Asus X870 AYW Gaming Wi-Fi W

Name: Asus X870 AYW Gaming Wi-Fi W
Brand: Asus
SKU: 1395

Manufacturer: Asus

The Asus X870 AYW Gaming Wi-Fi W is an ATX form factor motherboard designed around AMD's AM5 platform and the X870 chipset. It includes built-in Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) connectivity alongside Bluetooth 5.2, and supports RGB lighting along with a dual BIOS setup for added resilience. The board carries a three-year warranty and ships with overclocking-friendly features enabled out of the box.

On the connectivity side, the board offers two Thunderbolt 4 ports paired with two USB 4 40Gbps ports, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, three USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, and four USB 2.0 ports at the rear. Internally, three M.2 sockets and four SATA 3 connectors handle storage, with full support for RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10. Expansion is handled through one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, two PCIe 4.0 x16 slots, and one PCIe 3.0 x16 slot, while four DDR5 memory slots accommodate up to 256GB at overclocked speeds reaching 8000 MHz across two channels.

Pros

Includes two Thunderbolt 4 ports alongside two USB 4 40Gbps ports, providing high-bandwidth connectivity options at the rear
Supports DDR5 memory across four slots with overclocked speeds up to 8000 MHz and a maximum capacity of 256GB
Dual BIOS adds resilience against failed firmware updates
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.2 are built in, removing the need for separate wireless adapters
Full RAID support covering modes 0, 1, 5, and 10 gives flexibility for various storage configurations
Three M.2 sockets and four SATA 3 connectors offer solid internal storage expansion headroom

Cons

No USB 3.2 Gen 2 or Gen 1 Type-C ports at the rear panel limits modern cable compatibility
Manual BIOS reset via a dedicated button is not available, which can complicate recovery in certain situations
No S/PDIF Out port, restricting digital audio output options
ECC memory is not supported, ruling out error-correcting memory configurations
No DisplayPort output available, leaving HDMI 2.1 as the only video output option

Who is this for?

This board is well-suited for enthusiast desktop builders targeting the AMD AM5 platform who want room to grow, particularly those planning to run demanding workloads alongside high-bandwidth peripherals. With Thunderbolt 4 and USB 4 40Gbps connectivity, it caters to users who regularly work with fast external storage or high-resolution displays through a single cable. The support for DDR5 memory up to 256GB at 8000 MHz makes it a reasonable fit for content creators or power users who need substantial memory headroom and overclocking flexibility. Built-in Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 also make it practical for clean desktop setups where running cables for networking is not desirable.

Who is this NOT for?

This board is not a good match for users requiring ECC memory support, such as those running workstations, servers, or applications where data integrity is critical. The absence of a S/PDIF Out port and aptX support makes it a poor choice for users with specific digital audio output requirements or aptX-dependent audio equipment. Additionally, the lack of a VGA connector, DisplayPort output, and a manual BIOS reset button may frustrate users who rely on legacy display hardware or need straightforward recovery options in the event of a failed BIOS update.

General info:

CPU socket	AM5
chipset	X870
form factor	ATX
supports Wi-Fi	✓
Wi-Fi version	Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
Has Bluetooth	✓
Bluetooth version	5.2
HDMI version	HDMI 2.1
Easy to overclock	✓
has RGB lighting	✓
Easy to reset BIOS	✕
Has dual BIOS	✓
has aptX	✕
CPU sockets	1
Has integrated graphics	✕
warranty period	3 years
height	244 mm
width	305 mm
Has integrated CPU	✕

The Asus X870 AYW Gaming Wi-Fi W is built around the AM5 socket and is compatible with the X870 chipset, housed in a standard ATX form factor measuring 305 mm wide and 244 mm tall with a single CPU socket. It includes built-in Wi-Fi spanning Wi-Fi 4, Wi-Fi 5, and Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), as well as Bluetooth 5.2, though aptX audio codec support is not present. The board supports easy overclocking, features RGB lighting, and comes with a dual BIOS for added reliability, though manual BIOS reset via a dedicated button is not available. An HDMI 2.1 output is included, while integrated graphics and an integrated CPU are not part of this board. It does not support aptX and carries no integrated processor, and the warranty period covers three years.

Memory:

maximum memory amount	256GB
overclocked RAM speed	8000 MHz
memory slots	4
DDR memory version	5
memory channels	2
Supports ECC memory	✕

This board supports DDR5 memory across four slots arranged in a dual-channel configuration, with a maximum capacity of 256GB. Overclocked RAM speeds can reach up to 8000 MHz, offering headroom for performance-oriented memory kits. ECC memory is not supported.

Ports:

USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-A)	1
USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (USB-A)	3
USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-C)	0
USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (USB-C)	0
USB 2.0 ports	4
USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports	0
USB 4 40Gbps ports	2
USB 4 20Gbps ports	0
Thunderbolt 4 ports	2
Thunderbolt 3 ports	0
has an HDMI output	✓
DisplayPort outputs	0
RJ45 ports	1
Has USB Type-C	✓
eSATA ports	0
DVI outputs	0
has a VGA connector	✕
PS/2 ports	0

The rear I/O panel provides a varied USB lineup, including one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, three USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, and four USB 2.0 ports, with no USB 3.2 Gen 2 or Gen 1 Type-C ports present. Notably, the board includes two Thunderbolt 4 ports alongside two USB 4 40Gbps ports, while USB 4 20Gbps and USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 options are absent. For display output, an HDMI output is available, though DisplayPort, DVI, and VGA connectors are not included. Network connectivity is handled by a single RJ45 port, and the panel confirms USB Type-C presence. There are no eSATA or PS/2 ports on this board.

Connectors:

USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (through expansion)	2
USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports (through expansion)	1
USB 2.0 ports (through expansion)	4
SATA 3 connectors	4
fan headers	6
USB 3.0 ports (through expansion)	2
M.2 sockets	3
Has TPM connector	✓
U.2 sockets	0
Has mSATA connector	✕
SATA 2 connectors	0

Internal expansion connectivity includes two USB 3.2 Gen 1 headers and two USB 3.0 headers for adding front-panel ports, one USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 header, and four USB 2.0 expansion ports. Storage is served by three M.2 sockets and four SATA 3 connectors, while SATA 2, mSATA, and U.2 options are not present. The board also features six fan headers for cooling management and includes a TPM connector for security module support.

Expansion slots:

PCIe 4.0 x16 slots	2
PCIe 5.0 x16 slots	1
PCIe 3.0 x16 slots	1
PCIe x1 slots	0
PCI slots	0
PCIe 2.0 x16 slots	0
PCIe x4 slots	0
PCIe x8 slots	0

The board offers a total of four full-size PCIe slots: one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, two PCIe 4.0 x16 slots, and one PCIe 3.0 x16 slot. There are no PCIe 2.0 x16, PCIe x8, PCIe x4, PCIe x1, or legacy PCI slots present.

Audio:

audio channels	7.1
Has S/PDIF Out port	✕
audio connectors	3

The board delivers 7.1-channel audio output through three analog audio connectors, covering a full surround sound configuration. A S/PDIF Out port is not included.

Storage:

Supports RAID 1	✓
Supports RAID 10 (1+0)	✓
Supports RAID 5	✓
Supports RAID 0	✓
Supports RAID 0+1	✕

The board supports RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 (1+0) configurations, covering a broad range of storage setups from performance-focused striping to redundancy and combined arrangements. RAID 0+1 is not supported.

Final Verdict

The Asus X870 AYW Gaming Wi-Fi W presents a well-rounded ATX platform for AMD AM5 builders who prioritize connectivity and memory scalability. Its Thunderbolt 4 and USB 4 40Gbps port combination, paired with DDR5 support reaching up to 8000 MHz across 256GB of capacity, positions it firmly in the enthusiast desktop segment. Built-in Wi-Fi 6 and dual BIOS add practical day-to-day value, while the broad RAID support and three M.2 sockets give storage configurations meaningful flexibility. Certain omissions — notably the lack of ECC memory support, S/PDIF output, and DisplayPort — narrow its appeal for specialized workstation or audio-focused use cases, but for the core enthusiast or content-creation desktop build, this board covers most bases with a coherent and capable feature set.