The Aorus Master Z790 continues the tradition of Gigabyte’s Aorus Master motherboards, which are noted for their high-end features. In addition to having DDR5 memory support, this motherboard is built for maximum performance and overclocking. The board has been designed with triple and quad GPU slots in mind, and it has a well-engineered cooling assembly with conventional finned heatsinks that offer a lot of surface area. Designed to cool PCIe 5.0 drives that produce a lot of heat, the primary M.2 heatsink is likewise enormous. As an extended ATX motherboard, the Z790 Aorus Master, you need make sure it will fit in your case.
The board is black and gray in color, with a touch of RGB on the I/O shield. Additionally, there is a Multi-key button that the user may program to boot into BIOS, go into BIOS safe mode, or switch on or off the RGB. A noticeable standout, the board’s VRM is anticipated to be powered overclocked to 13900Ks. The board’s back panel houses an additional 14 USB ports. Before making a purchasing choice, it is important to consider the board’s potential drawbacks, such as the lack of Thunderbolt 4 or USB 4 connectors and the limited number of SATA ports.
Features
With a few cosmetic changes, new heatsinks, and compatibility for up to DDR5-8000 memory, the Z790 Aorus Master is an improvement over the Z690 Master. Additionally, the board has a PCIe release button or latch that facilitates access with GPUs that have a backplate. For enthusiasts and overclockers, the board is an excellent choice because of its abundance of features. The board’s VRM is a great standout and is anticipated to run at a power-boosted clock speed of 13900K. There is enough power on the board for LN2 overclockers thanks to its 20+1+2 phase VRM with 105A stages. Along with ten fan and pump headers, a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 front panel header, two ARGB headers, two RGB headers, two power and reset buttons, and more, the board also has ten more connectors.
It’s also important to keep in mind that the Z690 Master recently received some much-needed BIOS changes, so the Z790 version might find it difficult to justify charging more than the now-discounted Z690 version. In order to choose whether version is a better fit for your needs and budget, it would be advisable to examine the characteristics of each.
DualBIOS technology from Gigabyte is also a feature of the Z790 Aorus Master, adding an extra layer of security and facilitating speedy recovery in the case of a botched BIOS update or other problems. A Q-Flash Plus button on the board allows for rapid BIOS updates without the usage of a CPU, memory, or graphics card.
A twin Thunderbolt 3 header with 40 Gb/s of bi-directional bandwidth and compatibility for daisy-chaining up to 12 Thunderbolt devices is also included with the Z790 Aorus Master. The board also has an Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 module, which offers quicker and more dependable wireless connections with 2×2 MU-MIMO and 160 MHz channel width.
The Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Master is an all-around high-end motherboard with a ton of features at a fair price. Due to its excellent performance, good cooling capabilities, and potential for overclocking, it is a fantastic option for enthusiasts and overclockers. Prior to making a purchase, it’s important to weigh any potential downsides, such as the board’s limited SATA ports and absence of Thunderbolt 4 or USB 4 connectors.
The Z790 Aorus Master also comes with a top-notch audio subsystem that features an ESS Sabre Hi-Fi 9218 DAC and an audio noise guard to deliver a clear audio signal for an improved listening experience. On the board are also Nichicon audio capacitors that provide high-quality sound and minimize distortion, as well as an audio connector with gold plating.
The Z790 Aorus Master also features a Killer E2600 LAN chip, which provides fast throughput and low latency network connections. A 2.5 GbE LAN port, which enables network rates that are frequently faster than 1 GbE LAN connections, is also present on the board.
Z790 Aorus Master customers are able to control the temperature and fan speed of their systems thanks to Smart Fan 6. To prevent the M.2 SSDs from overheating, the board also has a thermal guard.
With the Q-Design feature of the Z790 Aorus Master, users can alter the RGB illumination of their system. System RGB lights may be managed by Aorus Engine software thanks to the board’s RGB Fusion 2.0 functionality.
What are the main features of the Aorus Master Z790?
An incredibly powerful motherboard called the Aorus Master Z790 is designed to deliver the best performance for demanding applications like gaming. An Intel Z490 chipset, two M.2 ports, Thunderbolt 3, Wi-Fi 6, and compatibility for up to 128GB of DDR4 RAM are just a few of the high-end capabilities it offers. Due to its robust construction and high-quality parts, the Aorus Master Z790 is an excellent choice for anybody looking to build a potent gaming PC.
How powerful is the Aorus Master Z790?
An exceptionally powerful motherboard, the Aorus Master Z790 is made to provide optimum performance for demanding applications like gaming. It has a range of high-end capabilities, including an Intel Z490 chipset, support for up to 128GB of DDR4 RAM, two M.2 ports, Thunderbolt 3, and Wi-Fi 6. The Aorus Master Z790 is a fantastic option for anybody wishing to construct a potent gaming PC because to its sturdy design and strong components.
What type of processor does the Aorus Master Z790 use?
Powered by an Intel Core i9-10900K 10-core CPU, the Aorus Master Z790. This processor is one of the most potent ones on the market because it can run at rates of up to 5.3 GHz. Additionally, it has Intel Thermal Velocity Boost, which enables the CPU to raise its clock speed automatically while it is operating coolly. Furthermore, the Aorus Master Z790 has a superior cooling system that enables the processor to operate at its full capability.
What are the graphics capabilities of the Aorus Master Z790?
An integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 GPU and Z490 chipset are features of the Aorus Master Z790. The motherboard can now handle up to three screens at up to 4K resolution thanks to this. It is a fantastic option for both gamers and multimedia developers because it also supports DirectX 12, OpenGL 4.5, and OpenCL 2.0. Also compatible with AMD CrossFireX and NVIDIA SLI, the Aorus Master Z790 enables users to combine several GPUs for an even more potent visual experience.
What type of cooling system does the Aorus Master Z790 use?
The hybrid cooling solution used by the Aorus Master Z790 combines a fan and a sizable aluminum heatsink to produce efficient cooling. The fan assists in dissipating the heat, while the heatsink is intended to remove heat from the CPU. Together, they support maintaining the system’s temperature at optimum levels, keeping your components secure and effective.
Is the Aorus Master Z790 compatible with Windows 10?
The Aorus Master Z790 is compatible with Windows 10 yes. It has a strong power delivery system and is built to accommodate the most recent Intel 10th Gen CPUs for optimal performance. Additionally, it has a variety of cutting-edge technologies to assure top performance and compatibility with Windows 10, including twin M.2 slots, USB 3.2 Gen2 ports, and Intel Wi-Fi 6.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Z790 Aorus Master from Gigabyte is a premium motherboard that comes with a lot of features for the price. It is an improvement over the Z690 Master that supports DDR5-8000 memory and has a few cosmetic changes as well as new heatsink designs. The board has been constructed with triple and quad GPU slots in mind, and it has a well-engineered cooling assembly with conventional finned heatsinks that offer a lot of surface area. The primary M.2 heatsink is similarly enormous and intended to cool PCIe 5.0 drives, which produce a lot of heat.It is also worth comparing the features of the Z690 Master version to decide which one is a better fit for your needs and budget.
Specs:BIOS F8fi7-12700K32GB (2×16) Kingston 5200 MT/s DDR5Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360GTX 1080It is a very solid motherboard. The build quality is great. The overclocking (OC) presets are good but the CPU runs too hot at the 5.1 GHz (all-core) preset so you will need to under-volt it so your CPU does not thermal throttle. It has a default OC that will OC your CPU right out of the box. It also has a gaming OC preset and all-core OC preset.I can recommend this motherboard but only if you would be okay to risk using Gigabyte RMA services. I have seen countless YouTubers, such as JayzTwoCents, Gamers Nexus, Graphically Challenged, etc., and read a bunch of Reddit posts of bad RMA support from Gigabyte. However, I have contacted Gigabyte support to ask for help on some issues and they are pretty quick to respond. From my experience, they have great customer service. I have not had to deal with an RMA though. This is a solid mobo and I am overall very happy with the purchase.You can run your 12700K at 5.1 GHz all-core at low temps with an AIO (280 or higher) and possibly some dual-tower CPU coolers. Just keep in mind that the heat emitted from the dual-tower CPU cooler could decrease the lifespan of your other hardware, such as your RAM. A small chance of that but still a chance. I OCed my 12700K to 5.1 GHz all-core and, under load (Intel XTU and Cinebench R23), it reaches up to 75°C. If I use Sony Vegas to render a video using the CPU, it will not go above 65°C. It usually stays in the 50s. If I open a game, such as Minecraft, it will jump to 55°C and then stay in the 20-30°C range the entire time I game. More production-heavy stuff like video/photo/3D editing/rendering, will not go above 65°C.It comes with a Dr. Debug LED and LED troubleshooting lights. It also allows you to start your mobo without the case power cables connected. You can also restart this mobo without the case reset cable. The reset button is the white button to the right of the CMOS battery.The audio is great too, no mobo feedback in the headset. The MOSFETS stay cool under load – about 55-60°C.It works just fine with Windows 11. In my case, I did not have to enable secure boot or TPM 2.0 as it was already enabled by default. Windows 10 will work fine as well.If you have any issues with DDR5 RAM, just make sure this mobo supports your DIMMs of choice, and please pay attention to the BIOS version. If you have any issues, such as RAM incompatibility, download and install the latest BIOS, which is F8f at the point of writing this review. They list what changes they made. Most RAM will just work even if it is not listed in the QVL. However, the QVL is just a safer option especially since DDR5 is so new.It also has very subtle RGB that you can configure (the “AORUS” located on the VRM heatsink). I set mine to the wave. You can also set it to stay on while your PC is in sleep, hibernating, or shut down.Overall, I love this mobo. A Dr. Debug, power and reset switch on the mobo itself at this price is just insane. The only thing it skimped out on is Wi-Fi 6E. It has WiFi 6 though. That is not a deal-breaker for me because I use ethernet but the Wi-Fi works great, nonetheless. I tested it and got great and consistent download speeds (537.19Mbps) on my Wi-Fi 6E router at 1.2Gbps. There are some tricks to increase your Wi-Fi speeds but it takes some CMD knowledge. The bottom of the antenna is magnetic, so it has no issues staying on your case. It kinda makes it look like a shark. If you use ethernet, you’ll add it on top anyway for looks lol.
This board has a lot of great features for the price. It might be the best value out there. The build quality is very good. The heat sinks and power supply are best in class. All the benchmarks on my system meet or exceed what I would expect. The board booted and everything worked, first try, right out of the box. That always feels good.DDR4 support is the value champ. At the current frequencies, DDR5 does not offer much if any improvement on performance for most applications and at the moment still costs 70% more than DDR4. DDR4 also consumes less CPU power by about 5 watts. In a few generations, the story will be different as DDR5 frequencies continue to scale and the prices come down more. Eventually it will be a better choice.Although the x16 PCIE slot in this board is version 3.0, it still has enough bandwidth for any video card currently on the market – including the RTX 4090. The only reason that you would need PCIE 4 would be if you wanted to split the x16 with a riser into two x8 connectors. A PCIE 4 x8 has as much bandwideth as PCIE 3 x16.I use a Noctua NH-12 Ghost CPU cooler with this board. Officially, Noctua lists the cooler as mechanically incompatible. However, with the cooling fan slid all the way towards the heat pipes, the cooler just fits. There maybe some light contact between the heat pipes and the VRM heat sinks, but not enough to be an issue. It would also work with the regular NH-12, as long as the fan is positioned above the cooler.I did have one issue with this board, and that was a slow boot to windows. It was taking about 45 seconds to go from splash screen to login. Updating the BIOS to the latest F20 version resolved this. This was annoying since my board shipped with version F1 and I updated the BIOS to the latest version when I got it, which happened to be F2. Version F20 wasn’t available for this particular board until just a few days ago.