ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z690 HERO Motherboard Review

Did you enjoy my preview of the ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z690 HERO last week? Don’t worry if you didn’t read it, because I’m sure this is where you want to be. While I couldn’t talk about the performance then, I certainly can today! That’s because the 12th Gen Intel CPUs and the new Z690 motherboards are here at last, bringing in a huge range of new features and technologies. Some of these features have been available to AMD fans for some time now, but some of them, such as DDR5 and PCIe 5.0, push things to the next level. Of course, ASUS are no stranger to high-end hardware, and their new ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z690 HERO motherboard looks set to grab your attention. It’s not the most extreme board they do, but it’s pretty damn close.

ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z690 HERO

It comes with an impressive 20+1 90A Power Stage design, easily one of the more robust in the Z690 lineup. Plus, everything from the VRM to all the M.2 mounts is heavily armoured with huge heatsinks and various cooling technologies to ensure maximum performance at all times. Connectivity is taken very seriously here too, with PCIe 5.0, onboard M.2 Gen 4.0, as well as a ROG Hyper M.2 PCIe Card. You get USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, and (20Gbps), and a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports (40Gbps, DisplayPort 1.4, and Thunderbolt Video supported). If that’s not enough, you get ROG SupremeFX ALC4082 with ESS^® ES9018Q2C DAC audio, the latest Intel WiFi 6, and Intel 2.5 GbE LAN too.

Features

• Socket LGA 1700 for 12th Gen Intel^® Core™, Pentium^® Gold and Celeron^® processors
• Intelligent Control: ASUS-exclusive tools including AI Overclocking, AI Cooling, AI Networking and Two-Way AI Noise-Cancelation for easy configuration
• Robust Power Solution: 20+1 teamed power stages rated for 90 A, ProCool II power connectors, MicroFine alloy chokes and premium metallic capacitors
• Optimized Thermal Design: Large VRM heatsinks plus integrated aluminum I/O cover, high-conductivity thermal pad, triple M.2 heatsinks and two M.2 backplates, plus ROG Water-Cooling Zone and ROG Hyper M.2 card with heatsinks.
• High-Performance Networking: Onboard WiFi 6E, Intel^® 2.5 Gb Ethernet, and ASUS LANGaurd.
• Fastest Gaming Connectivity: PCIe^® 5.0, dual Gen 4 M.2 onboard, ROG Hyper M.2 card with Gen 5 M.2 support, USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 front-panel connector, dual Thunderbolt™ 4 (USB Type-C^® ports).
• Industry-Leading Audio: ROG SupremeFX ALC4082 with ESS^® ES9018Q2C DAC for pinpoint positioning and dynamics
• Unmatched Personalization: I/O cover with Polymo Lighting, ASUS-exclusive Aura Sync RGB lighting, including one RGB header and three addressable Gen 2 RGB headers
• DIY-Friendly Design: Pre-mounted I/O shield, PCIe Slot Q-Release, BIOS FlashBack™, Q-Code, FlexKey, Q-Connector, M.2 Q-Latch, SafeSlot, ROG Hyper M.2 card and ROG Graphics Card Holder
• Renowned Software: Bundled 1year AIDA64 Extreme subscription and intuitive UEFI BIOS dashboard with integrated MemTest86

For in-depth specifications, please visit the official ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z690 HERO product page here.

Tell Me More

“The ROG Maximus Z690 Hero is a quintessential strand of the Republic of Gamers DNA, replete with high-octane components to satisfy users who seek an introduction to the enthusiast-grade Maximus line. Its arsenal of cooling, power delivery and connectivity stands ready to handle whatever the latest 12th Gen Intel^® Core™ processors throw at it. And with its new animated Polymo lighting display on the I/O cover that dazzles with vibrant RGB logos and patterns, the ROG Maximus Z690 Hero has the looks to match its leverage.” – ASUS

Z690 and 12th Gen Reviews

• Intel 12th Gen Core i5-12600K, i7-12700K & i9-12900K CPU Review
• ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z690 EXTREME Motherboard Review
• ASUS TUF Gaming Z690-Plus WiFi D4 Motherboard Review
• ASUS ROG Z690-I Gaming WiFi Motherboard Review
• Gigabyte Z690 AORUS Pro Motherboard Review
• Gigabyte Z690 AORUS XTREME Motherboard Review
• Gigabyte Z690 AORUS Master Motherboard Review
• MSI MAG Z690 TOMAHAWK WIFI DDR4 Motherboard Review
• MSI MPG Z690 Carbon WiFi Motherboard Review
• MSI MEG Z690 UNIFY Motherboard Review

Of course, for this review, use the navigation menu below to see more!