ASUS Announces BIOS Updates for Zen 3 and Introduces New B550 & X570 Motherboards

Fremont, California (October 9, 2020) - ASUS today announced the Republic of Gamers (ROG) Crosshair VIII Dark Hero, TUF Gaming X570 Pro (WiFi) and ROG Strix B550-XE Gaming WiFi — three gaming motherboards designed for gaming builds featuring the latest-generation AMD® Ryzen™ Zen 3 architecture processors. In addition to the latest X570 and B550 motherboards, all ASUS 500 series motherboards (X570, B550 and A520) are ready for AMD Ryzen Zen 3 architecture processors.

ROG Crosshair VIII Dark Hero

The AMD X570 platform features extensive PCI Express® 4.0 connectivity ripe for the latest graphics cards and SSDs. The chipset’s bandwidth necessitates a robust cooling solution to deliver sustained performance. ROG Crosshair VIII Dark Hero is the first ASUS X570 board to implement a completely passive cooling design, featuring a sizeable heatsink that extends from the chipset zone to the space between the PCIe slots. The additional surface area helps keep thermals under control even when the motherboard is loaded with a full complement of hardware, laying a compelling foundation for an enthusiast PC builds.

Onboard power delivery has also been enhanced to efficiently fuel next-gen AMD CPUs for Socket AM4. The CPU VRM features 16 TI (90 amp) power stages arranged in a teamed topology that is especially adept at responding to the load transients generated by multi-core CPUs transitioning between load states.

As its name suggests, Crosshair VIII Dark Hero has a subtle aesthetic makeover compared to first generation ROG X570 boards. Its stealthy black finish provides a striking contrast to the Aura RGB LED lighting behind the ROG logo on the chipset heatsink and I/O shroud, while a Dark Hero nameplate placed at mid-board makes a bold statement.

The two primary PCIe 4.0 x16 slots are reinforced with the SafeSlot design to support heavyweight graphics cards. Sitting alongside, two PCIe 4.0 x 4 M.2 slots are ready for the fastest NVMe SSDs available. A spread of USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (seven Type-A, one USB Type-C®) are available for high-speed peripherals, while the Intel WiFi 6 AX200 adapter, 2.5G and gigabit Ethernet jacks ensure the fastest connectivity for gaming. Audio duties are taken care of by the SupremeFX S1220 codec, paired with an ESS ES9023 DAC for the front-panel outputs, providing crisp and clear output in both stereo and surround sound for music and games. There’s also a front-panel USB 3.2 Gen 2 header to accommodate the latest chassis. Crosshair VIII Dark Hero boasts a range of enthusiast-friendly features for overclockers looking to push chips to the limit. Dedicated buttons to clear CMOS settings and activate BIOS FlashBack™ can be found on the preinstalled I/O shield to give users full control of their system.

To learn more about Crosshair VIII Dark Hero, please visit the Edge Up Buying Guide.

TUF Gaming X570-Pro (Wi-Fi)

The enhanced power solution employed by TUF Gaming X570-Pro (WiFi) boasts 12 + 2 DrMOS power stages, a six-layer PCB, ProCool sockets, military-grade TUF components and the Digi+ VRM to ensure maximum durability. It offers comprehensive cooling features including dedicated heatsinks for the chipset, VRM and M.2 slot, alo