GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS MASTER X DDR5 Intel Motherboard

The Gigabyte Z790 AORUS MASTER X is a flagship Extended ATX motherboard built on the Intel Z790 Express Chipset, designed for Intel LGA 1700 socket processors including 12th and 13th Generation Intel Core, Pentium Gold, and Celeron CPUs. Its headline feature is a digital direct 20+1+2 phase VRM with 105A power stages, providing the electrical headroom needed for sustained high-performance workloads and overclocking sessions. Memory support is a strong suit on this board. Four DDR5 DIMM slots accommodate up to 192 GB of system memory (48 GB per single DIMM), running in dual-channel configuration. Out-of-the-box speeds start at DDR5-4000/4800 MT/s, with XMP 3.0 overclocking profiles extending support up to DDR5-8266 MT/s (O.C.). ECC Un-buffered DIMM modules in 1Rx8 and 2Rx8 configurations are recognized, though they operate in non-ECC mode. Storage options are comprehensive. The board includes five M.2 slots: one CPU-connected PCIe 5.0 x4 M.2 (type 25110/2280), one CPU-connected PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 (type 22110/2280), and three chipset-connected PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots, one of which also supports SATA-based M.2 drives. Four SATA 6 Gb/s ports round out storage, with RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 supported for both NVMe and SATA arrays. Networking is a clear strength: a Marvell AQtion AQC113C controller delivers 10GbE wired connectivity (with 5/2.5/1 Gbps and 100 Mbps fallback modes), while the onboard Wi-Fi 7 module supports 802.11be across 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands with Bluetooth 5.3. A 2T2R antenna arrangement connects via rear SMA connectors. Audio is handled by a Realtek ALC1220-VB codec paired with an ESS ES9118 DAC, supporting DTS:X Ultra up to 5.1-channel output and S/PDIF optical output. The rear I/O panel is generously populated: two USB Type-C ports at USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gb/s), one USB Type-C at USB 3.2 Gen 1, seven USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, four USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, DisplayPort, RJ-45, and optical audio out. Internal headers add a front-panel USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2x2 connector, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 headers, and two USB 2.0/1.1 headers. Thermal management combines VRM Thermal Armor Fins-Array heatsinking, M.2 Thermal Guard XL covers on M.2 slots, an 8-layer PCB with double-copper enhancement, vent holes, and Gigabyte's Smart Fan 6 software for granular fan and pump control. Quality-of-life features include EZ-Latch Plus for tool-free PCIe and M.2 release, EZ-Latch Click for screwless M.2 heatsink removal, Q-Flash Plus for BIOS updates without a CPU installed, and RGB Fusion 2.0 with three addressable Gen2 RGB headers and one standard RGB header. Key Verified Specifications: - Socket: LGA 1700 | Chipset: Intel Z790 Express - Form Factor: Extended ATX (30.5 cm x 26.0 cm) - Memory: 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 192 GB, DDR5-4000 to DDR5-8266 (O.C.), Dual Channel - Primary PCIe: 1x PCIe 5.0 x16 (CPU) - Additional PCIe: 1x PCIe 3.0 x4, 1x PCIe 3.0 x1 (Chipset) - M.2: 5 slots (1x PCIe 5.0 x4, 4x PCIe 4.0 x4) - SATA: 4x SATA 6 Gb/s; RAID 0/1/5/10 - LAN: Marvell AQtion AQC113C, 10GbE - Wireless: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), 2.4/5/6 GHz, Bluetooth 5.3 - Audio: Realtek ALC1220-VB + ESS ES9118 DAC, DTS:X Ultra, 5.1-ch - Power: 1x 24-pin ATX + 2x 8-pin ATX 12V - Windows 11: Supported