ASUS Prime Z790-P CSM DDR4 Intel Motherboard

The ASUS Prime Z790-P CSM DDR4 is an ATX-form-factor motherboard built around the Intel Z790 chipset, designed to support 12th and 13th Generation Intel Core, Pentium Gold, and Celeron processors in the LGA1700 socket. It is engineered for PC builders who want a stable, feature-rich platform with room for future expansion. At the heart of its power delivery is a 14+1 power stage design, where each stage packages high-side and low-side MOSFETs with integrated drivers rated at 50 amperes. This robust VRM layout is complemented by dedicated VRM heatsinks and specially engineered thermal pads that improve heat transfer from MOSFETs and chokes. Two M.2 heatsinks cover the onboard M.2 slots to help reduce thermal throttling during sustained storage transfers. For memory, the board provides four DDR4 DIMM slots supporting up to 128 GB of non-ECC unbuffered RAM, with speeds ranging from DDR4-2133 up to DDR4-5333 (OC) in dual-channel configuration. Intel XMP and ASUS OptiMem II technology are supported to optimise memory signal routing and reduce crosstalk across PCB layers. Storage connectivity is generous: three M.2 Key-M slots all support PCIe 4.0 x4 speeds (up to 64 Gbps), with the third slot also offering SATA mode, alongside four SATA 6 Gb/s ports. Intel Rapid Storage Technology enables PCIe and SATA RAID 0/1/5/10 configurations. Expansion slots include one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot (from the CPU), three PCIe 4.0 x16 slots running at x4 mode (from the chipset), and one PCIe 3.0 x1 slot. Rear I/O includes 8 USB ports (USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, four USB 2.0 Type-A), DisplayPort 1.4 (4K@60 Hz), HDMI 2.1 (4K@60 Hz), Realtek 2.5 Gb Ethernet, three audio jacks, and a PS/2 combo port. A vertical Key-E M.2 slot on the rear panel accommodates an optional Wi-Fi module (sold separately). Audio is handled by a Realtek 7.1 Surround Sound HD Audio CODEC with audio shielding, premium capacitors, and dedicated PCB layers, supporting up to 24-bit/192 kHz playback. ASUS AI Cooling II, accessible via Fan Xpert 4 in Armoury Crate, automatically balances thermals and acoustics by running a stress test and dynamically adjusting fan speeds. The board also features ASUS 5X Protection III (including DIGI+ VRM with DrMOS, LANGuard, overvoltage protection, SafeSlot Core+, and stainless-steel back I/O), Aura Sync RGB with one Aura RGB header and three Addressable Gen 2 headers, and a Thunderbolt (USB4) header for optional expansion. Key Specifications: - Socket: Intel LGA1700 - Chipset: Intel Z790 - Form Factor: ATX, 12 in x 9.2 in (30.5 cm x 23.4 cm) - Memory: 4x DDR4 DIMM, max 128 GB, DDR4-2133 to DDR4-5333 (OC), dual-channel, XMP - Storage: 3x M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 (up to 64 Gbps), 4x SATA 6 Gb/s - Expansion: 1x PCIe 5.0 x16, 3x PCIe 4.0 x16 (x4 mode), 1x PCIe 3.0 x1 - Ethernet: Realtek 2.5 Gb - Audio: Realtek 7.1 HD, 24-bit/192 kHz - Rear USB: 8 ports (Gen 2×2 Type-C, Gen 2 Type-A, 2x Gen 1 Type-A, 4x USB 2.0) - Display Output: DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.1 (both 4K@60 Hz) - BIOS: 192 Mb Flash ROM, UEFI AMI - OS Support: Windows 11, Windows 10 64-bit - Warranty: 3 Years