of redundancy or extra pace by means of RAID, the board helps RAID 0/1/10 modes. Simply control your SATA depend, as 4 ports may be limiting for customers who have not jumped headfirst into the M.2 format.
Alongside the underside fringe of the board are a number of headers together with extra USB 2.0 headers, two of the SATA ports, fan headers, a 5-pin Thunderbolt AIC header, front-panel audio, ARGB and RGB headers, a clear-CMOS jumper, and eventually the front-panel header.
The rear I/O consists of a preinstalled plate sporting the identical black and grey theme with accent traces together with PG Gaming branding. There are a whopping 12 USB ports right here. A single 20Gbps (USB 3.2 Gen 2×2) Sort-C port is the quickest, together with one 10Gbps (USB 3.2 Gen 2) Sort-A port. There are six USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps) ports, two of that are Lightning Gaming ports (in yellow). Final are 4 legacy USB 2.0 ports. On the left are DisplayPort and HDMI video outputs to make use of with the processor’s built-in graphics. The Realtek-based 2.5GbE sits above the USB ports, whereas on the appropriate is a 3-plug (1/8-inch) audio stack and a BIOS Flashback button. There are additionally pre-drilled holes so as to add Wi-Fi antennas.
BIOS and UEFI Utilities
The BIOS of the PG Lightning is like that of different ASRock motherboards, with a alternative of EZ and Superior modes. Each modes use the PG Gaming theme with easy-to-read crimson and white textual content on a darkish background. In EZ Mode, you will discover details about the processor, RAM, storage, followers, and extra. You’ll be able to allow XMP profiles, regulate thermal throttling limits, and make different changes.
The Superior portion of the BIOS presents a extra normal configuration with main headings throughout the highest together with Fundamental, OC Tweaker, Superior, Software, H/W Monitor, and Boot. The Fundamental web page is informational, primarily taken from the My Favourite part. You’ll be able to create a customized BIOS web page itemizing your most regularly used objects.
The OC Tweaker part holds the keys to fine-tuning your system. Right here you may regulate voltages, RAM, and the CPU and save profiles for recall later.
Underneath the Superior heading is the place to entry CPU, chipset, storage, NVMe, ACPI, and USB configuration, amongst different objects like Trusted Computing. You can too regulate the UEFI’s look and specify its beginning web page (EZ Mode or a desired web page in Superior).
The Instruments part (not pictured) provides entry to ASRock’s Polychrome RGB for lighting management and SSD and NVMe sanitation or secure-erase instruments, in addition to the Immediate Flash utility to flash your BIOS. H/W Monitor shows related system data starting from CPU and motherboard temps to fan speeds and voltages. Right here you may regulate the fan speeds of all of the onboard 4-pin fan headers.
ASRock’s BIOS is as totally featured and simple to navigate as its opponents’. The X670E BIOS supplies loads of performance to overclock the processor and reminiscence, as you’d anticipate from the flagship chipset. There’s additionally performance to regulate RGB lighting and followers and even wipe storage clear. Total, it supplies loads of usefulness, and the newest model (1.29 AS01) proved secure in our restricted testing.
For different software program, ASRock has an AppShop to obtain and replace drivers and an A-Tune utility to tweak your system. The previous is useful for downloading ASRock functions together with Polychrome RGB LED, Nahimic 3 audio, and the App Charger. Along with these packages, it checks for drivers and allows you to replace them straight from the utility, a fantastic different for these not used to grabbing the newest drivers instantly from element makers’ web sites.
The AppShop is ASRock’s one-stop-shop answer for downloading and updating your drivers. For the unadorned, this and the auto driver set up that pops up in Home windows make it straightforward to get all the newest and best software program and drivers in your PC.
For individuals who prefer to play with their PCs, ASRock’s A-Tune software program (reskinned and renamed PG Gaming for this board) is an all-inclusive tweaking utility. This program permits you to regulate fan speeds, tweak the CPU, and peruse detailed system data together with temperatures, voltages, and clock speeds and ratios. You additionally get entry to the Blazing OC software program devoted to overclocking the processor manually or by means of PBO; the latter does not supply as a lot management because the BIOS however will get the job performed.
Verdict: Inviting Worth, Good Specs, Impartial Seems to be
The ASRock X670E PG Lightning is without doubt one of the least costly X670E platforms now available on the market. For the cash, you get all AMD’s flagship platform has to supply, together with PCIe 5.0 help on each a PCIe slot and a single M.2 socket; quick DDR5 help; adequate energy supply for flagship processors; and extra. The board has ample M.2 storage choices, although its 4 SATA ports may very well be too few for some customers. On the networking aspect, you do get a 2.5GbE port, however Wi-Fi is lacking. Additionally, the audio codec could also be missing for some. The motherboard’s large promoting level, other than worth, is its copious variety of USB ports, together with two USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Sort-C ports.
There’s loads of competitors round this worth level, together with Asus’ Prime X670-P Wi-Fi ($264.99), the Gigabyte X670 Aorus Elite AX ($279.99), and the MSI X670E Tomahawk Wi-Fi ($299.99). All are stable options; the Asus consists of Wi-Fi and has extra SATA ports, whereas the MSI has a greater audio codec. The ASRock, nonetheless, is an efficient deal at its record worth of $259.99 and an excellent higher one at its road worth of $229.99. Whether or not you are constructing a gaming rig or a productiveness PC, you will discover it a well-rounded choice that checks off a slew of person necessities, so long as built-in Wi-Fi is not one.
