The Intel Z590 Motherboard Overview: 50+ Motherboards Detailed
by Gavin Bonshor on January 19, 2021 10:15 AM ESTASRock Z590 Phantom Gaming 4 and 4/AC
The ASRock Z590 Phantom Gaming 4 AC and the non-WiFi version, the Z590 Phantom Gaming 4, represent its entry-level. It follows a fundamental layout, with much smaller heatsinks than the more high-end Z590 PG Velocita. It includes a pair of silver power delivery heatsinks, which cool the advertised 8-phase VRM, and a small silver chipset heatsink.
The ASRock Z590 Phantom Gaming 4/AC and Z590 Phantom Gaming share identical features, minus the Wi-Fi on the non AC version. Located towards the board's center are two full-length PCIe slots, with the top slot operating at PCIe 4.0 x16 and the second slot locked at PCIe 3.0 x4. It also includes three PCIe 3.0 x1 slots, with three M.2 slots. The M.2 slots include a PCIe 4.0 x4 slot at the top and two PCIe 3.0 x4/SATA M.2 slots, with six SATA ports supporting RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 arrays. The top right-hand corner is four memory slots with support for DDR4-4800 and can accommodate up to 128 GB.
The rear panel is basic, with the Z590 Phantom Gaming 4/AC including an Intel Wi-Fi 5 CNVi. Both models share the rest, including 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. Powering the single RJ45 port is an unspecified Gigabit Ethernet controller, while an older Realtek ALC897 HD audio codec drives the three 3.5 mm audio jacks. Finishing off the rear panel is one HDMI video output, with a PS/2 keyboard and mouse combo port for legacy peripherals.
At the time of writing, ASRock hasn't shared details on its Z590 pricing.
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WaltC - Wednesday, January 20, 2021 - link
If my x570 Aorus Master fan is "active", it has sure fooled me...;) It is not audible.Makaveli - Wednesday, January 20, 2021 - link
I'm on a Asus Prime X570-Pro for just over a year now and I've not heard the chipset fan once totally overblown issue. Drama queens!Samus - Thursday, January 21, 2021 - link
I think it's impressive Intel kept a PCIe4.0 chipset down to 6w TDP. Definitely doesn't need active cooling.Slash3 - Sunday, January 24, 2021 - link
The chipset isn't Gen4.Spunjji - Wednesday, January 20, 2021 - link
Not surprised if they're expecting users to overclock chips that will exceed 200W at stock settings. 😬YB1064 - Thursday, January 21, 2021 - link
Is it just me or are the MSRPs listed utterly insane? Intel has been relegated to a poor man's AMD, yet these crazy prices? As they say, a fool and his money are soon parted.Samus - Saturday, January 23, 2021 - link
I don't think it's actually the chipset costs that are inflating the price of the boards, but the ridiculous power circuit and components required to deliver over 200w of power to the CPU's in order for these board makers to take advantage of PL2.fundead - Wednesday, August 4, 2021 - link
I thought the active fan is for the 10 gig networking chip. It is facing that heatsink which is right next to the vrm heatsink.damianrobertjones - Tuesday, January 19, 2021 - link
Looking at the prices, I'm really, REALLY glad that I bought an AORUS Z490 Elite (£154, new) from eBay. I just don't understand the prices.aidan - Wednesday, January 20, 2021 - link
I've just done exactly the same, no regrets whatsoever