At the moment, Intel has not disclosed all the details of the Z690 chipset, which is designed to house Intel processors that require the 1700-pin LGA socket, a jump of 500 interconnects from the previous generation, but which at the same time only compatible with 12th generation Intel processors. While this isn’t the only chipset compatible with the new socket, we’ll also see the H670, B660, and H610 that will have lower specs. In other words, the Z690 is the top of the line of Intel’s 600 series.
Intel’s approach to I / O interfaces is the same as in the previous generation, with 20 PCI Express lanes, 16 of the fifth generation and four of the fourth, being provided by the same CPU, but the rest interfaces for peripherals and components being provided by the Z690 chipset on the motherboard, such as USB, SATA and PCI Express interfaces at a lower speed.
The other novelty that the Z690 brings is support for the new DDR5 standard, but not on all motherboards, since some models are compatible with DDR4.
ASUS motherboards
We start with ASUS and the first thing we find is a series of motherboards based on Intel’s Z690 chipset and supporting all DDR5 and DDR4 memory, so there are two different models of each motherboard.
The most spectacular of these is the Z690 MAXIMUS GLACIAL Extreme, which comes with a pre-installed liquid cooling block. Among the rest of the manufacturer’s motherboards for the Z690, we can point out that the differences between the G and E models are small, such as the placement of the PCI Express slots, since the Z690-G is a micro-ATX motherboard. As for the Model F, it has more 16-lane PCIe slots and among those we saw in the list, Model A.
The vast majority of ASUS motherboards, with the exception of the MAXIMUS GLACIAL, will have two versions: one for DDR5 and another with DDR4, not to mention those that have a built-in WiFi radio. The range of ASUS motherboards is therefore quite comprehensive and they are a great option for those who want to continue using the still current DDR4 memory.
GIGABYTE Z690 Base Plates
Another that cannot be absent from the launch of the Intel Core 12 and motherboards with the Z690 chipset is GIGABYTE, the manufacturer has presented no more and no less than 12 motherboards of its AORUS Z60 series, including the Xtreme models, Master, Ultra, Pro and Elite. Of which the Xtreme will have the Waterforce variant with integrated liquid cooling, which we hope will inherit all the features of the Z590-based model.
This without forgetting the AERO, Gaming-X and Tachyon models, the latter designed for overclocking enthusiasts. And if you’re planning on building a PC with a slightly smaller case, we also have the Micro-ATX and Mini-ITX versions of the AORUS Elite as potential options.
ASRock motherboards
ASRock presented a full line of motherboards that use the Z690 chipset which occupy all market ranges and needs, and which stand out for their ability to update BIOS through USB port and USB stick for greater capacity. .
ASRock Z690 Taichi
ASRock’s motherboards with the Z690 chipset are presided over by its impressive Z690 Taichi, a motherboard with 20 Dr. Mos phases and Smart Power Stage technology which make it a great option if you want to take the Intel Core 12 to the next level. maximum expression. In addition, the DDR5 memory slots it integrates are reinforced to prevent signal loss during overclocking.
Another of the functions that ASRock has included in this impressive Z690 chipset motherboard is the addition of a USB port and a SATA port which have the particularity of functioning independently of the rest, preventing access by malicious programs to the content they can store internally or externally hard. readers that we connect to it.
And let’s not forget the USB 4.0 type C port with Thunderbolt 4 technology, which will deliver 40 Gb / s throughput to your external storage drives, offering transfer speeds worthy of NVMe SSDs to your external drives.
Gama ASRock Z690 Ghost
If we move on to the range of games we find the Phantom motherboards and with the Z690 PG Velocita we find the first motherboard with an M.2 slot with PCI Express 5.0 support, so it is already ready for the fifth generation of NVMe SSDs that we will see appear next year. As for the Z690 PG Riptide brings enhanced network capabilities and a Dr. MOS VRM with large heat sinks, making it ideal for overclocking.
In case you need to mount a compact sized PC, the Z690 Phantom Gaming-ITX / TB4 are your choice, they are small, but very powerful, as they come with a Thunderbolt 4 type C, Ethernet to 2 connection. , 5 Gbps Killer, WiFi 6E and 11 phases 105 SPS DR. MOS, in addition to supporting DDR5 memory and PCI Express 5.0 interface.
ASRock Steel Legend and Extreme
Going down the line, we find the Z690 Steel Legend and Z690 motherboards built with a six-layer PCB with two copper plates inside. Both designed to reduce temperature and have more efficient power distribution in the face of overclocking. The main difference between the two? Color and design but are otherwise same within spec.
Regarding I / O interfaces, all designs have a front panel connector for USB 3.2 Gen 2 x 2 which provides 20 Gbps bandwidth and a 2.5 Gbps LAN or Ethernet interface.
ASRock Pro RS
Finally we have the Z690 Pro RS motherboards, but not for this lack of functionality, since they have been equipped with 13 Dr. Mos VRM phases and like the Z690 Steel Legends they are built with a 6 layer and 2 layer PCB. ounces of copper.
EVGA motherboards
One of the big fans of PC games like EVGA has also just launched its first motherboards with a Z690 chipset which are distinguished not only by their fifth generation DDR5 memory and their PCI Express support, but also by the adoption of technologies. VRM and BIOS for which the company is already famous for breaking world clock speed records.
EVGA Z690 DARK KINGPIN
The already established motherboard line makes the leap to the Z690 chipset with an impressive motherboard consisting of a 10-layer PCB and a 21-phase VRM. In addition, it incorporates the following elements
- 8 SATA-III 6 Gb / s ports.
- Let’s not forget either its two 2.5 Gbps Ethernet interfaces via an integrated network controller to free up the processor.
- WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 wireless connectivity,
- 7.1 Audio codec
- 3 ranuras M.2
- Two pump heads for mounting a liquid cooling system.
CLASSIFIED EVGA Z690
The second of the EVGA motherboards is the Z690 CLASSIFIED which stands out for its 19 VRM phases on a 10-layer PCB. In the rest of the specs it is the same as the Z690 KINGPIN, so we can consider it a lesser version.
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