Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Pro Review: Mid-Range, Full-Featured
Tom’s Hardware Verdict
At $329.99, the Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Pro is a mid-range class motherboard that covers all the bases. There are ample storage options, including four M.2 sockets, updated audio, and a new appearance. If you don’t need integrated RGBs and Wi-Fi 6E, the Z690 Aorus Pro is a solid base to build your system around.
Pros
- +
+ 13 USB ports
- +
+ 90A VRMs
- +
+ Four M.2 sockets
- +
+ Reasonable price
Cons
- —
Contrasting grey heatsinks
- —
No Wi-Fi 6E (only 6)
- —
Lacks integrated RGB
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We’ve tested a couple high-end boards for Intel’s brand-new Alder Lake platform so far. But now we get to dive deep into the first mid-range Z690 board, Gigabyte’s Z690 Aorus Pro. Priced at $329.99, it’s one of the less expensive offerings in the Z690 universe (although there are boards priced as low as $200), but it still has a long feature list enthusiasts should love. There are a whopping 13 total USB ports, 2.5 GbE and integrated Wi-Fi 6 for fast networking, four M.2 sockets, a premium Realtek audio codec, overbuilt VRMs, and an updated appearance.
The new look may be polarizing, with its grey-on-black heatsinks, but overall we like what the Aorus Pro delivers as a package very much.
Since this is our first Gigabyte Z690 review, we’ll briefly cover the product stack. The Gigabyte website has a mind-blowing 25 models listed, across the Aorus, Aero, Gaming X, and UD families. The Aorus line has 15 boards, from the halo product Aorus Extreme Waterforce (and non-watercooled Extreme), Tachyon (overclocking centric), Master, Ultra, Elite, and Pro boards. There’s even a Mini ITX board, the Z690I Ultra.
The Aero line consists of three boards (Aero D, Aero G, and Aero D DDR4) that sport a different design aesthetic (white) with hardware geared towards content creators. The Gaming X family has two boards (one DDR5, the other DDR4). Finally, the UD series makes up the budget end of things with five SKUs, including DDR4 options.
On the design front, the Z690 Aorus Pro changed things up, going with less coverage on the shrouds and heatsinks due to PCIe slot placement.
The M.2, chipset and top VRM heatsink are all grey, providing a rather stark contrast against the black PCB and other heatsinks. Personally, I prefer the old style that covers more of the board and uses grey more sparingly (like the Z690 Aorus Master). That said, this is still a good-looking board and makes a great focal point for your Z690 build, though the lack of RGB lighting elements may be a turnoff for some.
Looks aside, the Z690 Aorus Pro performed well, mixing in with the other two Z690 DDR5 boards we’ve tested so far. The board led a few benchmarks, including Handbrake (x264), Cinebench R23, POV-Ray, and did a clean sweep in the Procyon Office tests and Photo Editing. RAM bandwidth and latency were spot on with the other results and so were our gaming tests.
Power use was also in the middle of the Z690 boards tested so far. Overall, the Z690 Aourus Pro is a complete package that isn’t too hard on your wallet (by current motherboard standards). Read on for additional information on features, overclocking, and takeaways from our time with the board.
Before we do that, here’s a complete list of the Z690 Aorus Pro’s specifications, direct from Gigabyte.
- Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Pro at eBay for $249.99
Swipe to scroll horizontally
| Socket | LGA1700 |
| Chipset | Z690 |
| Form Factor | ATX |
| Voltage Regulator | 19 Phase (16+1+2, 90A MOSFETs for Vcore) |
| Video Ports | DisplayPort (v1.2) |
| USB Ports | (1) USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C (20 Gbps) |
| Row 6 — Cell 0 | (4) USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) |
| Row 7 — Cell 0 | (4) USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) |
| Row 8 — Cell 0 | (4) USB 2.0 (480 Mbps) |
| Network Jacks | (1) 2. 5 GbE |
| Audio Jacks | (2) Analog + SPDIF |
| Legacy Ports/Jacks | ✗ |
| Other Ports/Jacks | ✗ |
| PCIe x16 | (2) v5.0 (x16, x8/x8) |
| Row 14 — Cell 0 | (2) v3.0 (x4) |
| PCIe x8 | ✗ |
| PCIe x4 | ✗ |
| PCIe x1 | ✗ |
| CrossFire/SLI | AMD Quad-GPU CrossFire and 2-Way AMD Crossfire |
| DIMM slots | (4) DDR5 6200+(OC), 128GB Capacity |
| M.2 slots | (3) PCIe 4.0 x4 (64 Gbps) / PCIe (up to 80mm) |
| Row 21 — Cell 0 | (1) PCIe 4.0 x4 (64 Gbps) / PCIe + SATA (up to 110mm) Supports RAID 0/1/5/10 |
U. 2 Ports |
✗ |
| SATA Ports | (6) SATA3 6 Gbps (Supports RAID0/1/5/10) |
| USB Headers | (1) USB v3.2 Gen 2×2, Type-C (20 Gbps) |
| Row 25 — Cell 0 | (1) USB v3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) |
| Row 26 — Cell 0 | (2) USB v2.0 (480 Mbps) |
| Fan/Pump Headers | (8) 4-Pin (CPU, Water CPU, System Fans) |
| RGB Headers | (2) aRGB (3-pin) |
| Row 29 — Cell 0 | (2) RGB (4-pin) |
| Diagnostics Panel | 2-character debug LED, Post Status Checker (4 LEDs) |
| Internal Button/Switch | Power and Reset buttons, BIOS Flashback button |
| SATA Controllers | X |
| Ethernet Controller(s) | (1) Intel I225-V (2. 5 Gbps) |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | Intel AX200 Wi-Fi 6E (2×2 ax, MU-MIMO, 2.4/5/6 GHz, 160 MHz, BT 5.2) |
| USB Controllers | GL3590 |
| HD Audio Codec | Realtek ALC4080 |
| DDL/DTS Connect | ✗ / ✗ |
| Warranty | 3 Years |
Inside the Aorus Pro’s box are several accessories, including SATA cables, a Wi-Fi antenna, and screws. We didn’t find a disk/USB stick with drivers, but that could be a review sample omission. Worst case scenario, you’d have to download the drivers from the website, but that’s a good idea anyway, to make sure you have the most up-to-date software. Although the accessory list is a bit sparse, most of what you need to get started is here. Below is a complete list of the included extras.
- User’s Manual
- Installation Guide
- (4) M.
2 screws - (4) SATA cables
- (2) Temperature sensors
- RGB extension
- Microphone
- Wi-Fi antenna
- G-connector
Image 1 of 3
(Image credit: Gigabyte)(Image credit: Gigabyte)(Image credit: Gigabyte)
Taking a closer look at the Aorus Pro, we see a matte-black PCB, along with some grey lines stenciled on the board matching the heatsinks and shrouds. The VRM heatsink sports the Aorus branding, while the chipset has an Aorus Eagle on with a mirror finish. The black-and-grey board uses reinforcement on the primary PCIe slot and all four DRAM slots to mitigate EMI and and extra support for heavy graphics cards.
Overall, I like the design, but the contrasting grey heatsinks are polarizing. Looks are subjective, but I would like to see more black instead. There’s less heatsink coverage here generally, due to the PCIe slot design and how close the chipset-fed slots are, but that does expose more of the motherboard. On the RGB front, you’ll have to add lights yourself.
The board does not include any, much like the MSI MEG Z690 Unify we recently reviewed.
(Image credit: Gigabyte)
As we focus on the top half of the board, we’ll cover the VRM heatsinks and all of the headers and buttons in the area. The largest feature in this area, the VRM heatsink, consists of two separate chunks of aluminum, with the left VRM bank reaching out over the IO area for that extra bit of mass and cooling. Grooves are cut out in the heatsinks to increase surface area and improve thermal transfer.
The CPU receives power from a combination of 8-pin and 4-pin EPS connectors found on the top edge above the heatsinks. Like most boards, the 8-pin is required, while the 4-pin is optional. I prefer to plug both in, if only to satisfy my OCD. The socket area has a bunch of capacitors around the socket, along with some stenciled writing that displays the brand and model.
To the right of the socket are four reinforced DRAM slots capable of handling up to 128GB of DDR5 RAM.
Gigabyte lists support up to DDR5 6200(OC), but your mileage may vary depending on the type of kit used. This is one of the lower speeds listed of the boards we’ve seen so far, but still has plenty of headroom over the base spec of DDR5 4800. Gigabyte didn’t have the information in the manual to share the maximum speeds for more sticks and/or ranks, but it is less than the DDR5 6200 listed. The board did though run our GSkill Trident Z5 2x16GB DDR5 5600 kit without issue.
Just above the DRAM slots, we run into the first set of fan and RGB headers. Starting with the fans, there’s a total of eight 4-pin headers scattered around the board. Gigabyte’s manual doesn’t mention the default mode (PWM or DC) for these headers, but you can switch them through the BIOS. Each 4-pin fan/pump header supports 2A/24W, which should be plenty to power your cooling directly from the motherboard.
To the right of the fan headers are two RGB headers, one 3-pin ARGB and one 4-pin RGB header. The other two headers, one of each type again, sit on the bottom edge of the board.
Since the motherboard doesn’t provide its own RGB lighting, you’ll have to use the onboard headers or a third-party solution. If they’re attached to the board, the RGB Fusion software in the App Center controls them.
Finally, on the right edge of the board, we run into the 2-character debug display, a 24-pin ATX connector to power the board, two more 4-pin fan headers, a 2-pin temperature header, a front panel USB 3.2 Gen1 header and a front-panel USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C header. With more and more cases adding USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C ports, having a full-speed header on the board is a welcome sight.
Also found in this area is the four-LED debug feature. These four LEDs correspond with steps in POST: CPU, VRAM, VGA, and BOOT. If there’s a problem in one of these areas during the POST process, the LED where the problem occurred stays lit. This is useful to quickly locate the problem, while the 2-character debug LED gives you more detail through the codes it displays.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The Z690 Aorus Pro comes with a 19-phase VRM, with 16 phases dedicated to Vcore (1x VccGT and 2x VccAUX).
Power is sent through the RPS connectors to a Renesas RAA229131 controller, then on to 90A Intersil ISL99390 Smart Power Stages (SPS). Some simple math tells us there’s 1,440A available to the CPU, which is plenty for stock and overclocked operation. You’ll run into cooling limits before the VRM trips you up.
(Image credit: Gigabyte)
As we move to the bottom half of the board, we see a mostly exposed audio section, PCIe slots, and hidden below the heatsinks and shrouds, four M.2 sockets. Starting with the audio on the left, underneath the faraday cage with the Amp-Up Audio branding is the Realtek ALC4080 codec. This isn’t the flagship chip, but is the latest generation codec, and most users will be satisfied with what it has to offer.
In the middle of the board, we’ll start with the PCIe slots. The primary full-length slot (white) runs at PCIe 5.0 x16 speeds and uses Gigabyte’s Ultra Durable SMD PCIe 5.0 Armor for additional support and EMI protection. The bottom two full-length slots are connected through the chipset and run up to PCIe 3.
0 x4 speeds.
Sitting around the PCIe slots are four M.2 sockets. Above the primary PCIe slot, the top socket (M2A_CPU) supports PCIe 4.0 x4 drives up to 110mm. The second slot down, M2C_SB, connects via the chipset and runs both SATA and PCIe 4.0 x4 modules up to 110mm. Lastly, the bottom two sockets (M2P_SB/M2Q_SB) connect via the chipset and support up to 110mm drives and PCIe 4.0 x4 speeds. I’d like to see Gigabyte implement the new screwless M.2 latches here, as we’ve seen on some Asus and MSI boards.
Moving to the right edge on the bottom half of the board, we run into a pair of Thunderbolt headers for use with a Gigabyte add-in card. Just below that are six SATA ports. If you’re looking to RAID your SATA or M.2 drives, they both support RAID0/1/5/10 modes. Since the new chipset has more bandwidth and lane flexibility, sharing between SATA ports and PCIe slots isn’t necessary with this configuration. Last but not least, just below the SATA ports, is a white button used to reset the system.
I’m not sure why the company located it here and not next to the power button up top, though.
Across the bottom are several headers, including USB ports and RGB. The Aorus Pro also has temperature sensor headers to control your cooling system better. Here’s the complete list, from left to right:
- Front panel audio
- RGB demo header
- 3-pin ARGB header
- 4-pin RGB header
- TPM header
- (2) USB 2.0 headers
- QFlash+ button
- (4) 4-PIN Sys Fan headers
- 2-pin temperature header
- Front panel header
(Image credit: Gigabyte)
Shifting focus to the critical rear IO area, one of the first things you’ll notice outside of the pre-installed IO plate are the 13 USB ports. From fastest to slowest, there’s a USB 3.2 Gen2x2 (20 Gbps) Type-C port, four USB 3.2 Gen2 (10 Gbps) ports, four USB 3.2 Gen1 (5 Gbps) ports, and finally, four USB 2.0 (480 Mbps) ports. In short, I’d be shocked if there weren’t enough back here for almost anyone building a mainstream platform.
There are also connections for the Wi-Fi 6 antenna, DisplayPort for video, the Intel 2.5 GbE port, and a simple 2-plug plus SPDIF audio stack. Everything you’d expect to see is here.
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Joe Shields is a Freelance writer for Tom’s Hardware US. He reviews motherboards.
ASRock Z690 Extreme WiFi 6E Review: Best Z690 Under $200?
Tom’s Hardware Verdict
ASRock’s Z690 Extreme WiFi 6E is a well-rounded and good-looking Z690 motherboard with a sub $200 price. The black and RGB-laden board comes with plenty of storage options sporting eight SATA ports and three M.2 sockets. If the rear USB count (five) isn’t a dealbreaker, it’s a top-notch budget Z690 offering around the $200 price point.
Pros
- +
Lower price than competition
- +
Wi-Fi 6E and dual Ethernet ports
- +
Eight SATA ports
- +
Bright RGBs (which could aslo be a con)
Why you can trust Tom’s Hardware
Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
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ASRock’s Z690 Extreme WiFi 6E might imply it’s a high-end motherboard, the price (currently $196.
99) is anything but. A step above the PG Velocita and below the premium Taichi, the Extreme comes with almost all the bells and whistles most users will want. This includes three M.2 sockets, eight SATA ports, dual 2.5 GbE ports and integrated Wi-Fi 6E, capable power delivery, and an all-black look with bright RGBs you’ll be proud to show off inside your chassis.
The Z690 Extreme’s performance during our testing depended on the benchmark. In general, single or lightly threaded benchmarks ran well, but heavily muilti-threaded results tended to be below average. For example, it excelled in Procyon Office but was slower in 7Zip, Handbrake and Cinebench. Outside of that, the results were average in other tests, including gaming and power consumption. If you want to get the most out of this board for multi-threaded tests, you’ll need to make some easy tweaks in the BIOS. Otherwise,this is a performant board. With only five type-A ports on the rear IO (with multiple headers for front panel ports), you’ll need to ensure that’s enough for your needs.
Below, we’ll take a detailed look into the features and specs to better understand how this budget Z690 motherboard stacks up against the competition and see if the Extreme earns a home on our best motherboards list. But before we get into all the details, here is a complete list of specifications from ASRock’s website.
- ASRock Z690 Extreme WiFi 6E (Gold Intel Pentium) at Newegg for $196.99
Specifications: ASRock Z690 Extreme WiFi 6E
Swipe to scroll horizontally
| Socket | LGA1700 |
| Chipset | Z690 |
| Form Factor | ATX |
| Voltage Regulator | 15 Phase (13 60A DrMOS MOSFETs for Vcore) |
| Video Ports | HDMI (v2.1) |
| Row 5 — Cell 0 | DisplayPort (v1. 4 — 8K@60Hz) |
| USB Ports | (1) USB 3.2 Gen 2, Type-C (10 Gbps) |
| Row 7 — Cell 0 | (1) USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) |
| Row 8 — Cell 0 | (4) USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) |
| Network Jacks | (1) 2.5 GbE |
| Row 10 — Cell 0 | (1) GbE |
| Audio Jacks | (5) Analog + SPDIF |
| Legacy Ports/Jacks | PS/2 |
| Other Ports/Jack | ✗ |
| PCIe x16 | (1) v5.0 (x16) |
| Row 15 — Cell 0 | (1) v4.0 (x4) |
| Row 16 — Cell 0 | (1) v3.0 (x4) |
| PCIe x8 | ✗ |
| PCIe x4 | ✗ |
| PCIe x1 | (1) v. 3.0 (x1) |
| CrossFire/SLI | AMD CrossFire |
| DIMM Slots | (4) DDR4 5333+(OC), 128GB Capacity |
| M.2 Sockets | (1) PCIe 4.0 x4 (64 Gbps) / PCIe (up to 80mm) |
| Row 23 — Cell 0 | (1) PCIe 3.0 x4 (32 Gbps) / PCIe + SATA (up to 80mm) |
| Row 24 — Cell 0 | (1) PCIe 4.0 x4 (64 Gbps) / PCIe (up to 110mm) |
| Row 25 — Cell 0 | Supports RAID 0/1/5 |
| U.2 Ports | ✗ |
| SATA Ports | (8) SATA3 6 Gbps (Supports RAID 0/1/5/10) |
| USB Headers | (1) USB v3.2 Gen 2×2, Type-C (20 Gbps) |
| Row 29 — Cell 0 | (2) USB v3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) |
| Row 30 — Cell 0 | (2) USB v2. 0 (480 Mbps) |
| Fan/Pump Headers | (7) 4-Pin (CPU, CPU/Water pump, Chassis/Water pump |
| RGB Headers | (3) aRGB (3-pin) |
| Row 33 — Cell 0 | (1) RGB (4-pin) |
| Diagnostics Panel | (4) POST LEDs |
| Internal Button/Switch | ✗ |
| SATA Controllers | ✗ |
| Ethernet Controller(s) | (1) Intel I219-V (GbE) |
| Row 38 — Cell 0 | (1) Realtek Dragon RTL8125BG (2.5 GbE) |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | Intel AX210 Wi-Fi 6E (2×2 ax, MU-MIMO, 2.4/5/6 GHz, 160 MHz, BT 5.2) |
| USB Controllers | ASMedia ASM1074 |
| HD Audio Codec | Realtek ALC1220 |
| DDL/DTS | ✗ / ✗ |
| ✗ / ✗ | 3 Years |
Inside the Box of the ASRock Z690 Extreme WiFi 6E
Inside the box along with the motherboard, ASRock throws in a few accessories designed to get your system up and running without an additional trip to the store.
There’s also a graphics card holder (which mounts to the board) to help support heavy video cards and prevent sagging. Below is a complete list of the included accessories.
- (4) SATA cables
- Wi-Fi antenna
- (3) M.2 screws
- (2) M.2 standoffs
- Velcro straps
- Extreme keycap
- Support DVD
- User Guide
Image 1 of 3
(Image credit: ASRock)(Image credit: ASRock)(Image credit: ASRock)
ASRock’s Z690 Extreme WiFi 6E is a good-looking board for the price. The black, 6-layer PCB with 2 ounces of copper traces has a large notch cut out of the PCB by the SATA ports, along with flat corners on the edges that sets it apart from its competitors. All heatsinks and shrouds are black, with a brushed aluminum finish. The chipset heatsink and rear IO shroud have blue accent pieces to break up the monotony of black. All slots (save for the primary PCIe slot) and sockets are black as well.
If you’re into RGB lighting, the Extreme has you covered, and then some.
The chipset heatsink and rear IO cover have several RGBs underneath, illuminating those areas. Along the right edge on the back side of the board is an additional RGB strip that shines through the translucent “Extreme” branding along that same edge. The integrated RGBs are bright and the colors are saturated. If RGBs are your thing and you’re on a budget, the Extreme offers one of the more impressive light shows out of the box.
(Image credit: ASRock)
Starting with the top half of the board, we get a better look at the rear IO shroud and heatsink below. The shroud’s RGBs shine through ASRoc’sk branding, as well as reflecting off the top of the left VRM heatsink. Sporting a brushed aluminum finish, the VRM heatsinks have enough mass and surface area to keep the power bits below running within spec. Just above the VRM heatsinks are two 8-pin EPS connectors tol power the CPU (one required).
Looking right, just past the socket and before the DRAM slots, is the first 4-pin fan header (CPU_FAN1).
In total, there are six 4-pin headers scattered around the board, which all support 4-pin PWM and 3-pin DC fans with power output varying from 1A/12W (CPU header) to 2A/24W headers (CPU/Water Pump and Chassis/Water Pump headers). CPU_FAN2/WP and CHA_FAN1-5/WP auto-detect the type of fan in use. Fan control is handled through the BIOS or the A-Tune application.
Continuing right, we run into four unreinforced DRAM slots with a single-sided locking mechanism. ASRock says the Extreme supports up to 128GB of DDR4 5333+(OC), but your mileage may vary as reaching those speeds depends on individual hardware. We didn’t have any issues running our performance DDR4 4000 kit and expect there is plenty of headroom left, especially when using two sticks.
We pass by two more fan headers along the right edge and run into the first (of four) RGB headers. In this location, there are two 3-pin ARGB headers, while along the bottom edge of the board is a 4-pin RGB header and the third 3-pin ARGB header.
The right edge sports a unique design element with the word “Extreme” written out in translucent PCB layer, with the bright RGBs that line the entire right edge of the board lighting up the “Extreme” branding. Of course, if you’re not a fan or just want to turn it down or off, that’s easy too through the ASRock Polychrome software.
Offset around a half-inch from the edge, we run into the 24-pin ATX connector that powers the board, a front panel USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 (20 Gbps) Type-C header and a 19-pin front panel USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) header. Two additional USB 2.0 headers are found along the bottom edge.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Power delivery on the Z690 Extreme consists of 13 phases for Vcore. Power comes from the EPS connector(s) and onto a Renesas RAA229131 20-phase controller, where it’s delivered to the 13 60A Intersil ISL99360 SPS MOSFETs. The 780A for Vcore isn’t a lot compared to many Z690 boards, but the Extreme handled our Intel Core i9-12900K overclock with minimal fuss.
We needed a bit more voltage at that same clock speed than most motherboards (details in the Overclocking section), but that didn’t hold us back for our overclocked settings.
(Image credit: ASRock)
Now on the bottom half of the board, the left side sports a fully exposed audio section centered around a Realtek ALC1220 chip/codec. You’ll also find five dedicated audio caps here. While this is last year’s flagship-class codec, most users will find this solution perfectly acceptable, especially for a sub-$200 board.
In the middle of the Extreme are three M.2 sockets (four if you count the Key-E Wi-Fi adapter), two of which have heatsinks. The top socket, M2_1, connects through the CPU, offering 64 Gbps of bandwidth through a PCIe 4.0 x4 interface. M2_2 connects through the chipset, supporting 80mm SATA and PCIe 3.0 x4 (32 Gbps) modules. The bottom socket supports up to 110mm PCIe 4.0 x4 devices and connects through the chipset. Note that there is some minimal lane sharing here: If a SATA-based storage device occupies M2_2, SATA port 7 is disabled.
Additionally, the Z690 Extreme supports RAID0/1/5 on the M.2 sockets.
In the middle of the board are three full-length PCIe slots and one open-ended x1 slot for graphics and other PCIe-based devices. The top socket (PCIE1) connects through the CPU and offers the only PCIe 5.0 connectivity on the board at PCIe 5.0 x16. The other full-length slots connect through the chipset. The middle slot (PCIE2) runs PCIe 4.0 x4 and the bottom slot (PCIE4) runs at 3.0 x4 speeds. Lastly, the x1 size slot also sources its bandwidth through the chipset and runs at PCIe 3.0 x1. If you’re still into multi-GPU technology, the Z690 Extreme supports AMD Crossfire.
Moving past the chipset heatsink and onto the right edge, we run into six of the eight SATA ports. These run from the chipset, while SATA7/8 uses an ASMedia chip to borrow bandwidth. I like the notch that was cut out from the motherboard here, as not only does it give it a rare design element, but it also helps with cable management. These SATA ports support RAID0/1/5/10 modes.
The other two SATA ports stick up from the bottom edge of the board and are not included in the RAID configuration.
The other feature worth mentioning in this area is the 4-LED POST status checker. Each LED represents a function during POST. If your system hangs during POST, the LED corresponding to the error (either Boot, VGA, DRAM or CPU) remains lit. For boards that don’t have the more detailed 2-character display, this is a good way to see where the problem is.
Across the bottom of the board are several exposed headers. You’ll find the usual, including additional USB ports and RGB headers and more. Below is a complete list from left to right.
- Front panel audio
- 3-pin ARGB header
- 4-pin RGB header
- 4-pin chassis fan header
- 5-pin Thunderbolt AIC header
- (2) USB 2.0 headers
- Power/LED speaker headers
- (2) SATA ports
- SPI TPM header
- USB 3.2 Gen 1 header
- System panel header
(Image credit: ASRock)
The rear IO area comes with a pre-installed IO plate.
It sports a black-and-gray background, with easy-to-read gray port labels reminiscent of their PG Velocita line. There are only six USB ports on the rear IO which, for some users (me!), won’t be enough. There’s a USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) Type-C port, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) port and four Gen 1 (5 Gbps) ports (the green port is used for BIOS Flashback functionality). Additional ports are available through headers.
Video output consists of Displayport and HDMI ports. The Z690 Extreme offers dual Ethernet ports, one GbE and the other 2.5 GbE. Additional ports include the Wi-Fi 6E antenna connectors, 5-plug analog plus SPDIF audio stack, a legacy PS/2 port, and the BIOS Flashback button.
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Joe Shields is a Freelance writer for Tom’s Hardware US.
He reviews motherboards.
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The moment has come to end the series of articles, the miniature PC is assembled and working, but this does not mean that I will complete the story here …
pixelman
July 4, 2022
SOHO h5 Plus and Alucia h5 Plus coolers are now able to cool the latest Intel processors up to 185W TDP
vladislavich273
June 27, 2022
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We are trying to get a nice number in the benchmark without overclocking the processor. Strange experiments with a multiplier on an inexpensive platform from AMD
Chimbal
June 7, 2022
It’s time to continue our mini PC build adventure, last part I glued the heatpipe to the motherboard…
Chimbal
May 12, 2022
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I finally did a test run of the system, even though there is still quite a bit of work to be done before the build is complete.
Chimbal
May 6, 2022
Continuation of miniature PC assembly, this time optimizing the space, assembling the processor cooling system and preparing the video card mounts.
pixelman
April 12, 2022
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The new product will be released on socket AM4 processors and DDR4 memory up to 64 GB
golds
April 12, 2022
Some models only require special kit
golds
January 7, 2022
In addition, the new platform will be relevant for several years and will support the next generation of AMD 9 chips0003
A224
January 4, 2022
This short note looks at three useful utilities from ASRock that make overclocking CPU and memory much easier, some of which work not only on ASRock motherboards. Application scenarios, benefits and benefits are considered.
Nike3G
November 26, 2021
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Failed AMD processors in the last 10 years. Defective sockets and APUs.
Failed Dual Graphics technology and weak RX580. The difficult survival of the company in 2010-2016.
RaddaR
August 7, 2021
AMD Ryzen 7 5700G and Ryzen 5 5600G APU desktop processors AM4 with powerful graphics core are already available in Russian stores.
RaddaR
July 30, 2021
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This is the maximum solution ASUS offers for AMD Ryzen AM4 processors.
RaddaR
June 11, 2021
AMD has released a new video showing how the chips will be connected.
golds
May 25, 2021
New generation will get LGA connector instead of PGA
nine0002 RaddaR
April 22, 2021
Now there will be no reason not to buy a motherboard based on the AMD X570S chipset.
RaddaR
March 26, 2021
The board is made in a minimalistic style, inherent in the entire N7 line.
Chimbal
November 19, 2020
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I have been courting overclocking the BCLK system bus on the AM4 platform for a long time, but for all the time I have found only one easiest way to do this, which I will discuss in this article.
Met74
November 18, 2020
Find out what is the difference between a cheap and expensive motherboard. Why is a budget option enough for 99% of real tasks? How are manufacturers cheating you? Find out the answers in this article. nine0003
Chimbal
November 16, 2020
When it takes a lot of time to experiment with overclocking, many reboots are required, as a result, the performance of the storage subsystem arises, and I am going to solve this issue with a new SSD, at the same time make a useful review on it.
Moleculo
November 5, 2020
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ASRock Introduces X570 Premium Board on Launch Day of Zen3
Processors
Splash Attack
October 10, 2020
Which motherboard owners will be able to try out the Ryzen 5000 before anyone else.
Zystax
August 12, 2020
The processor is the main part in our PCs, on which all other components depend: motherboard, memory, video card.
In this blog, I’ll talk about the reasons why you should now focus only on eight-core processors for gaming PCs. nine0003
Ave
July 24, 2020
AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT, Ryzen 7 3800XT and Ryzen 9 3900XT processors have appeared in Russian stores.
Ave
July 23, 2020
AMD has released a new chipset driver to support AMD Ryzen 4000 G-Series desktop processors.
Flying Bad
July 7, 2020
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We consider the choice of motherboard for gaming and multimedia PC from the point of view of common sense and your potential needs. Main theses. Examples of optimal solutions for different categories of users.
darling
July 7, 2020
New items received improved overclocking qualities and expectedly increased in price
Flying Bad
July 6, 2020
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Review of ASUS TUF B450M-PRO GAMING, one of the best budget motherboards — not so good after a few months of use. Overclocking and testing with VRM temperature measurements.
Ave
June 30, 2020
ASUS has released a new motherboard ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro S based on the B450 chipset.
darling
June 18, 2020
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Yesterday, the first motherboards based on the B550 chipset began to be sold in Western countries. What are the changes compared to the B450 and X570 and which model should I choose? Read the big review from Anandtech experts.
Ave
June 16, 2020
Sales of motherboards based on B550 chipsets for Ryzen AM4 processors have started in Russian stores. Boards from ASUS will cost the buyer a lot. nine0003
Moleculo
June 11, 2020
A number of models appeared in the catalog of the Amazon online platform. The positions were soon deleted, but users managed to capture the prices.
Splash Attack
June 9, 2020
Motherboard manufacturers overclock without user knowledge.
nine0002 Zystax
June 7, 2020
For many years, users have faced a dilemma when upgrading — what to choose, AMD or Intel? This question is very important, because a lot depends on it: price, performance, platform life.
In this blog, I will tell you why you should choose the AMD AM4 platform in 2020.
Flying Bad
May 12, 2020
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Timings or frequency — which is more important for games if you are overclocking DDR4 RAM on an AM4 platform? Does it make sense to chase the maximum frequency, or is it more important to keep acceptable timings?
Flying Bad
May 9, 2020
How are the chipsets for the AM4 platform different? What’s new with the B550? What is the difference between B550 and B550A chipsets? Based on the motherboard with which chipset and build a gaming or multimedia PC in 2020? nine0003
Flying Bad
March 12, 2020
Ryzen, especially with the Zen+ microarchitecture, does not have the highest performance per core when compared to new products from Intel. But let’s see if you can enjoy old games with an already «outdated» Ryzen 7 2700 processor? Test games : Fallout 2 (Nevada mod), The Elder Scroll…
Flying Bad
March 6, 2020
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Review and testing of ASUS TUF B450M-PRO GAMING motherboard paired with Ryzen 7 2700.
General impressions and temperature measurements from radiators on power circuits during the Linpack test. We check the overclocking potential.
Ryzen1200
February 23, 2020
The Ryzen 3 1200 has a good margin in terms of frequency and voltage for overclocking. For many, this processor can be a fairly easy stepping stone to get to know the AM4 platform. nine0003
Chimbal
December 12, 2019
In this article, I will tell you how to overclock the BCLK bus on AM4 motherboards, using the Gigabyte B450 Aorus M
motherboard as an example.
self control
November 7, 2019
In this article we will talk about the shortcomings of the fastening of the ID-Cooling SE-214L cooler and the limit of fasteners for the native backplate supplied with boards with socket AM4. nine0003
ultrafx
August 19, 2019
We study, feel, compare with other processors and see what Socket 1150 is like and what the younger Xeon is capable of in the second half of 2019.
PRIME B450-PLUS｜Motherboard｜ASUS CIS
Flexible
High speed interfaces
Stability and compatibility
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Lighting and virtual reality
1
2 x USB 2.0
2
DVI
3
HDMI
four
USB Type-C™
five
2 x USB 3.1 Gen2
6
Wired network connector
(Gigabit Ethernet)
7
PCIe 3.0 x16 slot
SafeSlot Core Technology
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8
Sound subsystem
- LED lighting
- Electrical insulation for audio components
- Audio separation
- High quality
Japanese capacitors
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DIGI+ voltage stabilizer and EPU chip
10
Support for DDR4-3200 memory (in overclocking mode)
eleven
Processor socket AM4
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M.2 interface (32Gb/s)
(SATA and PCIe x4 modes)
13
Chipset AMD B450
fourteen
6 SATA 6Gb/s ports
15
Front USB 3.
1 Gen1
ASUS Prime B450 series motherboard will not only provide a solid foundation for your first computer, but will also open up wide opportunities for upgrading it as your ambitions increase. Supporting all the functionality of the latest AMD Ryzen processors, it complements it with innovative solutions from ASUS, such as high-quality integrated audio, automatic optimization of system parameters, flexible fan control. ASUS Prime B450 motherboards are the perfect choice for anyone who wants to easily, quickly and affordably build their own PC. nine0003
Flexible configuration
High energy efficiency
Special ASUS EPU chip optimizes computer power consumption, allowing you to achieve significant energy savings. It supports a special mode of operation that cuts off power from unused peripheral controllers.
Flexible cooling settings
The Fan Xpert 4 Core utility allows you to adjust the speed of various fans and the operation of the water cooling pump.
Using flexible settings, you can easily provide efficient cooling with minimal noise. nine0003
Efficient Cooling
The Prime B450 series motherboards offer flexible control over your computer’s cooling system through the UEFI BIOS interface and the dedicated Fan Xpert utility.
Each fan connector can be controlled based on data from three thermal sensors. Moreover, the Fan Xpert utility allows you to set the temperature of some ASUS video cards as a basis for changing the speed of rotation of the system fans.
Connector for maintenance-free water cooling systems with PWM/voltage control.
The motherboard is able to automatically determine the type of regulation of the connected fan (PWM or change in supply voltage).
Each fan header has thermal and overcurrent protection.
*Specifications may vary by product model — refer to specifications page for exact details. All images are for illustration purposes only. nine0003
Speed up your memory!
With clever memory slot layouts, Prime B450 series motherboards keep the latest Ryzen processors stable with a variety of DDR4 modules, from entry-level kits to overclockers.
Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 2700X | RAM: G.Skill F4-3600C18D-16GTZRX (2×8 GB) | Power supply: Corsair RM850i | Water cooling: Corsair h210i
ASUS UEFI BIOS
Prime B450 series motherboards are equipped with an easy-to-use and functional UEFI BIOS interface. nine0003
Fan control — Q-Fan
The user can set the fan speed manually, or by selecting one of the preset adjustment options from “silent” to “maximum speed”. The maximum speed mode is also activated automatically when the temperature reaches 75°.
Search function
«Advanced» BIOS mode is used for deep configuration of the motherboard. The built-in search function will help you quickly find the desired parameters in numerous sections of the convenient user interface.
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Learn more
«Basic» mode
Setup Wizard
It will help you create a RAID array or quickly increase system performance by overclocking the processor.
Intuitive fan control
It is enough to change the shape of the speed control graph with the mouse.
Information about SATA devices
Detailed information about each SATA port will make it easy to recognize the devices connected to them.
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Time setting
Specifying the system date and time using the mouse.
Advanced mode
Favorites
For quick access to frequently used settings, you can add them to a special list.
User profiles
Saving BIOS settings for migrating to a new firmware version or another computer.
Renaming SATA 9 ports0234
For quick identification of connected devices.
High-Speed Interfaces
USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A
Built-in USB 3.1
This motherboard features USB 3.1 Gen 2 (in the form of a standard Type-A connector) with twice the throughput (10Gbps) of USB 3.1 Gen1 capabilities.
*Specifications may vary by product model — refer to specifications page for exact details.
All images are for illustration purposes only. nine0003
Front-facing USB 3.1 Gen1
Connectivity
This motherboard allows you to bring four high-speed USB 3.1 Gen1 ports to the front of your computer case.
*Specifications may vary by product model — refer to specifications page for exact details. All images are for illustration purposes only.
M.2
Built-in M.2 interface
Using four PCI Express 3.0/2.0 lanes, the M.2 interface provides data transfer rates up to 32 Gbps. It is ideal for connecting modern SSDs. nine0003
*Specifications may vary by product model — refer to specifications page for exact details. All images are for illustration purposes only.
AMD StoreMI Technology
Hard Drive Acceleration
AMD StoreMI makes your entire PC more responsive by reducing operating system and application loading times. With it, you can enjoy both the speed advantages of an SSD and the high capacity of a traditional hard drive by automatically transferring your most frequently accessed data to the faster drive.
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Solid State Drive RAID Support
To increase the speed of user memory to unprecedented levels, you can combine a pair of SSDs in PCIe mode into a RAID0 array.
M.2+PCIe
LANGuard
Pumped-up throughput, 2.5x higher surge tolerance
ASUS LANGuard is hardware-level networking protection that employs signal-coupling technology and premium anti-EMI surface-mounted capacitors to ensure a more reliable connection and better throughput. nine0003
Turbo LAN
Network-optimization software for customizable packet prioritization
Turbo LAN with cFosSpeed traffic-shaping technology allows you to configure application priority via an intuitive interface, and reduces network lag.
Stability and Compatibility
Flawless Reliability
As the world’s largest motherboard manufacturer, ASUS is the developer of many innovations that have become industry standards. With years of experience, ASUS is an industry leader in terms of performance, reliability and compatibility of its products.
If you want to build the best computer — use an ASUS motherboard!
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5X
Protection III
Hardware protection for stable operation.
520+
compatible DDR4 modules
Wide compatibility with various brands of DDR4 memory modules.
1000+
compatible devices
Including processors, memory modules, video cards, etc.
8000+
hours of testing
Provides unparalleled performance reliability.
ASUS Prime B450 motherboards boast a long service life with 5X Protection III technology, which includes a range of engineering solutions that protect against electrical overload, corrosion, ESD and other troubles. nine0003
Learn more
SafeSlot Core
Reinforced PCIe Slot
SafeSlot Core technology is a special method of attaching a PCIe slot that provides greater strength and resistance to deformation.
Reinforced solder points around PCIe and DIMM slots.
Network interface protection — LANGuard
For stable operation of a computer network
The wired network connector on ASUS motherboards is equipped with a special protection against static electricity and voltage surges. nine0003
Overload protection
Reliable solution
This motherboard’s power system uses regulators to provide protection against power surges that can occur with less than the highest quality power supplies.
DIGI+ Voltage Regulator
Extremely Stable Power Supply
The DIGI+ digital power system is highly efficient, reliable and stable under any load. nine0003
Overcurrent Protection
Short Circuit Prevention
Built-in fuses are used on the motherboard to prevent overcurrent and short circuits. They protect all components of the device, from peripheral connectors to memory slots.
Stainless Steel Backplate
Enhanced Corrosion Resistance
ASUS motherboards’ backplate is made of stainless steel coated with a thin layer of chromium oxide, which has anti-corrosion properties.
Thanks to this, it boasts a long service life. nine0003
ESD protection
For safe operation
ASUS motherboards are fully protected against potentially dangerous discharges of static electricity: airborne electrostatic discharge up to +/- 10 kV and contact discharge up to +/-6 kV.
1000+
compatible devices
The Prime B450 series compatibility list contains thousands of different devices, including a long list of memory modules. And this means a minimum of problems with self-assembly of a computer based on this motherboard. nine0003
8000+
testing hours
ASUS motherboards are highly reliable products. Each piece is subjected to more than 8,000 hours of extensive testing to ensure reliability exceeds industry standards.
Learn more
Temperature test
Verifies product performance under extreme conditions.
Temperature control test
The low temperature of the components must be maintained even under high load.
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Connector test
All I/O ports are tested for repeated insertion/removal of peripherals.
Durability Test
A 48-hour test that checks the durability of the product.
Energy Test
World class energy efficiency.
Thermal voltage fluctuation test
The motherboard must be able to handle voltage fluctuations caused by changes in temperature. nine0003
Temperature difference test
The ability of the device to withstand temperature changes during transport without problems.
Physical Shock Test
The device must be able to withstand the jolt that normally accompanies transportation.
Failure test
Maximum load test.
Assembly test
Tests the ease of placement of various connectors and slots.
Impact resistance
The ability of the device to survive a fall from various heights is tested.
Corrosion Test
Tests I/O ports for reliable operation and rust resistance.
New standards in sound quality
Captivating sound
For true audiophiles
Innovative engineering and high-quality components ensure a high quality built-in audio system.
Electrical insulation of audio components
Separation of analog and digital sections to minimize interference.
Separate audio wiring
To reduce crosstalk.
Japanese capacitors
Make an invaluable contribution to high sound quality.
*Specifications may vary by product model — refer to specifications page for exact details. All images are for illustration purposes only.
Lighting and virtual reality
Aura Lighting
Outsmarting the competition
To give your PC a touch of personality and brightness, Prime B450-PLUS allows you to connect an LED strip* that can be synchronized with other Aura-compatible ASUS devices (Aura Sync technology).
Learn more >
Static
Ripple
Strobe
Rainbow
Cycle
Comet
Flares 9003 Wave
0230 Yo-yo
Starry night
Music
CPU temperature
* The RGB connector accepts 5050 RGB LED strips up to 3A (12V).
Maximum brightness is obtained when the length of the strip does not exceed 3 m.
LED strips and Aura-compatible products are sold separately.
*Specifications may vary by product model — refer to specifications page for exact details. All images are for illustration purposes only.
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For beautiful computers
LED lighting for PCIe slots and audio components
This motherboard is equipped with colorful LED lighting with various visual effects.
*Specifications may vary by product model — refer to specifications page for exact details. All images are for illustration purposes only.
More than virtual reality
All-in-One
Prime B450 series motherboards bear the “Beyond VR Ready” badge, which means not only full compatibility with modern virtual reality systems, but also high performance needed for any other types of applications: professional, gaming, entertainment.
AM4 socket for AMD processors
This motherboard is compatible with AMD Ryzen processors that are installed in socket AM4.
