X870 build — $1,840
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
- Graphics: ASRock Radeon RX 9070 XT
- Motherboard: MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk Gaming
- Memory: Corsair Vengeance RGB RS - 16GB - DDR5 - 6000MHz
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X870 vs X870E: what the E actually buys you
Updated Sep 13, 2026. Prices come from our catalogue and may have changed.
X870 boards run a median of $228 against $359 for X870E, a median gap of $131. Both $2,000 builds landed $5 apart, and that difference hides the trade: the X870 build spent on an ASRock Radeon RX 9070 XT and Ryzen 7 9700X, while the X870E build took a GIGABYTE Radeon RX 9060 XT Gaming OC ICE and Ryzen 7 8700G to afford its $359 board.
X870 vs X870E in our catalogue today
| Metric | X870 | X870E |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest part | $226 (Asus ROG Strix X870-A Gaming) | $257 (MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk) |
| Median price | $228 | $359 |
| Parts in catalogue | 3 | 7 |
| Max memory speed (MT/s) | 8,000–8,400 | 8,000–8,400 |
| M.2 slots | 4–4 | 4–5 |
| PCIe x16 slots | 2–3 | 2–3 |
| SATA ports | 2–4 | 4–6 |
Same $2,000 budget, one build each side
X870E build — $1,835
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 8700G
- Graphics: GIGABYTE Radeon RX 9060 XT Gaming OC ICE
- Motherboard: MSI MPG X870E Carbon Gaming
- Memory: Corsair Vengeance RGB RS - 16GB - DDR5 - 6000MHz
X870E costs $5 less than X870 on this $2,000 build.
Cheapest X870 parts
- Asus ROG Strix X870-A Gaming$226 at Amazon
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk Gaming$228 at Amazon
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk$270 at Amazon
Cheapest X870E parts
- MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk$270 at Newegg
- GIGABYTE X870E AORUS Elite$274 at Newegg
- ASRock X870E Taichi Lite$300 at Newegg
Frequently asked questions
Do X870 and X870E use the same CPUs and memory?
Yes. Both chipsets run Ryzen CPUs and DDR5 memory with AMD EXPO overclocking, and both give you USB4, 1x16 or 2x8 PCIe 5.0 graphics, and 1x4 PCIe 5.0 NVMe plus 4x PCIe GPP. The difference is in chipset lanes, not core platform support.
What extra connectivity does X870E actually add?
Per AMD, X870E offers up to 44 usable PCIe lanes (36 for X870), and up to 24 PCIe 5.0 lanes on both. X870E also lists up to 12 SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps ports (6 on X870), 2 USB 20Gbps (1), 2 USB 5Gbps (1), and 8 SATA ports or PCIe 3.0 lanes instead (4). Board makers decide how many of those get wired up.
Is X870E worth it for a gaming build on a fixed budget?
The median X870 board is $228 and the median X870E board is $359, a $131 gap, and on a $2,000 budget that money comes out of another part. In our generated pair the X870E build ran a GIGABYTE Radeon RX 9060 XT Gaming OC ICE and a Ryzen 7 8700G to afford a $359 MSI MPG X870E Carbon Gaming, while the X870 build ran an ASRock Radeon RX 9070 XT and a Ryzen 7 9700X on a $228 MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk Gaming.
Who should pick X870E?
Pick X870E if you need the extra lanes and ports: up to 44 usable PCIe lanes, up to 12 SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps ports, and up to 8 SATA ports. Two or more fast NVMe drives plus heavy USB use is where the pricier boards start earning their place.
Who should pick X870?
Pick X870 if you want the same USB4, PCIe 5.0 graphics, and PCIe 5.0 NVMe support at a lower board price. The median X870 is $228 versus $359 for X870E, and boards like the Asus ROG Strix X870-A Gaming start at $226.
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