The little brother of ASRock’s flagship X870E Taichi motherboard, the X870E Taichi Lite is not low-cost at $399.99 however offers you numerous in your cash. Whereas it lacks its sibling’s fancy (and dear) aesthetic—no onboard RGB lighting—the Lite provides the identical {hardware} configuration and overcompensating energy supply, ample storage (4 M.2 sockets, six SATA ports), quick networking (5Gbps Ethernet, Wi-Fi 7), beneficiant variety of USB ports, top-quality audio resolution, and extra. Its Prolonged-ATX (E-ATX) format is simply too large for some PC circumstances, however in any other case it is within the Goldilocks zone for midrange builders.
Design, CPU, and Reminiscence: Traditional Taichi, Subdued
The X870E Taichi Lite is constructed on an E-ATX server-grade, low-loss eight-layer PCB, with giant silver heatsinks on the ability supply. The sturdy configuration simply handles flagship-class processors, even with overclocking. The heatsink above the rear I/O space sports activities a brushed-aluminum end together with basic ASRock and Taichi branding—a gear/cog theme and the catchphrase “Philosophy of Infinite Potential.”
The first M.2 socket sports activities a bigger heatsink and an “easy-off” latch, whereas the three others use plate-style cooling. The chipset heatsinks have extra of the cog/gear design. There’s a number of uncovered PCB, however it nonetheless seems to be good, and the black-on-silver design matches in with most construct themes. For those who’re searching for built-in RGB parts, you are out of luck, however you should buy your personal bling and fasten it to the 4 headers. ASRock’s Polychrome Sync app manages any connected RGB lighting, offering a number of totally different lighting modes you could customise.
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AMD newest high-end chipsets, the X870 and X870E, help AMD’s “Zen 5” processors natively. Meaning you do not have to flash the BIOS to get them to work (although you need to replace it to the most recent model for greatest outcomes). Any Zen 5 Ryzen 9000-series CPU is drop-in appropriate. The motherboard additionally helps all “Zen 4” Ryzen 7000-series desktop processors, in addition to the Ryzen 8000-series APUs.
Reminiscence help on this platform has elevated. Within the case of the Taichi Lite, it is listed for as much as DDR5-8200+ (OC), in regards to the highest you may see on the AMD platform. The 4 slots have locking mechanisms on either side and help as much as 256GB complete, which is a lot for even essentially the most hardcore residence customers.
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The baseline equipment we use for testing, a 32GB Kingston equipment (two 16GB DDR5-6000), and our Teamgroup DDR5-7200 equipment each labored by enabling the baked-in profile on the sticks. We additionally tried our Klevv DDR5-8000 equipment, which ran the AIDA64 stress check efficiently, though it is not on the certified vendor listing (QVL). AMD’s desktop candy spot continues to be squarely within the 6000-to-6400 ballpark (utilizing 1:1 with UCLK), however if you wish to run sooner reminiscence, the chance is on the market, though there’s little sensible want for it.
Structure and Inner Connectors
Beginning within the prime left nook, we see the 2 8-pin EPS connectors (one required) that ship energy to the processor. Flanking the ability leads are the big VRM heatsinks cooling the ability supply bits sitting beneath.
Sliding proper previous the heatsink and above the DRAM slots are the primary three of eight fan headers. The CPU_FAN1 header helps as much as 1A/12W whereas the rest outputs as much as 3A/36W, with every supporting PWM and DC-controlled units. You will not run out of energy, that is for certain. Management over these units is dealt with by means of the BIOS, the A-Tuning software program, and the Fan-Tastic Tuning part.
(Credit score: Joe Shields)
In the fitting nook is the Dr. Debug show that helps troubleshooting in the course of the POST course of. (As soon as in Home windows, it shows CPU temperatures.) Under which might be energy and reset buttons and the primary two 3-pin ARGB headers. Persevering with down the sting, we run into the 24-pin ATX connector to energy the board and two front-panel USB headers (19-pin USB 3.2 Gen 1, USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Kind-C). Between these connectors and the DRAM slots, in a singular location, is without doubt one of the 4 M.2 sockets, on this case a PCIe 4.0 x4 socket.
Audio, Enlargement, Storage, and Rear I/O
On the underside left facet of the board, you may discover the flagship Realtek ALC4082 7.1-channel audio codec with a number of devoted WIMA audio (in pink) capacitors seen. It additionally consists of an ESS SABRE9219 DAC. You will not discover a higher audio resolution for the value.
In the midst of the board are two full-length PCI Specific slots. Each use ASRock’s Bolstered Metal Slot know-how with additional anchor factors and a stronger latch to forestall heavy graphics playing cards from damaging the slots. The topmost connects by means of the CPU and runs as much as PCIe 5.0 x16 speeds, whereas the underside runs at a most of PCIe 5.0 x8. The slots share bandwidth amongst themselves and never with any M.2 storage. In different phrases, in the event you populate the second slot, each slots run at x8/x8 speeds.
Three M.2 sockets combine in with the PCIe slots on the underside of the board. The highest socket helps as much as PCIe 5.0 x4 (128Gbps) speeds and connects by means of the processor, whereas the remaining join by means of the chipset and run as much as PCIe 4.0 x4 (64Gbps). Alongside the fitting edge are six SATA connectors. The Taichi Lite helps RAID modes 0, 1, and 10 for SATA and M.2 NVMe storage units. It is a good configuration, particularly for many who nonetheless have a number of SATA ports, however some may need for a second PCIe 5.0 M.2 socket, which another boards do provide on this worth vary.
Throughout the underside are a bunch of headers and connectors. From left to proper, we see the front-panel audio, two RGB headers, three 2-pin temperature sensors (included with the equipment), two USB 2.0 headers, 4 4-pin fan headers, a 19-pin USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps) connector, a 2-pin Clear CMOS jumper, a speaker header, and the front-panel header.
(Credit score: Joe Shields)
The Taichi Lite, like most boards right this moment past essentially the most primary, comes with its rear I/O plate already put in. It has a black background with gray labels exterior of the lighting, gaming, and ultra-power USB ports. A dozen USB ports grace the area and are color-coded to assist distinguish between them: You get two USB4 (40Gbps, with DisplayPort functionality), 5 USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps), three USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps), and two legacy USB 2.0 ports.
(Credit score: Joe Shields)
On the left are the Clear CMOS and BIOS Flashback buttons, commonplace screw-on (learn: not quick-connect) Wi-Fi 7 antenna connections, and an HDMI port for video. The 2-plug (microphone and line-out) audio stack is on the fitting, with an S/PDIF optical port and the 5GbE Realtek LAN.
A Transient Take a look at the UEFI BIOS and Utilities
ASRock’s BIOS for X870E is identical as earlier variations, with the standard informative Straightforward Mode and an Superior Mode. The previous shows a number of details about the system and means that you can change reminiscence profiles, boot order, and even thermal throttling limits. Throughout the highest are a number of buttons to entry different options, together with the PBO changes, on/off for RGBs through ASRock Polychrome, and entry to Superior Mode. The black-on-white-on-yellow shade scheme is simple to learn.
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Contained in the superior portion of the BIOS is a typical configuration with main headings throughout the highest, together with Favorites (customizable by the consumer), Tweaker, Settings, System Information, and Boot. You may discover all of the detailed performance on this way more complete mode.
The OC Tweaker part incorporates all of the choices for tweaking and overclocking your system. You possibly can alter voltages, RAM speeds and timings, and CPU overclocking choices right here.
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Contained in the Superior heading is a protracted listing of adjustable sub-headings the place you possibly can tweak the CPU, PCIe, storage, and USB, in addition to entry extra overclocking choices. There are many knobs to show.
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Contained in the Software part, you possibly can entry some RGB instruments, SSD safe erase and sanitization options, and the moment flash performance. A cool characteristic packed into the BIOS is the automated driver installer that pops up in your display upon first set up. It’s a handy solution to get all of the drivers you want with out navigating to vendor web sites. (That mentioned, an web connection is required.)
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Final is the {Hardware} Monitor part, which shows a number of temperatures, voltages, and fan speeds. You can too entry the fan management right here as properly. I don’t have any issues or considerations with the ASRock BIOS, however different board companions have up to date theirs for this era, so it feels a bit dated as compared. Nonetheless, it has every part you want at your fingertips.
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ASRock has a few purposes designed to assist customers with a number of features. The A-Tuning software program covers varied performance, together with canned efficiency modes, handbook overclocking, and fan management, whereas the Polychrome Sync utility handles any RGB lighting.
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The OC Tweaker part has loads of overclocking choices to tweak the CPU multiplier and several other voltages. For those who don’t need to do it within the BIOS, this part has the main features required to efficiently enhance the CPU clock speeds.
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The Fan-Tastic Tuning part works as you’d anticipate. You possibly can management every fan individually and set customized curves for every. An built-in fan check determines minimal and most speeds, guaranteeing you get what you pay for out of your put in followers.
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Polychrome Sync is a standalone utility controlling the RGBs on any connected headers. It provides 15 totally different lighting modes, with some whose speeds and colours you possibly can customise. You possibly can alter every LED channel or sync them throughout the headers, RAM, and graphics card.
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Final is ASRock’s App Store, one other light-weight utility designed to assist the consumer expertise. Its main use, exterior of selling, is to seek for driver updates for the system and is a complement to the auto driver set up from the BIOS.
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Total, we just like the purposes; they give you fairly a little bit of performance over the system in Home windows. Different board companions mix most of theirs into one, however some can really feel just a little bloated, whereas the way in which ASRock does it, you possibly can set up modules if you should.
Verdict: What’s To not Like?
ASRock’s Taichi Lite motherboards have at all times introduced a stability of high-end specs at cheap costs, and that does not change with the X870E model. It comes with the identical {hardware} configuration because the X870E Taichi however saves $100 by skipping the premium adornments. For $399.99, the Taichi Lite is a singular choice within the area with minimal drawbacks, though some may discover the E-ATX kind issue too giant and others might want built-in RGBs (an omission simple to mitigate).
(Credit score: Joe Shields)
Naturally, the motherboard is not with out competitors. Gigabyte’s X870E Aorus Professional Ice, which we’re reviewing alongside this ASRock, is a strong contender providing extra PCIe 5.0 x4-capable M.2 sockets and a white PCB. Asus’ ROG Strix X870-A Gaming WiFi undercuts its worth at $369.99 and provides a number of AI and “simple set up” options. MSI would not have something shut, however it bookends all of those with the sub-$300 MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi and the venerable MSI MPG X870E Carbon at $499. Nonetheless, the X870E Taichi Lite must be in your quick listing…so long as your chassis is lengthy sufficient to suit it.
The Backside Line
ASRock’s X870E Taichi Lite is a handsomely geared up midrange AMD motherboard. Whereas it lacks builder bling like RGB LEDs, it makes up for that with class-leading specs and strong efficiency.
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