Asus ROG Maximus Z790 a motherboard built for those who demand absolute supremacy. From next-level overclocking potential to lightning-fast connectivity and premium cooling engineering, this board isn’t just about performance… it’s about domination. Let’s dive in and see what makes the Maximus Z790 a true beast for high-end gaming builds.”
Pros
- 12 USB ports (two 40Gbps Thunderbolt ports)
Five total M.2 sockets (including a 5.0 socket)
20–Phase, 90A VRMs
Flagship-class audio solution
Cons
- Comparably equipped boards cost less
No 1 ASUS ROG Maximus Z790
The Asus ROG Maximus Z790 Hero is a very well-built, well-equipped, and good looking motherboard. From the 40 Gbps ports to the flagship-class audio, you’re not going to find many boards that look better or have better specifications. this premium motherboard offers a slew of features along with the classic high-end appearance found on the ROG Maximus motherboards.
You get twelve USB ports on the rear IO, Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports, five total M.2 sockets, flagship-class audio, and robust power delivery to support the latest Raptor Lake processors. Overall, it’s a good-looking and handsomely equipped option, but the high price will be a turnoff for some users On the hardware front, the Hero comes with everything the Z790 platform offers, and plenty of extra features.
You get PCIe 5.0 slots and a PCIe 5.0 M.2 socket, the ROG Supreme FX ALC4082 codec with ESS SABRE DAC, ultra-fast 40 Gbps Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports on the rear IO, 20-phase 90A VRMs and a sleek, modern, high-end appearance. Performance across our test suite was, on average, the best we’ve seen from our early testing on the platform. Pulling the Hero out of the box, just by the weight you know you’re dealing with a high-quality product.
The black-on-black design is built on an 8-layer PCB, with some silver accents along with branding on the heatsinks and shrouds. The heatsinks are heavy, with deep notches cooling the VRMs and a beefy heatsink to cool the top M.2 socket.
There’s an RGB element above the rear IO area that illuminates some ROG branding these are the only integrated RGBs on the board. Regardless, the Z790 Hero defintely looks the part of a high-end motherboard.
Which motherboard should you buy?
We’ve outlined the four different motherboard sizes available in 2025, their use cases, price differences, and varying features as they stand right now. Choosing a motherboard is not as cut and dry as you would expect, and that’s why you need to visualize your rig before putting any money down. Consider the chipset of the board for starters. Will you use AMD’s AM4 or AM5 platform? Similarly, will you pay the premium investing in Intel’s latest LGA 1851 socket instead of sticking with the older (and arguably better) LGA 1700 platform that hosted Alder Lake and Raptor Lake?
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