Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Master Motherboard Review

The AORUS Master, the clue is in the name, this motherboard should be something pretty special. We’ve already seen in previous reviews, that Z790 motherboards are all pretty darn fast, so I’m not actually expecting this one to actually be much, if any, faster than its many rivals, including other motherboards from Gigabyte themselves. What really separates the expensive flagship motherboards from the “humble” gaming motherboards, however, is connectivity.

Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Master

Of course, you do get a 20+1+2 Phases Digital VRM, and some truly massive heatsinks, as you would expect from one of the big flagship motherboards. However, it’s the extensive amounts of ultra-fast PCIe lanes, M.2 storage, 10 Gb/s Marvell AQtion LAN, Type-C 20 Gb/s and even flagship audio hardware. If you’re just a gamer, this is complete overkill, but if you’re building something to deal with huge files, such as game development, video editing and rendering, and you can really make use of all those extra features, then it can be a real game changer.

Features

• Intel® Socket LGA 1700: Support 13th and 12th Gen Series Processors.
• Unparalleled Performance: Direct 20+1+2 Phases Digital VRM Solution.
• Dual Channel DDR5: 4x SMD DIMMs with XMP 3.0 Memory Module Support.
• Next Generation Storage: 1x PCIe 5.0 x4 and 4*PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 Connectors.
• Fins-Array III & M.2 Thermal Guard III: To Ensure VRM Power Stability & 25110 PCIe 5.0 M.2 SSD Performance.
• EZ-Latch Plus: SMD PCIe 5.0 x16 Slot & M.2 Connectors with Quick Release & Screwless Design.
• Hi-Fi Audio with DTS: X® Ultra:ALC1220 CODEC and Rear ESS SABRE Hi-Fi 9118 DAC.
• Fast Networks: Marvell® AQtion 10GbE LAN & Intel® Wi-Fi 6E 802.11ax with DCT.
• Extended Connectivity: DP, USB-C® 10Gb/s, Front and Dual Rear USB-C® 20Gb/s.
• Smart Fan 6: Features Multiple Temperature Sensors, Hybrid Fan Headers with FAN STOP and Noise Detection.