ASUS has announced its next-generation Z490 chipset based motherboard lineup for Intel's 10th Generation Desktop CPUs. Being one of the biggest OEM partners of Intel, ASUS will be offering a range of Z490 motherboards featured in different lineups.
ASUS Z490 Motherboard Roundup - Featuring ROG Maximus XII, ROG STRIX, TUF Gaming, PRIME & PRO Series
ASUS will be segmenting its product lineup in three categories which include Gaming, Productivity, and Commercial. These segments will have their own unique sub-brands such as ROG Maximus, ROG STRIX, and TUF Gaming for the Gaming segment, while PRIME, Pro Art, and Pro series motherboards would be featured in the Productivity and Commercial segments.
In total, ASUS has 19 motherboards in its Z490 lineup which include 5 in the ROG Maximus, 7 in the ROG STRIX, 2 in the TUF Gaming, 4 in the PRIME and a single board for the Pro Art series. I will start off with the ROG parts first!
ASUS Z490 ROG Lineup - ROG Maximus XII & ROG STRIX
The top-chain of the ASUS Gaming lineup is made up of four powerful ROG Maximus XII series Z490 motherboards. The Republic of Gamers lineup has always attracted high-end gaming enthusiasts & this year would be no exception. The ROG Maximus XII lineup features the following motherboards:
- ASUS ROG Maximus XII Extreme Glacial
- ASUS ROG Maximus XII Extreme
- ASUS ROG Maximus XII Formula
- ASUS ROG Maximus XII HERO (Wi-Fi)
- ASUS ROG Maximus XII APEX
Each motherboard has different features to talk, some of them really cool in their own respectful manner and carry different price points for different market tiers. So let's start with the specs for each Maximus XII motherboard.
ASUS ROG Maximus XII Series Motherboards
ASUS ROG Maximus XII Extreme / Extreme Glacial
ASUS has yet to reveal the Maximus XII Glacial but it would feature a design scheme similar to the Maximus XII Extreme but with a custom water block fitted on it for an open-loop cooling solution. The specifications for the Maximus XII Extreme are quite intense as we are looking at VRM that consists of 16 Infineon (TDA21490) power stages which can handle up to 90A, 45A Microfine Alloy Chokes and high-quality Japanese capacitors capable of over 10,000 hours. This 16 phase VRM is powered by dual 8-pin connectors which provide power to the PWM unit and the LGA 1200 socket itself. ASUS states that they don't rely on doublers like other manufacturers for its ROG Maximus XII VRM hierarchy, offering better support for Intel's mainstream high-core count platform.
Other specifications include four DDR4 DIMM slots which can support up to 128 GB capacities with speeds of up to 4800 MHz+ (32 GB capacities operate at DDR4-3600 CL16 with Optimem III). The board makes use of an 8 layer PCB, and advanced thermal solution that covers the entirety of the motherboard. The Aluminum I/O cover is, in fact, a very large heatsink that covers the entire VRM section and is interconnected by a large diameter heat pipe that runs all the way from the top VRM area to the PCH heatsink. There's also an aluminum heatsink cover near the PCIe slots which provides cooling to the M.2 slots. ASUS uses high conductive thermal pads to ensure that heat is transferred to the heatsink blocks effectively.
Looking at the design of this motherboard, there are several key features to talk about such as the stunning black and silver chrome design with a large ROG Eye logo etched over the PCH heatsink. The motherboard also comes with a 2" Livedash OLED display which resides in the middle of the board and will show information such as clocks, temps, voltages, etc. The board features 2 PCIe 3.0 x16 slots, a single PCIe 3.0 x4 slot, and a total of 4 M.2 slots, two of which are cooled by the aluminum cover heatsinks & two on the DIMM.2 module which is shipped with this motherboard and houses its own heatsink.
The ROG Maximus XII Extreme is an insane motherboard and hence, it comes in an EATX form factor. You should also expect the best range of I/O on this motherboard such as a total of 22 USB ports (Internal + External) with the ones included on the rear panel being 6 USB 3.1 Gen 1, 3 USB 3.2 Gen 2 (1 Type-C), 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2x2, there's SupremeFX S1220 codec for the audio, dual ethernet LAN (Aquantia AQC107 10G / Intel I225-V 2.5G), WiFi 6 AX201 with Bluetooth V.5.1 support, a bundled ThunderboltEX 3-TR card and support for both SLI & CFX. There are also 2 USB 3.2 Gen 2 front panel headers on the motherboard.
You can also find a BIOS flash-back and a Clear CMOS button on the rear panel which is a must-have for ASUS ROG series boards along with the various tuning switches and buttons on the PCB too. The motherboard offers a total of 8 SATA III ports. Judging by the specifications, the Extreme would carry a price point of around $499-$599 US which puts it in the enthusiast category.
ASUS ROG Maximus XII Formula
Moving over to the formula, we see a similar design as the Extreme but in the ATX form factor. The ASUS ROG Maximus Formula motherboards have been regarded as the best solutions for custom-loop builders as they come with water blocks placed over the VRMs. The Maximus XII Formula is no exception, featuring the latest Crosschill EK III water hybrid cooling solution which has layers upon layers for best cooling performance for the VRM. The VRM heatsink consists of an extended heat pipe design that transfers heat to the copper water channel layer which is cooled directly by the liquid. The block users G1/4" threads and come with a watertight rubber gasket which should help prevent leaks.
The motherboard makes use of a 16 phase power delivery (no doublers) rated at 70A and houses the same ASP14051 PWM controller as the rest of the ROG Maximus XII series motherboards. The CPU is powered by an 8+4 pin connector configuration. For storage, you get 6 SATA III ports and for expansion, you'd get 3 PCIe 3.0 x16, a single PCIe 3.0 x1, and 3 M.2 slots (1 x 22110 & 2 x 2280). It comes with the same networking capabilities of 10G/2.5G along with WiFi-6. There are a total of 19 USB ports and a single front panel 3.2 Gen 2 x 2 header. The motherboard also has cooling for the M.2 slots in the form of heatsinks and a full cover design that engulfs the entirety of the board. We can expect the Formula around the $399-$499 US price range.
ASUS ROG Maximus XII HERO (Wi-Fi)
The ASUS ROG Maximus XII HERO (Wi-Fi) is the most cost-optimized Maximus variant, coming in at around $249-$349 US price. This motherboard would feature the same design hierarchy as the rest of the Maximus motherboards but in a more effective manner to reduce costs. The HERO supports a 14+2 phase VRM configuration rated at 60A and is powered by an 8+4 pin connector config. There are 6 SATA III ports while the expansion configuration includes 3 PCIe 3.0 x16, 3 PCIe 3.0 x1, and 3 M.2 ports.
In terms of I/O, you get a 5G (Aquantia AQC111C) ethernet port and a 1G Intel I219-V Ethernet port. There are a total of 17 USB ports to be found on the board with a single front panel USB 3.2 Gen 2 x2 port. You also get SupremeFX S1220 audio and a TB header on the motherboard. All three M.2 slots are cooled by heatsinks and you can find ROG specific features such as the power, reset, clear CMOS, and BIOS flashback buttons. Overall, this seems to be a solid board for most people who will be upgrading to the 10th Gen platform.
ASUS ROG Maximus XII APEX
Finally, we have the ROG Maximus XII APEX, a motherboard designed specifically for overclockers and features the same 16 phase VRM array as the ROG Maximus XII Formula but with power that will be provided through dual 8-pin connectors. The motherboard has the most unique design of all the ROG Maximus XII series boards, with an X cut around the PCH. The board has two PCIe 3.0 x16, a single PCIe 3.0 x4, a single PCIe 3.0 x1 slot, and 3 M.2 ports. The Maximus XII APEX has been designed specifically for overclockers and has the highest supported DDR4 spec out of the box, rated at DDR4 5000 MHz. The motherboard only features two DIMM slots, optimizing CPU IMC for faster memory clocks and supports up to 64 GB capacities.
You do miss out on some of the fancy features like dual ethernet LAN but the 2.5G (Intel I225-V) should do the job for most overclockers. The board also gets 18 USB ports, 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 x2 front panel header, a Thunderbolt header, and 8 SATA III ports. Audio is provided through the SupremeFX S1220A audio chipset. There's WiFi 6 on this motherboard which is a plus point but you could final several tuning switches on this motherboard, allowing a range of options for overclock enthusiasts. The motherboard should cost somewhere in between the Maximus XII HERO and the Maximus XII Formula.
ASUS ROG MAXIMUS XII Series Motherboard Specifications
ASUS ROG STRIX Series Motherboards
Next up, we have the ASUS ROG STRIX series lineup which is the largest of all other, consisting of 7 motherboards. The ASUS ROG STRIX series based on the Z490 chipset has several offerings that are designed with gamers in mind. The design of all of these motherboards is flashy and has large rog and STRIX branding over them. The lineup includes the following boards along with the top Z490-E model so let's begin!
- ASUS ROG STRIX Z490-E
- ASUS ROG STRIX Z490-F
- ASUS ROG STRIX Z490-A
- ASUS ROG STRIX Z490-H
- ASUS ROG STRIX Z490-G (WiFi)
- ASUS ROG STRIX Z490-G
- ASUS ROG STRIX Z490-I
ASUS ROG STRIX Z490-E
The ASUS ROG STRIX Z490-E comes with a 14+2 phase design and has the LGA 1200 socket which is powered by an 8+4 pin connector configuration. The motherboard has four DDR4 DIMM slots that support up to DDR4-4600 MHz memory and can handle up to 128 GB capacities. The board has 3 PCIe 3.0 x16, 3 PCIe 3.0 x1 and 2 M.2 slots. Like the rest of the ASUS ROG STRIX Z490 boards, the E variant also comes with a single 2.5G (Intel I225-V) ethernet port but adds in WiFi 6 support.
There are up to 17 USB ports and a single USB 3.2 front panel header (Type-C). All ASUS ROG STRIX Z490 motherboards feature SupremeFX S1220A powered audio. The designs of ROG STRIX boards do not vary much with the primary changes being the I/O. The Z490-E is also the only motherboard to feature a Q-code for debugging in the Z490 ROG STRIX series.
ASUS ROG STRIX Z490-F
The ASUS ROG STRIX Z490-F features a 12+2 phase design and feature support for DDR4-4600 MHz memory. The board features all of the same specs as the ROG STRIX Z490-E but comes with less IO such as 15 USB ports and no WiFi 6 option. Users can add their own WiFi cards in the M.2 E-key but that's about it. You do get a Thunderbolt header which is great. The heatsink design is also kept the same as the Z490-E.
ASUS ROG STRIX Z490-A
Moving on to the Z490-A, we get the same VRM design but different expansion and I/O options. The motherboard carries 3 PCIe 3.0 x16, a single PCIe 3.0 x4, a single PCIe 3.0 x1, and dual M.2 slots. It also comes with HDMI 1.4 and DP 1.4 while the other two ROG STRIX (E/F) boards feature the HDMI 1.4b and DisplayPort 1.2 ports. There's also the reduction of the heatsink to non-extended design.
ASUS ROG STRIX Z490-H
The Z490-H features the same specs as the Z490-A but features no USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-C) front panel header. The rest of the features are entirely the same as the Z490-A but you can expect a lower cost for the Z490-H.
ASUS ROG STRIX Z490-G (WiFi)
The Z490-G is slightly more cut down and has the lowest cost of all ROG STRIX boards. This is mainly due to the reduced expansion ports from the Z490-H, featuring 2 PCIe 3.0 x16 and a single PCIe 3.0 x1 slot. There's also no Thunderbolt header but the motherboard does come with a front-panel USB 3.2 Gen 2 header. The Z490-G series will be available in two options, a WiFi one and one without it. The WiFi variant will feature the same specs along with the added Wi-Fi 6 controller while the non-WiFi model will not even feature the M.2 E-key to support a 3rd party WiFi card. Both will be featuring an mATX design.
ASUS ROG STRIX Z490-I
The ASUS ROG STRIX Z490-I is without a doubt the more interesting option aside from the ROG STRIX Z490-E. This motherboard will feature an ITX form factor and include an 8+2 phase VRM design which would not only feature an extended heatsink design with heat pipe but also an active cooling solution offering up to 12C lower temperatures. The board will be powered by a single 8 pin connector. There is a single PCIe 3.0 x16 slot but two M.2 slots on the board (one on the front and one on the back). Both M.2 ports will feature heatsink cooling.
The I/O on the board include 2.5G LAN, 13 USB ports, 4 SATA III ports, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 front-panel header, WiFi 6, and Supreme FX S1220A audio. For display, the motherboard will feature HDMI 2.0a and DP 1.4.
ASUS ROG STRIX Z490 Series Motherboards Gallery:
ASUS ROG STRIX Z490 Series Motherboard Specifications
The rest of the non-ROG lineup is made up of the TUF Gaming, PRIME, and PRO series which will include a total of 6 motherboards. First up, let's talk about the remaining gaming parts which are part of the TUF Gaming lineup.
ASUS TUF Gaming Series Motherboards
ASUS TUF Gaming Z490 PLUS (Wi-Fi)
The ASUS TUF Gaming Z490 PLUS (WiFi) is the best TUF Gaming board you can get for Intel's 10th Gen CPUs. It features a 12+2 phase (DrMOS) VRM which is accompanied by a MOS heatsink and powered by an 8+4 pin connector configuration. The motherboard houses four DDR4 DIMM slots which support speeds of up to DDR4-4600 MHz and capacities of up to 128 GB. The motherboard has all the essential features such as 6 SATA III ports, an expansion that includes 2 PCIe 3.0 x16, 3 PCIe 3.0 x1, and dual M.2 slots. The full-length M.2 slot gets a heatsink for extra cooling.
For I/O, the motherboard includes a Thunderbolt Header, Intel Gigabit Ethernet LAN, Wi-Fi 6, a front panel USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-C) header, Realtek ALC S1200A audio codec, up to 12 USB ports, HDMI 1.4b and Display Port 1.4 ports. The motherboard should retail under the $200 US bracket since the Z390 TUF Gaming was around $170 US when it launched.
ASUS TUF Gaming Z490-PLUS
The other model features the same specifications but doesn't come with WiFi functionality which the top model has. But the non-WiFi model does get an extra USB port which is a plus. The board should come at a slightly lower price point than the WiFi variant.
ASUS TUF Gaming Z490 Series Motherboard Specifications
ASUS PRIME & PRO Series Motherboards
ASUS ProArt Z490 Creator 10G
ASUS is also offering its top of the line ProArt Z490 Creator 10G motherboard which is designed for creators in mind. This motherboard is suited for mainstream workstation PCs and content creators who want a motherboard with all the necessary features for their workloads minus all unnecessary stuff such as RGB, overclocking oriented design, etc.
Specifications include a 12+2 phase VRM which is delivered power through a single 8-pin connector and four DDR4 DIMM slots which can support 128 GB capacities with speeds of up to 4600 MHz. It comes with full multi-GPU support and includes three full-length PCIe 3.0 x16 slots, 2 of which are reinforced, two PCIe 3.0 x1 slots, and dual M.2 slots.
Heatsinks are included for the VRM, PCH, the 10G LAN chip, and a single M.2 slot. There are 6 SATA III ports for storage options along with the onboard Thunderbolt 3 port. I/O includes up to 16 USB ports, 2 Thunderbolt 3 Type-C ports, Realtek S1220A audio, and dual LAN ports, one of which is 2.5G and the other is the 10G Aquantia powered chip as mentioned above. There are two DisplayPort 1.4 and a single HDMI port on the motherboard for display connectivity options.
ASUS's ProArt Z490 Creator 10G is fully compliant with multi-GPU functionality and supports AMD CFX and NVIDIA's NVLINK. The design for this motherboard is kept very simple but should come in at around $200-$250 US due to the 10G chip onboard the motherboard.
ASUS PRIME Z490-A
Lastly, we have the ASUS PRIME Z490 series which includes the PRIME Z490-A as the flagship model and has a stunning white/black design that is carried over from previous PRIME offerings. Without a doubt, the PRIME Z490-A excels in all aspects with specifications such as a 12+2 Phase (DrMOS) power delivery which is powered by an 8+4 pin connector configuration, 4 DDR4 DIMM slots that can handle up to 4600 MHz speeds and 128 GB capacities and 6 SATA III ports.
The expansion includes 3 PCIe 3.0 x16, 3 PCIe 3.0 x1 and 3 M.2 slots (2 for storage and 1 for WiFi). I/O on the motherboard includes 16 USB ports (4 USB 3.2 Gen 2), Thunderbolt 3 header, a single USB 3.2 Gen 2 x 2 front panel header, Realtek S1220A audio codec, and a 2.5G Intel Ethernet LAN port. The motherboard comes with RGB LEDs under the PCH and on top of the I/O plate which are subtle and look great. The rear panel comes with a pre-fitted backplate and the PRIME Z490-A is the only motherboard in the series to feature one.
The large aluminum heatsinks over the VRMs and an extended M.2 heatsink seem to do the job for the motherboard itself. Other than that, the Z490-A seems to be a solid board that should come in around $150-$200 US.
ASUS PRIME Z490-P
The Z490-P comes with a 10+1 phase (DrMOS) VRM and is powered by an 8+4 pin connector config. The board has aluminum heatsinks over the VRMs but they are smaller compared to the ones on A variant. The motherboard also lacks an I/O cover and as such, doesn't come with the pre-fitted rear panel backplate. The memory support from the Z490-A is still there but you get 4 SATA III ports and a smaller number of ports.
The expansion includes 2 PCIe 3.0 x16, 4 PCIe 3.0 x1 and 2 M.2 slots. Neither of the M.2 slots comes with heatsinks. I/O includes a 1G Realtek 8111H powered LAN port, Realtek ALC887 audio, 14 USB ports, Thunderbolt header, and an M.2 Key E slot to add a 3rd party WiFi solution to the board. The motherboard features a single ARGB header compared to two on the Z490-A but does support 2 RGB headers. Expect the price of this motherboard close to $130-$150 US.
ASUS PRIME Z490-V
The Z490-V comes with a 10 phase (DrMOS) VRM and is powered by an 8+4 pin connector config. The board has aluminum heatsinks over the VRMs but they are smaller compared to the ones on P variant. The motherboard also lacks an I/O cover and as such, doesn't come with the pre-fitted rear panel backplate. The memory support from the Z490-A is still there but you get 4 SATA III ports and a smaller number of ports.
The expansion includes 2 PCIe 3.0 x16, 4 PCIe 3.0 x1 and 2 M.2 slots. Neither of the M.2 slots comes with heatsinks. I/O includes a 1G Realtek 8111H powered LAN port, Realtek ALC887 audio, 10 USB ports, Thunderbolt header, and an M.2 Key E slot to add a 3rd party WiFi solution to the board. The motherboard features two RGB headers. Expect the price of this motherboard close to $120-$150 US.
ASUS PRIME Z490M-PLUS
Finally, we have the mATX variant, the Z490M-PLUS which features an 8+1 phase DrMOS based VRM. This motherboard is powered by an 8+4 pin connector configuration too for the CPU. The board supports four DDR4 DIMMs with speeds of up to 4400 MHz which is lower than the 4600 MHz speeds supported by the other two PRIME motherboards.
The board has 5 SATA III ports & expansion is solid with 2 PCIe 3.0 x16, 2 PCIe 3.0 x1, and dual M.2 ports. There's 1G Intel Ethernet LAN on the board along with Realtek ALC887 for audio, a single RGB header & up to 14 USB ports.
ASUS PRIME & PRO Z490 Series Motherboards Gallery:
ASUS PRIME & PRO Z490 Series Motherboard Specifications
ASUS has the biggest Z490 launch lineup of all major vendors and their lineup is definitely years of expertise going into perfecting for Intel's 10th Gen platform. We will soon be updating the list with more info such as prices for each individual motherboard and retailer links for users who want to buy these motherboards.
The post ASUS Z490 ‘LGA 1200’ Motherboard Roundup – ROG Maximus XII, ROG STRIX, TUF Gaming, PRIME & ProArt Series by Hassan Mujtaba appeared first on Wccftech.
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