ASUS X570 ROG Crosshair VIII HERO Review

It’s an excellent time to look for solutions that balance luxury functionality and sensible price as the cost of PC components reaches new highs. The Asus X570 ROG Crosshair VIII Hero provides value and an enthusiast-worthy performance.

Introduction

Today’s review focuses on the ASUS X570 ROG Crosshair VIII HERO. For those concerned with ASUS and its ROG (Republic of Gamers) line, it should be no surprise that ASUS has placed tremendous care and attention into the ROG Crosshair VIII as one of the market’s premier X570 motherboards. It isn’t even the most expensive, making it much more enticing.

Check out ROG Strix Z590-E Gaming Review

Over the years, despite several design flaws, the ROG series has mainly been acknowledged as one of the top motherboard solutions for every chipset. ASUS and the technical team have elevated the term “gaming motherboard” above the level of a marketing slogan. By integrating severe overclocking features that are difficult to get elsewhere, the ROG series has evolved into a high-end enthusiast product rather than a primary “gamers only” product line.

The specs

With its price and feature package, the Asus X570 ROG Crosshair VIII Hero strives to be the ideal “Goldilocks”-level pick. At $399, it has enough quality specifications to make you wonder if spending more is even required. What is PCI-E Gen 4? Got it. Connectivity for the majority of USB and networking requirements? It’s also here.

You’ll receive support for both Ryzen 3000 and Ryzen 5000 processors and DDR4 RAM. DDR5 is only available on Intel Z690 motherboards and is now unnecessary owing to minimal performance benefits for the price.

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If you purchase an older-stock X570 Hero, consider that it may require a BIOS update before it will function with Ryzen 5000. (The early ones did, but overall, Ryzen 3000 will operate right out of the box.)

If you require Wi-Fi, go for the Wi-Fi-specific version; otherwise, you’ll only have 2.5G and Gigabit LAN access. There is no 10G LAN here; you will need to upgrade to a higher-end option. 

The other specifications cover everything you’ll need in a high-end build, such as plenty of fan connectors, Asus-optimized software, and RGB headers to brighten up your surroundings. There is lots of USB connectivity here, including USB type C. If you want Thunderbolt, you’ll need either a more costly AMD motherboard (just a handful have it) or to go over to Intel, where it’s more popular.

The X570 “Dark Hero” edition of this board adds only a few changes to the specs: more robust optimal energy stages and flexible overclocking, as well as removing the chipset fan for reduced noise.

Here are some main features of the X570 Hero:

  • 1 PCIe x1 slot
  • 1 x 2.5 gbit LAN and 1 x 5.0 gbit LAN
  • M2.0 slots: only PCIe X4 mode supports two storage functions
  • 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
  • 8 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (1 type C)
  • Made for Ryzen 1,2 and 3 (maybe updates avail for version 4?)
  • 3 PCIe 4 x 16 slots (4.0 Video only now coming out)
  • 7 USB ports, front panel plugs
  • 8 onboard SATA III plugs
  • Allows DDR4 memory up to 128GB at the rate of 4600+ Mhz overclocking

Design

The X570 Hero, with its gorgeous, contemporary appearance, is the ideal combination of aesthetics and RGB brilliance. If you want a more subtle appearance, the Dark Hero variant is even more so.

The Hero series has design DNA shared with Asus’ premium ROG brand of motherboards. This is notably visible in the M.2 slot coverings and finishing, which have incredibly friendly cues and discreet RGB.

The standard Hero does include a chipset fan that can be regulated manually. (When set to maximum volume, it may get rather loud.) The Dark Hero replaces the chipset fan with passive cooling. 

Performance and BIOS

The X570 Hero can tackle everything, including the powerful Ryzen 9 5950x. You’ll also get some customizing possibilities with an easy-to-use and competent BIOS. Because manually overclocking newer CPUs like Ryzen 5000 decreases benefits, you’ll get better performance. Even better, comparable performance with lower voltages or thermals is more tempting.

If you care about performance, choose the Dark Hero edition. It offers a 90A power supply instead of 60A, making your late-night mad researcher adventures much more enjoyable. It also eliminates the chipset fan, which reduces noise while maintaining thermal stability. You’ll receive a dynamic overclocking option on the Dark Hero, providing more possibilities than the ordinary Hero.

Pros

  • Asus software and an intuitive BIOS
  • Fully featured 
  • Premium build quality 
  • Mature chipset and great available CPUs 

Cons

  • Fan Chipset will be eliminated if you switch to the Dark Hero variant
  • Lacks the newest tech such as DDR5 
  • No upgrade path after Ryzen 5000 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best CPU for the X570 motherboard? 

Look no farther than the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X for the best Ryzen CPU for the ASUS ROG X570 Crosshair VIII. It is AMD’s top-tier desktop CPU for the AM4 socket. This beast boasts 16 cores and 32 threads, making it an ideal complement for such a motherboard.

Is X570 still suitable?

Though it isn’t perfect for some of the higher-end market’s fancier graphics and storage choices, the X570 Steel Legend provides Ryzen 3000 consumers exceptional stability and efficiency at a fair price.

Is X570 better than B550?

The X570 will be able to overclock better than the B550 because it includes PCIe 4.0 Lanes.

Will X570 motherboards support Ryzen 5000?

AMD Ryzen 5000 series CPUs will be compatible with the B550 and X570 devices from the beginning. BIOS updates are now being distributed for both chipsets. When the BIOS is published, you must upgrade your motherboard.

Final Thoughts

The CROSSHAIR VIII HERO motherboard costs roughly $380, which is a reasonable price for a motherboard. It does have high-end re-drivers and switches that are PCI-E 4.0 compliant, which is one reason for the price rise over the previous Hero.

The motherboard does provide a high-end array of features, such as a high-end LAN, excellent audio, and a generous helping of 10Gbps USB. The aesthetics are also highly significant, and it looks fantastic when illuminated. The ASUS Crosshair VIII Hero is a high-end X570 motherboard that works well with the latest higher core count CPUs.