Gigabyte Z690 AORUS XTREME Motherboard Review

Gigabyte is one of the biggest names in the business, but when it comes to more enthusiast-focused hardware, it’s their AORUS division that takes things to the next level. I already teased the AORUS XTREME in my recent preview. However, today I can dive into more detail, and even show you performance figures, which is what I know you’ve all been wanting to see. The Gigabyte Z690 AORUS XTREME is one of the most high-end boards launching for Z690, and will likely remain one of the most high-end throughout this generation too. AORUS don’t just slap the name XTREME on something unless you mean it. However, I’ll warn you now, unless money is no object to you, it may be well over a thousand reasons why it’s too extreme for you.

Gigabyte Z690 AORUS XTREME

If there’s a high-end feature you want, it’s likely on this motherboard. First up, there’s a powerful 20+1+2 Phase VRM design with 105A Power Stages and Tantalum Polymer Capacitors, which is great news for those wanting to push their CPU to max 24/7. Of course, with the Intel 12th Gen CPUs and Z690 combined, you’ll get DDR5 support, Intel Thunderbolt 4, PCIe Gen 5.0 lanes, and M.2 PCIe Gen 4. Add to that their flagship networking options, with the latest Intel WiFi 6E, as well as Aquantia 10 GbE LAN.

Of course, this being the XTREME, things do go a little further, with their DDR5 memory shield and heatsink, USB Hex Audio Card, a full-suite of high-end heatsinks for the M.2 mounts, RGB Fusion 2.0 lighting, Smart Fan 6, and so much more.

Features

• Support 12th Gen Intel^® Series Processors
• Dual Channel Non-ECC Unbuffered DDR5, 4 DIMMs
• Direct 20+1+2 Phases VRM Design with 105A Power Stage* and Tantalum Polymer Capacitor
• DDR5 XTREME MEMORY Design with SMD DIMM and Shielded Memory Routing
• Thermal Reactive Armor with NanoCarbon Fins-Array III Heatsink, Direct-Touch Heatpipe II and NanoCarbon Baseplate
• Intel^® Thunderbolt 4 onboard
• Intel^® WIFI 6E 802.11ax 2T2R & BT5 with 2 x AORUS Antenna
• Essential USB Hex Audio Card and bundled Essential USB DAC
• AQUANTIA^® 10GbE BASE-T LAN and Intel^® 2.5GbE LAN with cFosSpeed
• 4 x Ultra-Fast NVMe PCIe 4.0 / 3.0 x4 M.2 with Thermal Guards XTREME
• RGB FUSION 2.0 with Multi-Zone Addressable LED Light Show Design, Support Addressable LED & RGB LED Strips
• Smart Fan 6 Features Multiple Temperature Sensors , Hybrid Fan Headers with FAN STOP and Noise Detection
• Q-Flash Plus Update BIOS without Installing the CPU, Memory and Graphics Card

For in-depth specifications, please visit the official Gigabyte Z690 AORUS XTREME Motherboard product page here.

Tell Me More

“With technology moving so fast, GIGABYTE still keep up with the latest trends and provide our customers with advanced features and latest technology. GIGABYTE Z690 Series motherboards come with upgraded power solution, latest storage standards and outstanding connectivity to enable optimized performance for gaming.​ Motherboards feature the latest DDR5 architecture and XMP 3.0 capability. The new DDR5 memory technology brings 50% more bandwidth to the platform and increases the system performance drastically by implementing Unlocked Native DDR5 Voltage, Xtreme Memory Routing and reliable SMD slot. In addition to the hardware upgrades, the user friendly UI provides full functionality to overclock higher with exclusive DDR5 tuning capability.” – Gigabyte

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 ROG MAXIMUS Z690 HERO 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 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!