ASUS Z590 Maximus XIII Hero Wifi DDR4 Intel Motherboard

The ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero is an ATX gaming motherboard built on the Intel Z590 chipset, designed for Intel LGA1200 socket processors spanning the 10th Gen Core, Pentium Gold, and Celeron families as well as the 11th Gen Core (Rocket Lake) lineup. Its robust power delivery system features a 14+2-phase teamed power stage configuration rated at 90 amps per stage, backed by ProCool II power connectors, MicroFine alloy chokes, and 10,000-hour rated Japanese black metallic capacitors — hardware foundations that cater to both standard operation and enthusiast overclocking via AI-assisted profiles in ASUS AI Suite 3. Memory support spans four DDR4 DIMM slots accommodating up to 128 GB of non-ECC unbuffered RAM in dual-channel configuration. Frequencies range from DDR4-2133 up to DDR4-5333 (overclocked), with native support for Intel XMP and ASUS OptiMem III optimization. Storage options are equally expansive: four Key-M M.2 slots (two CPU-attached supporting PCIe 4.0 x4 with an 11th Gen processor, two chipset-attached supporting PCIe 3.0 x4) plus six SATA 6 Gb/s ports, all M.2 slots covered by individual heatsinks with embedded backplates. Connectivity is a standout strength. The onboard Intel Wi-Fi 6E (AX210) module delivers tri-band 2.4/5/6 GHz 2×2 operation (802.11ax) with Bluetooth 5.2 hardware support. Two Intel I225-V 2.5 Gb Ethernet controllers provide wired redundancy managed by ASUS LANGuard surge protection and GameFirst VI software. The rear I/O panel includes two Thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C ports (DisplayPort 1.4, up to 40 Gbps), six USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, and two USB 2.0 Type-A ports. A USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 front-panel header (20 Gbps) adds next-generation case connectivity. Audio is handled by the ROG SupremeFX subsystem pairing the Realtek ALC4082 CODEC with an ESS SABRE9018Q2C DAC/AMP, delivering 120 dB SNR stereo playback and 113 dB SNR recording input at resolutions up to 32-bit/384 kHz. SupremeFX Shielding technology isolates the audio circuit from PCB interference, and a rear optical S/PDIF output is included. Personalization is managed through Aura Sync, with one standard RGB header and three Addressable Gen 2 headers board. Q-Design conveniences include a pre-mounted I/O shield, BIOS FlashBack button, Q-Connector, Q-LED diagnostic array, SafeSlot reinforced PCIe x16 slots, and a ROG Water-Cooling Zone with dedicated pump, water-in, water-out, and flow-sensor headers. Bundled software includes a 1-year AIDA64 Extreme licence and integrated MemTest86 in the UEFI. Verified Specifications: - Socket: Intel LGA1200 | Chipset: Intel Z590 - Form Factor: ATX, 12 in × 9.6 in (30.5 cm × 24.4 cm) - Memory: 4× DDR4 DIMM, max 128 GB, up to DDR4-5333 (OC), dual-channel, XMP - Storage: 4× M.2 (PCIe 4.0/3.0 x4) + 6× SATA 6 Gb/s - Wireless: Intel Wi-Fi 6E 802.11ax, 2.4/5/6 GHz; Bluetooth 5.2 - LAN: 2× Intel I225-V 2.5 Gb Ethernet - USB Rear: 2× Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), 6× USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-A), 2× USB 2.0 - USB Front: 1× USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 header, 4× USB 3.2 Gen 1, 4× USB 2.0 - Audio: ALC4082 + ESS SABRE9018Q2C, 7.1 surround, 120 dB SNR playback - Power: 14+2 power stages, 90 A rated, dual 8-pin EPS - Display: 1× HDMI 2.0 (11th Gen CPU), 2× DisplayPort 1.4 via Thunderbolt 4 - BIOS: 256 Mb Flash ROM, UEFI AMI - Warranty: 3 Years