ASUS ROG Z690-I Gaming WiFi 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

I must admit, it’s hard for me not to love this motherboard. For starters, it’s literally the only small form factor board I have for the Z690 launch, and I’m a sucker for mini-ITX designs anyway. Small form factor builds will always be cool, and yet, despite its small size, the ASUS ROG Z690-I Gaming WiFi Motherboard is big on features. Furthermore, it’s not what I would call cheap, but it is more affordable than I would have expected, so that’s certainly a pleasant surprise.

Build Quality & Design

It’s a really stylish looking motherboard, and I love how ASUS has managed to make it look so clean. There’s a large shroud over the VRM and rear I/O section that matches up with the raised heatsink on the main M.2 mount. There’s a cool ASUS ROG STRIX logo in the corner, with a mirror effect and RGB that blends the two heatsinks together, making it look pretty slick. However, as I said, it’s the amount of hardware lurking below all which takes things to the next level. You get 10+1 Power Stages at 105A, DDR5, an armoured PCIe 5.0 slot, integrated rear I/O cover and more.

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

Well, it’s one of the few small form factors boards we’ll see this launch, as mini-ITX and mATX seem to be getting rarer and rarer these days, which is a shame. However, it’s not like you’re having to make do with what’s out there, as this board can compete with the bigger ATX models when it comes to performance. You get a pair of Gen4, M.2 slots on the motherboard, PCIe 5.0, HDMI 2.1, USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, and WiFi 6, 2.5 GbE LAN! However, the addition of that powerful soundcard, with the ALC4080 chipset and the Savitech SV3H712 amplifier, along with DTS Sound Unbound and Sonic Studio III take things to the next level. Plus, having a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports, which can be used for displays, fast storage and more, make this a serious contender for a compact workstation or gaming rig.

Should I Buy One?

If you want big performance in a small form factor, the ASUS ROG Z690-I Gaming WiFi Motherboard is where you’ll find it. The innovation in the stacked hardware layers, the awesome connectivity, powerful audio, and that ultra-clean design makes this a motherboard you’ll be proud to show off. However, it also has the performance that can keep up with more expensive and larger motherboards, which is certainly impressive.