Expert’s Rating
Pros
- Premium construct high quality
- Fully featured
- Intuitive BIOS and Asus software program
- Mature chipset and nice out there CPUs
Cons
- Lacks latest tech equivalent to DDR5
- No improve path after Ryzen 5000
- Chipset fan can solely be eradicated by going to the Dark Hero variant
Our Verdict
With the price of PC elements reaching new highs, it’s time to hunt out the choices that straddle premium options and sane pricing. Asus’s X570 ROG Crosshair VIII Hero delivers worth with an enthusiast-worthy expertise.
Price When Reviewed
$399
Best Prices Today
$323.99
$381.99
Free
$399
Over a number of iterations, the Asus Hero lineup of motherboards has garnered a powerful following amongst PC builders. It’s chock-full of options with a lovely and premium design. Being the entry method into the “ROG” (Republic of Gamers) tier, it is also priced higher to your gaming buck than the extra “extreme” choices.
Does the X570 Hero nonetheless pack a punch right now if you happen to’re contemplating a premium motherboard? How concerning the newer “Dark Hero” variant? We’ll focus on the specs, options, design, and worth.
The specs
The Asus X570 ROG Crosshair VIII Hero goals to be the right “Goldilocks”-level alternative with its value and out there function set. Coming in at $399, it packs sufficient premium specs to make you surprise if it’s even essential to spend extra. PCI-E Gen 4? Got it. Connectivity for many USB and networking wants? Got it right here, too.
You’ll get assist for each Ryzen 3000 and Ryzen 5000, with DDR4 RAM. DDR5 is barely out there on the Intel Z690 motherboards, and never essential proper now as a result of minor efficiency will increase for the value. (Check out our evaluation of the Z690 ROG Asus Maximus Extreme.)
If you purchase an older-stock X570 Hero, do take into accout it could want a BIOS replace earlier than working with Ryzen 5000. (The early ones did, however in any other case will work with Ryzen 3000 proper out of the field.)
If you want Wi-Fi, be sure that to search out the Wi-Fi specific version, or else you’ll solely have entry to the two.5G and Gigabit LAN. No 10G LAN right here—you’ll have to step as much as a higher-end possibility for that.
Most of the opposite specs cowl all that you simply’ll really want in a high-end construct: loads of fan headers, Asus-optimized software program, and RGB headers to mild up the world. USB connectivity is right here aplenty, even with USB sort C. If you want Thunderbolt, you’ll want both a dearer motherboard on the AMD aspect (just a few have it) or to swing over to the Intel aspect, the place it’s extra widespread.
As for the X570 “Dark Hero” model of this motherboard, it solely provides a couple of adjustments within the specs: extra sturdy energy levels and dynamic overclocking, plus eradicating the chipset fan for much less noise.
Thiago Trevisan / Foundry
Here are some necessary specs to concentrate on for the X570 Hero:
- ATX 12×9.6 inches (or 20.4×24.4cm)
- AMD Ryzen 3000 and 5000 CPU assist
- DDR4 RAM, as much as 4 dimns and 128GB
- PCI-E Gen 4
- Two M.2 Slots
- USB-C Gen 2
- Wi-Fi 6 AX200 Version out there (Do notice there’s a non Wi-Fi one as properly)
- Realtek 2.5GB LAN and Intel Gigabit Lan
- ROG SupremeFX S1220Audio
- 3 and 4 pin RGB Headers
- Clear CMOS and BIOS flashback buttons
- Multiple fan and water-cooling headers
- 8 SATA 6GB/s ports
- Chipset fan (the Dark Hero removes the fan)
Thiago Trevisan / Foundry
Design
Sporting a lovely, fashionable design, the X570 Hero is the right mix of aesthetics and RGB goodness. If you need a extra understated look, the Dark Hero model is much more subdued.
The Hero lineup is the place you’ll discover design DNA shared with Asus’s premium ROG line of motherboards. This might be most evident within the covers and plating for the M.2 slots that lie beneath, with very enticing cues and tasteful RGB.
You’ll discover the common Hero does have a chipset fan, which may be manually managed. (It can get loud if it’s set to max, nonetheless.) The Dark Hero removes this chipset fan utterly, with passive cooling.
Thiago Trevisan / Foundry
Unique options
You’re paying a premium over extra fundamental motherboard choices, equivalent to Asus’s Strix lineup with related capabilities. Here are some areas that will justify the value premium versus cheaper choices:
- Better Networking choices, equivalent to 2.5GB LAN and Wi-FI 6. Most different choices might be 1GB LAN and will not embrace Wi-Fi.
- Plenty of USB and USB C ports for each players and content material creators.
- M.2 assist is right here, however nothing to jot down residence about—most motherboards have at the very least two slots, and a few as excessive as 5 with newer chipsets.
- You’ll get nice energy levels and VRM cooling with the Hero, supplying you with a slight edge with Ryzen efficiency.
- You’ll get a extra premium ROG field and included equipment, which make the expertise extra pleasurable.
Performance and BIOS
The X570 Hero can deal with something thrown at it, even the mighty Ryzen 9 5950x. With an easy-to-use and succesful BIOS, you’ll have some tweaking choices, too. Since, on the whole, you’ll have diminishing returns with manually overclocking fashionable CPUs like Ryzen 5000, you’ll at the very least squeeze out a tiny bit higher efficiency. Better but, related efficiency however decrease voltages or thermals are much more interesting.
If you’re efficiency minded, you’ll wish to get the Dark Hero model. It has upgraded energy supply with 90A as an alternative of 60A, which can make your late-night mad-scientist escapades even higher. It additionally removes the chipset fan, which helps with noise whereas preserving thermals in test. Additionally, you’ll get a dynamic overclocking possibility on the Dark Hero, supplying you with extra choices that transcend the usual Hero.
Bottom line
With motherboard costs growing, the X570 Hero and Dark Hero nonetheless characterize good values within the present market. Z690 has already brought much higher pricing with the newer function units of the most recent generations, and you may count on much like occur with the subsequent AMD Ryzen replace.
With AMD not too long ago saying the 3D Cache version of the 5800X CPU, there’s nonetheless loads of new CPU horsepower to benefit from with these motherboards, particularly the Dark Hero.
With Ryzen 5000 CPU costs at a few of the lowest factors ever, it might not be a foul thought to step into the X570 Hero as a terrific premium worth possibility.