The Intel Z490 Overview: 44+ Motherboards Examined
by Gavin Bonshor on April 30, 2020 10:00 AM ESTASRock Z490 Phantom Gaming 4, ac, ax & 2.5G
The ASRock Z490 Phantom Gaming 4 is part of a series of four models which caters towards the entry-level market segment, with each board based upon the same design with silver heatsinks and a silver and black printed PCB. Each model from the Phantom Gaming 4 series on Z490 offers different networking capability. Everything else remains the same across all four PG4 models with two PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 slots, six SATA ports, two full-length PCIe 3.0 slots and a Realtek ALC892 HD audio codec.
ASRock Z490 Phantom Gaming 4/AC Motherboard
The different options available include one base model with Gigabit Ethernet, with another with Gigabit Ethernet plus Wi-Fi 5 support, another with Gigabit and a Wi-Fi 6 wireless interface, and a model with 2.5 G Ethernet. Everything else hardware-wise remains the same with two full-length PCIe 3.0 slots which operate at x16/+4, with three PCIe 3.0 slots. There are two PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 slots, with six SATA ports; four right-angled and two straight angled. For memory, there are four slots with support for up to DDR4-4400 with a maximum capacity of up to 128 GB. ASRock is advertising the Z490 Phantom Gaming 4 and all its variants to include a 10-phase power delivery, which has an 8-pin and 4-pin pair of 12 V ATX CPU power inputs.
ASRock Z490 Phantom Gaming 4/AX Rear Panel
Starting off with networking, the base ASRock Phantom Gaming 4 model includes an Intel I219-V Gigabit Ethernet port, while the Z490 Phantom Gaming 4/ac (Wi-Fi 5) and ax (Wi-Fi 6) variants include a wireless interface. The ASRock Z490 Phantom Gaming 4/2.5G includes a Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5 G Ethernet controller but doesn't include wireless connectivity. Across all four Z490 Phantom Gaming 4 models are one USB 3.2 G2 Type-C, one USB 3.2 G2 Type-A, two USB 3.2 G1 Type-A, and two USB 2.0 ports. There is a single HDMI video output, a PS/2 combo port, and three 3.5 mm audio jacks powered by a Realtek ALC892 HD audio codec.
The ASRock Z490 Phantom Gaming series offers good value for money on paper, especially for users building an affordable gaming system featuring a single NVIDIA graphics card, or two supported AMD Radeon cards in single or two-way Crossfire. It has a budget controller set, but ASRock offers variety, all at a similar price point.
The base ASRock Z490 Phantom Gaming 4 model has an MSRP of $150, while the Z490 Phantom Gaming 4/ac, while the ASRock Z490 Phantom Gaming 4/2.5G has a price tag of $160, just $10 more for 2.5 G Ethernet. We currently don't have pricing for the Z490 Phantom Gaming 4/ac and ax models at this time.
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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.