Intel has officially pulled back the curtain on its 14th Gen Core CPUs, giving gamers, creators, enthusiasts, and everyday users a new tier of processors that elevate everything they do. We've already teased several of our Z790 motherboards purpose-built for the latest Intel Core CPUs, but now we're ready to share all the details.
In total, we're releasing seven new Z790 motherboards for your consideration as you hunt for the best motherboard for your 14th Gen Intel CPU. Our cutting-edge ROG Maximus motherboard family is expanding with the ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero, the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore, and the ROG Maximus Z790 Formula. For gamers everywhere, we're expanding our ROG Strix lineup with three new models, and fans of our TUF Gaming series will be pleased to see the TUF Gaming Z790-Pro WiFi make its debut. These new motherboards join our existing Z790 and Z690 motherboards, which also support Intel's latest and greatest chips through a simple firmware update. There's a lot to go over with the new additions to our Z790 motherboard family: they mark the debut of our first WiFi 7 motherboards, for one, and we're increasing the number of models with onboard PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots. They offer our latest game-changing innovations like DIMM Flex, and they make the process of building a PC easier than ever with their DIY-friendly features.
Stealthy looks and stellar performance: the ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero
Other colors wax and wane in popularity, but black has a timeless quality that never goes out of style. The ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero doubles down on the shadowy tones to create a show-stopping aesthetic. Polymo lighting on the I/O shroud sets it all off with the perfect accent. This microstructural array of light and color features two layers of RGB lighting that work in tandem to display a luminous ROG design.
We back the stealthy good looks of this ROG Z790 motherboard with a cutting-edge feature set. Dual Thunderbolt 4 connectors at the rear panel stand ready to support next-generation peripherals at full speed, and next-gen ROG SupremeFX audio paired with an ESS ES9218 Quad-DAC for front-panel connections provides crisp, clear gaming audio no matter what headset or speakers you plug into your PC. A USB 20 Gbps connector gives you a high-bandwidth USB Type-C port on your front panel - and Quick Charge 4+ support means that this port can rapidly recharge a connected device like your smartphone, too. Three Gen 2 addressable RGB LED headers and one traditional four-pin lighting header coordinate the illumination of your build perfectly with Aura Sync.
Planning to overclock one of Intel's top-shelf CPUs? The ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero offers a 20+1+2 teamed power stage topology to power the CPU vCore and onboard graphics processor. Each power stage is rated for up to 90 A of output, and they provide the cleanest possible power delivery to the processor, even under the highest loads.
The ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero's ample M.2 support gives you high-end options for building out a speedy and spacious storage system. The onboard PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot lets you install one of the fastest drives on the market, and 4 additional PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots let you supplement your storage even further with additional drives.
The ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero gives you high-end networking options. WiFi 7 support will let you access the latest generation of wireless networking when you pair this motherboard with a WiFi 7 router. For those who prefer wired connections, a high-bandwidth 2.5 Gb Ethernet port awaits.
Finally, this motherboard simplifies your build process and provides helpful diagnostics tools. The pre-mounted I/O shield eases an important installation step, and the PCIe Slot Q-Release button and M.2 Q-Latch system streamline the process of installing and upgrading your graphics card and storage drives.
Memory overclocking powerhouse: the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore
When professional overclockers look for a motherboard ready to provide a platform for record-breaking memory performance, they often turn first to our Apex motherboards. The original ROG Maximus Z790 Apex helped the ASUS Republic of Gamers overclocking team push an Intel CPU past the 9 GHz barrier - and now we're gearing up for round two with the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore.
This motherboard's robust power solution provides a high-end platform for exceptional performance. Raw power enters the board through 8+8 ProCool II power connectors. The solid pins in these connectors offer better contact with PSU plugs, improved heat dissipation, and better reliability over common hardware. A 24-phase vCore and 2-phase VCCAUX teamed power stages rated for up to 105 A deliver stable power to your CPU, and beefy VRM heatsinks keep the circuitry cool under pressure.
New for the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore, we're introducing a new way to extract the full performance of your PC hardware. The included ROG DDR5 Fan Kit lets you keep temperatures on your memory modules low with a high-performance fan directing cooling air across the memory slots. This cooling solution solidifies DDR5 stability to unleash memory overclocking - with the right kit, speeds of 8400+ MT/s are possible.
For those using a liquid cooling loop to keep temperatures low, the ROG Water Cooling Zone puts you in command. ROG Water-Cooling Zone's dual water-temperature headers and flow-rate header feed information straight into ROG's intuitive Fan Xpert 4 utility, letting you stay on top of the heat and stay cool in every game.
ASUS-exclusive intelligent controls make it easy for you to optimize your experience. AI Overclocking fine-tunes your CPU for high-end performance with just a couple clicks. It uses dedicated onboard microcontrollers to track temperatures and frequency telemetry, and then passes that data through an advanced algorithm coded by experts to overclock your system. AI Cooling II monitors your CPU and uses the data from its stress test to calculate the lowest fan speed required to effectively cool your system—while keeping noise levels low. To make sure that you have all the tools you need for testing and monitoring your memory, we include a 1-year subscription for AIDA64 Extreme, and you'll find Memtest 86+ pre-installed in the ROG UEFI BIOS.
Water-cooled excellence: the ROG Maximus Z790 Formula
Perhaps you're plotting a build with a custom liquid cooling loop or assembling a crew of white-themed components for your next PC. Take a look at the ROG Maximus Z790 Formula. Pristine white surfaces across its heatsinks and integrated I/O shroud give it a standout look that's accented by the customizable 2-inch OLED display built into the heatsink for the central M.2 slot. The new all-copper HybridChill VRM block offers standout passive cooling, and it's easy to connect to your custom loop for even more cooling power.
As an ROG Maximus motherboard, the ROG Maximus Z790 Formula delivers an enviable feature set. You'll find a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports and a fleet of high-speed USB ports on the rear panel. Wi-Fi 7 and a 5 Gb Ethernet port give you rock-solid, high-bandwidth networking. And the ROG SupremeFX audio solution serves up pristine sound for your gaming experiences.
The new standard for gaming: the ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi II
ROG Strix motherboards take the basic DNA of our ROG Maximus series and distill it into more attainable designs that provide exceptional gaming performance and outspoken style. The highest-performance model in the lineup is the ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi II.
With its PCIe 5.0 x16 slot and onboard PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot, this is the ROG Strix motherboard to get if you have a hankering for the best graphics cards and SSDs of today and tomorrow. It offers a robust power solution primed for overclocking, WiFi 7, and a connector ready to help you set up a high-speed front-panel USB Type-C port with 30 W PD fast-charge.
A potent blend of style and performance: the ROG Strix Z790-F Gaming WiFi II
Perhaps you're tempted by the style of the ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi II, but you don't have an immediate need for that motherboard's PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot. Take a look at the ROG Strix Z790-F Gaming WiFi II.
In many ways, the ROG Strix Z790-F Gaming WiFi II is quite similar to its elder brother. It boasts a next-gen PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, WiFi 7, a premium ROG SupremeFX audio solution, and five total onboard M.2 slots. Some sensible subtractions from the spec sheet differentiate this motherboard from the ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi II - its M.2 slots are all wired for PCIe 4.0 speeds, its VRM doesn't have quite as many power stages, and it doesn't offer as many USB 10 Gbps ports on its rear panel. Yet its lower price point should make it a compelling option for PC builders for whom those features are tempting luxuries, not strict necessities.
White surfaces and abundant gaming power: The ROG Strix Z790-A Gaming WiFi II
The ROG Strix Z790-A Gaming WiFi II moves the series forward with more connectivity, refined VRM cooling, and more storage options. The ROG Strix Z790-A Gaming WiFi II stands ready to serve as the foundation for your white-themed build with its striking white and silver I/O shroud and heatsinks, each an eye-catching contrast to the black PCB. Even the ASUS WiFi Q-Antenna is draped in luxurious white so that your build has a cohesive aesthetic.
As a WiFi 7 motherboard, the ROG Strix Z790-A Gaming WiFi II will make waves with its support for the latest wireless standard alone. But that's far from the only upgrade offered by the ROG Strix Z790-A Gaming WiFi II. We've boosted its M.2 slot count up to five, and each of those slots has robust cooling with a built-in heatsink. The rear I/O selection now includes a total of 12 USB ports to ensure that you have the connectivity that you need. And we've bolstered the VRM cooling solution with massive heatsinks and high-conductivity thermal pads.
New smarts, same heart: the TUF Gaming Z790-Pro WiFi
PC builders everywhere trust TUF Gaming to deliver essential gaming features, a no-frills aesthetic, and reliable performance. The TUF Gaming Z790-Pro WiFi carves new territory for the family with features that used to be the sole domain of our most cutting-edge motherboards.
The TUF Gaming Z790-Pro WiFi offers access to AI Overclocking, a first for the TUF Gaming family of ASUS Intel motherboards. Novice builders will appreciate how it allows them to easily elevate the performance of their build. Advanced PC enthusiasts can take advantage of AI Overclocking to establish a baseline for their tweaking efforts. And everyone can enjoy the way that this feature can act as a failsafe for your system, scaling back performance as necessary if something unexpected happens, like a fan failure.
Many PC users love to use a front panel port to recharge their smartphone while they use their PC. The TUF Gaming Z790-Pro WiFi lets you hook up a high-speed port on your front panel with its USB 20 Gbps Type-C connector equipped with USB Power Delivery 3.0.
Finally, we're also offering our all-new ASUS WiFi Q-Antenna with the TUF Gaming Z790-Pro WiFi. Paired with a WiFi 6E router, this motherboards' WiFi 6E connectivity lets you take advantage of the newly opened 6 GHz band to rise above the interference that might be slowing down your home wireless network. The ASUS WiFi Q-Antenna will give you the tools you need to get the best possible signal.
Anime fans take notice: The ROG Maximus Z790 Hero EVA-02 Edition
The classic anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion was a watershed moment for manga and anime. Combining high-stakes mecha action and gripping psychological drama, it transfixed a generation of anime enthusiasts. Last year, we gave fans of the series an all-new way to immerse themselves in the designs and themes of Evangelion with a series of PC components and peripherals based on EVA-01. Now, we're releasing a new set of ROG x Evangelion gear - but this time around, we're focusing on the unmistakable colors and designs of Asuka's EVA-02.
The ROG Maximus Z790 Hero EVA-02 Edition catches your eye with EVA-02's signature red-and-orange theme and traces of green. Look deeper, and you'll see even more connections to the legendary series: an AT Field design surrounds the CPU socket, and Polymo lighting on the I/O cover switches between Asuka and her EVA-02 unit.
We complement the ROG Maximus Z790 Hero EVA-02 Edition's unique aesthetics with a powerful feature set. It offers all the power, cooling and flexible features you need to take Intel Core processors and DDR5 memory kits to the next level.
