The Intel Z690 Motherboard Overview (DDR5): Over 50+ New Models
by Gavin Bonshor on November 9, 2021 9:00 AM ESTASUS Prime Z690-P WIFI (DDR5) & Z690-P (DDR5)
Sitting at the entry-level of the Z690 models from ASUS for the launch of Intel's 12th generation of desktop processors are the ASUS Prime Z690-P WIFI and Prime Z690-P. Both of these models share an identical PCB and aesthetic, with all the same features except one. The Z690-P WIFI includes an Intel Wi-Fi 6 CNVi, while the Z690-P does not. Focusing on the design, the Prime Z690-P WIFI and Z690-P include a black and white patterned PCB, with simplistic silver heatsinks with diagonal lines that fit and match with the rest of the PCB. There is no fancy RGB LED lighting integrated into any section of the board, but ASUS does include three addressable RGB headers and two Aura RGB headers for users to add their own.
Included for PCIe support is a total of five slots that consists of one full-length PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, one full-length PCIe 4.0 x4 slot, two full-length PCIe 3.0 x4 slots, and one smaller PCIe 3.0 x1 slot. For storage, there's three PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slots, with one of these supporting SATA drives too. Both the ASUS Prime Z690-P WIFI and Z690-P also include four straight-angled SATA ports that can support RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 arrays. ASUS has also provided four memory slots that are capable of supporting up to DDR5-6000, with a combined capacity of up to 128 GB.
The ASUS Prime Z690-P (without the Wi-Fi 6 CNVi that the Z690-P WIFI includes)
The only difference between both the Prime Z690-P WIFI and Z690-P is that the WIFI version includes an Intel Wi-Fi 6 CNVi, while the other does not. Everything else is the same, including one USB 3.2 G2x2 Type-C, one USB 3.2 G2 Type-A, two USB 3.2 G1 Type-A, and two USB 2.0 ports. There's also one Realtek RTL8125 2.5 GbE port, a PS/2 combo port, and five 3.5 mm audio jacks and S/PDIF optical output powered by an unspecified Realtek ALC HD audio codec.
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Oxford Guy - Wednesday, November 10, 2021 - link
Creating more fiat bills has consequences. Congress literally printed money to give to lobbyists as part of ‘Covid relief’.fcth - Wednesday, November 10, 2021 - link
Sad to see only one mATX board, though at least it looks like a decent (if expensive) option.Mite - Wednesday, November 10, 2021 - link
Can ASUS Z690 Maximus Extreme run PCIe 5.0 x16 GPU and PCIe 5.0 x4 M.2 SSD concurrently? Will the GPU (PCIe 5.0 x16 slot 1) drop to PCIe 5.0 x8 instead when SSD is installed on the PCIe 5.0 x4 (M2 slot)?Kakkoii - Wednesday, November 10, 2021 - link
MSI does show the Audio Codec... just not on the simplified summary. You guys have to click the "Detail" tab on the Specifications page for a given board. All the boards show which audio they're using.The Carbon for example has ALC4080.
gavbon - Thursday, November 18, 2021 - link
At the time of writing, even the detail sections of the specifications didn't show them. On top of this, all of the information we received prior to launch mentioned no specific HD audio codecs. I will update this though :)JackNJ - Friday, November 12, 2021 - link
The GIGABYTE Z690I Aorus Ultra is not DDR5 I think?chavv - Friday, November 12, 2021 - link
5 m2 slots?How is this useful for a normal user?!
Or 600$ mobo for desktop usage?!
World gone mad
mode_13h - Saturday, November 13, 2021 - link
For RAID, obviously. That borderline makes sense. If you're running a 4 or 5-drive RAID of SSDs in a consumer rig, it's more cost-effective and still plenty fast to use SATA. And I think it's not unreasonable to expect anyone using M.2 drives to put them in a PCIe carrier card, which will have better cooling potential anyhow.sunmobo - Friday, November 12, 2021 - link
You've included MSI's ITX variant in the list (MEG Z690I Unify) but I can't seem to find it on their website. Although if you google you'll find a few mentions on some shops, without pics. Is this because MSI is still working on the board, or?gavbon - Thursday, November 18, 2021 - link
It's likely to launch soon, but it does and will exist.