GIGABYTE has just released the Z690 AORUS gaming motherboards with support for the latest 12th generation Intel Core processors. The new lineup features up to 20+1+2 phases digital power VRM design with each phase holding up to 105 amps and improved Fins-Array III heatsink design.
Additionally, the motherboards have PCIe 5.0 PCBs, slots, and components that are built for enhanced performance and stability.
Select motherboards offer feature-rich I/O with an integrated I/O shield and the newest Thermal Guard III design, Smart Fan 6, and more.
20+1+2 phases power design improves the overclocking
The flagship GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS Gaming motherboards unlock the full potential of the new processors and enhance the extreme overclocking performance on all-core multicores. This is done with up to 20+1+2 phases which each of Vcore and Vcc GT can hold up to 105 amps by its Smart Power Stage design, while Vcc AUX can hold 70 amps by two sets of DrMOS design.
The components with the solid pin sockets can provide more stable power and dissipate the heat more efficiently from heavy loading operation or overclocking to prevent CPU throttling.
In addition, there are Tantalum Polymer capacitors that improve the transient response of the VRM between high and low loads. This increases the stability and purity of the power for processors so that you won’t have to worry about overclocking failures caused by unstable power.
Advanced layout design and remarkable memory overclocking
The motherboards also feature either DDR5 or DDR4 memory. The DDR5 models benefit from the new memory architecture which enables speed from 4800 MHz with high power efficiency, low latency, and low power consumption. Meanwhile, DDR4 models perform impressively as the previous generation.
They feature Shielded Memory Routing as well as adopt the latest SMD memory DIMMS and dual metal armor for users to enjoy overclocking performance.
The Z690 motherboards are also enhanced by exclusive layout design and the “DDR5 Unlocked Voltage” feature. The latter can unlock the adjustment range of DDR5 memory native voltage. There’s also the DDR5 Auto Booster in the BIOS that can boost the native frequency of DDR5 from 4800MHz to 5000MHz with a click.
Meanwhile, there’s the DDR5 XMP Booster that allows you to quickly choose from multiple built-in and pre-tuned memory overclocking profiles.
Fins-Array III technology and high coefficient thermal pad
To assist in the overall heat dissipation, the GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS MASTER and above motherboards feature the new generation Fins-Array III technology to further enlarge the surface area of the thermal fin to 9x than a traditional heatsink.
There’s also the Direct-Touch Heatpipe II design with an 8mm direct touch heat pipe with shortened distance and increased contact area between the heat pipe and the heatsink to lower the temperatures rapidly.
Selected AORUS motherboards feature metal backplate with nano-carbon coating for a stylish thermal design. Meanwhile, several models continue the full-covered one-piece metal plate on the MOS area from the previous design for more efficient heat dissipation.
The motherboards adopt a 6-layer PCB or up to 10 layers on high-end models. The power layer and ground both use 2OZ copper for enhanced heat dissipation. They also implement Smart Fan 6 technology and EZ Tuning function for a more flexible fan allocation.
PCIe and M.2 design, a lightning-fast network, extraordinary sound effects, and powerful expansion capabilities
The new Z690 motherboards comprehensively adopt the PCIe 5.0 design and with selected components from PCBs, PCIe slots, and even controllers to provide optimized signal quality. All Z690 AORUS ATX motherboards are equipped with four PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots.
RAID configurations are also enabled through the layout integration from CPU and chipset to provide an access rate of more than 20000MB/s.
Additionally, the Z690 AORUS lineup is equipped with 2.5Gb Ethernet to even 10Gb on flagship models and Intel WiFi 6E.
They also pack the latest technologies to meet the needs including USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, 3.2 Gen 2 slots, and Thunderbolt 4 expansions. Additionally, there’s QFLASH+ and Clear CMOS buttons to make it easier to troubleshoot the systems and update BIOS.
The top of the lineup utilizes a high SNR audio engine and pairs it with a WIMA FKP2 grade audio capacitors and integrates ESS SABRE DAC with DTS:X Ultra. The flagship Z690 AORUS XTREME motherboard introduces the ESSential HEX USB DAC with built-in ESS SABRE HiFi ES9280A audio codec with ESS ES9080A.
GIGABYTE Z690 AERO-series motherboards
In addition to the AORUS models, GIGABYTE also launches three Z690 AERO-series motherboards for creators. These provide remarkable thermal performance to ensure stable system operation. They also feature PCIe 5.0 and satisfy the high-speed bandwidth requirement of the next-generation graphics cards.
They equip four PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots with armor design with optimal cooling assuring you don’t throttle under high-speed operation.
The Z690 AERO G and Z690 AERO G DDR4 feature VisionLINK technology, allowing for data and video transmission based on a USB Type-C interface. It also provides power delivery up to 60W for high-end pen users. Meanwhile, the Z690 AERO D has VisionLINK TB, an advanced version with a Thunderbolt 4 port and 60W power supply. They also have 2.5Gb Ethernet, Intel WiFi 6E, USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, and a front Type-C interface.
To see the full list of GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS motherboards, visit the official GIGABYTE AORUS website.
Check out our Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Elite AX DDR4 Motherboard overview here.
Ram found his love and appreciation for writing in 2015 having started in the gaming and esports sphere for GG Network. He would then transition to focus more on the world of tech which has also began his journey into learning more about this world. That said though, he still has the mentality of "as long as it works" for his personal gadgets.
