The Z490 AORUS PRO AX is a high-end motherboard designed for gamers and enthusiasts who demand the best performance from their system. This motherboard is manufactured by Gigabyte, a well-known brand in the PC hardware industry. In this review, we will examine the various features and specifications of the Z490 AORUS PRO AX motherboard in detail.
Design and Build Quality:
The Z490 AORUS PRO AX motherboard has a sleek and modern design. It features a black PCB with silver accents and RGB lighting that adds a touch of personality to your system. The build quality is excellent, with high-quality components used throughout. The motherboard is also reinforced with metal shielding, which adds durability and stability.
Performance:
The Z490 AORUS PRO AX motherboard is designed to deliver high-end performance. It supports Intel’s latest 10th generation processors, including the Core i9. The motherboard also has a powerful VRM (Voltage Regulator Module) design that allows for stable overclocking. This means that you can push your CPU to its limits and get the most out of your system.
The Z490 AORUS PRO AX motherboard also supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a maximum capacity of 128GB. The memory speed can be overclocked up to 5000MHz, which is incredibly fast. This means that you can enjoy faster loading times and improved system responsiveness.
Connectivity:
The Z490 AORUS PRO AX motherboard comes with dual Ethernet ports, which is a great feature for gamers who demand low latency and high-speed internet connectivity. The first Ethernet port is a 2.5G LAN, while the second is a 1G LAN. This allows you to connect to two different networks simultaneously and switch between them as needed.
The motherboard also supports Wi-Fi 6, which is the latest and fastest wireless standard. With Wi-Fi 6, you can enjoy faster download and upload speeds, lower latency, and improved reliability, even in crowded environments. The Z490 AORUS PRO AX motherboard also has Bluetooth 5.1, which allows you to connect to compatible devices wirelessly.
The Z490 AORUS PRO AX motherboard has three M.2 slots that support the latest NVMe SSDs. NVMe SSDs are much faster than traditional SATA SSDs, and with three M.2 slots, you can install multiple NVMe SSDs for maximum storage and performance. The motherboard also has six SATA III ports, which can be used to connect traditional hard drives or SATA SSDs.
The Z490 AORUS PRO AX motherboard has a limited number of USB ports. It has only six USB ports on the rear panel, which may not be enough for some users. However, you can always add more USB ports using a PCIe expansion card.
Audio Quality:
The Z490 AORUS PRO AX motherboard comes with high-quality audio components, including a premium audio capacitor, WIMA audio capacitors, and ESS SABRE HiFi 9118 DAC. This ensures that you get the best audio quality possible, whether you’re gaming or listening to music.
BIOS:
The BIOS of the Z490 AORUS PRO AX motherboard is quite complicated and may take some time to get used to. However, once you understand how it works, you can take advantage of the many features and settings it offers. The BIOS also has a built-in Q-Flash Plus feature, which allows you to update the BIOS without a CPU or memory installed.
Conclusion:
The Z490 AORUS PRO AX motherboard is an excellent choice for gamers and enthusiasts who demand high-end performance and connectivity. The motherboard has a sleek and modern design, excellent build quality, and supports the latest hardware standards. It also comes with advanced RGB lighting, which allows you to customize the look of your system.The Z490 AORUS PRO AX motherboard is a high-end offering from Gigabyte, aimed at gamers and enthusiasts looking for top-tier performance and features. In this review, we’ll look at the pros and cons of this motherboard. We’ll help you decide whether it’s the right choice for your next PC build.
Pros:
Strong Performance: The Z490 AORUS PRO AX is powered by Intel’s Z490 chipset, which supports the latest 10th and 11th Gen Intel Core processors. The motherboard also features a robust power delivery system with 12+1 phases, which allows for stable overclocking and reliable performance under heavy loads.
Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1: The motherboard comes equipped with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1, which ensures fast and stable wireless connectivity. This is a significant advantage for gamers who require low-latency connections for online gaming.
Plenty of connectivity options: The motherboard features a wide range of connectivity options, including dual Thunderbolt 3 ports, dual M.2 slots, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C and Type-A ports, and more. This means you’ll have no shortage of options for connecting your peripherals.
High-quality audio: The Z490 AORUS PRO AX comes with an ALC1220 audio codec and high-quality audio capacitors, delivering excellent audio quality for music and gaming.
RGB lighting: The motherboard features RGB lighting, which adds style to your PC build. The lighting can be customized using Gigabyte’s RGB Fusion 2.0 software, which allows you to synchronize the lighting with other compatible components.
Cons:
High price: The Z490 AORUS PRO AX is a premium motherboard, and its price reflects that. It’s significantly more expensive than other Z490 motherboards on the market, which may exclude budget-conscious builders.
Limited PCIe 4.0 support: While the motherboard supports PCIe 4.0, it only supports it in the primary PCIe x16 slot and one of the M.2 slots. This means that if you want to take full advantage of PCIe 4.0, you’ll need to choose your components carefully.
Limited overclocking potential: While the motherboard offers robust power delivery systems, some users report limited overclocking potential. This may be due to the motherboard’s design, which prioritizes stability over overclocking.
No Thunderbolt 4 support: The Z490 AORUS PRO AX features dual Thunderbolt 3 ports, but not Thunderbolt 4. This means you can’t use Thunderbolt 4 peripherals without an adapter.
Limited RGB lighting customization: While RGB lighting is an excellent touch, RGB Fusion 2.0 software has limited customization options. Some users may find this disappointing, especially if they’re looking to create complex lighting patterns.
Overall, the Z490 AORUS PRO AX motherboard is an excellent choice for gamers and enthusiasts who want top-tier performance and features. While it has some drawbacks, such as its high price and limited PCIe 4.0 support, the motherboard’s strong performance, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity, and extensive connectivity options.
