ASUS ROG X570 Crosshair VIII Hero (WI-FI)
9/10 (Expert Score)
Meta-review: Most reviewers praise the high-end components, not least the audio parts, but are less impressed by the pricing at launch.
Description
The Asus ROG (Republic of Gamers) Crosshair series is the manufacturer’s premium line of motherboards. This one uses AMD’s X570 chipset, which brings PCI Express version 4.0 to the table, along with full support for 3rd-generation AMD Ryzen processors. Like other Crosshair models, the X570 VIII Hero comes with premium components and a broad feature set, although it lacks the VRM watercooling block provided with the much more expensive Crosshair Formula motherboard.
Asus ROG X570 Crosshair VIII Hero Key Features
As can be expected from a motherboard in Asus’ premium lineup, the Crosshair VIII Hero comes prepared for overclocking courtesy of 14+2 IR3555 PowIRstages. It’s also fitted with what the manufacturer calls ProCool II power connectors, 10K Japanese-made black metallic capacitors, and microfine alloy chokes. Although the VRM is not equipped with a watercooling block, it does have an aluminum heatsink with a fan.
RAM support is limited by the chipset to 128 GB of DDR4 operating in dual-channel mode. This motherboard includes four sockets that will hold memory modules up to 32 GB. There are two M.2 slots that offer fast storage enabled by the PCIe 4.0 interface, provided that the SSD can take advantage of the added bandwidth, which is double that of the PCIe 3.0 interface.
Ethernet is not as fast as the 10 Gbps offered with e.g. the MSI Prestige X570 Creation or Gigabyte X570 Aorus Xtreme, but the Crosshair VIII Hero offers faster-than-average Ethernet via a 2.5 Gbps controller. The Wi-Fi version of the motherboard also comes with onboard Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with MU-MIMO support.
Another important feature for avid tinkerers is the board’s included BIOS flashback feature. For personalization, Asus’ proprietary Aura Sync RGB lighting comes with addressable Gen 2 headers.
Specs: Asus ROG X570 Crosshair VIII Hero Vs. Formula
| Product | X570 Crosshair VIII Hero | X570 Crosshair VIII Formula |
|---|---|---|
| Form Factor | ATX | ATX |
| CPU Support | 2nd- and 3rd-gen AMD Ryzen | 2nd- and 3rd-gen AMD Ryzen |
| RAM Support (up to) | 4800 MHz (Gen3 Ryzen) 3600 MHz (Gen2 Ryzen) | 4800 MHz (Gen3 Ryzen) 3600 MHz (Gen2 Ryzen) |
| Memory Slots (Channels) | 2 (4) | 2 (4) |
| Max. RAM | 128 GB | 128 GB |
| PCI-E 4.0 X16 Slots | 3 | 3 |
| PCI-E 4.0 X1 Slots | 1 | 1 |
| SATA III Ports | 8 | 8 |
| M.2 Slots | 2 | 2 |
| RAID Support | 0/1/10 | 0/1/10 |
| LAN | 1x Intel I211-AT, Realtek RTL8125-CG 2.5G LAN | 1x Intel I211-AT 1x Aquantia AQC111C 5G LAN |
| USB Ports | 8x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 6x USB 3.2 Gen 1 4x USB 2.0 | 8x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 8x USB 3.2 Gen 1 4x USB 2.0 |
| SLI/Crossfire | Y/Y | Y/Y |
| Water block | N/A | Crosschill EK III |
| OLED Palen | N/A | Yes |
The two X570 Crosshair VIII motherboards are very similar apart from the water block and OLED panel provided with the Formula version. Notably, the Formula is also equipped with a 10 Gbps Ethernet controller from Aquantia, while the Hero model ships with a 2.5 Gbps variation from Realtek. There are also versions without onboard Wi-Fi controllers.
Reviews
Bottom line: a very competent, well-presented X570 motherboard hobbled with what feels like a high street price.
We have no reason to not recommend the C8H WIFI, really is a fantastic product. The price, however, is incredibly steep …
Like many of the other high-end boards, ASUS has gone for some impressive components here though. Such as 2.5G LAN, as well as Gigabit LAN, paired up with the flagship WiFi 6 AX200 for exceptional connectivity …
This board is featured in our roundup of the top AMD X570 motherboards for 2020.
Additional information
Specification: ASUS ROG X570 Crosshair VIII Hero (WI-FI)
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