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Benchmark Results
Our standard benchmarks and power tests are performed using the CPU’s stock frequencies (including any default boost/turbo) with all power-saving features enabled. We set optimized defaults in the BIOS and the memory by enabling the XMP profile. For this baseline testing, the Windows power scheme is set to Balanced (default) so the PC idles appropriately.
Synthetic Benchmarks
Synthetics offer a valuable method for evaluating a board's performance, as identical settings are expected to yield similar results. Turbo boost wattage and advanced memory timings are areas where motherboard manufacturers can still optimize for stability or performance, though, and these settings can impact specific testing scenarios.
Across our synthetic benchmarks, the Vulcan OC performed well, posting average-to-above-average results. Be it rendering, encoding, compression/decompression, it held up well against all of the other AM5 boards we’ve tested so far.
Timed Applications
In our timed applications, LAME fell into the slower of the two times, while the Corona benchmark was the fastest, matching multiple other boards. Handbrake performance was also above average—nothing to worry about in these benchmarks either.
3D Games and 3DMark
Starting with the launch of Zen 5, we’ve updated our game tests. We’re keeping the F1 racing game but have upgraded to F1 24. We also dropped Far Cry 6 in favor of an even more popular and good-looking game in Cyberpunk 2077. We run both games at 1920x1080 resolution using the Ultra preset (details listed above). Cyberpunk 2077 uses DLSS, while we left F1 24 to native resolution scaling.
The goal with these settings is to determine if there are differences in performance at the most commonly used (and CPU/system-bound) resolution with settings most people use or strive for (Ultra). We expect the difference between boards in these tests to be minor, with most falling within the margin of error. We’ve also added a minimum FPS setting, which can affect your gameplay and immersion.
In the 3DMark tests, it was above average in Steel Nomad and below average in Speed Way. These results are incredibly close, and the difference is within the margin of error for the most part. In our games, the board also performed well, with above-average frame rates in F1 2024 (174) and one frame per second below our average in Cyberpunk 2077 (138). Nothing to worry about here; it’s a competent gamer, too.
Overclocking
Over the past few CPU generations, overclocking headroom has been shrinking on both sides of the fence, while the out-of-the-box potential has increased. For overclockers, this means there’s less fun to have. For the average consumer, you’re getting the most out of the processor without manual tweaking. Today’s motherboards are more robust than ever, and they easily support power-hungry flagship-class processors; We know the hardware can handle them. There are multiple ways to extract even more performance from these processors: enabling a canned PBO setting, manually tweaking the PBO settings, or just going for an all-core overclock. Results will vary and depend on the cooling as well. In other words, your mileage may vary. Considering all the above, we will not be overclocking the CPU. However, we will try out our different memory kits to ensure they meet the specifications.
For the memory testing, we started with our usual method, popping in the DDR-7200 kit, and it ran without issue. Next, I tested the DDR5-8000 kit with our Ryzen 9 9900X desktop processor and, surprisingly, it booted and ran our stress test successfully! The two-DIMM setup and the latest BIOS seemed to pay dividends, as this is only the second board to run the faster kit with the 9900X. Usually, it takes the 8600G APU with its superior IMC to do so.
Colorful also has several profiles for the 9800X3D CPU. If you have one of these processors, the BIOS displays a dropdown for it, named X3D A.I Turbo, with those options in it. You have Turbo modes 1-4, Turbo 2/3 + BCLK, and an auto setting. They range from more of a PBO-type adjustment to raising the BCLK in conjunction with clocks.
Power Consumption / VRM Temperatures
We used AIDA64’s System Stability Test with Stress CPU, FPU, cache, and Memory enabled for power testing, using the processor's peak power consumption value. The wattage reading is obtained from the wall via a Kill-A-Watt meter, capturing the entire PC (excluding the monitor). The only variable that changes is the motherboard; all other parts remain the same. Please note that we moved to using only the stock power use/VRM temperature charts, as this section aims to ensure the power delivery can handle flagship-class processors.
Stress-testing the X870E Vulcan OC with our DDR5-7200 kit showed it drawing the most power overall of any AM5 board we tested so far. This was mostly due to the high idle wattage that, sat at around 121W with zero CPU/system activity. After some sleuthing, we found that by default, the C-states appear to be disabled in the BIOS. Enable the C-states, and idle wattage drops to 99W, which is better, but still the highest idle we’ve seen. Load wattage was also up there, at 272W. The 199W average between idle and load is 12W higher than the next board (Asus' Extreme Glacial).
VRM temperatures were good, peaking just shy of 56 degrees Celsius on the internal sensor and 51 degrees on ours. The 18 110A SPS MOSFETs, combined with a large finned heatsink, mean you can overclock any processor, with the only limitation being your cooling.
Bottom Line
Colorful’s iGame X870E Vulcan OC V14 is a solid overclocking and all-around motherboard. On the overclocking front, the clock driver IC, two physical buttons for independent BCLK adjustments, robust power delivery, superior cooling, and the two-DIMM configuration all help you achieve your overclocking goals. It may not have baked-in memory profiles like the X870E Apex or X870E Tachyon, but it’s still plenty capable. The design is also a step up from previous iGame-class boards and fits in with other boards that cost the same. In all, Coloful did a good job in this space.
As discussed earlier, the board is not without competition at the price point or type (overclocking). For a similar price, you can have the Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Dark Hero for $699.99. Still, you lose the speeds capable from a 2-DIMM board (it’s not an overclocking board), or go for the cheaper X870 Aorus Tachyon Ice ($599.99) that does everything the Vulcan does, and is arguably the more refined overclocking board of the two. However, connectivity on the X870 chipset is somewhat limited. ASRock’s X870E Taichi OCF is also a viable alternative for overclocking and is even cheaper at $499.99, but it, like the Tachyon above, lacks a display. As always, it’s a give-and-take as to which one is best for you, but the Vulcan is a worthy combatant.
In the end, the iGame X870E Vulcan OC V14 is a well-rounded premium mid-range solution with a focus on overclocking and the X3D chips with the performance presets. Even though it didn’t earn a nod as a best motherboard, it offers a long list of features and specifications, but it lacks AI-based overclocking and memory profiles we see on other boards. For competitive benchmarking, this isn’t generally a problem, as it’s typically done manually (or perhaps a profile used as a starting point to further tweaking). Still, if you plan to lean on those features, its similarly priced peers do offer those options. That said, the X870E Vulcan is a solid board in the premium mid-range space, especially if you plan on overclocking your RAM or need the ability to use CQDIMMs with increased density and speeds.
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