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AMD offers a range of speedy AM5 Ryzen 7000 CPUs, up to the powerful Ryzen 9 7950X. Powerhouse solutions are frequently needed for such processors, necessitating huge structures to fit the CPU and all of its accessories. 

That idea is completely refuted by the Asus ROG X670E Gene. This board, which has the microATX form factor, is a great compromise for builders who don’t want to go too big. Though mATX is smaller than ATX, it allows you to choose from a wider variety of cases; nevertheless, because it is larger than ITX, it offers more functions. The newest goods, including DDR5 and PCIe Gen 5, are here. We’ll talk about the minor compromises it has over an ATX motherboard.

From the specifications to the features, performance characteristics, and design, let’s examine if this more compact Gene is capable of packing a serious punch for high-end enthusiasts.

ROG CROSSHAIR X670E GENE Motherboard Specifications & Appearance

The motherboard is housed in a pretty elegant and small box that is designed in the iconic ROG series aesthetic. The motherboard is housed in a pretty elegant and small box that is designed in the iconic ROG series aesthetic.

The interior of the box is somewhat small, with everything placed very effectively.

The motherboard package weighs a lot because it includes a 32 GB USB 3.0 flash drive, an external WiFi antenna with a magnetic bottom, a PCI-E 5.0 NVMe M2 disk connector, and a bracket to accommodate multiple visual cards.

Massive heatsinks for the chipset, VRM, and M.2 modules are included with the ROG Crosshair X670E Gene to guarantee ideal thermal performance and maximum efficiency of Ryzen CPUs and system components. In addition, Gene supports an extra fan, which is useful in a small case.

Two DIMM DDR5 modules with a maximum capacity of 64 GB and a frequency of up to 6400 MHz are included with the ASUS ROG CROSSHAIR X670E GENE. The motherboard provides four SATA 6Gb/s connections and three M.2 PCIe 5.0 x4 slots for the file subsystem.

Since SLI and CF are no longer supported, having only one video card available is hardly a drawback. It is also important to note how convenient it is to remove the video card; this eliminates the need for us to obligingly and nearly carelessly pry a screwdriver into the video card eject box; instead, a mechanism with a unique button is brought to our fingertips.

Numerous USB connections are available on the rear of the ROG CROSSHAIR X670E GENE Motherboard connectors, including two USB4 Type-C ports that handle 8K display output and have a 40Gbps bandwidth. The high data transfer rate in the network is due to the Wi-Fi 6E and 2.5G Ethernet interfaces.

The model is well known for its mATX form factor, and this is also the case with the ROG CROSSHAIR X670E GENE Motherboard. The most recent Gene, in contrast to previous models, features one x16 PCIe 5.0 slot and one x1 slot for a second add-in card. This time, the heatsink appears to be fairly respectable and has the same updated pixelated ROG logo design as the PCH heatsink.

AMD is now switching to LGA design, therefore this familiar-looking ILM for the CPU socket will be found on all new AM5 motherboards. The standard AMD cooler bracket is visible around the CPU socket; it is designed to work with AM4 coolers that currently employ the bracket’s locking mechanism. However, because of this design, coolers with custom brackets might not work this time.

I mention this because the default backplate is designed to work with both the AMD and ILM cooler brackets, which may pose compatibility problems for coolers that have custom brackets installed. The majority of aftermarket coolers that we’ve seen include backplates intended to swap out the AMD bracket that comes with the kit, and taking off the AM5 factory backplate will most likely make the ILM useless.

The standard helpful features, like the Q code debug LED, onboard power and reset buttons, ReTry and Safe Boot buttons—which are particularly helpful for people who intend to use the board as their test bench—are located in the upper right corner of the board.

Although it only has two DIMM slots this time, the ROG CROSSHAIR X670E GENE Motherboard has a greater advantage over other models in terms of memory overclocking because of its architecture. Due to our short time with the board, we were unable to try to obtain any noteworthy high-frequency results; nevertheless, we did find that it is much easier to tighten the memory timings on this board, and our tests also revealed that the memory training time is a little bit faster.

ROG CROSSHAIR X670E GENE Motherboard General Information

CPU Socket	AMD Socket AM5 for AMD Ryzen™ 7000 Series Desktop Processors*
Chipset	AMD X670
Memory	2 x DIMM, Max. 96GB, DDR5 8000+(OC)/7800(OC)/…
	Dual Channel Memory Architecture
	Supports AMD Extended Profiles for Overclocking (EXPO™)
	OptiMem II
Graphics	2 x USB4® ports support USB Type-C® display outputs*
	* VGA resolution support depends on processors’ or
	graphic cards’ resolution.
Expansion Slots	AMD Ryzen™ 7000 Series Desktop Processors:
	1 x PCIe 5.0 x16 slot
	AMD X670 Chipset:
	1 x PCIe 4.0 x1 slot
Storage	Total supports 3 x M.2 slots and 4 x SATA 6Gb/s ports*
	AMD Ryzen™ 7000 Series Desktop Processors:
	M.2 slot (Key M), type 2242/2260/2280(supports PCIe 5.0 x4 mode)
	GEN-Z.2_1 slot (Key M) via GEN-Z.2, type 2242/2260/2280/22110 (supports PCIe 5.0 x4)**
	AMD X670 Chipset:
	GEN-Z.2_2 slot (Key M) via GEN-Z.2, type 2242/2260/2280/22110 (supports PCIe 4.0 x4)
	4 x SATA 6Gb/s ports
Ethernet	1 x Intel® 2.5Gb Ethernet
	ASUS LANGuard
Wireless & Bluetooth	Wi-Fi 6E
	2×2 Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)
	Supports 2.4/5/6GHz frequency band*
	Bluetooth v5.3**
USB	Rear USB (Total 10 ports):
	2 x USB4® ports with Intel® JHL8540 USB4® controller (2 x USB Type-C®)
	6 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (5 x Type-A + 1 x USB Type-C®)
	2 x USB 2.0 ports (2 x Type-A)
	Front USB (Total 7 ports):
	1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 connector (supports USB Type-C® with up to 60W PD/QC4+)*
	1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 headers supports additional 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
	2 x USB 2.0 headers support additional 4 USB 2.0 ports
Audio	ROG SupremeFX 7.1 Surround Sound High Definition Audio CODEC ALC4080
	– Impedance sense for front and rear headphone outputs
	– Supports: Jack-detection, Multi-streaming, Front Panel Jack-retasking
	– High-quality 120 dB SNR stereo playback output and 110 dB SNR recording input

ROG CROSSHAIR X670E GENE Motherboard Conclusion

All things considered, this is a great enthusiast option for the gamer who likes the ROG style and needs a smaller microATX motherboard to handle the Ryzen 7000 CPUs.

Pros:

1. Support for Latest AMD Ryzen Processors: The AM5 socket and AMD X670 chipset ensure compatibility with the latest AMD Ryzen desktop processors, providing high performance and future-proofing.
2. DDR5 Memory Support: The motherboard supports DDR5 memory with high-speed data rates and decent capacities, offering excellent memory performance for gaming and productivity tasks.
3. Multiple Storage Options: With support for M.2 slots and SATA ports, the motherboard offers flexible storage expansion capabilities, accommodating fast NVMe SSDs and traditional SATA drives.
4. Networking Features: The inclusion of Intel 2.5Gb Ethernet and Wi-Fi 6E ensures high-speed wired and wireless network connectivity, ideal for gaming, streaming, and other network-intensive tasks.
5. USB Connectivity: The motherboard provides a comprehensive array of USB ports, including USB4, USB 3.2 Gen 2, and USB 2.0 ports, offering high-speed data transfer and compatibility with various peripherals.
6. SupremeFX Audio: The ROG SupremeFX 7.1 Surround Sound High Definition Audio CODEC delivers high-quality audio output, enhancing the gaming and multimedia experience.
7. Compact Form Factor: The micro-ATX form factor makes this motherboard suitable for smaller PC builds while still offering a wide range of features and capabilities.
8. Extreme OC Kit: The inclusion of features like FlexKey, LN2 Mode, ProbeIt, ReTry button, Safe boot button, Start button, and Slow Mode caters to enthusiasts and overclockers, providing advanced tweaking and monitoring options.
9. Aura Sync RGB Lighting: With Aura Sync compatibility, users can customize RGB lighting effects and synchronize them with other compatible components for a visually stunning setup.
10. Exclusive Software Features: Exclusive software features such as GameFirst VI, Sonic Studio III, Sonic Radar III, and Aura Sync provide additional functionality and customization options for an enhanced user experience.

Cons:

1. Limited Expansion Slots: The motherboard has limited expansion slots, with only one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot and one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, potentially restricting GPU and expansion card configurations for users requiring more slots.
2. Limited Memory Slots: With only two DIMM slots, the maximum supported memory capacity is 96GB, which may be insufficient for users requiring larger amounts of memory for memory-intensive applications or multitasking.
3. Potential Overkill for Some Users: Enthusiast-oriented features like LN2 Mode and Extreme OC Kit may be unnecessary for casual users or those with less demanding computing needs, potentially leading to paying for features they won’t fully utilize.
4. Complexity: The extensive list of features and options may be overwhelming for novice users, requiring some time and effort to fully utilize and configure the motherboard.
5. BIOS Update Requirement: Depending on the CPU and memory configuration, users may need to update the BIOS to ensure compatibility and optimal performance, which could be inconvenient for some users.
6. Size Consideration: While the micro-ATX form factor is suitable for smaller builds, it may not fit into ultra-compact cases, limiting compatibility and requiring users to ensure proper case compatibility before purchase.
7. Power Delivery Concerns: While the motherboard likely features robust power delivery solutions, some users may express concerns about power delivery efficiency and stability, especially when overclocking high-end components.
8. Software Optimization: While the included software features offer additional functionality, users may encounter bugs, stability issues, or compatibility issues with certain applications, requiring updates or patches for optimal performance.
9. Support and Warranty: While ASUS typically offers good support and warranty coverage, some users may encounter issues with customer service or RMA processes, depending on their region or individual experiences.
10. Compatibility Considerations: Users should verify compatibility with their existing components, such as CPU coolers, memory modules, and graphics cards, to ensure proper fit and functionality with the motherboard.