Intel Z790 Motherboard MEGA Review Ft. MSI MEG ACE, ASRock Taichi Carrara, ASRock Steel Legend & Gigabyte AERO G
Today, we are taking a look at a range of Z790 motherboards that are optimized for Intel's brand new 13th Gen Raptor Lake CPUs that come with an enhanced 10nm ESF (officially the Intel 7 process, which is comparable to TSMC 7nm) process node, offering higher performance & clock speeds.
Just like the 12th Gen Alder Lake, the 13th Gen Raptor Lake CPUs also feature a plethora of updates including a brand new hybrid architecture with big.SMALL design that features Raptor Cove as p- cores and Gracemont.
The company has largely been stagnant in the consumer desktop space. The main reason for this stagnation has been Intel's reliance on its 14nm process node and Skylake architecture which has served the desktop space since 2015 up till 2020 (10th Generation Comet Lake) while Intel's 10nm process dilemmas and yields couldn't keep up with Skylake in mainstream desktop space. To build up its 10nm inventory for a mass consumer launch, Intel did release an intermediate platform, the Z590, and the respective 11th Gen Rocket Lake lineup with a new architecture but limited to just 8 cores due to power scaling and inefficiency on the 14nm process node.
However, since the launch of 12th Gen Alder Lake, Intel has managed to turn the tide somewhat & is now offering the best value proposition in the CPU segment. Currently, Intel's Core i3, Core i5 & Core i7 lineup is in a very dominant position when it comes to price to performance versus the AMD Ryzen 5000 and even the Ryzen 7000 CPUs but with the 13th Gen Raptor Lake lineup, Intel is once again changing the game, offering even higher performance and far better value than before.
There are still some places where AMD shows its strengths and that's largely the efficiency department but the more mainstream Intel hybrid options manage to close the efficiency gap effectively, especially when it comes to gaming and standard workloads. It's not a battle of CPU performance anymore as much as it is a battle of pricing and the one major advantage that Intel buyers have is the option to select between DDR5 and DDR4 memory whereas AMD Ryzen 7000 users are stuck with only DDR5 options.
While DDR5 is the future, the new standard currently doesn't make much sense for the budget and mainstream gaming segment hence why many AMD Ryzen 5000 users are reluctant to upgrade and are probably gonna go two routes, either stick with their current platform or go Intel as they are the budget king at the moment.
So this year, Intel has decided to launch a second hybrid architecture in the form of its 13th Gen Raptor Lake CPU lineup. It is more or less an update to the existing 12th Gen CPUs but offers a whole lot more in the form of cores, threads, cache, clocks, and better I/O capabilities. Following are the main features of the lineup:
Intel 13th Gen Raptor Lake Desktop CPUs Features:
- Up To 24 Cores & 32 Threads
- Brand New Raptor Cove CPU Cores (Higher P-Core IPC)
- Based on 10nm ESF 'Intel 7' process node
- Up To 6.0 GHz clock speeds (expected)
- Double The E-Cores on certain variants
- Increased Cache for both P-Cores & E-Cores
- Supported on existing LGA 1700 motherboards
- New Z790, H770, and B760 motherboards
- Up To 28 PCIe Lanes (PCH Gen 4 + Gen 3)
- Up To 28 PCIe Lanes (CPU Gen 5 x16 + Gen 4 x12)
- Dual-Channel DDR5-5600 Memory Support
- 20 PCIe Gen 5 Lanes
- Enhanced Overclocking Features
- 125W PL1 TDP (Flagship SKUs)
- AI PCIe M.2 Technology
- Q4 2022 Launch
For this review, I'll be putting the Core i9-13900K to test on four Z790 motherboards, the MSI MEG Z790 ACE, the ASRock Z790 Taichi Carrara, the ASRock Z790 Steel Legend WIFI & the Gigabyte Z790 AERO G.
Intel's Raptor Lake-S desktop CPU platform will feature support on LGA 1700 socket which is also used by the Alder Lake CPUs. The Raptor Lake-S processors will be launching alongside the 700-series motherboards. In addition to the flagship Z790 motherboards, B760 motherboards will also support memory overclocking which has been highly anticipated by budget PC builders but will be available in January 2023.
Another interesting thing to talk about the Z790 PCH is its process node and dimensions. The Z790 PCH is based on the 14nm node and measures at 98mm2 which is slightly larger than the Z590 PCH featured on LGA 1200 socket motherboards.
Intel Desktop Platform Chipset Comparison
| Chipset Name | Raptor Lake-S (RPL-S) PCH / 700 Series (Z790) | Alder Lake-S (ADL-S) PCH / 600 Series (Z690) | Rocket Lake-S (RKL-S) PCH / 500 Series (Z590) | Comet Lake-S (CML-S) PCH / 400 Series (Z490) | Coffee Lake S (CNL-H) PCH / 300 Series (Z390/H370, B360, Q370, H310) | Coffee Lake S (KBL-R) PCH / Z370 Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Process Node | 14nm | 14nm | 14nm | 14nm | 14nm | 22nm |
| Processor | 24,16C,12C,10C,6C,4C (TBD) | 16C,12C,10C,6C,4C (Full corporate/consumer SKU stack at launch) | 8C, 6C (Full corporate/consumer SKU stack at launch) | 10C, 8C, 6C, 4C, 2C (Full corporate/consumer SKU stack at launch) | 8C, 6C, 4C, 2C (Full corporate/consumer SKU stack at launch) | 8C, 6C, 4C (6 Consumer SKUs at Launch) |
| Memory | Up To DDR5-5600 (Native) Up To DDR4-3200 (Native)? |
Up To DDR5-4800 (Native) Up To DDR4-3200 (Native) |
Up To DDR4-3200 (Native) | Up To DDR4-2933 (Native) | Up To DDR4-2666 (Native) | Up To DDR4-2666 (Native) |
| Media, Display & Audio | eDP / 4DDI (DP, HDMI) Display Capabilities | eDP / 4DDI (DP, HDMI) Display Capabilities | DP 1.2 & HDMI 2.0, HBR3 HDCP 2.2 (HDMI 2.0a w/LSPCON) 12-bit AV1/HEVC & VP9 10-bit Enc/Dec, HDR, Rec.2020, DX12 Integrated Dual-Core Audio DSP With USB Audio offload SoundWire Digital Audio Interface |
DP 1.2 & HDMI 1.4 HDCP 2.2 (HDMI 2.0a w/LSPCON) HEVC & VP9 10-bit Enc/Dec, HDR, Rec.2020, DX12 Integrated Dual-Core Audio DSP SoundWire Digital Audio Interface |
DP 1.2 & HDMI 1.4 HDCP 2.2 (HDMI 2.0a w/LSPCON) HEVC & VP9 10-bit Enc/Dec, HDR, Rec.2020, DX12 Integrated Dual-Core Audio DSP SoundWire Digital Audio Interface |
DP 1.2 & HDMI 1.4 HDCP 2.2 (HDMI 2.0a w/LSPCON) HEVC & VP9 10-bit Enc/Dec, HDR, Rec.2020, DX12 Integrated Dual-Core Audio DSP |
| I/O & Connectivity | Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20G) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi6E/ 7 BT CNVio) with Gig+ Integrated SDXC 4.0 Controller Thunderbolt 4.0 |
Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20G) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi6E/ 7 BT CNVio) with Gig+ Integrated SDXC 4.0 Controller Thunderbolt 4.0 |
Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20G) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi6E/ BT CNVi) Integrated SDXC 3.0 Controller Thunderbolt 4.0 (Maple Ridge) |
Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2 Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi / BT CNVi) Integrated SDXC 3.0 Controller Thunderbolt 3.0 (Titan Ridge) w/ DP 1.4 |
Integrated USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi / BT CNVi) Integrated SDXC 3.0 Controller Thunderbolt 3.0 (Titan Ridge) w/ DP 1.4 |
Integrated USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) Thunderbolt 3.0 (Alpine Ridge) |
| Storage | Next-Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 5.0 (CPU Lanes), 6x SATA 3.0 |
Next-Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 5.0, 6x SATA 3.0 |
Next-Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 4.0, 6x SATA 3.0 |
Next-Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 3.0, 6x SATA 3.0 |
Next Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 3.0, 6x SATA 3.0 |
Next Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 3.0, 6x SATA 3.0 |
| Max PCH PCIe Lanes | Up To 20 (Gen 4) Up To 8 (Gen 3) |
Up To 12 (Gen 4) Up To 16 (Gen 3) |
Up To 24 (Gen 3) | Up To 24 (Gen 3) | Up To 24 (Gen 3) | Up To 24 (Gen 3) |
| Max CPU PCIe Lanes | TBD | Up To 16 (Gen 5) Up To 4 (Gen 4) |
Up To 20 (Gen 4) | Up To 16 (Gen 3) | Up To 16 (Gen 3) | Up To 16 (Gen 3) |
| Max USB Ports | Up To 5 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x2) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x1) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 1x1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0) |
Up To 4 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x2) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x1) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 1x1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0) |
Up To 3 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x2) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x1) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 1x1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0) |
Up To 10 (USB 3.2) Up To 14 (USB 2.0) |
Up To 10 (USB 3.1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0) |
Up To 10 (USB 3.0) Up To 14 (USB 2.0) |
| Security | N/A | N/A | N/A | Intel SGX 1.0 | Intel SGX 1.0 | Intel SGX 1.0 |
| Power Management | C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby | C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby | C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby | C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby | C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby | C8 Support |
| Launch | 2022 | 2021 | 2021 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Meet The LGA 1700 Socket - 13th & 12th Generation CPU Support
The LGA 1700 socket is here now. The new socket adds more pins to the socket and changes the dimensions entirely. The new LGA 1700 socket offers 500 more pin connections to the CPU, allowing for more communication channels with the board itself and accommodating electrical pin configurations that are required to support 13th & 12th Gen CPUs.
So as for the socket details, Intel is going with an asymmetrical design which poses since the Alder Lake CPUs are no longer square-shaped. The Alder Lake desktop CPUs will come in a 37.5x45.0mm package and will be supported by the 'V0' socket which we know as LGA 1700. The new socket also changes the mounting positions to a 78x78mm grid rather than a 75x75mm grid. The Z-height has also changed to 6.529mm compared to 7.31mm on the previous LGA 12**/115* sockets.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Intel LGA1700 Socket details | |
| IHS to MB Height (Z-Stack, validated range): | 6.529 – 7,532 mm |
| Thermal Solution Hole Pattern: | 78 x 78 mm |
| Socket Seating Plane Height: | 2.7 mm |
| Maximum Thermal Solution Center of Gravity Height from IHS: | 25.4 mm |
| Static Total Compressive Minimum: | 534N (120 lbf), Beginning of Life 356 N (80 lbf) |
| End of life maximum: | 1068 N (240 lbf) |
| Socket Loading: | 80-240 lbf |
| Dynamic Compressive Maximum: | 489.5 N (110 lbf) |
| Maximum Thermal Solution Mass: | 950 gm |
| Important Note: | A Keep In Zone is introduced for LGA17xx-18xx thermal solutions. Two volumes are provided. The Asymmetric volume provides the maximum available design space. The Symmetric volume provides for designs to be rotatable on the board. The thermal solution under load should fit within the volume |
What's interesting is that the Alder Lake CPUs use an asymmetrical design and while we don't know how the dies will be positioned under the IHS, we do know from AMD Threadripper that CPUs that carry such design require full IHS coverage and that may be the tricky part when it comes to cooling the brand new Alder Lake CPUs. So far, we know that Alder Lake will be a monolithic yet hybrid CPU design so it remains to be seen how cooling is handled for these 12th Generation chips.
Cooler Compatibility With LGA 1700 Socket
To make their existing coolers compatible with Intel's Raptor Lake & Alder Lake CPU lineup, many cooling brands have released LGA 1700 upgrade kits which feature mounting hardware for the new socket. But the Intel Raptor Lake and the Alder Lake CPU platform aren't just featuring a brand new mounting design but the CPU dimensions themselves have changed too.
The LGA 1700 (V0) socket not only has an asymmetrical design but also comes with a lower Z-stack height. This means that proper mounting pressure is needed to make full contact with the Intel Alder Lake IHS. Certain cooler manufacturers have already been using larger cold plates for Ryzen and Threadripper CPUs to make proper contact with the IHS but these are mostly higher-end and new cooling designs. Those who are still running older AIOs with round cold plates could have trouble maintaining the required pressure distribution which could lead to inadequate cooling performance.
So starting with the specifications, Intel's 13th Gen Raptor Lake CPUs will utilize the hybrid core design, featuring a mix of Performance-Optimized 'P' and Efficiency-Optimized 'E' cores. For the new chips, Intel will be using a brand new P-Core known as Raptor Cove which will replace the Golden Cove cores featured on the Alder Lake CPUs. For The E-Core, Intel will retain the existing Gracemont core architecture but it will come with minor improvements.
The architecture has seen several optimizations and key refinements that have led to an increase from 16 cores and 24 threads to 24 cores and 32 threads. The new 10nm ESF (Intel 7) process retains Intel's clock leadership, pushing the chips up to 5.8 GHz (up to 6 GHz on the KS variant).
Intel’s Raptor Lake will be built using the company’s new E and P cores, you can read the architectural deep dive over here, and represent a significant evolution in the company’s power efficiency targets. It will be built on the Intel 7 process and scale from 9 watts to 125 watts. DDR5 and PCIe gen5 will be supported (first to market) and feature new technologies like the Intel Thread Director.
Raptor Lake will be fully scalable from Desktop (LGA1700) to ultra-mobile. Interestingly, however, while the platform has 8 P-cores and 16 E-cores, only the P-cores will support hyperthreading making for a total of 32 threads available. The integrated GPU will have 96 EUs of Xe architecture (good but nothing to write home about) but the thing that impressed us the most was the fact that Intel is claiming a 20% IPC uplift over Rocketlake.
Raptor Lake will feature up to 35 MB of noninclusive LL Cache and support DDR5-5200, LP5-5600 DDR4-3200, and LP4x-4266. It will also support two times the PCIe bandwidth thanks to its support of PCIe 5 and will be able to provide up to 16 lanes of PCIe Gen5 with up to 64 GB/s. The new design is fully modular and built like lego and should be completely scalable and flexible. The compute fabric interconnect has a bandwidth of 1000 GB/s while the IO fabric has a BW of 64 GB/s. The memory subsystem supports up to 204 GB/s but more importantly can scale memory frequency (and power) according to the need of the SoC.
Intel Core i9-13900K 24 Core Raptor Lake CPU Specs
The Intel Core i9-13900K is the flagship Raptor Lake CPU, featuring 24 cores and 32 threads in an 8 P-Core and 16 E-Core configuration. The CPU is configured at a base clock of 3.0 GHz, a single-core boost clock of 5.8 GHz (1-2) cores, and an all-core boost clock of 5.5 GHz (all 8 P-Cores). The CPU features 68 MB of combined cache and a 125W PL1 rating that goes up to 253W. The CPU can also consume up to 350W of power when using the "Unlimited Power Mode" which we detailed here.
- Core i9-13900K 8+16 (24/32) - 3.0 / 5.8 GHz - 66 MB Cache, 125W (PL1) / 253W (PL2)
- Core i9-12900K 8+8 (16/24) - 3.2 / 5.2 GHz - 30 MB Cache, 125W (PL1) / 241W (PL2)
Intel Core i7-13700K 16 Core Raptor Lake CPU Specs
The Intel Core i7-13700K CPU will be the fastest 13th-Gen Core i7 chip on offer within the Raptor Lake CPU lineup. The chip features a total of 16 cores and 24 threads. This configuration is made possible with 8 P-Cores based on the Raptor Cove architecture and 8 E-Cores based on the Grace Mont core architecture. The CPU comes with 30 MB of L3 cache and 24 MB of L2 cache for a total combined 54 MB cache. The chip was running at a base clock of 3.4 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The all-core boost is rated at 5.3 GHz for the P-Cores while the E-Cores feature a base clock of 3.4 GHz and a boost clock of 4.3 GHz.
- Core i7-13700K 8+8 (16/24) - 3.4 / 5.3 GHz - 54 MB Cache, 125W (PL1) / 253W (PL2)
- Core i7-12700K 8+4 (12/20) - 3.6 / 5.0 GHz, 25 MB Cache, 125W (PL1) / 190W (PL2)
Intel Core i5-13600K 14 Core Raptor Lake CPU Specs
The Intel Core i5-13600K features a total of 14 cores which include 6 P-Cores based on the Raptor Cove and 8 E-Cores based on current Gracemont cores. That's the same P-Core count as the Intel Core i5-12600K but the E-Core count has been doubled. So we are looking at a 40% core count bump and a 25% thread count bump vs the Alder Lake Core i5-12600K. The CPU comes with 24 MB of L3 and 20 MB of L2 cache for a combined total of 44 MB cache. Clock speeds are set at 3.5 GHz base, 5.2 GHz boost, and 5.1 GHz all-core boost while the E-Cores operate at 3.5 GHz base & 3.9 GHz boost clocks.
- Core i5-13600K 6+8 (14/20) - 3.5 / 5.1 GHz - 44 MB Cache, 125W (PL1) /181W (PL2)
- Core i5-12600K 6+4 (10/16) - 3.6 / 4.9 GHz - 20 MB Cache, 125W (PL1) / 150W (PL2)
Intel 13th Gen Raptor Lake-S Desktop CPU Family:
| CPU Name | Silicon Revision / QDF | P-Core Count | E-Core Count | Total Core / Thread | P-Core Base / Boost (Max) | P-Core Boost (All-Core) | E-Core Boost (Max) | Cache (Total L2 + L3) | TDP | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Core i9-13900KS | B0 | 8 | 16 | 24 / 32 | TBD / 6.0 GHz | TBD | TBD | 68 MB | 125W (PL1) 253W (PL2) |
TBD |
| Intel Core i9-13900K | B0 | 8 | 16 | 24 / 32 | 3.0 / 5.8 GHz | 5.5 GHz (All-Core) | 4.3 GHz | 68 MB | 125W (PL1) 253W (PL2) |
$589.9 US |
| Intel Core i9-13900KF | B0 | 8 | 16 | 24 / 32 | 3.0 / 5.8 GHz | 5.5 GHz (All-Core) | 4.3 GHz | 68 MB | 125W (PL1) 253W (PL2) |
$564.99 US |
| Intel Core i9-13900 | B0 | 8 | 16 | 24 / 32 | 2.0 / 5.6 GHz | 5.3 GHz (All-Core) | 4.2 GHz | 68 MB | 65W (PL1) ~200W (PL2) |
TBA |
| Intel Core i9-13900F | B0 | 8 | 16 | 24 / 32 | 2.0 / 5.6 GHz | 5.3 GHz (All-Core) | 4.2 GHz | 68 MB | 65W (PL1) ~200W (PL2) |
TBA |
| Intel Core i9-13900T | B0 | 8 | 16 | 24 / 32 | 1.1 / 5.3 GHz | 4.3 GHz (All-Core) | 3.9 GHz | 68 MB | 35W (PL1) 100W (PL2) |
TBA |
| Intel Core i7-13700K | B0 | 8 | 8 | 16 / 24 | 3.4 / 5.4 GHz | 5.3 GHz (All Core) | 4.2 GHz | 54 MB | 125W (PL1) 253W (PL2) |
$409.99 US |
| Intel Core i7-13700KF | B0 | 8 | 8 | 16 / 24 | 3.4 / 5.4 GHz | 5.3 GHz (All Core) | 4.2 GHz | 54 MB | 125W (PL1) 253W (PL2) |
$384.99 US |
| Intel Core i7-13700 | B0 | 8 | 8 | 16 / 24 | 2.1 / 5.2 GHz | 5.1 GHz (All-Core) | 4.1 GHz | 54 MB | 65W (PL1) TBD (PL2) |
TBA |
| Intel Core i7-13700F | B0 | 8 | 8 | 16 / 24 | 2.1 / 5.2 GHz | 5.1 GHz (All-Core) | 4.1 GHz | 54 MB | 65W (PL1) TBD (PL2) |
TBA |
| Intel Core i7-13700T | B0 | 8 | 8 | 16 / 24 | 1.4 / 4.9 GHz | 4.2 GHz (All-Core) | 3.6 GHz | 54 MB | 35W (PL1) 100W (PL2) |
TBA |
| Intel Core i5-13600K | B0 | 6 | 8 | 14 / 20 | 3.5 / 5.2 GHz | 5.1 GHz (All-Core) | TBD | 44 MB | 125W (PL1) 181W (PL2) |
$319.99 US |
| Intel Core i5-13600KF | B0 | 6 | 8 | 14 / 20 | 3.5 / 5.2 GHz | 5.1 GHz (All-Core) | TBD | 44 MB | 125W (PL1) 181W (PL2) |
$294.99 US |
| Intel Core i5-13600 | C0 | 6 | 8 | 14 / 20 | 2.7 / TBD GHz | TBD | TBD | 44 MB | 65W (PL1) TBD (PL2) |
TBA |
| Intel Core i5-13600T | C0 | 6 | 8 | 14 / 20 | 1.8 / TBD GHz | TBD | TBD | 44 MB | 35W (PL1) 100W (PL2) |
TBA |
| Intel Core i5-13500 | C0 | 6 | 8 | 14 / 20 | 2.5 / 4.5 GHz | TBD | TBD | 32 MB | 65W (PL1) TBD (PL2) |
TBA |
| Intel Core i5-13500T | C0 | 6 | 8 | 14 / 20 | 1.6 / TBD GHz | TBD | TBD | 32 MB | 35W (PL1) 100W (PL2) |
TBA |
| Intel Core i5-13400 | B0 / C0 | 6 | 4 | 10 / 16 | 2.5 / 4.6 GHz | 4.1 GHz (All-Core) | 3.3 GHz | 28 MB | 65W (PL1) TBD (PL2) |
TBA |
| Intel Core i5-13400F | B0 / C0 | 6 | 4 | 10 / 16 | 2.5 / 4.6 GHz | 4.1 GHz (All-Core) | 3.3 GHz | 28 MB | 65W (PL1) TBD (PL2) |
TBA |
| Intel Core i5-13400T | C0 | 6 | 4 | 10 / 16 | 1.3 / TBD GHz | TBD | TBD | 28 MB | 35W (PL1) 100W (PL2) |
TBA |
| Intel Core i3-13100 | H0 | 4 | 0 | 4 / 8 | 3.4 / TBD GHz | TBD | TBD | 12 MB | 60W (PL1) 88W (PL2) |
TBA |
| Intel Core i3-13100F | H0 | 4 | 0 | 4 / 8 | 3.4 / TBD GHz | TBD | TBD | 12 MB | 60W (PL1) 88W (PL2) |
TBA |
| Intel Core i3-13100T | H0 | 4 | 0 | 4 / 8 | 2.5 / TBD GHz | TBD | TBD | 12 MB | 35W (PL1) 66W (PL2) |
TBA |
The MSI MEG Z790 ACE is a premium motherboard that comes in a rather bulky box. The front is themed in a black and golden color theme that features a picture of the box and the Ace theme. The front side also lists down support for Intel's 13th generation Core processors. MSI's MEG ACE was one of the first motherboards to fully adopt a gold and black color scheme which gives out a very premium look.
The backside of the package lists the specifications and special features of the motherboard such as the 24+1+2 phase power delivery, extreme cooling module design, a lightning-fast I/O solution, Quintuple M.2 connectors, and more.
Opening up the package reveals the large 'ACE' logo and a quote that reads 'Lustrous Aesthetics, Pure Performance'.
Inside the package is another box that contains the accessories and is located right below the box holder for the board itself. It is very easy to access although the accessories are a bit scattered and things could get messy sorting out the various additions.
Following is the full list of accessories in the package:
- 1x Wi-Fi Antenna
- 1x USB drive with drivers & utilities
- 1x EZ Front Panel Cable
- 4x SATA Cables
- 2x Thermistor Cables
- 1 to 2 RGB LED Extension Y Cable
- 1x Rainbow RGB LED Extension Cable
- 2x DP to Mini DP Cables
- 4x M.2 Screws / Standoff Sets / EZ M.2 Clips
- Cable Sticker Set
- 1x Quick Installation Guide
With all the accessories done, it's time to put that box aside and open up the top holder that contains the MSI MEG Z790 ACE motherboard.
MSI's MEG Z790 isn't just any motherboard, it's a statement of quality and performance, enveloped within a masterful design that shines in every aspect. While GODLIKE is the flagship, the ACE is one wonderful work of art.
The MEG Z790 ACE motherboard features one of the most elegant designs of all Z790 boards with its gold and black theme. The pricing and quality of this product make it feel more premium than the previous generation ACE offerings from MSI. Both the MSI MEG Z790 ACE and the MEG Z690 ACE have dropped the ATX design of previous generations and gone with an E-ATX layout, allowing the manufacturer to cram even more features to this iconic motherboard.
The board uses the LGA 1700 socket to support Intel Core processors. The socket is compatible with Intel's 13th & 12th Generation core family. The socket has a protective cover on top of it that points out the exclusivity with Raptor Lake 13th Gen & Alder Lake 12th Gen CPUs, refraining users from running an older 11th and 10th generation CPUs as they won't fit in the socket at all and forcing them in the socket is only going to cause permanent damage to your motherboard.
Next to the socket are four DDR5 DIMM slots that can support up to 128 GB of dual-channel memory. These slots are rated to support XMP profiles up to 7800 MHz (OC Plus). Each slot is labeled, making it easier to install DIMMs in the proper orientation. DDR5 memory comes with a different latch position so forcing a DDR4 module into a DDR5 slot will cause permanent damage. Each slot is also combined with a reinforced design to make sure signal integrity remains good while keeping the slots durable for long-term usage.
The MSI MEG Z790 ACE features a 21+1+2 (VCore/ VccGT/VccAUX) phase digital power delivery that makes utilizes the RAA229131 PWM controller and RAA2201105 (105A) MOSFETs for the VCore. The Vcc GT and Vcc AUX MOSFETs are spec'd at 60A & 70A respectively.
MSI is using what it calls an 'Outstanding Cooling Module' for cooling the various components on the motherboard. It includes a high-end and stacked Fin Array Design with 7W/mK Thermal Pad, a DirectTouch Cross heatpipe solution on the top heatsinks, a double-sided M.2 shield Frozr design, an enlarged PCH heatsink and a full-coverage aluminum backplate.
The CPU is supplied power through an 8+8 pin power connector configuration. This will feed the CPU with up to 300 Watts of power. The Intel 13th & 12th Gen Unlocked CPUs are very power-hungry with the maximum turbo power rated at 253W for the Core i9-13900K and more if you are planning to overclock these chips.
Getting a closer look at the VRM heatsinks reveals an aluminum fin design on both heatsinks. Each heatsink has thermal pads located underneath for efficient transfer of heat. The thermal pads on the MEG Z790 ACE are rated at 7w/mK. There's also a heat pipe that connects the two MOSFETs heatsinks for better heat dissipation. The heatsinks are coated in black color to enhanced overall aesthetics and are very densely packed.
Expansion slots include three PCI Express x16 (2 x Gen 5.0 x16/8 / 1x Gen 4.0 x4) and five M.2 slots. The board can technically support three-way multi-GPU (CrossFireX / SLI) however we know that no existing gaming GPU offers 3-Way connectivity anymore. Five M.2 slots are rated to support NVMe PCIe gen5 x4/gen4 x4.
MSI is using a PCIe Armor cover on the sides of all expansion slots which provides protection to some extent. It adds more retention and shearing resistance by reinforcing the slots with metal plates. Aside from adding more protection, they do look really sweet.
All five M.2 slots are cooled off by the thermal pad and aluminum baseplate cooling which is part of the M.2 Shield Frozr heatsink design. This will ensure stable operation for M.2 storage devices. The thermal adhesive has a plastic cover over them which needs to be removed before using them with the storage devices. The topmost heatsink which has the bulkiest heatsink has a magnetic lock that makes it easy to remove and install the heatsink itself.
5x M.2 slot
- M.2_1 (From CPU) supports up to PCIe 4.0 x4 , supports 22110/2280/2260 devices
- M.2_2 (From Chipset) supports up to PCIe 4.0 x4, supports 2280/2260 devices
- M.2_3 (From Chipset) supports up to PCIe 4.0 x4 / SATA mode, supports 2280/2260 devices
- M.2_4 (From CPU) supports up to PCIe 5.0 x4, supports 2280 devices
- M.2_5 (From Chipset) supports up to PCIe 4.0 x4 / SATA mode, supports 22110/2280/2260 devices
- 6x SATA 6G port
*M2_4 slot will be unavailable when installing in the PCI_E2 slot.
**SATA7 will be unavailable when installing M.2 SATA SSD in the M2_5 slot.
The Z790 PCH is housed beneath a large heatsink with the MSI ACE logo etched over it that looks great. The logo on the PCH cover is covered in 24K Gold Film.
While the MSI MEG Z690 ACE didn't feature any RGB LED Illumination, the MEG Z790 ACE brings it back and there are three accent points which include one on the PCH heatsink, one on the I/O cover (Dragon logo) and one on the sides. There are ARGB headers for those who want to make their PCs flash.
Storage options include six SATA III ports rated to operate at 6 GB/s. These can support 6 different storage devices at once. There are also 6 USB 3.2 front panel connectors (2 x Gen 2x2 + 4 x Gen 1). Four USB 2.0 front panel connectors are also included.
MSI is using its Audio Boost 5 HD system for audio which is a combination of various high-end hardware, and software audio solutions. 7.1 CH HD audio with the latest Realtek ALC4082 CODEC & ESS's ES9280AQ Combo DAC/HPA.
MSI has a massive amount of fan headers along with RGB Enable/Disable and Dual-BIOS switches scattered at the bottom of the motherboard. There's also the Power On/Off and reset switches. It also comes with voltage reading, measuring points near the DEBUG LED at the top right corner of the motherboard.
The full list of connectors on the motherboard is listed as follows.
- 1x Power Connector(ATX_PWR)
- 2x Power Connector(CPU_PWR)
- 1x Front Type-C Quick Charge Connector(PD_PWR1)
- 1x CPU Fan
- 2x Pump Fan
- 5x System Fan
- 2x Front Panel (JFP)
- 1x Chassis Intrusion (JCI)
- 1x Water Flow connector
- 1x Slow Mode Booting Jumper(JSLOW)
- 1x Front Audio (JAUD)
- 2x Thermal Sensor connectors(T_SEN)
- 1x Tuning Controller connector(JDASH)
- 3x Addressable V2 RGB LED connector (JARGB_V2)
- 1x RGB LED connector(JRGB)
- 1x TPM pin header(Support TPM 2.0)
- 4x USB 2.0
- 2x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type A
- 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type C
- V-check point
MSI is using Intel's WiFi 6E 802.11 AX210 WiFi Module to power wireless connectivity such as 802.11ax WiFi (2.4/5/6 GHz WiFi) and Bluetooth 5.2. In terms of Ethernet, there are also dual 2.5G Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports which are powered by Intel's I225V network controller chip.
The motherboard comes with the following I/O connectors:
- Clear CMOS Button
- Flash BIOS Button
- 2.5G LAN
- 2.5G LAN
- Thunderbolt 4 40Gbps (Type-C)
- Wi-Fi / Bluetooth
- Audio Connectors
- Smart Button
- USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps (Type-C Display port)
- USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps (Type-A)
- Mini DisplayPort Input (for Thunderbolt passthrough)
- Optical S/PDIF-Out
The ASRock Z790 Taichi Carrara being a premium motherboard comes in a rather huge box. The front is themed in a white and golden color theme with the Carrara colors splattered all over the box. The front side also lists down support for Intel's 13th generation Core processors. The Taichi emblem is engraved in golden and silver accents and looks beautiful. ASRock told us that the new Carrara theme is named after the Carrara stone itself which has a marble texture and looks very premium.
The backside of the package lists the specifications and special features of the motherboard such as the Killer Networking, ESS DAC, Lightning Gaming Ports, Ultra USB Power, WiFi 6E, Thunderbolt Type-C 4.0, DDR5, Blazing M.2, and the bundled 12cm Carrara Edition cooling fan.
Before getting inside the package itself, there's a flip cover on the front that can be opened to get a brief look at the motherboard through a plastic cover along with more listed features. You can see the amount of VRMs that this thing packs along with PD3.0 60W fast charging support.
Inside the package is another box that contains the accessories and is located right below the box holder for the board itself. It is very easy to access although the accessories are a bit scattered and things could get messy sorting out the various additions.
There are several accessories included in the package such as a Wi-Fi antenna module, four SATA III cables, screws for the M.2 storage devices, and a manual for the board. Following is the full list of accessories in the package:
- - 1 x User Manual
- - 4 x SATA Data Cables
- - 1 x Wireless Dongle USB Bracket
- - 1 x 12CM Carrara Edition Cooling FAN
- - 1 x ASRock WiFi 2.4/5/6 GHz Antenna
- - 4 x Screws for M.2 Sockets
The most interesting accessory within the package is the 120mm cooling fan which acts as an additional active cooling solution for the VRM and comes along with its bracket and screws. The fan is rated at 0.35A (DC 12V).
With all the accessories done, it's time to put that box aside and open up the top holder that contains the Z790 Taichi Carrara Edition motherboard.
There's just so much going on with the Z790 Taichi Carrara and so much to talk about plus the design of this board looks incredibly phenomenal. It's great to see that ASRock has developed its unique look with the Taichi series which gets better each generation.
The ASRock Z790 Taichi Carrara i is themed in white and black & additionals feature a few silver and golden accents. This is a flagship product that retails for $499 US. The motherboard comes in the E-ATX form factor and is jam-packed with features.
Taking a look at the front of the motherboard, we see a design that would look great with almost any PC build. The white looks with golden accents look great. Lots of motherboard makers are now starting to adopt the white color scheme on their boards but ASRock has been following this on its mainstream lineup such as the Steel Legend for some time now and it's great to see them offer a high-end white-themed motherboard. The back of the motherboard comes with a reinforced backplate that offers both durability and cooling.
The board uses the LGA 1700 socket to support Intel Core processors. The socket is compatible with Intel's 13th & 12th Generation core family. The socket has a protective cover on top of it that points out the exclusivity with Raptor Lake 13th Gen & Alder Lake 12th Gen CPUs, refraining users from running an older 11th and 10th generation CPUs as they won't fit in the socket at all and forcing them in the socket is only going to cause permanent damage to your motherboard.
Next to the socket are four DDR5 DIMM slots that can support up to 128 GB of dual-channel memory. These slots are rated to support XMP profiles up to 7000 MHz (OC Plus). Each slot is labeled, making it easier to install DIMMs in the proper orientation. DDR5 memory comes with a different latch position so forcing a DDR4 module into a DDR5 slot will cause permanent damage. Each slot is also combined with a reinforced design to make sure signal integrity remains good while keeping the slots durable for long-term usage.
The ASRock Z790 Taichi Carrara packs a 24+1+2 phase power delivery configuration that makes use of the 105A Smark Power Stages. The motherboard also makes use of an 8-layer PCB with a 2oz copper design. ASRock is using the Renesas RAA229131 controller while those 24 Renesas RAA22010540 SPS MOSFETs provide the CPU with 2520 Amps of power.
As you can see, the VRMs are getting ample cooling from two aluminum-based heatsinks, one of which features an extended fin design. The VRM heatsinks feature an embedded heatsink to make sure heat is dissipated effectively.
The CPU is supplied power through an 8+8 pin power connector configuration. This will feed the CPU with up to 300 Watts of power. The Intel 13th & 12th Gen Unlocked CPUs are very power-hungry with the maximum turbo power rated at 253W for the Core i9-13900K and more if you are planning to overclock these chips.
Getting a closer look at the VRM heatsinks reveals an active cooling solution underneath the heatsink shroud next to the IO cover. Each heatsink has 12w/Mk thermal pads located underneath for efficient transfer of heat.
You can see the 30mm heatsink fan underneath the shroud more clearly below. There's also a bundled 30mm fan that can be equipped on the topmost heatsink for additional VRM cooling performance. The fan can be disabled in the BIOS but it's up to the user to choose between better VRM cooling with higher noise output or lower cooling performance with silent operation. There's a small cutout in the side heatsink that delivers air to the VRMs.
The Taichi logos are laser-etched on both heatsinks and provide a nice aesthetic. The one on the IO shield marks the 20th Anniversary of ASRock in the motherboard market.
Expansion slots include three PCI Express x16 (1 Gen 5 x16 / 1 Gen 5 x8/ 1 Gen 4 x4), and 5 M.2 slots. Only 1 M.2 slot is rated at Gen 5 speeds and shares lanes with the x16 dGFX while the four remaining M.2 slots feature Gen 4x4 lanes.
- CPU:
- 2 x PCIe 5.0 x16 Slots (PCIE1 and PCIE2), support x16 or x8/x8 modes- Chipset:
- 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16 Slot (PCIE3), supports x4 mode
- 1 x M.2 Socket (Key E), supports type 2230 WiFi/BT PCIe WiFi module and Intel CNVio/CNVio2 (Integrated WiFi/BT)- CPU:
- 1 x Blazing M.2 Socket (M2_1, Key M), supports type 2280 PCIe Gen5x4 (128 Gb/s) mode
- 1 x Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_2, Key M), supports type 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) mode- Chipset:
- 1 x Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_3, Key M), supports type 2260/2280 PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) mode*
- 1 x Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_4, Key M), supports type 2260/2280 PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) mode
- 1 x Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_5, Key M), supports type 2260/2280 PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) mode
- 8 x SATA3 6.0 Gb/s Connectors* If M2_1 is occupied, PCIE1 will downgrade to x8 mode.
If PCIE2 is occupied, M2_1 will be disabled.
If PCIE3 is occupied, SATA3_0~4 will be disabled.
Supports NVMe SSD as boot disks
ASRock is using a metallic cover on the sides of the PCIe Gen 5.0 expansion slots as a part of its Surface-Mount Tech which provides protection to some extent. It adds more retention and shearing resistance by reinforcing the slots with metal plates. Aside from adding more protection, they are also said to offer ideal signal flow.
All five M.2 slots are cooled off by the thermal pad and aluminum baseplate cooling. This is part of ASRock's M.2 heatsink cooling technology and ensures stable operation for M.2 storage devices. The thermal adhesive has a plastic cover over them which needs to be removed before using them with the storage devices. One interesting design choice that ASRock made with the heatsinks is that the screws don't come off entirely so users should not worry about screws going missing.
The Z790 PCH is housed beneath a large heatsink with the 'Z790 Taichi Carrara' logo engraved in silver colors.
The new PCH design is very aggressive but comes with the same Carrara marble theme as the rest of the motherboard.
The whole bottom M.2 heatsink plate has RGB LEDs sitting underneath it which can be illuminated to give out a nice aesthetic.
Storage options include eight SATA III ports rated to operate at 6 GB/s. These can support 8 different storage devices at once. There are also dual USB 3.2 (2x Gen 2 / 2x Gen 1) front panel connectors. Many fan headers and jumpers can be found beneath the storage ports.
ASRock is using its Audio system for audio which is a combination of hardware, and software audio solutions. 5.1 CH HD audio with the latest Realtek ALC4082 audio codec, ESS SABRE9218 DAC on its own dedicated PCB layer. The full list of connectors on the motherboard is listed as follows.
- - 1 x SPI TPM Header
- - 1 x Power LED and Speaker Header
- - 1 x RGB LED Header
- - 3 x Addressable LED Headers
- - 1 x CPU Fan Connector (4-pin)
- - 1 x CPU/Water Pump Fan Connector (4-pin) (Smart Fan Speed Control)
- - 6 x Chassis/Water Pump Fan Connectors (4-pin) (Smart Fan Speed Control)
- - 1 x 24 pin ATX Power Connector (Hi-Density Power Connector)
- - 2 x 8 pin 12V Power Connectors (Hi-Density Power Connector)
- - 1 x 12V 6-pin Power Connector for Fast Charging (Hi-Density Power Connector)
- - 1 x Front Panel Audio Connector (15μ Gold Audio Connector)
- - 2 x USB 2.0 Headers (Support 4 USB 2.0 ports)
- - 2 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Headers (Support 4 USB 3.2 Gen1 ports)
- - 1 x Front Panel Type C USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Header (20 Gb/s)
- - 1 x Clear CMOS Button
- - 1 x Dr. Debug with LED
- - 1 x Power Button with LED
- - 1 x Reset Button with LED
ASRock is using Intel's Wi-Fi 6E to power wireless connectivity such as 802.11ax WiFi (2.4G WiFi) and Bluetooth 5.2. In terms of Ethernet, there is a single 2.5GbE Ethernet LAN port which is powered by a Killer E3100G networking switch. Following is the full list of I/O ports on the ASRock Z790 Taichi Carrara motherboard:
- - 2 x Antenna Ports
- - 1 x HDMI Port
- - 1 x Optical SPDIF OutPort
- - 2 x USB4 Thunderbolt 4 Type-C Ports (40 Gb/s for USB4 protocol; 40Gb/s for Thunderbolt protocol)
- - 2 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A Port (10 Gb/s)
- - 6 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Ports (USB32_12 are Lightning Gaming Ports. USB32_34 support Ultra USB Power.)
- - 2 x USB 2.0 Ports
- - 2 x RJ-45 LAN Ports
- - 1 x Line Out Jack (Gold Audio Jack)
- - 1 x Microphone Input Jack (Gold Audio Jack)
The Gigabyte Z790 AERO G is a mainstream offering and comes in a standard cardboard box page. The front is themed in a white and silver color theme. The front side also lists down support for Intel's 13th generation Core processors, LGA 1700, PCIe 5 and DDR5.
The backside of the package lists the specifications and special features of the motherboard such as the VisionLINK Connectivity, PCIe 5.0 Hardware Design, and the USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports. There are not a lot of features mentioned here since the AERO lineup is designed for Creators in mind & hence the simplistic design matters here a lot.
The main plastic cover can be removed to find the actual cardboard package within it that houses the motherboard and the accessories.
Inside the package is another box that contains the accessories and is located right below the box holder for the board itself. There's not a whole lot going on in the accessories department for this motherboard. Following is the full list of accessories in the package:
- - 1 x User Manual
- - 2 x SATA Data Cables
- - 1 x Gigabyte G-Connector
- - 1 x WIFI Antenna
- - 1 x M.2 Screw Standoffs
With all the accessories done, it's time to put that box aside and open up the top holder that contains the Gigabyte Z790 AERO G motherboard.
The Gigabyte Z790 AERO G i is themed in silver and black. This motherboard is a mainstream option that retails for a price of $299.99 US and comes in the standard ATX form factor.
Taking a look at the front of the motherboard, we see a design that would look great with almost any PC build. Lots of motherboard makers are now starting to adopt the white color scheme on their boards but instead of going flashy, Gigabyte keeps things simple and uses a design that is almost reminiscent of a few server-grade motherboards.
The board uses the LGA 1700 socket to support Intel Core processors. The socket is compatible with Intel's 13th & 12th Generation core family. The socket has a protective cover on top of it that points out the exclusivity with Raptor Lake 13th Gen & Alder Lake 12th Gen CPUs, refraining users from running an older 11th and 10th generation CPUs as they won't fit in the socket at all and forcing them in the socket is only going to cause permanent damage to your motherboard.
Next to the socket are four DDR5 DIMM slots that can support up to 128 GB of dual-channel memory. These slots are rated to support XMP profiles up to 7600 MHz (OC Plus). Each slot is labeled, making it easier to install DIMMs in the proper orientation. DDR5 memory comes with a different latch position so forcing a DDR4 module into a DDR5 slot will cause permanent damage. Each slot is also combined with a reinforced design to make sure signal integrity remains good while keeping the slots durable for long-term usage.
The Gigabyte Z790 AERO G packs a 16+1+2 phase power delivery configuration that makes use of the 70A Smark Power Stages (onsemi FDMF5062), providing up to 1120A. The motherboard also makes use of a 8-layer PCB with a 2oz copper design. The PWM controller is an onsemi NCP81530R.
As you can see, the VRMs are getting ample cooling from two aluminum-based heatsinks, one of which features an extended fin design. The VRM heatsinks feature an embedded heat pipe to make sure heat is dissipated effectively.
The CPU is supplied power through an 8+4 pin power connector configuration. This will feed the CPU with up to 225 Watts of power. The Intel 13th & 12th Gen Unlocked CPUs are very power-hungry with the maximum turbo power rated at 253W for the Core i9-13900K and more if you are planning to overclock these chips.
Each heatsink has 7w/Mk thermal pads located underneath for efficient transfer of heat. Gigabyte uses high-end Nichicon 12K Black Capacitors on the motherboard to ensure stable power delivery.
There are two accent points on the motherboard with one being the 'Z790' logo on the I/O plate and one on the PCH.
Expansion slots include three PCI Express x16 (1 Gen 5 x16 / 1 Gen 4 x4 / 1 Gen 3 x4), and 5 M.2 slots. Only 1 M.2 slot is rated at Gen 5 speeds and shares lanes with the x16 dGFX while the four remaining M.2 slots feature Gen 4x4 lanes.
- CPU:
- 1 x PCIe 5.0 x16 Slot (PCIE1), supports x16 mode- Chipset:
- 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16 Slot (PCIE2), supports x4 mode
- 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16 Slot (PCIE3), supports x4 modeCPU:
- 1 x M.2 connector (Socket 3, M key, type 25110/2280 PCIe 5.0 x4/x2 SSD support) (M2C_CPU)
- 1 x M.2 connector (Socket 3, M key, type 22110/2280 PCIe 4.0 x4/x2 SSD support) (M2A_CPU)
Chipset:
- 1 x M.2 connector (Socket 3, M key, type 22110/2280 PCIe 4.0 x4/x2 SSD support) (M2Q_SB)
- 1 x M.2 connector (Socket 3, M key, type 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4/x2 SSD support) (M2P_SB)
- 1 x M.2 connector (Socket 3, M key, type 2280 SATA and PCIe 4.0 x4/x2 SSD support) (M2M_SB)
- - 8 x SATA3 6.0 Gb/s Connectors
RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10 support for NVMe SSD storage devices
RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10 support for SATA storage devices
Gigabyte is using a metallic cover on the sides of the PCIe Gen 5.0 expansion slots which provides protection to some extent. It adds more retention and shearing resistance by reinforcing the slots with metal plates. Aside from adding more protection, they are also said to offer ideal signal flow.
All five M.2 slots are cooled off by the M.2 Thermal Guard III design. The thermal adhesive has a plastic cover over them which needs to be removed before using them with the storage devices. The top most M.2 slot supports the Gen 5.0 SSD devices and also comes with a larger heatsink.
The Z790 PCH is housed beneath a large heatsink with the 'AERO' logo engraved in silver colors and will be illuminated with RGB LEDs once the board is powered on.
The new PCH design once again gives off a very simplistic touch.
Storage options include just four SATA III ports rated to operate at 6 GB/s. These can support 4 different storage devices at once. There are also dual USB 3.2 (2x Gen 2 / 2x Gen 1) front panel connectors. It might be a bit difficult to reach the ports once it's installed in the case since they sit right below the PCH heatsink. Many fan headers and jumpers can be found beneath the storage ports.
Gigabyte is using its Audio system for audio which is a combination of hardware, and software audio solutions. 7.1 CH HD audio with the latest Realtek ALC1220-VB audio codec. The full list of connectors on the motherboard is listed as follows.
- 1 x 24-pin ATX main power connector
- 1 x 8-pin ATX 12V power connector
- 1 x 4-pin ATX 12V power connector
- 1 x CPU fan header
- 1 x water cooling CPU fan header
- 4 x system fan headers
- 2 x system fan/water cooling pump headers
- 2 x addressable LED strip headers
- 2 x RGB LED strip headers
- 5 x M.2 Socket 3 connectors
- 4 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors
- 1 x front panel header
- 1 x front panel audio header
- 1 x USB Type-C header, with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 support
- 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 header
- 2 x USB 2.0/1.1 headers
- 1 x noise detection header
- 2 x Thunderbolt
add-in card connectors - 1 x Trusted Platform Module header (For the GC-TPM2.0 SPI/GC-TPM2.0 SPI 2.0 module only)
- 1 x serial port header
- 1 x Q-Flash Plus button
- 1 x reset button
- 1 x reset jumper
- 2 x temperature sensor headers
- 1 x Clear CMOS jumper
Gigabyte is using Intel's Wi-Fi 6E to power wireless connectivity such as 802.11ax WiFi (2.4G WiFi) and Bluetooth 5.2. In terms of Ethernet, there is a single 2.5GbE Ethernet LAN port which is powered by an Intel I225-V networking switch. Following is the full list of I/O ports on the Gigabyte Z790 AERO G motherboard:
- 2 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports
- 2 x SMA antenna connectors (2T2R)
- 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
- 1 x DisplayPort In port
- 1 x HDMI 2.0 port
- 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports (red)
- 1 x USB Type-C port, with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 support
- 1 x USB Type-C port (DisplayPort), with USB 3.2 Gen 2 support
- 1 x RJ-45 port
- 1 x optical S/PDIF Out connector
- 2 x audio jacks
The ASRock Z790 Steel Legend WIFI is a mainstream offering and comes in a standard cardboard box page. The front is themed in a white and black color theme. The front side also lists down support for Intel's 13th generation Core processors, Polychrome SYNC, PCIe Gen 5, DDR5, and HDMI.
The backside of the package lists the specifications and special features of the motherboard such as the ASRock Graphics Card Holder, 16+1+1 Power Phase Design, Blazing M.2 multi-layer heatsink, Steel PCIe Gen 5x16 slots, Solid-Rock components, DDR5 Reinforced DIMM slots and WiFi 6E.
The main plastic cover can be removed to find the actual cardboard package within it that houses the motherboard and the accessories.
Inside the package is another box that contains the accessories and is located right below the box holder for the board itself. It is very easy to access although the accessories are a bit scattered and things could get messy sorting out the various additions.
There are several accessories included in the package such as a Wi-Fi antenna module, two SATA III cables, screws for the M.2 storage devices, , and a manual for the board. Following is the full list of accessories in the package:
- - 1 x User Manual
- - 2 x SATA Data Cables
- - 1 x ASRock WiFi 2.4/5/6 GHz Antenna
- - 4 x Screws for M.2 Sockets
- - 1 x Graphics Card Holder
With all the accessories done, it's time to put that box aside and open up the top holder that contains the Z790 Steel Legend WIFI motherboard.
The ASRock Z790 Steel Legend WIFI i is themed in white and black & additionals feature a few grey-colored camo accents on the heatsinks. The motherboard is a mainstream option that retails for a price of $289.99 US and comes in the standard ATX form factor.
Taking a look at the front of the motherboard, we see a design that would look great with almost any PC build. Lots of motherboard makers are now starting to adopt the white color scheme on their boards but ASRock has been following this on its mainstream lineup such as the Steel Legend for some time now.
The board uses the LGA 1700 socket to support Intel Core processors. The socket is compatible with Intel's 13th & 12th Generation core family. The socket has a protective cover on top of it that points out the exclusivity with Raptor Lake 13th Gen & Alder Lake 12th Gen CPUs, refraining users from running an older 11th and 10th generation CPUs as they won't fit in the socket at all and forcing them in the socket is only going to cause permanent damage to your motherboard.
Next to the socket are four DDR5 DIMM slots that can support up to 128 GB of dual-channel memory. These slots are rated to support XMP profiles up to 6800 MHz (OC Plus). Each slot is labeled, making it easier to install DIMMs in the proper orientation. DDR5 memory comes with a different latch position so forcing a DDR4 module into a DDR5 slot will cause permanent damage. Each slot is also combined with a reinforced design to make sure signal integrity remains good while keeping the slots durable for long-term usage.
The ASRock Z790 Steel Legend WIFI packs a 16+1+1 phase power delivery configuration that makes use of the 60A Smark Power Stages. The motherboard also makes use of a 6-layer PCB with a 2oz copper design.
As you can see, the VRMs are getting ample cooling from two aluminum-based heatsinks, one of which features an extended fin design. The VRM heatsinks feature an embedded heatsink to make sure heat is dissipated effectively.
The CPU is supplied power through an 8+8 pin power connector configuration. This will feed the CPU with up to 300 Watts of power. The Intel 13th & 12th Gen Unlocked CPUs are very power-hungry with the maximum turbo power rated at 253W for the Core i9-13900K and more if you are planning to overclock these chips.
Each heatsink has 9w/Mk thermal pads located underneath for efficient transfer of heat. ASRock uses high-end Nichicon 12K Black Capacitors on the motherboard to ensure stable power delivery.
The Steel Legend logos are embedded on both heatsinks and provide a nice aesthetic. The one on the IO shield features RGB LED illumination through the acrylic plate.
Expansion slots include three PCI Express x16 (1 Gen 5 x16 / 1 Gen 5 x8 / 1 Gen 4 x4), and 5 M.2 slots. Only 1 M.2 slot is rated at Gen 5 speeds and shares lanes with the x16 dGFX while the four remaining M.2 slots feature Gen 4x4 lanes.
- CPU:
- 1 x PCIe 5.0 x16 Slot (PCIE1), supports x16 mode- Chipset:
- 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16 Slot (PCIE2), supports x4 mode
- 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16 Slot (PCIE3), supports x2 mode- CPU:
- 1 x Blazing M.2 Socket (M2_1, Key M), supports type 2280 PCIe Gen5x4 (128 Gb/s) mode
- 1 x Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_2, Key M), supports type 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) mode- Chipset:
- 1 x Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_3, Key M), supports type 2260/2280 PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) mode*
- 1 x Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_4, Key M), supports type 2260/2280 PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) mode
- 1 x Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_5, Key M), supports type 2260/2280 PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) mode
- 8 x SATA3 6.0 Gb/s Connectors* If M2_1 is occupied, PCIE1 will downgrade to x8 mode.
If PCIE2 is occupied, M2_1 will be disabled.
If PCIE3 is occupied, SATA3_0~4 will be disabled.
Supports NVMe SSD as boot disks
ASRock is using a metallic cover on the sides of the PCIe Gen 5.0 expansion slots as a part of its Surface-Mount Tech which provides protection to some extent. It adds more retention and shearing resistance by reinforcing the slots with metal plates. Aside from adding more protection, they are also said to offer ideal signal flow.
Four out of the five M.2 slots are cooled off by the thermal pad and aluminum baseplate cooling. This is part of ASRock's M.2 heatsink cooling technology and ensures stable operation for M.2 storage devices. The thermal adhesive has a plastic cover over them which needs to be removed before using them with the storage devices. One interesting design choice that ASRock made with the heatsinks is that the screws don't come off entirely so users should not worry about screws going missing.
The Z790 PCH is housed beneath a large heatsink with the 'Steel Legend' logo engraved in silver colors and will be illuminated with RGB LEDs once the board is powered on.
The new PCH design is very futuristic and features a snow-white Camo theme as the rest of the motherboard.
Storage options include eight SATA III ports rated to operate at 6 GB/s. These can support 8 different storage devices at once. There are also dual USB 3.2 (2x Gen 2 / 2x Gen 1) front panel connectors. It might be a bit difficult to reach the ports once it's installed in the case since they sit right below the PCH heatsink. Many fan headers and jumpers can be found beneath the storage ports.
ASRock is using its Audio system for audio which is a combination of hardware, and software audio solutions. 7.1 CH HD audio with the latest Realtek ALC897 audio codec.
The full list of connectors on the motherboard is listed as follows.
- - 1 x eDP Signal Connector
- - 1 x SPI TPM Header
- - 1 x Power LED and Speaker Header
- - 1 x RGB LED Header
- - 3 x Addressable LED Headers
- - 1 x CPU Fan Connector (4-pin)
- - 1 x CPU/Water Pump Fan Connector (4-pin) (Smart Fan Speed Control)
- - 5 x Chassis/Water Pump Fan Connectors (4-pin) (Smart Fan Speed Control)
- - 1 x 24 pin ATX Power Connector (Hi-Density Power Connector)
- - 2 x 8 pin 12V Power Connectors (Hi-Density Power Connector)
- - 1 x Front Panel Audio Connector (15μ Gold Audio Connector)
- - 1 x Thunderbolt AIC Connector (5-pin) (Supports ASRock Thunderbolt 4 AIC Card)
- - 2 x USB 2.0 Headers (Support 3 USB 2.0 ports)
- - 2 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Headers (Support 4 USB 3.2 Gen1 ports)
- - 1 x Front Panel Type C USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Header (20 Gb/s)
ASRock is using Intel's Wi-Fi 6E to power wireless connectivity such as 802.11ax WiFi (2.4G WiFi) and Bluetooth 5.2. In terms of Ethernet, there is a single 2.5GbE Ethernet LAN port which is powered by a Dragon RTL8125BG networking switch. Following is the full list of I/O ports on the ASRock Z790 Steel Legend WiFI motherboard:
- - 2 x Antenna Ports
- - 1 x HDMI Port
- - 1 x DisplayPort 1.4
- - 1 x Optical SPDIF OutPort
- - 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A Port (10 Gb/s)
- - 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C Port (10 Gb/s)
- - 8 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Ports
- - 1 x RJ-45 LAN Port
- - HD Audio Jacks: Rear Speaker / Central / Bass / Line in / Front Speaker / Microphone (Gold Audio Jacks)
For testing, I used the Intel Core i9-12900K and Core i5-12600K which were sent to us by Intel. The motherboards used included the ASRock Z690 Taichi & Z690 PG Velocita motherboards.
Intel Z790 Motherboards Test Platform:
| Processors | Intel Core i9-13900K |
|---|---|
| Motherboard | MSI MEG Z790 ACE (7D86v111) ASRock Z790 Taichi Carrara (4.07 BETA) ASRock Z790 Steel Legend (3.06 BETA) Gigabyte Z790 AERO G (F4G) ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 HERO (0502) |
| Power Supply | ASUS ROG THOR 1200W |
| Solid State Drive | Samsung SSD 980 PRO M.2 (1 TB) |
| Memory | G.SKILL Trident Z5 32 GB (2 x 16GB) CL34 7200 Mbps |
| Video Cards | MSI GeForce RTX 4090 SUPRIM X |
| Cooling Solutions | Corsair H150i (With LGA 1700 Mounting Kit) |
| OS | Windows 11 64-bit |
Our test rig includes the Samsung 980 Pro 1 TB SSD that boots up our main OS. In addition to these, we are running an MSI GeForce RTX 4090 SUPRIM X graphics card, and an ASUS ROG Thor 1200W power supply. For this specific review, we used G.Skill's latest Trident Z5 DDR5-7200 memory kit running at CL34 timings. We also got an LGA 1700 mounting kit for the Corsair H115i to use as a cooling solution for our test setup. The cooling solution choices are very limited so far due to the availability of mounting kits but things are expected to get better in the coming days.
3DMark Time Spy CPU Performance
3DMark Time Spy is a widely popular video card benchmark test for Windows that is designed to measure your PC’s gaming performance. While the overall benchmark is great, the utility also provides a good indication of the CPU performance.
3DMark TimeSpy CPU (Higher is Better)
Blender
Blender is a free and open-source 3D creation suite. It supports the entirety of the 3D pipeline—modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing and motion tracking, and even video editing and game creation.
Blender 2.8 (Lower is Better)
Cinebench R20
Cinebench is a real-world cross-platform test suite that evaluates your computer’s hardware capabilities. Improvements to Cinebench Release 20 reflect the overall advancements to CPU and rendering technology in recent years, providing a more accurate measurement of Cinema 4D’s ability to take advantage of multiple CPU cores and modern processor features available to the average user.
Cinebench R20 (Higher is Better)
Cinebench R23
Cinebench is a real-world cross-platform test suite that evaluates your computer’s hardware capabilities. Improvements to Cinebench Release 20 reflect the overall advancements to CPU and rendering technology in recent years, providing a more accurate measurement of Cinema 4D’s ability to take advantage of multiple CPU cores and modern processor features available to the average user.
Cinebench R23 (Higher is Better)
CPU-Z
CPUz is a freeware that gathers information on some of the main devices of your system such as the Processor name and number, codename, process, package, cache levels, Mainboard, and chipset, Memory type, size, timings, and module specifications (SPD), and Real-time measurement of each core's internal frequency, memory frequency.
CPU-z (Higher is Better)
Geekbench 5
Geekbench 5, the latest major upgrade to Primate Labs’ easy-to-use cross-platform benchmark, is now available for download. Geekbench 5 allows you to measure your system’s power more accurately than ever before.
Geekbench 5 (Higher is Better)
HandBrake
HandBrake is a tool for converting video from nearly any format to a selection of modern, widely supported codecs.
Handbrake (Higher is Better)
PCMark 10
PCMark 10 is a complete PC benchmarking solution for Windows 10. It includes several tests that combine individual workloads covering storage, computation, image and video manipulation, web browsing, and gaming. Specifically designed for the full range of PC hardware from netbooks and tablets to notebooks and desktops, PCMark 10 offers complete Windows PC performance testing for home and business use.
PCMark 10 (Higher is Better)
POV-Ray
The POV-Ray package includes detailed instructions on using the ray-tracer and creating scenes. Many stunning scenes are included with POV-Ray so you can start creating images immediately when you get the package.
POV-Ray 3.7 (Higher is Better)
SuperPI
Super PI is used by many overclockers to test the performance and stability of their computers. In the overclocking community, the standard program provides a benchmark for enthusiasts to compare “world record” pi calculation times and demonstrate their overclocking abilities. The program can also be used to test the stability of a certain overclock speed.
SuperPi 32M (Lower is Better)
WinRAR
WinRAR is a powerful archive manager. It can backup your data and reduce the size of email attachments, decompress RAR, ZIP, and other files downloaded from the Internet, and create new archives in RAR and ZIP file format.
Winrar (Lower is Better)
V-Ray Render Benchmark
V-Ray Benchmark is a free standalone application to test how fast your system renders. Three custom-built test scenes are also included to put each V-Ray 5 render engine through its paces.
V-Ray (Higher is Better)
Battlefield V
Battlefield V brings back the action of the World War 2 shooter genre. Using the latest Frostbite tech, the game does a good job of looking gorgeous in all ways possible. From the open-world environments to the intense and gun-blazing action, this multiplayer and single-player FPS title is one of the best-looking Battlefields to date. The game was tested at max settings at 1440p.
Battlefield V (4K)
Battlefield V (4K) 5.7 GHz Overclocked
DOOM Eternal
DOOM Eternal brings hell to earth with the Vulkan-powered idTech 7. We test this game using the Ultra Nightmare Preset and follow our in-game benchmarking to stay as consistent as possible.
DOOM (4K)
DOOM (4K) 5.7 GHz Overclocked
GTA V
GTA V is one handsomely optimized title for the PC audience. It's scalable across various PC configurations and delivers an impressive frame rate. Rockstar did an amazing job with the PC build of GTA V and it comes with a large array of settings that can be configured by PC gamers. We tested the title at 1440P with everything set to Ultra and 4x MSAA.
GTA V (4K)
GTA V (4K) 5.7 GHz Overclocked
Metro Exodus
Metro Exodus continues the journey of Artyom through the nuclear wasteland of Russia and its surroundings. This time, you are set over the Metro, going through various regions and different environments. The game is one of the premier titles to feature NVIDIA’s RTX technology and does well in showcasing the ray-tracing effects in all corners. The game was tested at Ultra setting with RTX settings turned off at 1440p.
Metro Exodus (4K)
Metro Exodus (4K) 5.7 GHz Overclocked
Shadow of The Tomb Raider
Sequel to The Rise of the Tomb Raider, Shadow of The Tomb Raider is visually enhanced with an updated Foundation Engine that delivers realistic facial animations and the most gorgeous environments ever seen in a Tomb Raider Game. The game is a technical marvel and really shows the power of its graphics engine in the latest title.
Shadow of The Tomb Raider (4K)
Shadow of The Tomb Raider (4K) 5.7 GHz Overclocked
Sid Meier's Civilization VI
Civilization VI is the pinnacle of the series. It's featured huge, sweeping changes, and nothing was left out. Everything has found a purpose, they all work together in tandem but also have a reason to stand alone. It uses a more fleshed-out engine that now supports DirectX 12 capabilities. We tested the game with every setting maxed out (4x MSAA, 4096x4096 shadow textures) at 1440P in DirectX 12.
Sid Meier's Civilization VI (4K)
Sid Meir's Civilization VI (4K) 5.7 GHz Overclocked
Ashes of The Singularity
Stardock's Ashes of the Singularity RTS title is a new take on the historical genre. The game incorporates several things that many pc gamers have been curious about and anxious to try for themselves such as Explicit Multi-Adapter Support and full Asynchronous Compute under DirectX 12 API. We tested the game at 4K with 4x MSAA on Crazy Settings under DirectX 12.
Ashes of The Singularity (4K)
Ashes of The Singularity (4K) 5.7 GHz Overclocked
The Intel Raptor Lake CPUs feature the brand new hybrid architecture approach composed of Raptor Cove and Gracemont cores. The chip also relies on a brand new 10nm Enhanced SuperFin process node which delivers up to 6.0 GHz clock speeds on the flagship Core i9-13900KS.
The faster clocks along with the addition of more cores should lead to more power consumption but Intel is also touting increased efficiency per watt thanks to the overall performance increases we get this generation.
Power Consumption (Stock) Stress Test
Power Consumption (Stock) Gaming Test
Power Consumption 5.7 GHz Overclocked
In terms of packaging, Intel's Raptor Lake Desktop CPUs ship with a Solder TIM interface and higher-quality gold plating under the IHS. The thermal testing was carried out with the Corsair H150i AIO liquid cooler:
Temperatures (Stock)
Temperatures 5.7 GHz Overclocked
Looking at the four different Intel Z790 chipset motherboards, I noticed that at stock, their overall CPU performance with the Core i9-13900K was relatively the same. The performance only changed when using overclocked configurations and tuning the memory speeds since that depends largely on the BIOS, OC Tuning options, & compatibility that each motherboard has on offer. So let's start with the most expensive option that we had for testing today.
MSI MEG Z790 ACE - Your Golden Ticket!
MSI's MEG Z790 ACE is a very beautiful motherboard. It has a very mature theme with a pure black color scheme with small 24K gold hints all over the motherboard. Whether you want to use the on-board RGBs or not, this motherboard will look impressive regardless. The MSI MEG Z790 ACE has a powerful 24+1+2 phase VRM design and also has the highest-rated memory support of all the Z790 boards we tested so far at 7800 MHz+. This will ensure that you can get the fastest DDR5 DIMMs and install them on this motherboard without any hiccups. We tested the board with a DDR5-7200 which was overclocked to 7666 without any issues at all.
The large and massive VRM heatsinks provide some of the best temperatures I have seen on all five of the motherboards that we had for testing. Even when overclocked, the VRMs ran really cool & within spec. The dual 8-pin connectors might feel in an odd position but I managed to find them a bit easier to manage rather than having them stuffed along the far left corner of the chassis.
In terms of I/O, the MSI MEG Z790 ACE comes with double the Thunderbolt 4 ports (USB Type-C) thanks to an onboard JHL8540 chipset. These provide up to 40 Gbps transfer rates and up to 15W charging. The standard USB interfaces feature 10 USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (including 2 Gen 2x2), 4 3.2 Gen 1, and 4 USB 2.0 ports. There's also a 60W Power Delivery option through the front panel USB headers that can be enabled by plugging in the 6-pin power connector on the motherboard.
Expansion slots include triple PCIe x16 slots (two Gen 5 and 1 Gen 4). Now the motherboard does not have any additional PLX chip so the slots will be sharing lanes with each other. Since there are only 16 Gen 5 lanes on the Raptor Lake CPUs, you will be restricted to x8/x8 when running two Gen 5 devices. There is also a single Gen 5 M.2 slot which will also share x4 lanes from the CPU so you'll end up with just x12 Gen 5 lanes. All M.2 slots come with a beefy cooling heatsink with dual-sided thermal pads which MSI has been offering for a while now. These ensure that you'll run all high-end Gen 5 and Gen 4 SSDs with good cooling support. The SATA options are limited to just 6 and I would have liked 2 more ports considering the premium nature of this motherboard but five M.2 slots kind of makeup for that.
Since this is a $700 US motherboard, MSI didn't leave anything out and features two 2.5 GbE LAN ports on the motherboard along with WIFI 6E capabilities. I am also happy to see that there are plenty of tuning options on the motherboard and a wide array of ARGB headers and fan headers are placed on the motherboard and very easy to access. I am seriously impressed by the MSI MEG Z790 ACE motherboard, it is a board that has so many things good about it that one cannot stop. I will definitely recommend anyone building a high-end Intel 13th Gen PC to get the MEG Z790 ACE, it's definitely a costly motherboard but it's worth every buck.
ASRock Z790 Taichi Carrara - Made From Marble!
Our next motherboard on the list is the ASRock Z790 Taichi Carrara. Marking the 20th Anniversary of ASRock in the motherboard market, the Carrara is a fresh new design that shares its specs and design with the standard Taichi but in a marble-esque design. Rather than going all white, this new marble pattern is a first on motherboards. ASRock told us that they were inspired by the rock of the same name 'Carrara' which is found in Italy and has a very exotic look, just like the motherboard it self.
So what's in store for us with the Z790 Taichi Carrara, well you are getting an insanely powerful 24+1+2 phase VRM design and memory support of up to DDR5-7000. The motherboard pushed Intel's Core i9-13900K to an overclock speed of 5.7 GHz without any hiccups but I must say that a few issues with the power consumption at idle and full load were noticed along with the fact that these unwanted power spikes resulted in the VRMs to run really hot. Now, the Carrara has a nice set of heatsinks with Heatpipe solution and even an active fan that sits underneath the I/O cover and that did an excellent job lowering the temperatures. On the positive side, these issues will be addressed in a new BIOS that's coming out soon.
So on the I/O front, you are getting two LAN ports (1 x 2.5GbE and 1 x 1GbE), an insane 13 USB 3.2 ports (1 Gen 2x2, 2 Gen 2, 10 Gen 1), dual Thunderbolt 4 ports (Type-C) and 6 USB 2.0 ports. That's massive for users who want all the USB slots they can get hands-on. Expansion is very strong too with three PCIe x16 slots (2 Gen 5 x16/x8) and a single PCIe 4.0 x4 slot. There are also given M.2 slots, four of which are Hyper and 1 of which is Blazing Gen 5. The Gen 5 M.2 slot shares CPU lanes with the dGFX so you'll have to keep that in mind when running a Gen 5 graphics card or a Gen 5 M.2 SSD. Good thing is that no current GPU can saturate the Gen 4.0 x16 slot fully so a Gen 5.0 slot running at x8 mode will hardly affect your performance.
One good thing I found about this motherboard is that all of the necessary power, reset, DEBUG LED switches are located at the bottom and are easy to access. The M.2 slots themselves have very nice heatsinks over them with dual-sided thermal pads and the screws don't come off loose which is a plus in my books. The Audio is also strong with an ALC4082 CODEC, an ESS SABRE9218 DAC, & WIMA-grade capacitors on their own isolated PCB. ASRock has really offered something fresh with its Carrara design and the Z790 Taichi Carrara at $499.99 US is a rock-solid motherboard that has a huge variety of expansion/IO options and a powerful VRM that can support some hefty overclocks.
ASRock Z790 Steel Legend WIFI - A Mid-Range Legend?
Looking at our second ASRock motherboard of this review, we have the Z790 Steel Legend WIFI and we can see that ASRock has become fond of the white and silver color scheme a bit too much. This motherboard also looks great and the silver heatsinks with the white snow camo on the RGB plates look really nice. By default, the RGB accents are subtle but you can also use the ASRock RGB suite known as Polychrome Sync to adjust the three individual RGB LED zones (I/O cover / PCH / M.2 Armor heatsink).
For its price, the ASRock Z790 Steel Legend WIFI is quite the stacked option with an 18-phase power delivery design, triple PCIe x16 slots (Gen 5 x16, Gen 4 x4, Gen 3 x2), & five M.2 slots! One of these M.2 slots is rated at Gen 5 speeds (Blazing M.2). Now for the top Gen 5 slot, it houses a Gen 4 slot in parallel too so only can be used at once. So in reality, you have four SSD devices that can connect to the motherboard, that's still good. Out of the five M.2 slots, just one sits below no heatsink but considering the price range of this motherboard, it was expected for ASRock to cut the costs some where.
I/O and storage remain strong with 8 SATA III ports although four of which are hidden oddly under the PCH heatsink and can be really hard to reach. There are 15 USB 3.2 ports (1 Gen 2x2, 2 Gen 2, 12 Gen 1) and three USB 2.0 ports. There are no Thunderbolt ports on the board but you do find a Thunderbolt AIC connector that can support Thunderbolt cards such as the AIC supplied by the manufacturer itself. The board also has three addressable RGB headers and while there is no LED for debugging, there are small LEDs that will tell you the boot code. The motherboard performed well and was able to support DDR5-7200 memory fine. At this price, you are expected to lose a bit of feature but the ASRock Z790 Steel Legend still retains a good amount of connectivity options such as the 2.5GbE LAN port and WIFI 6E support.
If you are a fan of white-colored motherboards and can't afford the higher-end Carrara, then the Steel Legend comes at a decent price of just $289.99 US.
Gigabyte Z790 AERO G - Sub-$300 US Creator Goodness!
The final motherboard for today's mega roundup is the Gigabyte Z790 AERO G. This motherboard comes in at a mid-range price of $299.99 US and is a surprisingly good motherboard given that it has taken inspiration from the workstation and server-grade motherboards.
Placed within the creator segment of Gigabyte's lineup, the motherboard has a very durable design with solid aluminum fins colored in silver and large M.2 heatsinks which cool off the five M.2 slots that this motherboard has to offer. The thing about this motherboard that should please most users is the fact that it is the least flashy of all the other products that I tested here. And while one might expect it to feature the least overclocking options, the motherboard provides up to DDR5-7600 memory support. That's something alright!
You get lots of IO, a 2.5GbE LAN port, WIFI 6E, and during my tests, the VRMs ran really cool and the power delivery was smooth with no unwanted spikes. The BIOS on the motherboard is also easy to use but also very detailed if you go in advanced mode. If I had to rate the BIOS, then it is almost on par with MSI's though MSI does offer a tad bit more options and ASUS leads in all regards. This is a solid motherboard but for $10 US cheaper, the ASRock Z790 Steel Legend WIFI is a slightly better option with the extra ports and such. That still makes the Z790 AERO G a choice worth considering.
The post Intel Z790 Motherboard MEGA Review Ft. MSI MEG ACE, ASRock Taichi Carrara, ASRock Steel Legend & Gigabyte AERO G by Hassan Mujtaba appeared first on Wccftech.
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