The Intel Z690 Motherboard Overview (DDR4): Over 30+ New Models
by Gavin Bonshor on November 24, 2021 2:00 PM ESTASRock Z690 PG Riptide (DDR4)
From all of ASRock's offerings supporting the launch of Intel's 12th generation of Alder Lake processors, the Z690 PG Riptide is perhaps the most premium of its Phantom Gaming series that uses DDR4 memory. Looking at the design of the ASRock Z690 PG Riptide, it has a cool RGB-enabled logo built into the chipset heatsink. It's using a pair of black power delivery heatsinks, with one of these doubling up as the board's rear panel cover. As with all of ASRock's Z690 models, it is including its patent-pending GPU holder, which is designed to reduce sag when used with heavy and long graphics cards.
For PCIe devices, ASRock includes one full-length PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, with a second full-length PCIe 4.0 x4, and three smaller PCIe 3.0 x1 slots. Exploring the board's storage options, there's a total of three M.2 slots, with two supporting PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 drives, and one with support for PCIe 3.0 x4 and SATA varieties. There are also eight SATA ports with support for Intel RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 arrays. Located in the top right-hand corner are four memory slots, with support for DDR4-4800, and a combined capacity of 128 GB.
One the rear panel of the ASRock Z690 PG Riptide (DDR4) is one USB 3.2 G2x2 Type-C, two USB 3.2 G2 Type-A, two USB 3.2 G1 Type-A, and two USB 2.0 ports. For networking, ASRock includes a Killer E3100G 2.5 GbE controller, while the five 3.5 mm audio jacks and S/PDIF optical for the audio are powered by a Realtek ALC897 HD audio codec. Finishing off the rear panel is a single HDMI 2.1 video output, a small BIOS Flashback button, and a PS/2 combo port.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
42 Comments
View All Comments
DigitalFreak - Wednesday, November 24, 2021 - link
The ASUS ROG Strix Z690-A Gaming WIFI D4 has a header and BIOS support for a TB4 add-in card. That's probably the best you're going to get on a Z690 DDR4 board.tamilgun - Monday, January 10, 2022 - link
i love intel system ..very good speedy systemhttps://tamilguns.net/
DigitalFreak - Wednesday, November 24, 2021 - link
ASUS ROG Strix Z690-A Gaming WIFI D4 (DDR4) - " On the memory front, there are four memory slots, with support for DDR5-6400 and a combined capacity of 128 GB."That's what happens when you copy / paste. :-)
meacupla - Wednesday, November 24, 2021 - link
I wonder if mobo makers will bother with DDR4/5 combo mobos this time around.Oxford Guy - Thursday, November 25, 2021 - link
I recall reading here that it's not possible to have an Alder Lake board with support for both RAM types. That is re-affirmed here with this less clear wording:'Intel's Alder Lake and Z690 combined actually offer support for both DDR5 and DDR4 memory. This means that those motherboard vendors either have to build their motherboards for one or the other, so it's Z690 with DDR5 or Z690 with DDR4, and no in-between.'
TheinsanegamerN - Sunday, November 28, 2021 - link
That's no different from skylake with ddr3/4, or phenom with ddr3/2. You can have both slots on one motherboard, but can only use one at a time. So will they make a board with two slots for both?Oxford Guy - Thursday, December 2, 2021 - link
The article here said hybrid boards aren’t going to happen. Intel either doesn’t want them or there is some other reason. That is what I remember reading. It doesn’t appear to be the same situation vis-a-vis one or more previous platforms where hybrid boards were made.stayfrosty - Wednesday, November 24, 2021 - link
The ASRock Z690M Phantom Gaming 4 does not do x8/x8 unfortunately :( If both x16 slots are used they can only do x16/x4And so my search continues for a x8/x8 capable z690 ddr4 board that's actually available to buy in Europe :/
Spoelie - Wednesday, November 24, 2021 - link
It's curious that I can't find anywhere in the MSI documentation any confirmation that the MSI Pro Z690-A WIFI DDR4 actually includes WIFI 6E support rather than 6 -- just looking at the spec sheet would let one suspect it is only supporting 6 (only mentioning 2.4 & 5ghz bands, not 6)timecop1818 - Wednesday, November 24, 2021 - link
Why would anyone give a fuck about Wi-Fi on a desktop board. I'm more angry that Asus decided to remove Intel lan on ddr4 boards in favor of realtek shit. I'm talking about prime/etc series not the gaudy gaymer shit.