Gigabyte AORUS ELITE Z890 WiFi7 Motherboard Review

The Gigabyte Z890 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 is here, as a nice entry-to-mid-range Z890 motherboard with the latest Intel chipset and is prepared to push the performance of the 15th Gen Intel Core Ultra processors. Well, technically 15th Gen, they're actually 1st Gen Core Ultra, as Intel is trying a fresh start with the naming. This ATX motherboard strikes a balance between high-end features and affordability, making it an appealing option for gamers and enthusiasts seeking a solid foundation for their next PC build. With the Z890 chipset at its core, the AORUS ELITE WIFI7 embraces the latest connectivity standards, including PCIe 5.0 for blazing-fast data transfer speeds with compatible graphics cards and SSDs. Gigabyte AORUS ELITE Z890 WiFi7 Gigabyte has equipped the Z890 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 with a modest 16+1+2 phase digital VRM solution, ensuring clean and stable power delivery to the demanding Core Ultra processors. This power design is further enhanced by a comprehensive cooling solution, featuring VRM heatsinks and M.2 Thermal Guard to keep critical components operating at optimal temperatures, even under heavy load. Connectivity is a key strength of the Z890 AORUS ELITE WIFI7, with a range of options for both networking and storage. Gamers will appreciate the inclusion of a 2.5GbE LAN port and the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard with a high-gain antenna, ensuring a fast and reliable connection for online gaming. Storage options are plentiful, with four M.2 slots, including one that supports the PCIe 5.0 standard for maximum bandwidth, although if you need more Gen5 slots, you'll have to look higher up the AORUS range (and pay more money). Key Features CPU Support: Supports Intel® Core™ Ultra processors (Series 2) Power Delivery: Digital twin 16+1+2 phases VRM solution Memory: 4 x DDR5 DIMM slots with XMP Memory Module Support D5 Bionic Corsa for enhanced memory performance Storage: 4 x M.2 slots, including 1 x PCIe 5.0 x4 Expansion Slots: PCIe UD Slot X: PCIe 5.0 x16 slot with reinforced durability EZ-Latch Plus: PCIe and M.2 slots with quick release & screwless design Graphics: Integrated Graphics Processor (not specified on the page) Networking: 2.5GbE LAN Wi-Fi 7 with directional Ultra-high gain antenna WIFI EZ-Plug: Simplified Wi-Fi antenna installation Audio: ALC1220 codec with WIMA audiophile-grade capacitors USB: Thunderbolt™ 4 Type-C with DP-Alt DisplayPort (Other USB ports not specifically listed) Form Factor: ATX (assumed based on other Z890 boards) Aesthetics: (RGB lighting not mentioned on the page) Cooling: VRM Thermal Armor Advanced M.2 Thermal Guard L EZ-Latch Click: M.2 heatsinks with screwless design Other Features: AORUS AI SNATCH: Auto-overclocking software AI Perfdrive: Optimized BIOS presets Sensor Panel Link: Onboard video port for in-chassis panel setup Friendly UI: Multi-theme BIOS, AIO fan control, Q-Flash Auto Scan New Power Monitor in HWinfo for real-time VRM monitoring For more information, please visit the official product page here. Packaging While the box looks very eye-catching from the front thanks to the colourful AORUS Eagle on the front, I would have liked a large photo of the product too. However, around the back, you get a full front photo of the motherboard, as well as close-ups of the key features and hardware, such as the VRM configuration, quick-release systems, and networking capabilities. There's also a full rundown of the rear I/O, and all the hardware support, so it's good to see the technical details are covered. A Closer Look The Z890 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 is a very nice looking motherboard, perhaps not as extreme as some of the others launching this week, but still, it's not like the heatsink and VRM configurations are lacking here, and it's still a really nice looking motherboard too, with largely black hardware, and a few grey/silver highlights that really make it stand out. The motherboard features a 16+1+2 Phases VRM design, with two large heatsinks providing ample cooling to ensure you can hit those big CPU boost clocks more consistently. While not the most extreme VRM configuration, for those just wanting to push the boost clocks and a bit of overclocking, it should be more than capable. There's a good range of storage options too, with a single PCIe 5.0 x4 sitting at the top here, and that comes with its own enlarged heatsink as those Gen5 drives can get pretty toasty! The larger heatsinks below provide cooling for three Gen4 M.2 drive mounts. The heatsinks are easily removed, as like a few other new boards, there are EZ-Latch Plus and EZ-Latch Click quick-release systems and new mounts that just make it easier to remove the heatsinks and install/remove your hardware. One thing that does stand out on this board is the red and gold components in the corner. These are the WIMA Audiophile Grade Capacitors for the ALC1220 High-Res Audio hardware. It's reasonably well connected too, as it comes with the Directional Ultra-High Gain Antenna system for WiFi7, which features a quick-release mounting point on the rear I/O, but also 2.5 GbE LAN for fast networking performance. There's a good range of fast USB ports, as well as the latest THUNDERBOLT4 Type-C, but overall there aren't a huge number of USB ports, which may be a problem for some users. 3DMark Timespy 3DMark Time Spy is a popular benchmark focused on evaluating DirectX 12 performance. It simulates a demanding gaming scenario, stressing both your CPU and GPU with complex graphics and physics calculations. The benchmark renders a detailed scene featuring advanced lighting, shadows, and particle effects, providing a realistic representation of modern game visuals. 3DMark is available on Steam here. 3DMark CPU Benchmark 3DMark CPU Benchmark is a tool designed to measure CPU performance across various scenarios. Instead of providing a single score, it runs multiple tests using different numbers of threads (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and maximum available) to see how well your CPU scales with increasing workload. This helps to gauge performance not only for modern games utilizing many cores, but also older titles and tasks like 3D rendering. The results give a comprehensive overview of your CPU's capabilities under different loads, aiding in comparisons, overclocking decisions, and understanding potential bottlenecks. Available now on Steam. PCMark 10 Express PCMark 10 Express is a shorter benchmark that focuses on basic home PC use. It includes the Essentials and Productivity test groups. It is less demanding than the main PCMark 10 benchmark. The Essentials test group covers the common tasks that people do every day with their PCs, such as web browsing, video conferencing, and app start-up time. The Productivity test group measures system performance with everyday office applications, such as writing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Available now on Steam. Cinebench 2024 Cinebench 2024 is a cross-platform benchmarking tool used to evaluate both CPU and GPU performance. Unlike previous versions which focused solely on CPU, it now leverages Maxon's Redshift rendering engine to assess a system's capability for handling demanding 3D tasks. It provides scores for both single-core and multi-core CPU performance, as well as a separate GPU score, making it a comprehensive solution for understanding your system's overall rendering capabilities. Available now on Maxon. Blender 4.2.0 Blender 4.2.0 is a powerful, open-source 3D creation suite, not a benchmarking tool itself. It excels in tasks like 3D modeling, sculpting, animation, texturing, shading, lighting, simulation, rendering, video editing, and compositing. While it doesn't provide a benchmark score, you can use Blender to indirectly benchmark your system by measuring render times for complex scenes. This can give you a sense of how well your hardware handles demanding 3D workloads. Available now from blender.org Super PI 2.1 Super PI is a single-threaded benchmark that calculates pi to a specific number of digits. It uses the Gauss-Legendre algorithm and is a Windows port of a program used by Yasumasa Kanada in 1995 to compute pi to 232 digits. Available now on Super PI. Wprime 2.11 wPrime 2.11 is a multi-threaded benchmark tool designed to stress-test your CPU by performing complex calculations. It specifically focuses on evaluating your CPU's ability to handle heavy multi-core workloads, making it useful for overclockers, system builders, and anyone looking to gauge their CPU's performance under demanding conditions. The benchmark calculates square roots using the Newton method, providing results for both 32 million and 1024 million iterations, testing different levels of computational intensity. It offers both single-threaded and multi-threaded modes, allowing you to see how well your CPU scales with additional cores. Available now from WPrime. Y-Cruncher Y-Cruncher is a specialized benchmarking tool designed to measure the computational power of your system by calculating the mathematical constant Pi (π) to trillions of digits. It's a multi-threaded application, leveraging the full capabilities of modern multi-core processors and large amounts of RAM. Y-Cruncher is often used by enthusiasts and overclockers to stress-test their systems, assess stability, and compare performance with other configurations. While it doesn't directly measure gaming or 3D rendering performance, its focus on heavy computational tasks makes it a good indicator of a system's raw number-crunching abilities, particularly for memory-intensive operations. Available now from numberworld.org. AIDA64 AIDA64 memory benchmark is a feature of AIDA64, a system information and diagnostics software. It measures the bandwidth and latency of the CPU caches and the system memory by performing various read, write, copy, and latency tests. It uses different instruction set extensions and optimizations depending on the processor and memory type. It also supports multi-threading, multi-processor, and multi-core systems. You can use it to compare your system performance with others, test its stability and reliability, and optimize it for better performance. Available now on AIDA64. Cyberpunk 2077 Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world, action-adventure RPG set in the megalopolis of Night City, where you play as a cyberpunk mercenary wrapped up in a do-or-die fight for survival. Improved and featuring all-new free additional content, customize your character and playstyle as you take on jobs, build a reputation, and unlock upgrades. The relationships you forge and the choices you make will shape the story and the world around you. Legends are made here. What will yours be? Available now on Steam. F1 23 Be the last to brake in EA SPORTS™ F1® 23, the official video game of the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship™. A new chapter in the thrilling “Braking Point” story mode delivers high-speed drama and heated rivalries. Available now on Steam. Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered Developed by Insomniac Games in collaboration with Marvel, and optimized for PC by Nixxes Software, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered on PC introduces an experienced Peter Parker who’s fighting big crime and iconic villains in Marvel’s New York. At the same time, he’s struggling to balance his chaotic personal life and career while the fate of Marvel’s New York rests upon his shoulders. Available now on Steam. The Riftbreaker The Riftbreaker is a base-building, survival game with Action-RPG elements. You are an elite scientist/commando inside an advanced Mecha-Suit capable of dimensional rift travel. Hack & slash countless enemies. Build up your base, collect samples and research new inventions to survive. Available now on Steam. Shadow of the Tomb Raider Experience Lara Croft’s defining moment as she becomes the Tomb Raider. In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Lara must master a deadly jungle, overcome terrifying tombs, and persevere through her darkest hour. As she races to save the world from a Maya apocalypse, Lara will ultimately be forged into the Tomb Raider she is destined to be. Available now on Steam. In the fast-paced world of today, every second counts. That's why we put each motherboard through its paces, measuring the time it takes to boot into Windows. A speedy boot time means less waiting and more doing. We've meticulously timed each motherboard's startup process, from pressing the power button to reaching the Windows desktop. Boot Time Power Consumption Power consumption on motherboards is important because it affects the stability and performance of the system, especially when overclocking or using high-end components. The power consumption of a motherboard depends on its features, the type of voltage regulator, integrated chipsets and modules, and BIOS power-saving features. VRM Performance When it comes to testing VRM performance, there are multiple ways to do it including using the likes of HWiNFO to measure what the sensor tells you, or to use K-Type probes, or to get a better, well-rounded picture, you can use both, which is exactly what we’ve done here today. All of these motherboards were tested in the same room with the same probe configuration with the ambient temperature controlled at 23c for consistency in the results. First, the VRM temperature was taken at idle, with one probe on the upper VRMs and one probe to the side of the CPU A third reading was taken using the built-in sensor on the motherboard via HwiNFO. We then leave the system sitting on the desktop for 10 minutes to settle before taking our idle readings on both HWiNFO and the probes. After this, we wanted to simulate a worst-case scenario using Prime95 with small FFTs to generate the most heat, as well as Cinebench 2024 to simulate more common, real-world usage. We run each test for an hour, along with letting the temperatures to settle down between each test. You will find that the software reading from the sensor will vary quite wildly in areas, and this is down to the sensor location for one, and if the sensor is reporting the internal temperature instead, which based on our testing and the sensor data generally reading higher, that is the case. Given that VRMs (Voltage Regulator Modules) behave similarly to CPUs and GPUs regarding heat generation and dissipation, it’s crucial to manage their temperatures effectively. Operating temperatures above 100°C can lead to long-term damage or failure. Typically, a safe operating range for VRMs is between 70°C and 90°C, but this could result in CPU performance throttling to reduce the temperatures to safer levels. however, it’s best to keep them below 70°C for optimal performance and longevity. All the boards tested here fall within these safe ranges. How Much Does It Cost? The Gigabyte Intel Z890 AORUS ELITE WiFi7 PCIe 5.0 ATX Motherboard is pretty affordable, coming in at just £299, it's less than half the price of the new Z890 enthusiast motherboards, making it much more accessible to consumers. Now, don't get me wrong, I know £300 is a lot of money, but keep in mind this is a more affordable model for what is still a high-end chipset series motherboard. No doubt, more affordable B-series boards will hit the market in the new year. I would have liked just a few more USB ports on the back, but other than that, the motherboard is well-equipped for this price range. Conclusion The Gigabyte AORUS ELITE Z890 WiFi7 motherboard presents a compelling option for users looking to harness the power of Intel's latest Core Ultra processors. Supporting the LGA 1851 socket, this motherboard offers a robust foundation for a high-performance system, without the extreme cost of something like the flagship boards from ASUS, MSI, AORUS and many others. VRM Power delivery is handled by a digital twin 16+1+2 phase VRM solution, ensuring clean and stable power to the CPU for optimal performance and overclocking potential. While not as extreme as some, it's clearly enough to tap into our U9 processor but may lack the extreme overclocking abilities of some of the more expensive boards. Hardware The Aorus has plenty of options for fast storage, with an impressive four M.2 slots, including one PCIe 5.0 x4, while the remaining three are PCIe 4.0 x4, allowing for some fast configurations. Furthermore, the inclusion of the EZ-Latch Plus and EZ-Latch Click designs means no more fiddly screws and fittings, making it easy to install or swap out your drives with ease. There's also a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot supporting the latest in expansion cards and graphics cards, and this too comes with Gigabyte's EZ-Latch Plus system, with a simple push button to unlatch the GPU without having to jam your fingers down the back of the card. Networking and Connectivity It features 2.5GbE LAN for fast wired connections and the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard with a directional, ultra-high gain antenna for superior wireless performance. It's easy to use too, as you get the WIFI EZ-Plug design, so no need to screw in the wires like on many WiFi antennae, just push and click and you're good to go. Audio is driven by the ALC1220 codec, paired with WIMA audiophile-grade capacitors for enhanced sound quality. You also get the latest Thunderbolt 4 Type-C port with DP-Alt mode, ensuring you can support next-gen displays, storage and peripherals. AI Gigabyte incorporates several features to enhance the user experience. AORUS AI SNATCH provides auto-overclocking capabilities, while AI Perfdrive offers optimized BIOS presets for various usage scenarios. The Sensor Panel Link allows for in-chassis panel setup via an onboard video port. The BIOS itself features a friendly UI with multiple themes, AIO fan control, and Q-Flash Auto Scan for easy updates. A new power monitor in HWinfo provides real-time VRM monitoring, making it very user-friendly. Should I Buy One? This is a great starting point for PC gamers who want to leverage the fast storage of Gen5 M.2, the latest PCIe 5.0 expansion cards such as the latest GPUs from AMD and Nvidia, and of course, the new socket and the competent VRM configuration means you can leverage the performance of the latest Intel Core Ultra CPUs. At £299 you get a lot for your money here, and while a couple more USB ports on the back would be welcome, there's a lot to love here.