ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z890 HERO Motherboard Review

How Much Does It Cost?

The ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z890 HERO DDR5 PCIE 5.0 ATX Motherboard is a very high-end motherboard, and as you might expect, that is very much reflected in the price. It’s coming in at £719.99, making it pretty much out of the reach of your average PC gamer. However, when it comes to getting extreme connectivity and features, you certainly get what you pay for. Pretty much every aspect of this motherboard is upgraded with more robust hardware and components, and with six M.2 mounts, three networking options, and a comprehensive VRM configuration, it’s sure to appeal to enthusiast gamers and content creators with deeper pockets. I am a little surprised it didn’t have 10 GbE at this price range though, so that’s something to keep in mind if you require it.

Conclusion

The ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z890 HERO is a high-end motherboard designed for gamers and enthusiasts who demand top-tier performance and cutting-edge features. Built for the last Intel Core Ultra CPUs, it doesn’t support previous generations of Intel processors. As we said, it supports the latest and greatest memory kits but also comes with a higher recommended RAM speed to hit that performance sweet spot than any other motherboard/CPU combo on the market, which can mean an increase in your build cost, but that is often true of the latest flagship hardware anyway.

Lots of Storage

One of the biggest features of this motherboard is the M.2 storage, with it supporting an incredible six M.2 drives, with a mixture of three Gen5 and three Gen4, unlocking the potential for some truly staggering read/write performance that’s sure to appeal to content creators, or gamers who don’t ever want to see a loading screen for more than a couple of seconds. It also features ROG M.2 PowerBoost, which in ASUS’s own words “is an exclusive ASUS motherboard feature that provides amperage exceeding industry standards, supporting all six onboard M.2 slots to operate simultaneously at optimal performance. This advanced power setup helps ensure stability and data integrity even under high loads, while also helping to ensure the rated lifespan of an M.2 SSD.” In my words, it’s a PCIe connector to the motherboard to keep up with the higher power demands of running more drives.

VRM

The VRM configuration is overkill for almost all users, but with a 22+1+2+2 Power Stages design rated at 110A, it’s safe to say it’s unlikely to ever falter when it comes to delivering CPU power cleanly, stably, and with those big heatsinks, remain cool regardless of how hard you push your system. Furthermore, if you are interested in performance benchmarks and overclocking, it’s sure to tick all the right boxes for you score seekers too.

Networking

With a triple thread of WiFi 7, 2.5 Gb, and 5Gb LAN, you can take advantage of high-speed internet connections, network storage, and other LAN configurations. I would have liked 10 GbE, but while it’s something I would use, I understand it would likely increase the price even more, and it’s not exactly a common requirement for many home users.

Should I Buy One?

Honestly, most likely you do not need this motherboard, it’s complete overkill. You can get great gaming and day-to-day performance from the £300 or even cheaper motherboards. However, if you want something more robust, it’s hard to argue with what ASUS has to offer here. I’d only say you should pay for six M.2 drive bays on a motherboard if you intend to use them, as well as the more expansive PCIe configuration and Thunderbolt4, those features do not come cheap, but if you’re building a monster of a gaming PC that’s also built for high-end content creation and rendering, then it’s well worth the investment.