Today, we’ll be taking a look at the Gigabyte Z790M AORUS ELITE AX ICE is an all-white Micro ATX motherboard that’s compact in size, yet it comes packed with similar amount of features as found on it’s larger ATX siblings. Measuring just 24.4cm x 24.4cm, it should fit in most cases without any issues.
The motherboard uses Intel’s Z790 chipset and features a 6-layer, 2X Copper PCB with Twin 12+1+1 Power Phase Digital VRM Solution, and Thermal Armour Advanced cooling with heatpipe.
It’s compatible with all Intel Core processors, including the 12th Gen, 13th Gen, and the latest 14th Gen processors on the LGA 1700 socket.
It comes with 1 x PCIE 5.0 x16 UD slot for next gen graphic cards, and 1 x PCIE 4.0 x16 slot, plus it has 4 x DDR5 DIMM slots that supports Intel’s XMP 3.0 standard with memory speeds of up to DDR5-7600 OC.
For storage, it comes with 6 SATA ports and 3 x PCIE Gen4 M.2 Slots with EZ-Latch Plus, so you can mount your SSDs with ease.
For connectivity, it features Realtek’s 2.5GbE LAN and WiFi 6E, and comes with Gigabyte’s ultra-high gain antenna for low latency gaming.
Other features include 7.1 HD audio, Gigabyte RGB Fusion, as well as outputs for DisplayPort, HDMI, Front USB-C 10Gb/s, Rear USB-C 20Gb/s.
On the back back I/O panel, you’ll find …
- 1 x USB Type-C® port, with USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 support
- 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port (red)
- 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
- 4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports
- 2 x SMA antenna connectors (WiFi 6E)
- 1 x HDMI 2.0 port
- 1 x DisplayPort
- 1 x RJ-45 port
- 1 x optical S/PDIF Out connector
- 2 x audio jacks – Mic-in, Line-Out
There’s also a clear CMOS and reset switch located on the bottom right side of the board, and a Q-flash button on the bottom for easy update of the BIOS.
Intel Z790 Chipset
The 13th Gen Intel® Core™ desktop processors, when paired with the Z790 chipset, deliver the breakthrough performance and features that gamers, creators, and professionals need to work at their best. Optimized for overclocking1 and precision tuning when paired with an unlocked processor, the Z790 chipset empowers you with the control and confidence to choose the best performance and thermal characteristics for the task at hand. Harness the processing power, responsiveness, and connectivity of up to 38 high-speed I/O lanes—including 20 PCIe 4.0 lanes, 8 PCIe 3.0 lanes, and 5 USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 (20G) ports—as well as Intel® Killer™ Wi-Fi 6E (Gig+) to take your gaming, content creation, and productivity to the next level.
The Z790 chipset allows a total 20 usable PCIE 4.0 lanes, with upto a maximum memory capacity of 128GB. It’s also capable of up to 10 x USB 3.2 Gen1 5Gbps, 10 x USB 3.2 Gen2 10Gbps and up to 5 x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 20Gbps.
I would like to thank Gigabyte for providing the review sample. This is a snippet from what Gigabyte has to say about themselves on their website:
A global leader in the PC industry, GIGABYTE offers a comprehensive product lineup that aims to “Upgrade Your Life.” With expertise encompassing consumer, business, gaming, and cloud systems, GIGABYTE uses research and innovation to consistently meet user needs. GIGABYTE is renowned for award-winning products including motherboards, graphics cards, laptops, mini PCs, and other PC components and accessories, and has revolutionized the PC industry with patented DualBIOS™ and Ultra Durable™ technologies. As an expert in PC technology, GIGABYTE is poised to extend our scope in business servers and cloud systems with hardware and software solutions that integrate AI and AloT applications to develop the ideal infrastructure for future prospects in 5G.
That which resonates with your life
“Upgrade Your Life” is the core essence in everything we do at GIGABYTE. We believe only technology made for you will speak to you. With a keen understanding of your needs, we have raised industry standards with game-changing DualBIOS™ technology; our patented Ultra Durable™ motherboards are designed to last and outlast, and our superior Windforce Stack 3x Cooling System exceeds all expectations.
We break new ground. We also continuously provide reliable cloud infrastructure to help businesses optimize their operations as well as to advance development and expansion in the digital realm. By combining innovation and practicality, GIGABYTE wields the technology of the future to improve your life today.
When ideas manifest into reality
We have your bases covered, starting with the motherboard. With an established reputation for trusted quality, we pushed forward with graphics cards, laptops, and mini PCs, and corporations worldwide depend on us for reliable server solutions. We have set the foundations for future forays into machine learning (AI) and deep learning. Most of all, we have always been there innovating products that will spark your creativity. From the adrenaline-pumping AORUS eSport line for enthused gamers, to cutting-edge AERO laptops for inspired artists and creators, or portable yet powerful BRIX mini PCs, with your perspective in mind, we crafted technologies that have more realistic usability to make the future both achievable and approachable.
Foretelling your future in tech
Visualize this: Shaking your phone connects you to cloud. Your city is on a 5G network integrating medical, transportation, and power services. Even your appliances are online, working to make your life easier. AI guarantees that you always have personalized entertainment options. Blockchain has reshaped the financial world, and medical marvels take place daily with the help of VR. What you’re visualizing is already approaching reality, and the world will soon rush to keep up. Now is the time to Upgrade Your Life. Our vast product range can meet your personal, business, and computing needs and prepare you for future trends and developments. Using technology, we can achieve anything we visualize, and beyond.
In harmony with the natural world
We are eager to achieve the harmony between technology and sustainability. With the faith, we transformed the roof of Headquarters into a sustainable eco-roof with more than 400 species of plants and animals inhabited in order to reach the balance between work, life and leisure. In 2017, in response to the international Trillion Tree Campaign, we launched “Make Earth Green Again” and called on the society to plant trees. We also developed and applied the world’s first pure rice husk eco-package, which not only became a sustainability milestone in technology industry, but also won international awards such as iF, Red Dot and Good Design. As a gardener of technology and sustainability, we believe that every action is a seed of anticipation and will thrive into a better future.
We’ll be testing the Gigabyte Z790M AORUS Elite AX ICE with an Intel Core i9-14900K processor, along with 32GB of DDR5-7200, Lexar NM800 PCIE Gen4 SSD, and a GeForce RTX 4080 Super graphics card.
From what I can tell, the only real difference between the Z790M and its larger ATX sibling is the size. So with that said …I’m expecting similar results in all of our benchmarks.
OK, now let’s dive straight in and start by taking a look at the specifications and features in our next page
You can buy the Gigabyte Z790M Aorus Elite AX ICE motherboard for around USD $189 from Amazon – https://amzn.to/3XDVgol
Related articles
- Gigabyte Z790 AORUS Elite AX ICE Motherboard Review
- Gigabyte AORUS WATERFORCE X II 360 ICE All-in-One CPU Cooler Review
- Gigabyte AORUS Z790 Elite X WiFi 7 Motherboard Review
- Gigabyte UD1000GM PG5 (Rev. 2.0) Power Supply Review
- GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER GAMING OC 16G Review
- Gigabyte Z790 AORUS PRO X Motherboard Review
- Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Gaming OC Graphics Card Review
