ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z690 HERO Motherboard Review

Z690 Motherboards and Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake Pricing

Here’s a round-up of all the motherboards and processors I’ve reviewed today. This includes up to date pricing that was correct prior to launch. However, I expect prices and stock to be a little more volatile after the launch, so please keep in mind that they are subject to change. Most of the prices and links are from Amazon UK, however, I have included some prices and links to Scan.co.uk for items that were not available on Amazon at the time of writing.

• Intel 12th Gen Core i5-12600K, i7-12700K & i9-12900K CPU (review) – £290 @ Scan / £419 @ Scan / £599 @ Scan
• ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z690 EXTREME Motherboard (review) – £935 @ Scan / £1669 Glacial Edition
• ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z690 HERO Motherboard (review) – £520 @ Scan
• ASUS TUF Gaming Z690-Plus WiFi D4 Motherboard (review) – £280 @ Scan
• ASUS ROG Z690-I Gaming WiFi Motherboard (review) – £375 @ Scan
• Gigabyte Z690 AORUS XTREME Motherboard (review) – £767
• Gigabyte Z690 AORUS Master Motherboard (review) – £416
• Gigabyte Z690 AORUS Pro Motherboard (review) – £290
• MSI MPG Z690 Carbon WiFi Motherboard (review) – £410 @ Scan
• MSI MAG Z690 TOMAHAWK WIFI DDR4 Motherboard (review) – £301
• MSI MEG Z690 UNIFY Motherboard (review) – £510 @ Scan

Overview

The ASUS HERO may be almost half the price of the EXTREME, but it’s clearly not half the motherboard. It’s pretty much the same price as the stunning MSI MEG Z690 UNIFY Motherboard and performs about the same too. MSI does have two PCIe 5.0 slots and dual LAN on theirs, but ASUS has dual Thunderbolt 4, and that ultra-fast Gen 5 ready Hyper M.2 card, a (slightly) larger VRM configuration and a slightly better audio setup, thanks to the ESS ES9018Q2C DAC. Their designs are very different too, MSI is more toned down, whereas ASUS is pretty flash, with mirrored heatsinks and many RGB lighting effects, so it’s up to you which best suits your needs.

Build Quality & Design

ASUS has built one fine looking motherboard, and frankly, at this price range, I should hope so. The VMR configuration is impressive, with a 20+1 Teamed Power Stage 90A, but it’s the super-sized VRM cooling and thick heatpipes that will ensure you can hit those boost clocks 24/7. There’s a lot of heatsinks for the M.2 mounts too, with further shielding protecting the PCB between the PCIe lanes, the chipset, and the audio hardware. The DDR5 slots are reinforced, and the PCIe 5.0 lanes have a more robust design than previous generations too. However, aesthetically, the mirror finish with hidden ARGB lighting underneath just looks amazing, this is one motherboard you’ll want to show off!

Performance

Well, as we might have expected, pretty much all of the Z690 motherboards performed around about the same, so if all you care about is straight-up gaming performance, then just pick the one you like. What really affects the price, however, is VMR configuration and connectivity. If you’re building a system that will render high-resolution video 24/7 and push max boost clocks on flagship CPUs, then sure, it’s a good idea to invest in a more premium board with the heatsinks that can cope with sustained loads. Furthermore, some of the Z690 boards have DDR4 DIMMS, making them more affordable, while DDR5 will add a price premium but bring performance benefits too. However, all the boards get PCIe 5.0 lanes, and Gen 4 storage too, which is where some of the most significant gains are to be found from one board to the other.

Added Value

Value for money is tricky to weigh up, as this is a very expensive motherboard (but still far from their most expensive). You do get a lot of features though, and I especially like the PCIe M.2 card, which is going to allow for some superfast RAID configuration. ASUS is well known for their awesome software suites too, so you’ll get ASUS-exclusive tools including AI Overclocking, AI Cooling, AI Networking and Two-Way AI Noise-Cancelation. PCIe Slot Q-Release, BIOS FlashBack™, Q-Code, FlexKey, Q-Connector, M.2 Q-Latch, SafeSlot, and ROG Graphics Card Holder are also welcome additions. You even get a years subscription for AIDA64 Extreme, which is a nice little bonus.

Should I Buy One?

This is one of the nicest motherboards in the whole Z690 lineup. It’s extremely pretty, and will certainly appeal to those wanting a kick-ass looking gaming build. However, it’s got some really serious hardware too, with a potent VRM configuration, giving it high-end power delivery and cooling capabilities, with further cooling and armour found throughout the motherboard. There’s also excellent connectivity thanks to dual Thunderbolt 4 ports. Really, this board is likely overkill for many, but if you plan on pushing the CPU hard (and often), hooking up fast RAID M.2 drives and Thunderbolt 4 devices, then it’s a pretty killer setup!