The Intel Z690 Motherboard Overview (DDR4): Over 30+ New Models

GIGABYTE Z690M Aorus Elite AX & Elite (DDR4)

While there is just one micro-ATX sized model on the Z690 chipset with DDR5 support, the majority of what's available in terms of micro-ATX can be found with DDR4 support. One of these is the GIGABYTE Z690M Aorus Elite AX DDR4, which is the smaller sibling of the full-sized Z690 Aorus Elite AX DDR4 model. Both of the Z690 Aorus Elite AX DDR4 models share a similar feature set and aesthetic, although the micro-ATX version uses a lighter black rear panel cover than the ATX model. The GIGABYTE Z690M Aorus Elite AX DDR4 also omits any integrated RGB, unlike the bigger variant which does.

The only difference between the GIGABYTE Z690M Aorus Elite AX and the Z690M Aorus Elite is the regular Elite omits any form of wireless CNVi. Everything else down to the controllers, rear I/O connectivity, and aesthetic is identical.

Due to its smaller size, there's a constraint on PCIe support, with the board featuring just two full-length PCIe slots, including one operating at PCIe 5.0 x16 and the other electronically locked down to PCIe 3.0 x4. Size hasn't limited memory support, however, as the board has four slots in total with support for DDR4-5333 and a total combined capacity of 128 GB. There are also storage options aplenty with three PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slots present, although only one of these features an M.2 heatsink, while six SATA ports with right-angled connectors can also provide RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 array support.

Looking at rear panel connectivity, the GIGABYTE Z690M Aorus Elite AX DDR4 includes one USB 3.2 G2x2 Type-A, one USB 3.2 G2 Type-A, four USB 3.2 G1 Type-A, and four USB 2.0 ports. Users looking to utilize Intel's integrated graphics can use the HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 video output pairing, while onboard audio options include two 3.5 mm audio jacks and S/PDIF optical output which are powered by an unspecified Realtek HD audio codec. GIGABYTE includes an Intel AX201 Wi-Fi 6 CNVi which adds both wireless and BT 5.2 device support, with a single Intel I225-V 2.5 GbE controller providing wired networking access.