Introduction

We may have finally reached the last iteration and production run of motherboards for AMD's AM4 socket. We were first introduced to the Ryzen Zen CPU in 2017. This was quickly followed up by Zen+. Next, with the Zen 2 launch, came a new X570 chipset to extend the AM4 socket lifespan. Using the same X naming convention as the follow-up to X470, its largest change came in the form of a new x4 PCIE 4.0 uplink to the CPU. This upgrade allowed for more USB ports, M.2 sockets, and PCIE slots using the X570 chipset.

The technology sector has been booming with innovation as AMD and Intel trade blows for the performance crown. Intel's 12th Gen Core Processors are certainly a worthy adversary to AMD's Ryzen lineup. This does not mean it is all or nothing. In real-world use cases, the AMD Ryzen 5000 series (Zen 3) still has its share of advantages for those who pick an AMD-based system.

After the highly successful B550 chipset launch in 2020, marketed and priced to be more budget friendly while still maintaining PCIe 4.0 support. Some may find themselves upgrading to a new motherboard or waiting for the perfect time to buy and replace an older system. Waiting for the perfect moment to upgrade can pay off, especially as prices decrease and bugs are worked out over multiple revisions. Motherboard manufacturers have an opportunity to refresh the X570 lineup yet again with new features, including Wi-FI 6E, USB 3.2 connectivity, Thunderbolt 4, and higher supported memory frequencies that just weren't available three years ago.


Que ASUS! The R&D team understands exactly what it takes to go all-in and produce something worthy of the ultra-high-end market. The Crosshair family serves as ASUS's premium line for AMD motherboards typically comprising four models: Hero, Formula, Impact, and Extreme. The aforementioned ROG Crosshair VIII Extreme is the pinnacle of the Crosshair series with the newest technologies available and does not hold back on premium looks, features, and build quality.

The ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Extreme features a powerful 18+2 VRM solution with 20 Texas Instruments power stages rated for 90 A. The jaw-dropping specifications do not stop there, either. Built upon ASUS's excellent BIOS, the included EZ mode provides an optimal, stress-free experience for configuring the system. The Crosshair VIII Extreme also offers great connectivity with not only WiFi 6E and 10 Gb/s Ethernet, but Thunderbolt 4, and five M.2 slots round out this list. There is just too much to list in a single paragraph. ASUS has even outdone themselves and placed a 2" LiveDash OLED screen on the motherboard. But enough with the hardware teasing, it is time to jump right into the review and take an in-depth look at the best ASUS has to offer.

Specifications