ASUS - ROG Crosshair X870E Hero vs MSI - MEG Z890 Ace
Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | ASUS - ROG Crosshair X870E Hero | MSI - MEG Z890 Ace |
|---|---|---|
| PCIe slots | 4 | 3 |
| M.2 slots | 5 | 6 |
Between the ROG Crosshair X870E Hero and MEG Z890 Ace, the ROG Crosshair X870E Hero comes out ahead in pcie slots, while the MEG Z890 Ace wins on m.2 slots. Overall, the ROG Crosshair X870E Hero scores 70.7 and the MEG Z890 Ace scores 76.2 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The MEG Z890 Ace edges ahead on the Mars Score (70.7 vs 76.2), but the 5.5-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the ROG Crosshair X870E Hero if you care most about pcie slots. The biggest gaps in its favor are pcie slots. The single most decisive one: PCIe slots — 1.00 more. 4 vs 3.
Pick the MEG Z890 Ace if you care most about m.2 slots. Its strongest claims are m.2 slots. The single most decisive one: M.2 slots — 1.00 more. 6 vs 5.
Both ship with comparable max memory, ram slots, wi-fi 7, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the MEG Z890 Ace is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Which should you buy: ASUS - ROG Crosshair X870E Hero or MSI - MEG Z890 Ace?
MSI - MEG Z890 Ace leads the current Mars Score by 5.5 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare m.2 slots against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose ASUS - ROG Crosshair X870E Hero if…
ASUS - ROG Crosshair X870E Hero has the measurable edge on pcie slots.
Choose MSI - MEG Z890 Ace if…
MSI - MEG Z890 Ace has the measurable edge on m2 slots.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why ASUS - ROG Crosshair X870E Hero wins
- ▲PCIe slots — 1.00 more. 4 vs 3.
Why MSI - MEG Z890 Ace wins
- ▲M.2 slots — 1.00 more. 6 vs 5.
Spec comparison
Platform
Expansion
| Spec | ASUS - ROG Crosshair X870E Hero | MSI - MEG Z890 Ace |
|---|---|---|
| RAM slots | 4 | 4 |
| Max memory | 192 GB | 192 GB |
| PCIe slots | 4lead | 3 |
| M.2 slotsⓘ | 5 | 6lead |
I/O
| Spec | ASUS - ROG Crosshair X870E Hero | MSI - MEG Z890 Ace |
|---|---|---|
| USB ports | 14 | 14 |
| 2.5GbE LAN | true | true |
| Wi-Fi 7ⓘ | true | true |