For our first X670 motherboard review, after careful consideration (literally a coin toss), we started with the X670E Taichi. As many know from previous generations, Taichi is an upper-midrange model, but until we see Aqua, this is the flagship X670E board in his ASRock’s product stack. Beyond the basics (AM5 LGA socket, DDR5 and PCIe 5.0 support), the X670E Taichi offers two USB 4 Type-C ports, robust 27-phase power delivery, a quality audio section, and killer bass networking. At $499.99, it’s a well-equipped and good-looking base for AMD’s new platform.
At the time of this writing, ASRock’s website lists 14 AM5-based motherboards. There are 5 high-end X670E boards (Taichi/Taichi Carrara, Steel Legend, PG Lightning, and Pro RS) and 9 B650E/B650 boards (Taichi, Steel Legend, PG Riptide, PG-ITX, Pro RS, and PG Lightning) . Among the B650 SKUs are a mix of two MicroATX options and a new SKU called LiveMixer that looks like a throwback to his colorful DFI boards of old. The X670E will range from $529.99 (Taichi Carrara) to $259 (PG Lightning), while the B650 board will range from $169.99 (PG Riptide) to $449.99 for the B650E Taichi.
Back at Taichi, the board includes everything the new AM5 platform has to offer. On top of that, it’s arguably one of the classiest looking motherboards on the platform. The chipset heatsink features the familiar gears/cogs that make the Taichi and the rest of the board has a premium feel. Taichi’s performance was average, nothing abnormally slow or fast. Over time this may change as the number of datasets we have in each review grows. With this board, you can expect to squeeze every MHz worth of performance out of AMD Ryzen 7000 processors.
Below, we’ll take a closer look at the features and specs to give you a better idea of how this motherboard compares to the competition.For more information on platform differences, see our X670 Motherboards Overview article. please give me. After taking a look at some of these AM5 boards, let’s see if any of them made it into our best motherboards list. Before we get into all the details, here’s the full list of specs from ASRock’s website.
Specifications: ASRock X670E Taichi
| socket | LGA1718 |
| chipset | X670E |
| form factor | E-ATX |
| voltage regulator | 27 phases (24x 105A SPS MOSFETs for Vcore) |
| video port | (1) HDMI (v2.1) |
| (2) USB4 | |
| USB port | (2) USB4 Type-C (40Gbps) |
| (5) USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) | |
| (3) USB 3.2 Gen1 (5Gbps) | |
| network jack | (1) 2.5GbE |
| audio jack | (2) Analog + SPDIF |
| Legacy Port/Jack | ✗ |
| Other Ports/Jacks | ✗ |
| PCIe x16 | (2) v5.0 (x16, x8/x8) |
| PCIe x8 | ✗ |
| PCIe x4 | ✗ |
| PCIe x 1 | ✗ |
| Crossfire/SLI | AMD Crossfire |
| DIMM slots | (4) DDR5 6000+(OC), 128GB capacity |
| M.2 socket | (1) PCIe 5.0 x4 (128Gbps) / PCIe (up to 80mm) |
| (2) PCIe 4.0 x4 (64Gbps) / PCIe (up to 80mm) | |
| (1) PCIe 4.0 x4 (64Gbps) / PCIe + SATA (up to 110mm) | |
| Supports RAID0/1/5 | |
| U.2 port | ✗ |
| SATA port | (8) SATA3 6Gbps (supports RAID 0/1/5/10) |
| USB header | (1) USB v3.2 Gen 2×2, Type-C (20Gbps) |
| (2) USB v3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps) | |
| (2) USB v2.0 (480Mbps) | |
| fan/pump header | (8) 4-pin (CPU, CPU/Water Pump, Chassis/Water Pump) |
| RGB header | (3) aRGB (3 pin) |
| (1) RGB (4 pin) | |
| diagnostic panel | (1) Dr. Debug LED |
| (1) POST LEDs | |
| Internal button/switch | Power button and reset button |
| SATA controller | (2) ASMEDIA ASM1061 |
| ethernet controller | (1) Killer E3100G (2.5GbE) |
| Wi-Fi/Bluetooth | Killer AX1675 Wi-Fi 6E (2×2 ax, MU-MIMO, 2.4/5/6 GHz, 160 MHz, BT 5.2) |
| USB controller | ✗ |
| HD audio codec | Realtek ALC4082 (ESS SABER9218 DAC) |
| DDL/DTS | ✗ / ✗ |
| guarantee | 3 years |
Inside the ASRock X670E Taichi box
Along with the motherboard, ASRock has included a decent collection of accessories in the box designed to get your system up and running without the hassle of going to the store. Of particular note, included with Taichi (sold separately for his compatible ASRock board) is the Blazing M.2 Gen5 fan heatsink. The device has more mass, more surface area, and an accompanying fan to help keep PCIe 4.0 (and 5.0 upon release) SSD modules cool in action. Below is a complete list of included accessories.
- (4) SATA cable
- Wi-Fi antenna
- wireless dongle usb bracket
- Blazing M.2 Gen5 Fan Heatsink
- (1) M.2 Standoff
- (4) Screw for M.2 socket
- custom keycaps
- velcro strap
- User guide
ASRock X670E Taichi Design
image 1 of 3
As mentioned above, I like the look of the Taiji plates, especially this model. The all-black 8-layer PCB has multiple heatsinks and shrouds that cover every bit that gets hot, as well as the ugly parts of the board that you otherwise probably don’t want to see. There’s a lot of mass in the VRM heatsink that surrounds his 12 o’clock and 9 o’clock sections of the LGA-1718 socket, and it uses a small fan hidden inside to keep the air flowing across the metal surfaces. The PCIe and chipset areas are also covered by heatsinks, and the heatsinks have a unique gear/cog design familiar from Taichi. A golden strip with the brand and Taichi’s motto (Philosophy of Infinite Possibilities) runs from the bottom to the top of the board.
On the RGB front, ASRock has opted for a more sophisticated route to the chipset’s RGB area and the right edge of the board by the SATA port. The RGB lights are saturated and bright enough to illuminate the interior of the chassis, but this isn’t an elaborate implementation. I can do it.
Focusing on the top of the board, we get a good look at the oversized VRM heatsink, enhanced DRAM slots, and more. Starting in the top left corner, inspect the vented shroud that reaches above the VRM heatsink to allow the cool air to pass through the fans hidden underneath and reach the heatsink connected to the heatpipe. The fans are barely audible under load, mixed with other fan noise coming from the case, so no need to worry. There is a connector (one required).
To the right of the socket are four hardened DRAM slots with locking mechanisms on both sides. This board supports DDR5 up to 128GB, with speeds listed up to DDR5-6000+(OC). This is not the fastest speed supported by the motherboard vendor, but the board worked with the DDR5-6000 kit. We expect headroom to increase over time as the platform matures.
The first two (out of eight) 4-pin fan headers are located directly above (and below) the DRAM slots. This board supports both DC and PWM fans and each header can output at least 1A/12W. For high power pumps, the CPU_FAN2/WP_3A header will output up to 3A/36W. Manage airflow in Windows via BIOS or ASRock’s A-Tuning application (FAN-Tastic Tuning section).
To the right of the DRAM slots is the first M.2 socket (M2_2 in this case). This socket supports SATA and PCIe based modules up to 110mm, with speeds up to PCIe 4.0 x4 (64 Gbps). The other three containing PCIe 5.0 connection sockets are located around the PCIe slots.
Finally, along the top right corner we come across another 4-pin fan header and two 3-pin addressable RGB headers. Further down the PCB we find the 24-pin ATX connector that powers the board, another fan header, and USB 3.2 Gen 1 and 3.2 Gen 2×2 front panel headers. What we’re seeing on many of these boards is an increase in USB count and/or speed on this platform. The extra lanes and bandwidth give motherboard partners a lot of flexibility in how they configure their boards.
The X670E Taichi’s power delivery is one of the things we are likely to see on this platform. Power is supplied to the Renesas RAA229628 controller through the EPS connector. The Vcore portion is run on a 24x 105A Renesas RAA22010540 SPS MOSFET setup in a teamed configuration (one signal for two MOSFETs, no phase doubling). All in all, there are plenty of VRMs to support the flagship AMD Ryzen 9 7950X. Whether it’s stock or overclocking (the latter is of little value these days), the power delivery won’t hold you back.
Go to the bottom half of the board and start on the left side which houses the audio section. Hidden under the shroud is a premium Realtek ALC4082 codec and an ESS SABRE9218 DAC designated for the front panel. Protruding from under the shroud and heatsink are some red WIMA audio caps, hiding a few other dedicated audio caps. The ALC4082 codec is one of the best integrated options available.
In the middle of the board are two reinforced full-length PCIe slots for graphics and other peripherals. Both slots source bandwidth from the CPU and run PCIe 5.0. The top slot runs up to x16 and the bottom slot runs up to x8. Occupying both slots will split PCIe 5.0 x8/x8 per slot. There is enough bandwidth to support SLI, but ASRock only lists Crossfire support in this configuration.
Three more M.2 sockets are scattered between the PCIe slots. The top socket M2_1 is directly connected to the CPU and is a “Blazing” PCIe 5.0 x4 (128 Gbps) socket. M2_3 and M2_4 get PCIE 4.0 x4 (64 Gbps) lanes from the chipset. All three sockets only support PCIe modules up to 80mm (only M2_2 supports SATA M.2 modules).
Across the chipset heatsink and moving to the far right are the eight SATA ports. Four are chipset specific, the rest are from two ASMedia ASM1061 chips. However, some lane sharing occurs between the M2_2 socket and the SATA3_A1 port. If a SATA type M.2 module occupies his M2_2 socket, SATA3_A1 will be disabled. This will not be a problem for most people as the other 7 SATA ports and 3 M.2 modules can be used simultaneously.
Several headers are exposed at the bottom of the board. You can find the usual ones including extra USB ports, RGB headers, etc. Below is the complete list from left to right.
- front panel audio
- 4 pin chassis fan header
- 3-pin ARGB header
- 4-pin RGB header
- (2) USB 2.0 headers
- USB 3.2 Gen 1 header
- (2) 4-pin fan headers
- power button and reset button
- system panel header
The IO area on the back comes with a pre-installed IO plate that matches Taichi’s theme with a black background and gray label/design. The rear IO has 8 USB ports, which is enough for most users. There are 2 USB4 Type-C ports, 5 USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (10 Gbps), and 3 USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) ports. The two Gen 2 ports (yellow) are Lightning USB ports for reduced keyboard and mouse latency. Video output consists of 1 HDMI (v2.1) port and 2 USB4 ports. For networking, the X670E Taichi has a single Ethernet port and Wi-Fi antenna connection next to the CMOS reset button and BIOS flashback button. Finally, the audio stack is a simple 2-plug analog (mic in, line out) and SPDIF.
more: best motherboard
more: How to choose a motherboard
more: All Motherboard Content
