GIGABYTE Z790I Aorus Ultra DDR5 Intel Motherboard

The GIGABYTE Z790I Aorus Ultra DDR5 is a compact Mini-ITX motherboard built around the Intel Z790 Express Chipset and the LGA1700 socket, delivering full compatibility with Intel Core 12th, 13th, and 14th Generation processors, as well as Intel Pentium Gold and Celeron processors. Despite its small 17.0 x 17.0 cm footprint, this board packs a serious feature set that competes with larger form factors. Memory performance is a highlight, with two DDR5 DIMM slots supporting dual-channel operation and a maximum capacity of 96 GB using 48 GB single DIMMs. Speeds range from native 4800 MT/s JEDEC profiles all the way up to DDR5-8000+ via XMP overclocking, giving builders flexibility whether they prioritise stability or peak throughput. The single PCIe 5.0 x16 slot handles the latest discrete graphics cards at full bandwidth, while storage is served by two M.2 connectors — one CPU-connected and one chipset-connected — both running at PCIe 4.0 x4 and supporting 2260 and 2280 drives. Two SATA 6Gb/s ports add conventional storage options, with RAID 0, RAID 1, and RAID 10 supported for both NVMe and SATA arrays. Connectivity is particularly strong for a Mini-ITX platform. Networking is handled by an Intel 2.5GbE LAN chip alongside Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6E AX1690, which covers 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands at up to 160 MHz channel width and up to 2.4 Gbps data rates, complemented by Bluetooth 5.3. The rear panel offers a USB Type-C port with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gbps), three USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.1, and an RJ-45 port. A front-panel USB Type-C header adds USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) for the chassis. Audio is provided by a Realtek ALC4080 codec with DTS:X Ultra support. The board also features Gigabyte's Smart Fan 6 thermal control with multiple temperature sensors and hybrid fan headers with FAN STOP, a 10+1+2 phase digital VRM for processor power delivery, M.2 Thermal Guard III for SSD temperature management, EZ-Latch Plus tool-free M.2 installation, and Q-Flash Plus for BIOS updates without a CPU or memory installed. RGB and ARGB LED headers allow lighting customisation. Verified Specifications: - Form Factor: Mini-ITX (170 x 170 mm) - Chipset: Intel Z790 Express - CPU Socket: LGA1700 (12th / 13th / 14th Gen Intel Core, Pentium Gold, Celeron) - Memory: 2 x DDR5 DIMM, dual-channel, max 96 GB, DDR5-4800 (JEDEC) to DDR5-8000+ (OC) - PCIe Slot: 1 x PCIe 5.0 x16 - M.2: 2 x PCIe 4.0 x4 (2260/2280) - SATA: 2 x SATA 6Gb/s; RAID 0/1/10 - LAN: Intel 2.5GbE - Wi-Fi: Intel Killer AX1690 Wi-Fi 6E (2.4/5/6 GHz), Bluetooth 5.3 - Audio: Realtek ALC4080, DTS:X Ultra - Rear USB: 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2x2, 3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 2x USB 2.0 - Video Out: 1x HDMI 2.1 (4K@60Hz), 1x DisplayPort 1.4 (5120x2160@60Hz) - Power: 24-pin ATX + 8-pin EPS