Is ROG Maximus Z790 the most complete LGA 1700 motherboard? See Review

Even with the imminent launch of Intel Core Ultra 200S processors and the arrival of a new socket, the Raptor Lake generation and the LGA-1700 socket still have a lot of gas to burn. Packed with good features, Z790 motherboards are the best choice for the enthusiast audience, and the ROG Maximus Z790 Hero shows that it is one of the best in its category.

O TecMundo received the ROG Maximus Z790 Hero for testing and after a few weeks of use, we saw the power of the mainboard. With a robust construction and cutting-edge technologies, such as intelligent overclocking and support for PCIe Gen 5, the model is a top-of-the-line option, but it comes at a high price.

Design

Like Asus’ other premium products, the ROG Maximus Z790 Hero has an imposing design with an eye-catching look. Right away, the most noticeable thing is its robust I/O structure with a silver plate similar to a mirror that, when turned on, has RGB lighting to show the ROG symbol full of details.

The I/O plate can be customized with different colors and made using Polymo technology.Source: Felipe Vidal/TecMundo

Heavy, the motherboard is almost entirely made of metal, after all, it doesn’t even make sense to equip a product of this magnitude with simple plastic. The PCB also leaves nothing to be desired and was manufactured in eight layers.

It is worth remembering that this is a mainboard that meets the ATX format and does not fit in any case. At the rear, the model is also equipped with a metallic backplate responsible for protecting the integrated circuit tracks and helping with cooling, in addition to giving an even more premium touch to the piece.

The backplate also protects the product from scratches that could damage performance.Source: Felipe Vidal/TecMundo

It’s no surprise the care Asus took when manufacturing this motherboard, something the company knows how to do, especially with the Z790 chipset. For this reason, there are few competing models — and from the brand itself — that have this level of visual and construction quality.

Strong construction

As it is an enthusiast segment motherboard, made to handle processors such as the Intel Core i9-13900K and the hot 14900K, the ROG Maximus Z790 Hero has a series of components to support these CPUs. Just above the socket region, there are the VRMs in a 21-phase power supply scheme with a maximum limit of 90 amps, in addition to a series of microfine alloy coils to handle the power flow from the processors more demanding.

The power connectors are also very strong, especially the top connector for the CPUs. In this case, the two eight-pin fittings were made with ProCool III technology to guarantee more stability, something that is really confirmed when checking the number of watts required by the GPU and maintaining a reliable stream.

The motherboard uses large, heavy heatsinks to cool the system.Source: Felipe Vidal/TecMundo

Speaking of this energy flow, the Taiwanese manufacturer inserted a Digi+ ASP2205 PWM controller using a grouped energy architecture, taking power through the MOSFETs towards the CPU more smoothly.

The other connectors also offer good reliability and do not show signs of rapid wear, especially the motherboard, fan and addressable RGB ports.

The heat dissipation system is equally robust, with thick heatsinks on top for the coils and MOSFETs, as well as plates to cool the M. 2 SSD and the chipset with greater efficiency.

The bottom of the mainboard features large metal plates that protect the M. 2 slots and cool the chipset.Source: Felipe Vidal/TecMundo

Connections, M.2 and RAM

Naturally, as it is an ATX motherboard, the ROG Maximus Z790 Hero has a long list of connections for the most demanding users. These small connectors range from pins for fans, RGB systems, front panel, etc./. Check out the full list below:

• 7x Connections for fans and water cooler pump;
• Header para liquid cooling;
• Motherboard connector;
• 2x Processor connector;
• SATA (6x);
• USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C for front panel;
• Header USB 3.2 Gen 1;
• Header USB 2.0;
• Gen 2 addressable connector;
• Header RGB Aura;
• Jumper de CPU over voltage;
• FlaxKey;
• Header for front panel;
• Retry button;
• On/off button;
• Conector F_Panel;
• Thermal information sensor;
• Q-Code LED;
• Q-LEDs;
• Storage Device Activity LED;
• LED for 8-pin plug.

Just like every self-respecting motherboard should have, this model has an LED full of numbers to report any errors on the motherboard, which the user can check in the instruction manual. There are also On/Off and Retry buttons integrated into the PCB, which make life a lot easier when assembling the PC and avoid techniques such as the famous short circuit to turn on the PC indirectly.

The ROG Maximus Z790 Hero’s range of connections doesn’t disappoint.Source: Felipe Vidal/TecMundo

For those who need a lot of SSDs, the ROG Z790 has three M.2 connectors, all three of which are natively compatible with PCI Gen 4. In the box, the company sends a PCIe card to be connected internally, the ROG Hyper M. 2 Card, which allows you to insert two more PCIe Gen 4 or one Gen 5 SSDs and expand storage.

ROG Hyper is an interesting feature, but it will only be used by those who need a lot of storage. As we don’t have any PCIe Gen 5 SSDs on hand, we were unable to test the performance of the M.2 connectors with the new technology in action.

On the other hand, the main board has four DDR5 memory slots for up to 192 GB of RAM at 7,300 MT/s or more. This value depends on the type of memory used and the technology for increasing frequencies, which in our case was Intel’s XMP on an overclocked 7,200 MT/s Kingston Fury Renegade.

RAM memory modules are reinforced to prevent breakage.Source: Felipe Vidal/TecMundo

Overclock inteligente

Even though Intel has its own smart overclocking technology with XTU, Asus has AI Overclocking. The technology is activated in the BIOS and profiles the CPU’s capabilities with the available cooling to increase operating frequencies, but I still think it’s better and safer to use a technique like Intel XTU, but enthusiast users will certainly look for manual solutions for cards like that.

Audio and connectivity

Although it is a feature somewhat overlooked by many users, the ROG Maximus Z790 Hero has an enviable sound system, as it comes with DTS Sound Unbound technology for 3D spatial audio. The board also has a quad Dac ESS ES9218 amplifier to generate less noise, and an ALC4082 encoder with 32-bit resolution and up to 384 kHz.

For I/O port connectivity, the ROG Z790 has five USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 2 connections, four USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1, one USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, two USB Type-C ports with Thunderbolt 4, one HDMI 2.1 input, RJ45 connector for 2.5 Gb Intel internet, five audio connectors, Wi-Fi module for external antennas, Clear CMOS button, optical port and BIOS FlashBack button.

The ROG Maximus Z790 Hero’s I/O has a specific USB port for BIOS updates.Source: Felipe Vidal/TecMundo

As for wireless connection, this motherboard is equipped with an integrated network card to accept Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

What comes in the ROG Maximus Z790 Hero box?

• 1x ARGB RGB extension cable
• 4x SATA 6Gb/s cables1 x plate
• ROG Hyper M.2 with heatsink
• 2x packs of M.2 screws for ROG Hyper M.2 board
• 1x thermal pad para M.2
• 1x DDR5 fan bracket
• 1x VRM fan bracket
• 1x ASUS Wi-Fi Mobile Antenna
• 3x pacotes Q-Latch para backplate M.2
• 3x M.2 backplate rubber packs
• 1x Q-connector
• 1x ROG sticker
• 1x ROG keychain
• 1x ROG VIP card
• USB com drivers
• Quick Start Guide

ROG Hyper M.2 card in half and part of the ROG Maximus Z790 Hero’s additional items.Source: Felipe Vidal/TecMundo

Is the ROG Maximus Z790 Hero worth buying?

It’s not hard to imagine how good the ROG Maximus Z790 Hero is as a high-end motherboard for the LGA-1700 socket. Therefore, it is fair to say that this motherboard is one of the best found in Brazil, as it covers the entire spectrum of premium configurations and has a kit of cutting-edge features, parts, and items.

The ROG Maximus Z790 is the right choice for enthusiasts, but only this niche needs this motherboard.Source: Felipe Vidal/TecMundo

As stated at the beginning, however, this quality comes at a price that is not cheap. The ROG Maximus Z790 Hero costs around R$4,000 in Brazilian retail and is an exceptional product for what it proposes, but with this price it alienates an overwhelming portion of users with a more limited budget.

Of course, you can’t expect a motherboard of this size to be cheap, but only enthusiast users need a product like this. Boards like the ROG TUF Z790-H, AORUS Z790 Elite, MSI Tomahawk, or a ROG Strix B760 already handle Intel Core i9 processors without problems and cost less than half the price of the ROG Maximus Z790 Hero.

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