ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming Wifi II DDR5 Intel Motherboard

The ASUS ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi II is a full-featured ATX motherboard designed for Intel 12th, 13th, and 14th Generation processors using the LGA1700 socket and the Intel Z790 chipset. It targets enthusiast builders and competitive gamers who demand a platform capable of pushing DDR5 memory, next-generation storage, and wireless connectivity to their limits. At the heart of the platform is DDR5 support across four DIMM slots accommodating up to 192 GB of non-ECC, unbuffered memory. The board supports native DDR5 speeds from 4800 MT/s and overclocked profiles well beyond 8000 MT/s via XMP and the proprietary ASUS Enhanced Memory Profile II (AEMP II), alongside DIMM Flex and OptiMem II signal-routing improvements. ASUS AI Overclocking in the UEFI and AI Suite 3 software profiles the CPU and cooling solution to suggest an optimised configuration automatically. Storage is handled by five M.2 Key-M slots: the primary slot supports PCIe 5.0 x4 for drives capable of up to approximately 16 GB/s sequential throughput, while the remaining four slots run PCIe 4.0 x4 for still-capable performance. Four SATA 6 Gb/s ports and Intel Rapid Storage Technology (RST) with RAID 0/1/5/10 round out the storage options. Every M.2 slot is covered with a dedicated heatsink and a heatsink backplate to manage drive temperatures. For graphics, one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot (with SafeSlot reinforcement) and two PCIe 4.0 x16 physical slots wired at x4 deliver flexible expansion. The rear I/O offers 12 USB ports — one USB 20 Gbps Type-C, ten USB 10 Gbps Type-A, and one USB 10 Gbps Type-C — plus a front-panel USB 20 Gbps Type-C header with up to 30 W Power Delivery fast-charging (PD 3.0 compatible). Networking is handled by an Intel 2.5 Gb Ethernet port with ASUS LANGuard surge protection, while wireless connectivity is provided by an Intel Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) module supporting 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands at up to 2.4 Gbps on a 160 MHz channel width, with Bluetooth 5.4. Multi-Link Operation (MLO) support requires Windows 11 24H2 or later. Audio is managed by the ROG SupremeFX ALC4080 codec delivering 7.1 surround sound with 120 dB SNR stereo playback output, 110 dB SNR recording input, 32-bit/384 kHz front-panel playback, a Savitech SV3H712 amplifier, optical S/PDIF output, and gold-plated jacks with SupremeFX shielding. The Q-Design toolkit includes tool-free M.2 Q-Latch, PCIe Q-Release, Q-DIMM single-latch memory slots, Q-Antenna for wireless, and Q-Code diagnostic readout. AURA Sync RGB lighting is supported via one AURA RGB header and three Addressable Gen 2 headers. The BIOS FlashBack button allows firmware updates without a CPU or RAM installed. Verified Specifications: - Form Factor: ATX, 12 in x 9.6 in (30.5 cm x 24.4 cm) - Socket: Intel LGA1700 - Chipset: Intel Z790 - Memory: 4 x DDR5 DIMM, max 192 GB, up to DDR5-8000+ (OC), dual-channel, XMP/AEMP II - PCIe Slots: 1 x PCIe 5.0 x16, 2 x PCIe 4.0 x16 (x4 mode) - Storage: 5 x M.2 (1x PCIe 5.0 x4, 4x PCIe 4.0 x4), 4 x SATA 6 Gb/s - Ethernet: Intel 2.5 Gb - Wireless: Intel Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), 2x2, up to 2.4 Gbps, BT 5.4 - Rear USB: 1x USB 20 Gbps Type-C, 10x USB 10 Gbps Type-A, 1x USB 10 Gbps Type-C - Audio: SupremeFX ALC4080, 7.1 HD, 120 dB SNR playback - BIOS: 256 Mb Flash ROM, UEFI AMI - Warranty: 3 Years