Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Master review: A motherboard worthy of Intel’s best

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The introduction of Intel’s Alder Lake platform with the Z690 chipset brings with it thrilling next-generation expertise. PCI-E Generation 5 and DDR5 are among the many headliners, with assist for the 12900Okay CPU taking among the limelight, too.  

Of course, costs have additionally elevated, and among the new cutting-edge expertise can have diminishing returns (and be complicated, corresponding to various assist for DDR4 or DDR5).  

I’ll go over the specs and have set for the Z690 Master, what CPUs to pair it with, and whether or not it’s the appropriate motherboard for you on this new high-tech atmosphere. (Spoiler alert: It packs some options discovered solely in rather more costly choices!)  

Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Master: The specs

Much just like the Asus Hero lineup of motherboards, the Gigabyte Master goals to please the fanatic crowd with out breaking the financial institution. Sure, the corporate’s Xtreme variants pack extra options, however they’re typically overkill. Do be aware that the majority MSRPs have elevated for the reason that earlier technology, however the Master nonetheless is available in at an inexpensive $469 (particularly contemplating the function set, as you’ll discover out under).  

Thiago Trevisan / Foundry

Here are some essential specs to pay attention to for the Z690 Master:

• Wider E-ATX 12×10.2 inches  
• Intel 12th-gen LGA 1700 CPUs solely 
• 19+1+2 digital section energy with 105an influence stage 
• DDR5 RAM solely 
• PCI-E Gen 4 and Gen 5  
• Five M.2 slots 
• Single 16x GPU PCI-E Gen 5, others 4x 
• 10 USB ports on again, one is USB-C Gen 2   
• Wi-Fi 6E  
• 10Gb Ethernet LAN 
• ESS Sabre Hi-Fi 9118 DAC  
• RGB Fusion with two 3-pin and two 4-pin RGB headers 
• Q Flash button on rear  
• 10 fan and water cooling headers  
• 6 SATA 6 GB/s ports  

Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Master: Unique options

This is the place the magic occurs, and the way the Z690 Master proves itself as worth, too. The spec record above is spectacular, so let’s dig in to among the highlights and digest their real-world perks (and disadvantages).  

Positive options:  

1. 10Gbe networking is right here, a function generally discovered on many dearer motherboards. 

2. Wi-Fi 6E comes customary. 

3. Five slots for M.2 places this in workstation-level territory.

4. You’ll get nice energy levels and VRM to deal with even the highly effective Intel 12900Okay.  

5. It provides a premium really feel with out the premium worth—it’s a fantastic worth at a $469 MSRP. 

Thiago Trevisan / Foundry

Downsides: 

1. DDR5 assist solely, and also you’ll probably need to stick to 2 DIMNs as an alternative of 4 with a purpose to get the totally rated speeds. DDR5 can also be dearer.  

2. LGA 1700 implies that you’ll want a bracket or new CPU cooler—LGA 1200 coolers won’t work, not like Asus’s Z690 motherboards that assist each out of the field.  

3. 16x PCI-E Gen 5 on the highest slot solely; multi-GPU assist isn’t an choice should you want 8x/8x. 4x Gen 3 on the opposite slots are good for PCI-E playing cards, sound playing cards, and so forth., however not a second 8x GPU for workstation or NVLink use.  

4. E-ATX means that is wider than a typical ATX motherboard, particular care should be taken with construct dimensions and case measurement.  

Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Master: Design

Beauty is within the eye of the beholder, and the Z690 Master definitely is engaging. At this worth vary, you’ll begin to see design niceties corresponding to “armor plates” for the M.2 and VRM areas, tasteful RGB and shows, together with sometimes larger construct high quality.

In reality, should you place the Master subsequent to the rather more costly Z690 Gigabyte Aorus “Xtreme” variant, you’ll need to look exhausting to identify the variations. RGB is tastefully executed on the motherboard, with two most important areas that gentle up and might be personalized with Gigabyte’s RGB Fusion software program.  

Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Master: Performance and BIOS

The Z690 Gigabyte Aorus Master is nicely geared up to deal with even the spicy Intel 12900Okay. Packing 105a in its 19+1+2 energy design, overclocking might be no sweat. This is definitely overkill, because the VRMs will stay decidedly cool. But we’re used to seeing overkill energy levels on extra higher-priced choices, so it’s nice to see it at this worth degree.  

Ideally, this motherboard is paired with a higher-end Intel 12th-gen CPU such because the 12900Okay or 12700Okay. (Check out Gordon Ung’s 12900K review). But it packs a gorgeous sufficient function set that those that don’t want super CPU energy could even go for the 12600Okay and nonetheless get nice efficiency (and entry to 10GbE LAN, 5 M.2 slots, and so forth.).  

If you do need to check these VRMs, the Gigabyte BIOS has improved through the years, making it usually simple to navigate and regulate settings as wanted. There’s loads of tinkering to do right here, however remember the fact that fashionable overclocking has diminishing returns as these chips already run quick out of the field.  

Memory XMP profiles work nicely with DDR5, with one caveat: Any Z690 motherboard at current has hassle with 4 sticks of DDR5 and XMP; you’ll be restricted to base speeds. This could be a bummer should you’re taking a look at a number of sticks for larger capability, so that you’ll need to decide up bigger capability twin kits as an alternative to maximise XMP speeds.  

Bottom line

With a brand new age of tech lastly reaching motherboards, the Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Master presents a reasonably good worth proposition that’s chock filled with options. For $469, you’re getting Wi-Fi 6E, 10GbE networking, 5 M.2 slots, and a gorgeous design. Sure, PCI-E Gen 5 and DDR5 should not mature but, however they’re right here and provides you with some future proofing, too.  

Keep in thoughts it’s a wider E-ATX setup and would require a CPU bracket for LGA 1700, plus DDR5 RAM. Otherwise, it’s a well-known expertise that advantages from a beneficiant function set and an much more masterful pricing degree.