I paid extra for an X670E board, but I use one graphics card, one PCIe 4.0 SSD and a handful of USB devices. I don't overclock. Would a decent B650 have done the same job, or are there benefits I'm overlooking?
Did I really need an X670E board for a gaming PC?
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under-the-stairs
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For that setup, a suitable B650 would likely give you much the same gaming experience. The chipset name alone doesn't make the CPU or graphics card faster, and plenty of B650 boards have power delivery that can comfortably handle a gaming processor.
That doesn't mean buying the absolute cheapest board is always smart. Check CPU compatibility, the ports you need, cooling and the features on the specific model. But you don't need to pay for a pile of expansion options just because they're there.
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The extra connectivity can be the whole reason to buy one. Several NVMe drives, lots of fast USB devices or add-in cards can make a bigger board worth the money, even with a gaming-focused CPU.
Look at the manual, not just the slot count. On some boards, using a particular M.2 slot shares bandwidth with or disables another connection. That varies by model, including among higher-end boards.
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Prices matter more than the label. A sale or CPU bundle can put an X-series board close to a B-series one, in which case the extra ports or nicer installation features might be an easy choice. At a large premium, those same extras are harder to justify if they'll sit unused.
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Room to grow has some value, but only if you can picture what might go in that room. An extra drive slot or BIOS flashback could be handy later. On the other hand, paying more today for every possible upgrade is a gamble, since your plans and component prices can change.
There's nothing wrong with keeping the board you have. For the next build, compare the actual features with a concrete upgrade you might want, and consider what else the price difference could buy.
17.dotty:
BIOS flashback is also available on some less expensive boards, so it's worth checking the model rather than assuming it requires an X-series chipset.
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Some of the premium stuff just won't affect your setup. A better onboard audio section, for example, isn't doing the audio conversion for a USB headset. And WiFi 7 or faster Ethernet only helps if the rest of your network and your usage can take advantage of it.
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under-the-stairs:
That makes sense. The extra slots sounded useful when I bought it, but I never had a specific plan for them.