By: Writing | 18-11-22
ASUS today announced a full line of Intel® Z790 motherboards across the ROG Maximus, ROG Strix, TUF Gaming, and Prime product families, all built to support the latest 13th-generation Intel Core™ processors. In this note, we detail benefits of the ROG Maximus.
ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme
It only takes one glance to see that the ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme is a one-of-a-kind motherboard. Wrapped in sleek black covers and heat sinks, it exudes confidence. For an unmatched customization option, the AniMe Matrix display on the I/O shield allows you to display custom images and animations with its matrix of 222 individual LEDs. A series of angular cuts into the chipset’s massive heatsink reveals the iconic ROG “Fearless Eye.” The full-length cover on the right edge of the board keeps headers and jacks covered so your entire build looks truly clean.
ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme includes LiveDash, an integrated 2-inch OLED panel that displays useful information and features customizable graphics. During the Power On Self Test (POST) phase, this screen displays key statistics in plain language using traditional POST codes. In normal operation, you can program the panel to display CPU frequency, device temperatures, fan speeds, or water cooling. You can also customize the default GIF with an image or animation, and since this new generation of LiveDash is a full color panel, you have a world of possibilities to choose from.
Every corner of the ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme is packed with top-tier features. This motherboard features a VRM with 24+1 built-in 105A power phases ready to help you harness the full overclocking potential of 13th Gen Intel CPUs. It offers an Intel-powered 2.5Gb Ethernet port and a Marvell 10Gb Ethernet connector to give you access to the fastest local network transfers. Its high-end Intel AX411 WiFi 6E adapter provides high-speed wireless connectivity in the wide open spectrum of 6 GHz. Intel Double Connect Technology (DCT) further enhances the WiFi gaming experience by simultaneously connecting on two bands and prioritizing traffic on whichever band is faster.
Today’s enthusiasts just can’t get enough of high-speed storage. The large EATX design of the ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme gives plenty of room for ultra-fast SSDs. This motherboard supports a total of five NVMe SSDs. An onboard PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot tops the pack, and the board provides plenty of room for growth with two onboard PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots and two more available via the ROG DIMM.2 add-on card.
To support the efforts of enthusiasts working to extract the highest levels of performance from their hardware, ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme also includes ROG True Voltician. This included oscilloscope kit provides detailed analysis of motherboard power circuitry. Once connected to the system, the oscilloscope system intuitively presents real-time voltage information on a separate system. It’s never been easier to collect the data for professional-level overclocking.
ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme is also ready to serve as the center of a powerful cooling system. It has eight built-in fan headers, and the included ROG fan controller makes it easy to add another six to the mix. Want to add a little more lighting? Three second-generation addressable RGB headers let you connect LED strips and sync them with the rest of your rig via Aura Sync.
ROG Maximus Z790 Apex
Overclockers know that Apex motherboards are poised to break memory performance records. The ROG Maximus Z790 Apex continues that tradition with its two DIMM slots ready to overclock DDR5 RAM up to 8000 MT/s. To make sure users have all the tools they need to test and monitor memory, ASUS includes one-year subscriptions for AIDA64 Extreme and Memtest86.
The ROG Maximus Z790 Apex is already proving its worth as an overclocking powerhouse: it has achieved 14 world records and 13 global top rankings.
This motherboard’s robust power solution provides a high-end platform for exceptional performance. Power enters the board via 8+8 ProCool II power connectors. The solid pins on these connectors offer better contact with the power supply sockets, better heat dissipation, and greater reliability than common hardware. 24+0 ganged power phases, rated at 105 amps, supply stable power to the CPU, and enlarged VRM heatsinks keep circuits cool under pressure.
For those who use a liquid cooling circuit to keep temperatures down, the ROG Water Cooling Zone puts you in command. The ROG Water-Cooling Zone’s dual water temperature headers and flow header feed information directly into ROG’s intuitive Fan Xpert 4 utility, allowing users to stay on top of the heat and stay cool through every game.
ASUS-exclusive smart controls make it easy for users to optimize their experience. AI Overclocking function tunes the CPU for superior performance with just a couple of clicks. It uses dedicated microcontrollers on the board to track temperature and frequency telemetry, then passes the data through an advanced algorithm to overclock your system. AI Cooling II monitors the CPU and uses its stress test data to calculate the lowest fan speed needed to effectively cool a system while keeping noise levels low.
For those looking for a platform that gives them access to the fastest components of today and tomorrow, the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex offers a pair of PCIe 5.0 x16 slots ready for the latest generation graphics cards.
The PCIe slot Q-Release button makes it very easy to release a graphics card from the slot. Via the included PCIe 5.0 M.2 card, an ultra-fast PCIe 5.0 SSD can be installed. Users will find two PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots, both with dual M.2 heatsinks with integrated backplates, and can install two more M.2 SSDs via the DIMM.2 add-in card. The ASUS M.2 Q-Latch system allows users to install drives without worrying that they might lose a small M.2 screw.
ROG Maximus Z790 Hero
The aesthetic of the ROG Maximus Z790 Hero is a study in contrasts. Its large black surfaces create a fascinating landscape of shadows and angles. Against this background, the PMMA nameplate lighting boldly stands out. Unique lighting effects take advantage of the dual-layer lighting design that allows two different patterns to be displayed simultaneously.
A host of enthusiast features perfectly complements the ROG Maximus Z790 Hero’s assertive styling. Dual Thunderbolt 4 connectors on the rear panel bracket are ready to support next-generation peripherals at full speed, and next-generation Realtek audio paired with an ESS® ES9218 Quad-DAC for front-panel connections provides high-end audio. Crisp, clear gameplay no matter which headset or speakers are connected to your PC. Three Gen 2 addressable RGB LED headers and a traditional four-pin lighting header synchronize lighting seamlessly with Aura Sync.
ROG Maximus Z790 Hero features 20+1 ganged power phases to power the Vcore CPU and integrated graphics processor. Each power phase is rated for up to 90 A of output and provides the smoothest possible power delivery to the processor, even under the highest loads.
ROG Maximus Z790 Hero’s extensive M.2 support gives you a wide range of options for building a high-speed storage array. It starts with the included ROG Hyper M.2 add-in card, which lets you take advantage of the board’s second PCIe 5.0 x16 slot to install up to two M.2 drives: one PCIe 5.0 and one PCIe 4.0. On top of that, the board offers three onboard PCIe 4.0 slots ready to further increase your storage space.
You can find pictures and more details regarding the specifications of the entire range of ASUS Z790 motherboards at the homepage of ASUS Z790.
