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A stable mid-range ASUS motherboard
ASUS TUF Gaming Z690-Plus WiFi

ASUS TUF Gaming Z690-Plus WiFi
What’s a motherboard?

Earlier than we get into our choice course of, it’s essential to grasp what a motherboard is and what it does. This could show you how to make an knowledgeable determination about your subsequent motherboard.
Motherboards are presumably an important part inside your PC, it’s like the bottom every part is constructed on. A motherboard permits all of your parts to speak with each other, reminiscent of your GPU, RAM, and CPU, all of those parts could be rendered ineffective in the event you don’t have a motherboard to put in them onto.
It’s this communication that permits a pc to function, if even one part isn’t pulling its weight, or speaking correctly with the remainder of the system, then the PC is not going to operate correctly and end in full system failure.
Apart from making certain your whole parts talk in excellent synergy, your motherboard additionally homes a chipset that controls most PC I/O interactions. That is designed particularly to work with a sure CPU structure, whether or not that be Intel or AMD’s respective structure. For instance, Z690 chipsets belong to Intel and X570 chipsets belong to AMD.
What’s a chipset?
A chipset resides on each motherboard and is without doubt one of the most essential sub-components of a motherboard. The chipset is the system that controls a lot of the communication between your CPU, RAM, and different parts reminiscent of peripherals. The chipset additionally determines what number of high-speed gadgets reminiscent of USB interface gadgets your motherboard can help at any given time.
Chipsets are often composed of a number of chips that function controllers for not simply {hardware} gadgets, however extra generally used peripheral gadgets too, reminiscent of keyboards and mice.
If you understand something about motherboards you should have heard the phrases, ‘X570, Z590, B440’, and so forth. These are the motherboard chipsets. The names appear a bit complicated, nonetheless, all you have to know is that they observe a particular hierarchy for each AMD and Intel processors, and the upper the quantity the higher the chipset and the extra options it is going to have and the extra it is going to help.
Chipset hierarchy
As we beforehand talked about, AMD and Intel motherboards observe a chipset hierarchy. Right here is the hierarchy they each at the moment observe.
AMD

Intel

Normally, the higher chipsets are lettered in the direction of the tip of the alphabet, relying on whether or not it’s for Intel or AMD. Z is best than H for Intel, and X is best than B for AMD. It’s often in reverse alphabetical order. So, an X570 chipset will likely be higher than a B450 chipset as a result of the letter is later within the alphabet and the quantity is increased.
How we select
Right here at WePC, we solely choose the very best of the very best to advocate in our articles. The selection comes from a mixture of our specialist’s data, consumer expertise inside the firm, and public opinion.
So relaxation assured, each product we advocate to you has been utilized by not less than one member of the WePC staff. It’s not likely a tough selection nonetheless, it doesn’t matter what ASUS board you select to select up it is going to at all times be an excellent one.
How we check
All the merchandise that come by WePC are subjected to a rigorous testing course of, that permits us to find out the viability of a product. Whether or not that be a CPU, a mouse, a motherboard, or a gaming chair. All of us have our personal processes and testing methodology.
Motherboards are examined in a base system to see in the event that they affect FPS and are continuously measured for thermal baselines. Not solely that, however we conduct a rigorous high quality test to be sure that every part is in full working order, and designed the way in which it must be.
The BIOS and BIOS navigation can also be assessed to make sure there aren’t any dangerous practices being carried out there, and every part is well accessible. In addition to navigation, the options are additionally assessed. You’ll be stunned what number of high-end motherboards generally skip fundamental BIOS performance.
Issues to contemplate
Right here we’ll define an inventory of issues to contemplate when choosing a brand new ASUS motherboard.
Kind issue

The shape issue is a giant one, you don’t need to buy a motherboard that received’t slot in your PC case. Motherboard and case type components must align earlier than you possibly can contemplate another features.
Word that the shape components of each the motherboard and case don’t must align completely, the case simply must help it. For instance, you could have an ATX motherboard and your PC case is a typical mid-tower that helps ATX, ITX, and M-ITX. Your motherboard will match right here, so long as the motherboard’s type issue is listed within the listing of appropriate ones on the case, you’re wonderful.

Motherboards are available in a large number of various sizes and shapes, from E-ATX, all the way in which right down to the extremely small Mini-ITX. As a rule, the smaller the motherboard, the much less feature-rich will probably be, you solely have a lot you possibly can pack into such a compact piece of silicon.
What type issue ought to I get?
As a rule of thumb, we usually push in the direction of the ATX type issue as that is the usual, and most instances help it or are constructed round it. For essentially the most half, there aren’t any compromises on options with the ATX type issue both. Intel first launched the ATX type think about 1995, and since then it’s develop into an {industry} commonplace.
Socket

The socket is much less essential this time round as a result of we’re not specializing in a particular CPU or model of CPU, we’re simply taking a look at ASUS motherboards. Nevertheless, while you do determine on a CPU it’s essential the socket on the motherboard corresponds to the socket on the CPU.
CPU sockets are like shapes, in case your CPU and CPU socket isn’t the identical form then they’re not going to suit collectively. That is essential as a result of Intel at the moment makes use of the LGA (Land Grid Array) configuration, whereas AMD at the moment makes use of PGA (Pin Grid Array). These are two utterly totally different configurations and there’s no method they’re appropriate both bodily or technologically.
Enjoyable truth, AMD is shifting to the LGA socket configuration with the discharge of AM5, however that also received’t make Intel and AMD CPUs appropriate with the identical sockets – as cool as that may be.
RAM

As you understand, the discharge of Intel’s Twelfth-generation CPUs introduced us DDR5 RAM. At the moment, there are NO DDR5 RAM-compatible motherboards on the AM4 platform, it’s solely with the discharge of AM5 that they’ll add help. Please don’t buy an AMD motherboard and attempt to set up DDR5 RAM into it.
With that being mentioned there are additionally quite a few Twelfth Gen appropriate motherboards on Intel’s aspect that help DDR4 RAM. So please test the specs of the motherboard earlier than you decide one up.
PCIe/PCI slots

There are two varieties of PCI slots: PCI and PCI Categorical (PCIe). The PCIe slot is a bigger, sooner model of the PCI slot. Most motherboards include PCIe and PCI slots, and these serve a vital function, that is the place you’ll seat your GPU. This isn’t the one goal that PCIe slots serve, as there are a plethora of enlargement playing cards that may accommodate a PCIe slot.
Some examples of further enlargement playing cards are:
- NVMe enlargement playing cards
- USB enlargement playing cards
- Seize playing cards
- Excessive-end sound playing cards
- Wifi playing cards
For common use instances and gaming, two PCIe slots will suffice. It’s uncommon that you just’ll ever want greater than two PCIe slots except you’re trying so as to add storage or extra performance to your system with an enlargement card. Or in the event you’re trying so as to add two GPUs in SLI, we don’t advocate this, nonetheless.
Most motherboards ship with built-in sound chips and for common use these are wonderful. Nevertheless, chances are you’ll need to seize a motherboard with extra enlargement slots to fit your {industry}/area of interest. For content material creators, you may want a high-end seize card or a sound card for high-end audio mixes.
This additionally applies to USB playing cards, NVMe storage enlargement playing cards, and WiFi playing cards. We’re not suggesting you head out and purchase a WRX80-SE-SAGE with seven PCIe slots, simply that you just contemplate any future expansions chances are you’ll want to make to your system, and go away your choices open.
In-depth Evaluate
Right here we’ll delve a bit deeper into every product and assess its strengths and weaknesses, while deciding what use case it suits.
ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Hero WiFi

ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Hero WiFi

The ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Hero is without doubt one of the finest Z690 choices in the marketplace at the moment. It’s an unimaginable possibility regardless of what it might lack in energy levels and ethernet bandwidth.
The ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Hero’s design is totally different from the earlier era of Hero. That includes excellent personalization with the Polymer Lighting I/O cowl and accompanying totally customizable RGB lighting. The Z690 Hero ships with 20+1 energy staging and clever management, which is ASUS’ Ai overclocking function which has confirmed to be just about unmatched within the {industry} in the present day.
Cooling is dealt with by a really giant aluminum heatsink and built-in aluminum I/O cowl, after all with a really extremely conductive thermal pad to extend contact floor space. The M.2 SSDs are stored cool with three M.2 heatsinks and two backplates. With an extra ROG water cooling zone.
Moreover, there’s a multitude of options that really matter for everybody, whether or not they’re a gamer or not. Full PCIe gen 5 help, ultra-fast DDR5 ram slots with help as much as 6400Mhz. Twin Thunderbolt 4 USB-C and a ROG Hyper M.2 PCIe gen 5 card. Offers you some fairly highly effective connectivity wherever you want it essentially the most.
Professionals
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Twin Thunderbolt 4 USB-C -
PCIe Slot Q-Launch -
20+1 energy levels (90A)
Cons
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No 10Gb Ethernet -
Much less energy levels than extra premium fashions
ASUS ROG STRIX X570-F Gaming Motherboard

ASUS ROG STRIX X570-F Gaming Motherboard

The ASUS ROG STRIX X570-F Gaming Motherboard is thought to be among the best X570 chipset motherboards you should buy, with a plethora of options justifying its giant price ticket. That is undoubtedly not a finances possibility, because it comes geared up with a really environment friendly 12+2 Digital energy section design which requires a pretty big heatsink.
The design of the ASUS ROG STRIX X570-F Gaming Motherboard is unquestionably a factor of magnificence, its modern fashionable design options full Aura-Sync RGB which may be personalized endlessly inside Asus’ proprietary RGB software program “Aura Sync”.
Different options embrace a brand new heatsink design, M.2 enlargement card, and Intel Gigabit ethernet connectivity. The board additionally options PCIe 4.0 help, HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.2, and twin M.2 slots – alongside USB 3.2 Sort-A and Sort-C connectors.
Total, that is a tremendous motherboard with unmatched performance, sporting among the finest options X570s has to supply. Its included WiFi and Bluetooth options undoubtedly put the icing on the cake.
Professionals
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Excellent aesthetics -
Comes geared up with Auro Sync RGB -
Helps ASUS’s 5 method optimization tuning -
Nice audio due to SupremeFX S1220A codec
ASUS TUF Gaming Z690-Plus WiFi

ASUS TUF Gaming Z690-Plus WiFi

The ASUS TUF Gaming motherboard stays a fan favourite, providing unimaginable worth for these on a finances with its nearly unmatched price-to-performance ratio.
The TUF Gaming Z690 provides a revised and enhanced energy resolution over the earlier era of boards. With 14+2 DrMOS energy levels and Digi+ VRM providing unimaginable sturdiness and efficiency. After all, the cooling is greater than ample, because the motherboard contains a PCH fanless heatsink, a VRM heatsink, an M.2 heatsink, and hybrid fan headers together with Asus’ Fan Xpert 4.
Sadly, this occurs to be a DDR4 mannequin, one of many methods ASUS has managed to maintain the associated fee down on this motherboard. So you possibly can’t have DDR5 RAM however the motherboard does function enhanced DDR4 capabilities, permitting as much as 5333Mhz DDR4.
Professionals
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14+2 energy levels -
Thunderbolt 4 -
4xM.2/NVMe SSD
ASUS TUF GAMING X570-PLUS (WI-FI)

ASUS TUF GAMING X570-PLUS (WI-FI)

When it comes to worth, the ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus is without doubt one of the finest motherboards on the market. That is excellent for a mid to high-end system and provides customers all kinds of widespread options reminiscent of their signature RGB backlighting, a strong heatsink able to dissipating giant quantities of warmth, and help for as much as DDR4 4133Mhz RAM when overclocking.
This motherboard is great for Ryzen 5000 sequence CPUs, that includes full WIFI and Bluetooth help and superb construct high quality. This board additionally options a superb capability for sooner RAM, at 4133Mhz to be precise, which simply so occurs to be close to the Ryzen 5000 sequence CPU candy spot.
Together with the same old Wi-Fi, first rate energy stage, M.2 slots, and PCIe 4.0, this board provides premium high quality at an inexpensive value, one thing that may be arduous to come back by.
Professionals
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Options geared in the direction of to gamer’s -
Comes geared up with WI-FI -
Wonderful overclocking headroom
Cons
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Could be thought-about on the costly aspect
ASUS ROG Strix Z690-I Gaming WiFi

ASUS ROG Strix Z690-I Gaming WiFi

The ASUS ROG Strix Z690-I is unquestionably among the best Mini-ITX motherboards on the market for this chipset. It’s extremely nicely designed, packed filled with options, and dependable past most motherboards.
The Strix Z690 comes geared up with DDR5 RAM help and PCIe Gen 5 help, but additionally comes that includes two full Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports. We see one other 10+1 energy stage motherboard right here, it might have extra to it, however that is an ITX Motherboard. With that in thoughts, it’s nonetheless an extremely feature-rich motherboard. The thermal design has been revised with an built-in I/O cowl and upgraded VRM heatsinks that function high-conductivity thermal pads.
This motherboard additionally helps HDMI 2.1, along with industry-leading audio. This small board actually packs a punch.
Professionals
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14+2 energy levels -
Thunderbolt 4 -
4xM.2/NVMe SSD
ASUS ROG Strix X570-I Gaming

ASUS ROG Strix X570-I Gaming

For any potential 5000 sequence CPU-based builders trying to create a smaller type issue PC, there is no such thing as a higher possibility than the Asus ROG Strix X570-I motherboard.
After all, as you’d count on from one thing this small it compromises on a couple of options, however don’t let that put you off this premium ITX possibility. Whereas there are solely two RAM DIMM slots, they will help as much as 64GB of DDR4 RAM, with the power to spice up your RAM to 4800Mhz with the in-built XMP help, This board additionally comes geared up with PCIe 4.0, an M.2 slot that contains a heatsink, and built-in Wi-Fi.
Wi-Fi on ITX boards is a uncommon function, and if that wasn’t sufficient, the design is solely gorgeous. A extremely beneficial ITX motherboard and excellent for these trying to create a compact construct with the X570 chipset.
Professionals
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Prime quality ITX possibility -
Incredible efficiency for it’s measurement -
Nice connectivity and consists of construct in WIFI
Ultimate phrase
Nicely, there you might have it. Our greatest ASUS motherboards for each AMD and Intel. It doesn’t matter what you select, you’re in good fingers with ASUS. Due to their feature-rich, superior performance, and construct high quality. You’ll by no means be left wanting extra, even ASUS’ ITX motherboards function extra performance than some full ATX boards – now that’s spectacular.
We hope this Finest ASUS motherboard article helped you select the correct motherboard for you.