The Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX is a midrange motherboard constructed round Intel’s Z790 chipset. Priced at $254.99 in Gigabyte’s on-line store, the ATX-sized board presents loads of options together with 4 M.2 sockets (albeit topping out at PCIe 4.0 as an alternative of 5.0 speeds); six SATA ports; 2.5Gbps Ethernet and Wi-Fi 6E networking; a funds audio resolution; and energy supply prepared for the newest and biggest twelfth and thirteenth Gen Intel CPUs. You could find Z790 motherboards for a little bit kind of, however the Aorus Elite AX compares favorably with all of them.
Board Design, CPU, and Reminiscence
The Aorus Elite AX is constructed on a six-layer PCB with a matte black end. Massive heatpipe-connected heatsinks cowl the VRMs, whereas the M.2 sockets and chipset have their very own. The heatsinks sport a brushed aluminum end with stenciled patterns and Aorus branding. Some RGB lighting is hidden beneath the chipset heatsink, giving a vivid, saturated glow inside your chassis. Total, I like Gigabyte’s fashion.
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Supporting Intel’s most power-hungry processors is a 19-phase energy setup (16 phases for Vcore) utilizing 70A SPS MOSFETs. The 1,120A out there for the processor can simply deal with the flagship Core i9-13900K chip we used, even if you wish to overclock.
(Credit score: Joe Shields)
On the reminiscence aspect, Intel’s new Z790 and B760 platforms assist each DDR4 and DDR5, which provides you an possibility to save lots of a number of {dollars} with the previous. Assuming you need nothing however the most effective, the Aorus Elite AX helps DDR5 at speeds as much as 7,600MHz, which is common for this class. Your mileage could fluctuate as reaching the very best speeds depends upon the standard of the CPU’s reminiscence controller and the reminiscence equipment used. Persist with the QVL listing and try to be OK.
(Credit score: Joe Shields)
As in different motherboard checks, our DDR5-5600 and DDR5-6000 kits have been completely secure after setting the XMP profile. We additionally tried our DDR5-7200 equipment, which labored by merely enabling XMP. If you wish to overclock your reminiscence, there are many choices and reminiscence timings.
Format and Inner Connectors
On the higher left of the motherboard, we see the 2 8-pin EPS connectors (one required) that energy the CPU. Close by are the massive heatsinks tasked with cooling the VRMs beneath, topped with Aorus branding and a few cut-outs to extend floor space. We discovered the heatsinks did a superb job protecting the MOSFETs and different energy bits inside specification.
(Credit score: Joe Shields)
To the best of the socket space are 4 unreinforced DRAM slots that latch the reminiscence down on either side. Above which are the primary two of six 4-pin fan/pump headers. Every helps DC and PWM-controlled gadgets and outputs 2A/24W. With loads of headers placing out loads of energy, customers should have no issues operating their system cooling together with customized water loops or pumps.
To the best, we discover two of the board’s 4 RGB headers (the others are discovered alongside the underside edge). There are two 3-pin ARGB and two 4-pin RGB headers, with one in all every sort in every location. Management over the hooked up lighting is dealt with by means of the RGB Fusion part of the Gigabyte Management Heart software program.
Working our method down the board’s edge, we spy the 24-pin ATX connector that powers the board, a 19-pin front-panel USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps) header, and a front-panel USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) Sort-C header. Additionally value mentioning are 4 debug LEDs right here to assist troubleshoot POST points.
(Credit score: Joe Shields)
The underside half of the board, on the left aspect, homes the audio part the place the Realtek ALC897 codec hides beneath the Faraday cage (it has Amp Up! branding) together with a number of audio capacitors. This board doesn’t include fancy amplifiers or DACs, and even the newest and biggest codec, however most patrons will discover this resolution enough for his or her wants.
Within the center are three full-length PCI Categorical slots for graphics and enlargement. Previous the chipset on the best aspect are Thunderbolt headers and 6 6Gbps SATA3 ports. Alongside the underside fringe of the board, along with the second set of RGB and ARGB headers, are front-panel audio and two USB 2.0 headers. The Q-Flash button for resetting the BIOS is subsequent to 4 fan headers. Final is the front-panel header to attach your energy and reset buttons.
Enlargement, Storage, and Rear I/O
The first (high) graphics slot makes use of reinforcement to forestall shearing from heavy playing cards and protects towards EMI. The slot connects by means of the processor and runs as much as PCIe 5.0 x16. The opposite two full-length slots join by means of the chip and run at PCIe 4.0 x4 (center) and PCIe 3.0 x4 (backside).
Blended in among the many PCIe slots are M.2 sockets. The highest one with the most important heatsink connects by means of the CPU, supporting as much as 110mm gadgets and supporting PCIe 4.0 x4. The opposite three M.2 places additionally assist modules as much as 110mm lengthy, however they join by means of the chipset whereas additionally peaking at PCIe 4.0 x4 (64Gbps) speeds; one is dual-compatible with SATA M.2 drives. Together with the six native SATA ports, the M.2 sockets assist RAID 0, 1, 15, and 10 modes for added velocity or redundancy. As a result of how the gadgets connect, there is no lane sharing, and you may run all storage gadgets concurrently.
(Credit score: Joe Shields)
The rear makes use of a preinstalled backplate with a black or darkish grey background with white port labels. We counted 10 USB ports, together with a 20Gbps Sort-C port; two purple 10Gbps ports; three blue 5Gbps ports; and 4 black USB 2.0 ports. The DisplayPort and HDMI video outputs sit within the center, flanked by the two.5Gbps Ethernet port and Wi-Fi antennas. Final, the audio stack consists of two 1/8-inch plugs for microphone and line out with an SPDIF output.
UEFI BIOS and Utilities
Like most BIOSes, Gigabyte’s Z790 Aorus Elite AX firmware begins in Straightforward Mode. Right here you may discover numerous information concerning the system, together with the CPU, RAM, storage, and cooling. A number of massive buttons on the best give entry to different options starting from Superior Mode to Sensible Fan 6 and Q-Flash performance. In all, the black-and-orange-themed BIOS is simple to learn and logical to navigate, although I want it used Web page Up and Web page Down so I did not must scroll by means of prolonged choices.
(Credit score: Gigabyte)
The superior portion of the BIOS presents an ordinary configuration with main headings throughout the highest, together with customizable Favorites, Tweaker, Settings, and System Information. You will discover all of the superior performance on this rather more complete mode.
(Credit score: Gigabyte)
The Tweaker part incorporates all of the choices to overclock your system. Right here you may regulate voltages, RAM speeds and timings, and overclocking choices for the CPU.
(Credit score: Gigabyte)
Contained in the Settings part are a number of subheadings the place you may regulate platform energy, configure I/O ports, and see voltages, temps, and different information in PC Well being. Right here you may discover choices to allow or disable audio and built-in graphics, allow Resizable BAR, and configure USB, NVMe, SATA, audio, and community {hardware}.
(Credit score: Gigabyte)
The UEFI is logically laid out and simple to get round. The Z790 model, like its X670 counterpart, has a full array of tweaks together with processor and RAM overclocking. In contrast to on different BIOSes, you may’t play with the RGB lighting from right here however should use a Home windows utility. Total, the BIOS supplies all of the choices you want, and our model (F7b) was secure in our time with the board.
Talking of software program, Gigabyte’s Home windows-based Management Heart supplies monitoring of and management over RGB lighting, followers, and efficiency/overclocking. It is a light-weight app that matches the black and orange Aorus theme and polls the system on startup for software program and driver updates or downloads as wanted (together with your approval). The screenshot beneath exhibits the touchdown web page and all of the {hardware} it might probably management on our take a look at system.
(Credit score: Gigabyte)
For motherboards, Management Heart helps you to fine-tune RGBs, fan management, and efficiency. The RGB Fusion software program contains eight LED results together with static, pulse, flash, cycle, and wave, with choices to alter the brightness and velocity of every impact.
(Credit score: Gigabyte)
The fan management module has three canned choices (silent, regular, and full velocity), plus the flexibility to regulate manually and make customized curves. The software program detected all our take a look at system’s followers, PWM and DC alike, and managed them with out problem.
(Credit score: Gigabyte)
Utilizing the software program to overclock the processor and reminiscence is simple. There are drop-downs to pick the CPU multiplier (for Efficiency and Effectivity cores; BCLK shouldn’t be out there) in addition to reminiscence velocity (however not timings) and voltage.
(Credit score: Gigabyte)
Verdict: Good Appears to be like and (Nearly) a Full Spec Sheet for $260
The Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX does a great job of pairing the fanatic chipset with a average funds, providing you with a well-equipped motherboard with out abusing your checking account. Along with a conservative however premium look (with RGBs!), it supplies a slew of USB ports, ample storage choices together with 4 M.2 sockets (with no PCIe 5.0 however assist for M.2 SATA modules), a fundamental however viable audio resolution, and VRMs prepared for Intel’s twelfth and thirteenth Gen CPUs. It has the whole lot you’d anticipate finding at its worth level.
(Credit score: Joe Shields)
You could find three aggressive motherboards priced inside $10 of the Gigabyte (the ASRock Z790 Metal Legend, MSI Professional Z790-A WIFI, and Asus Prime Z790-P Wi-Fi), with some variations in wonderful particulars however mainly related specs and options. The ASRock is the one possibility when you want a PCI Categorical 5.0-capable M.2 socket. The MSI has the latest audio codec, however “solely” Wi-Fi 6 as an alternative of 6E. It is a toss-up amongst them, however the Z790 Aorus Elite AX undoubtedly deserves a spot in your quick listing.
[Editor’s Note June 23, 2023: We corrected the identity of the audio codec on this board in a handful of places and in the spec list. The correct codec is the Realtek ALC897.]
Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX
The Backside Line
The Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX motherboard carried out effectively in our testing and regarded good doing it, including some RGB bling to our take a look at bench. In case your new system would not require a PCIe 5.0-capable M.2 socket, it is an incredible possibility within the midrange Intel LGA1700 market.
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