The Intel Z490 Overview: 44+ Motherboards Examined
by Gavin Bonshor on April 30, 2020 10:00 AM ESTASUS ROG Maximus XII Hero Wi-Fi
Moving onto the ASUS ROG Maximus XII Hero Wi-Fi, we know this model will be available at launch, with a wide variety of features which targets enthusiasts and gamers. With a solid looking 14+2 power delivery, large heat-pipe connected power delivery heatsinks, and a Thunderbolt 3 header onboard, it offers plenty of variety. Also present is an Intel 5 G Ethernet controller, an Intel Wi-Fi 6 wireless interface, three PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 slots, and six SATA ports.
For the design, ASUS has included PCIe slot armor, with a large rear panel cover and chipset heatsink, both with integrated RGB LEDs. It has three full-length PCIe 3.0 slots which operate at x16, x8/x8, and x8/x8/+4, with three PCIe 3.0 x1 slots. For the storage is three PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 slots, each covered with its own M.2 heatsinks, with six SATA ports with support for RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 arrays. A total of four memory slots are present which has support for DDR4-4700 memory, with a maximum capacity of up to 128 GB. It is using a 14-phase power delivery for the CPU with 60 A power stages operating in teamed mode, by an ASP1405I PWM controller running in a 7+2 configuration.
On the rear panel is one USB 3.2 G2 20 Gbps Type-C, three USB 3.2 G2 10 Gbps Type-A, four USB 3.2 G1 Type-A, and two USB 2.0 ports. It includes a single HDMI 1.4b video output allowing users to use Intel integrated graphics, with a clear CMOS button and BIOS Flashback button. It is using two Ethernet ports, one controlled by an Aquantia AQC111C 5 G controller, with the other powered by an Intel I219-V Gigabit controller. Offering support for both Wi-Fi 6 wireless connectivity and BT 5.1 is an Intel AX201 wireless interface. Finishing off the rear panel is five 3.5 mm audio jacks and S/PDIF optical output which is powered by a SupremeFX S1220 HD audio codec.
The ASUS ROG Maximus XII Hero Wi-Fi has an MSRP of $399 which puts it in the upper area of mid-range, although it does have a premium controller set onboard. It represents the entry-level ROG Maximus XII model in a current stack of high-end models and is the only one of the currently announced Maximus XII models to be available at launch. With a Thunderbolt 3 header, three PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 slots, and support for both two-way NVIDIA SLI and up to three-way AMD CrossFire multi-graphics card setups, the Hero Wi-Fi could be the hero you've been looking for to use as a solid foundation for a powerful gaming-focused setup.
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Andrew LB - Saturday, May 9, 2020 - link
So these boards bring Wifi6, PCI-Express 4.0, gigabit 2.5, and for people like myself who are upgrading from a Z87 board.... just about everything is a huge leap.... yet you think there is just 'more of the same'? I guess if you're one of those idiots who buys a new CPU every year, then clearly this is not the release for you. Nor would AMD's latest offerings if that same metric is applied.So what's your problem with Capitalism? Do incremental design improvements offend you? Or is it profit that does? Hate to break it to you, but its profit motive that fuels innovation. Collectivism is a cancer and by its very nature hinders progress due to it not rewarding exceptionalism. It's why countries like China don't innovate. Otherwise they wouldn't need forced technology transfers from those who manufacture goods in their country.
Zenzdeluxe - Wednesday, September 2, 2020 - link
Thanks for that. The hypocrisy of these people. Imagine imbibing in the fruits of the capitalist system which besides continuing innovation, provides more spoils at lower price points for everyone than ever before. The audacity of such entitlement and seemingly collectivist / marxist based criticism is mind boggling. Cognitive dissonance off the scale indeed.ilkhan - Friday, May 1, 2020 - link
Details page for GIGABYTE Z490 Aorus Pro AX (copy and paste because who can keep them straight otherwise) makes a big deal of no usb-C, but it's there in the picture...ecjp - Friday, May 1, 2020 - link
Yeah, I noticed that too. Gigabytes site shows same picture and lists "1 x USB Type-C™ port on the back panel, with USB 3.2 Gen 2 support" in the specs, so I assume its an error in the article.gavbon - Friday, May 1, 2020 - link
Thanks for picking that up. I must have been writing about the wrong board. Apologies, it's updatedregsEx - Friday, May 1, 2020 - link
"Integrated into the Z490 chipset is an Intel Wi-Fi 6 CNVi which allows motherboard vendors to integrate its AX200 wireless solutions directly from the chipset with a CRF module."CNVi is an old generation 802.11ac controller. Here it is CNVio2. CRF module is AX201. AX200 is a standalone controller that can work on any system. X570 motherboards with 802.11ax support, for example, packs with AX200 card.
lunaticbunny - Friday, May 1, 2020 - link
There are no boards under $200. Seems like this Z490 chipset got the X570 inflation treatment as well.drexnx - Friday, May 1, 2020 - link
just like the X570 boards, they've all got seriously beefed up VRMsand maybe the pcie4 tax wasn't just a cash grab? we'll really see when AMD B550 comes out, where those board prices land
Andrew LB - Saturday, May 9, 2020 - link
Plenty of boards under $200.ASUS Prime Z490M-PLUS
GIGABYTE Z490 AORUS Elite
ASUS TUF Gaming Z490-Plus
ASUS TUF Gaming Z490-Plus wifi
GIGABYTE Z490 UD
MSI Z490-A PRO ProSeries
A bunch of Asrock boards will be under $200 as well. You can see many prices already on Amazon.
dgingeri - Friday, May 1, 2020 - link
It looks like, potentially, at least Gigabyte has decided to include a decent number of USB ports. I can't tell with the Asus board, but all the rest look to have only 6 USB ports, an annoyingly small number. I have been really annoyed with the lack of USB ports on boards for the last 5 years. Heck, with the old 440BX boards, we had 2 ps2, 4 or 6 USB, 1 or 2 serial, and a parallel port. We've lost the other ports, and internal drives in most computers, and not gained USB ports to compensate for it. External hubs aren't going to do it, either, as those stupid things keep dying in a matter of months.