What To Know
- The battle for supremacy in the world of gaming motherboards continues to intensify, with two of the leading contenders being the ROG Strix Z790-F and the Asus ROG Strix Z790-E.
- The ROG Strix Z790-F is priced slightly lower than the Asus ROG Strix Z790-E, making it a more budget-friendly option for those looking for a high-performance gaming motherboard without breaking the bank.
- After a thorough analysis of the ROG Strix Z790-F and the Asus ROG Strix Z790-E, it’s time to determine which one emerges as the ultimate victor.
The battle for supremacy in the world of gaming motherboards continues to intensify, with two of the leading contenders being the ROG Strix Z790-F and the Asus ROG Strix Z790-E. Both motherboards boast an impressive array of features and capabilities, making it a challenging task to determine which one is the better choice. In this comprehensive comparison, we will delve into the intricacies of these two gaming beasts, analyzing their specifications, performance, and overall value to help you make an informed decision.
Form Factor and Design: A Matter of Aesthetics and Functionality
The ROG Strix Z790-F adopts the standard ATX form factor, providing ample space for expansion and accommodating various components. Its sleek and stylish design, accentuated by a black and silver color scheme, exudes a sense of sophistication and power. In contrast, the Asus ROG Strix Z790-E embraces the larger E-ATX form factor, offering even more real estate for accommodating multiple graphics cards and other peripherals. Its striking design, featuring a futuristic aesthetic with vibrant RGB lighting, is sure to captivate the attention of any gamer or enthusiast.
Socket and Connectivity: Embracing the Latest Technologies
Both the ROG Strix Z790-F and the Asus ROG Strix Z790-E are equipped with the latest LGA 1700 socket, making them compatible with Intel’s 12th and 13th generation processors. This ensures that you can take advantage of the newest and most powerful CPUs, unlocking unparalleled performance for gaming, content creation, and other demanding tasks. In terms of connectivity, both motherboards offer a wide range of options, including multiple USB ports, Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 6E, and 2.5Gb Ethernet, providing blazing-fast wired and wireless connections.
Power Delivery and VRM: Ensuring Uninterrupted Performance
When it comes to power delivery, the ROG Strix Z790-F features a robust 16+1 phase VRM design, utilizing high-quality components to ensure stable and efficient power delivery to the CPU. This is complemented by a comprehensive cooling solution, consisting of large heatsinks and strategically placed thermal pads, ensuring that the VRM remains cool even under heavy loads. The Asus ROG Strix Z790-E takes things to the next level with its 20+1 phase VRM design, providing even more robust power delivery and ensuring that even the most demanding processors can operate at their full potential without any throttling.
Expansion Slots and Storage Options: Unparalleled Flexibility
The ROG Strix Z790-F provides ample expansion options, with four PCIe 5.0 x16 slots, allowing you to configure a powerful multi-GPU setup for exceptional graphics performance. It also offers four M.2 slots, supporting NVMe SSDs for lightning-fast storage speeds. The Asus ROG Strix Z790-E goes above and beyond, featuring five PCIe 5.0 x16 slots, providing even more flexibility for multi-GPU configurations. Additionally, it boasts six M.2 slots, ensuring that you have ample storage capacity for your games, applications, and media files.
Audio and Networking: Immersive Experiences and Seamless Connectivity
Both the ROG Strix Z790-F and the Asus ROG Strix Z790-E are equipped with high-quality audio codecs, delivering crystal-clear audio for gaming, music, and movies. They also feature Intel‘s 2.5Gb Ethernet controller, providing blazing-fast wired connections for online gaming and other high-bandwidth applications. Additionally, both motherboards offer Wi-Fi 6E support, enabling ultra-fast wireless connectivity with compatible routers.
BIOS and Software: Unlocking Advanced Customization and Control
The ROG Strix Z790-F and the Asus ROG Strix Z790-E come with intuitive BIOS interfaces, providing extensive customization options for experienced users. Both motherboards also offer a suite of software utilities, such as AI Overclocking, Fan Control, and Aura Sync, allowing you to fine-tune your system’s performance, monitor temperatures, and synchronize RGB lighting across compatible components.
Pricing and Availability: Finding the Right Balance
The ROG Strix Z790-F is priced slightly lower than the Asus ROG Strix Z790-E, making it a more budget-friendly option for those looking for a high-performance gaming motherboard without breaking the bank. Both motherboards are readily available from various retailers, both online and offline.
The Ultimate Verdict: Choosing the Champion
After a thorough analysis of the ROG Strix Z790-F and the Asus ROG Strix Z790-E, it’s time to determine which one emerges as the ultimate victor. Both motherboards offer exceptional performance, a plethora of features, and stunning aesthetics. However, the Asus ROG Strix Z790-E takes the lead with its slightly more robust power delivery, additional expansion slots, and more M.2 slots. If you’re willing to invest in the best of the best and demand the absolute pinnacle of gaming performance, the Asus ROG Strix Z790-E is the clear choice.
Frequently Discussed Topics
Q1: Which motherboard has better audio quality, the ROG Strix Z790-F or the Asus ROG Strix Z790-E?
A: Both motherboards feature high-quality audio codecs, delivering excellent audio performance. However, the Asus ROG Strix Z790-E has a slight edge with its SupremeFX audio technology, which provides enhanced audio clarity and immersive surround sound.
Q2: Can I use both PCIe 5.0 x16 slots on the ROG Strix Z790-F for multi-GPU configurations?
A: Yes, the ROG Strix Z790-F supports multi-GPU configurations with both PCIe 5.0 x16 slots. However, running two graphics cards in SLI or CrossFireX may require specific configurations and compatibility checks with the graphics cards and software.
Q3: Which motherboard has more USB ports, the ROG Strix Z790-F or the Asus ROG Strix Z790-E?
A: The ROG Strix Z790-F offers a total of 10 USB ports, including USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, and USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports. The Asus ROG Strix Z790-E has a slightly higher number of USB ports, with a total of 12, including USB 4.0 Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, and USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports.
