GIGABYTE Z790 Aorus Elite AX ICE DDR5 Intel Motherboard

The Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX ICE is an ATX-form-factor motherboard built on the Intel Z790 Express chipset, designed to pair with 12th, 13th, and 14th-generation Intel Core, Pentium Gold, and Celeron processors via an LGA1700 socket. Its white-accented aesthetic — denoted by the ICE suffix — is matched by a feature set suited to performance-focused desktop builds. Memory support is a clear strength. Four DDR5 DIMM slots accommodate up to 192 GB of system memory (48 GB per single DIMM), with native speeds at DDR5-4800 and overclocked profiles reaching up to 7600 MT/s. Dual-channel memory architecture is supported, along with XMP 3.0 profiles, ECC Un-buffered modules (operating in non-ECC mode), and Gigabyte’s own BIOS-level DDR5 tuning tools — including XMP Booster, Auto Booster, High Bandwidth, and Low Latency one-click presets. Expansion is handled by three PCIe slots: a primary x16 slot running PCIe 5.0 at x16 bandwidth (CPU-direct), a second x16-keyed slot running PCIe 4.0 at x4 (chipset), and a third x16-keyed slot running PCIe 3.0 at x4 (chipset). Storage options include four M.2 connectors (all Socket 3, M key, supporting up to 22110/2280 form factors, with PCIe 4.0 x4 across all four) and six SATA 6 Gb/s ports, with RAID 0/1/5/10 support for both NVMe and SATA arrays. Wireless connectivity depends on PCB revision: revision 1.0 ships with an Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 module, while revision 1.1 uses a Realtek Wi-Fi 6E RTL8852CE — both support 2.4/5/6 GHz bands, 802.11ax at 160 MHz, up to 2.4 Gbps data rate, and Bluetooth 5.3. Wired networking is provided by a Realtek 2.5GbE LAN controller. The rear I/O panel includes a USB Type-C port (USB 3.2 Gen 2×2), two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, three USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, four USB 2.0 ports, HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort, RJ-45, optical S/PDIF out, two audio jacks, and dual SMA antenna connectors. Onboard audio is managed by a Realtek High Definition Audio CODEC with 7.1-channel support and S/PDIF out. The board ships in ATX format at 30.5 cm × 24.4 cm and carries a three-year warranty. Verified Specifications: – Socket: LGA1700 – Chipset: Intel Z790 Express – CPU Compatibility: Intel 12th, 13th, and 14th Gen Core / Pentium Gold / Celeron – Memory: 4× DDR5 DIMM, up to 192 GB, DDR5-4800 native / up to DDR5-7600 (O.C.) – PCIe Slots: 1× PCIe 5.0 x16 (CPU), 1× PCIe 4.0 x4, 1× PCIe 3.0 x4 (chipset) – M.2 Slots: 4× (PCIe 4.0 x4; one also supports SATA) – SATA: 6× SATA 6 Gb/s – Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 6E (2.4/5/6 GHz, 160 MHz, up to 2.4 Gbps); Bluetooth 5.3 – LAN: Realtek 2.5GbE – USB (rear): 1× USB-C 3.2 Gen 2×2, 2× USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 3× USB 3.2 Gen 1, 4× USB 2.0 – Display Out: HDMI 2.0 (4K@60 Hz), DisplayPort 1.2 – Form Factor: ATX, 30.5 cm × 24.4 cm – BIOS: AMI UEFI, 256 Mbit flash, Q-Flash Plus – Warranty: 3 years