The ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming X is an excellent new flagship for ASRock's lineup, featuring some killer good looks and topnotch build quality. The addition of an integrated rear I/O shield is a welcome and maybe even overdue feature. Not only is it one less thing for people to worry about (and it does not matter how many computers you have built, there is always the risk of forgetting to install the shield before putting everything else together), but it also shows an attention to detail and determined adherence to the theme of the board. The RGB implementation shows similar attention to detail. While the two zones over the I/O shield and the chipset are standard fare for boards at this point, the execution is sleek and modern. Additionally, there are three RGB LED headers for expansion, including one addressable RGB header.
As for performance, memory stability was not up to the same standards as from other X570 boards so far. Part of this is no doubt an inherent property of the T topology ASRock is using for their X570 lineup, which favors better 4-stick compatibility at the cost of max frequency on two stick kits. Still, I think ASRock can do some work to improve performance in future BIOS revisions. CPU overclocking on the other hand, was excellent. I was able to finally reach 4.5 GHz stable all core at 1.45 V, the best I have achieved with my Ryzen 5 3600X sample so far. The advantage is small, but with as little headroom as these Ryzen 3000 chips have, it is significant.
ASRock has plenty of tweaking built into these boards to keep even the most avid enthusiasts occupied, including a properly overbuilt VRM capable of a maximum output of 600 A. In my testing, no amount of abuse could bring the Vcore VRM anywhere near its thermal limits even with no airflow.
ASRock has a history of providing premium LAN connectivity at a relatively low price point, and it is good to see the brand expand that with this new Phantom Gaming 2.5 Gigabit LAN offering. Of course, the Phantom Gaming X also features WiFi 6 support for those that can't always make use of Ethernet.
The ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming X comes in at $349.99, making it the most affordable high-end mainstream board out of the four major vendors. At that price, you get 8 SATA ports instead of 4 or 6, as well as some unique elements, like the aluminium backplate. While the memory overclocking isn't spectacular, it is more than adequate for most users and should result in above average compatibility with 4-stick memory kits. CPU overclocking and VRM performance are excellent, and build quality is too.
Compared to the competition from the other three major vendors in the $350-$400 price bracket, the X570 Phantom Gaming X is an excellent option with more storage flexibility and excellent design and performance. The greatest threat to the X570 Phantom Gaming X, and indeed all these high-end boards, is the ASRock X570 Taichi. With an almost identical feature set missing only the 2.5 Gb/s LAN, the X570 Taichi is of incredible value at just $300. ASRock has, in fact, outdone themselves to an extent with the level of features the Taichi provides.
If you want the most affordable board with every bell and whistle, the ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming X won't let you down, but if you can live without 2.5 Gb/s LAN, the ASRock X570 Taichi can offer a similar experience for $50 less.