Gigabyte Z790 AORUS ELITE AX ICE DDR5 Intel Z790 14th Gen LGA 1700 ATX Motherboard
The Gigabyte Z790 AORUS ELITE AX ICE DDR5 is a premium ATX motherboard designed for Intel’s 14th Gen processors, built with the powerful Z790 chipset. Targeted at gamers, enthusiasts, and professional content creators, this motherboard offers top-tier performance, cutting-edge technology, and future-proofing with DDR5 support, PCIe 5.0, and advanced connectivity features. The "ICE" edition refers to its striking white aesthetic, making it an attractive choice for builders looking to match their components with a lighter color scheme.
Product Overview
As part of Gigabyte’s AORUS line, the Z790 AORUS ELITE AX ICE motherboard is built to offer high-performance, especially when paired with Intel’s latest 14th Generation processors. With an Intel Z790 chipset, the motherboard supports not only 14th Gen Intel CPUs but is also compatible with 12th and 13th Gen processors. The ATX form factor provides a balanced mix of expandability and efficient use of space in gaming or content creation rigs.
With support for DDR5 memory, this motherboard ensures users benefit from the faster speeds and greater bandwidth that come with the latest generation of RAM. PCIe 5.0 support opens the door to future-proofing your system, offering enhanced speeds for both graphics cards and storage. The Z790 AORUS ELITE AX ICE also features cutting-edge connectivity, such as Wi-Fi 6E for faster and more stable wireless connections and 2.5G Ethernet for reliable wired internet.
The motherboard’s advanced cooling system, extensive USB ports, and overall attention to detail make it a complete package for those looking to build a high-end, future-proof system.
Product Description
The Gigabyte Z790 AORUS ELITE AX ICE DDR5 Intel Z790 is a sleek, powerful motherboard designed to meet the demands of modern gamers and creators. With the white "ICE" color scheme, it stands out aesthetically, making it a prime choice for users who are building custom rigs with a matching color theme. However, the design is just the tip of the iceberg. Underneath its sleek exterior lies a powerhouse of features that make it one of the best choices for those seeking uncompromising performance and stability.
At the heart of the motherboard is Intel’s Z790 chipset, designed to work seamlessly with the latest 14th Gen Intel Core processors. The Z790 chipset is optimized for overclocking, enabling users to push their CPU and memory to new heights. With DDR5 support, users benefit from faster data rates, lower latency, and more efficient power consumption. This motherboard supports up to 128GB of DDR5 RAM, with speeds that can reach up to 7600 MHz (overclocked), ensuring that your system can handle even the most demanding tasks.
This motherboard also boasts PCIe 5.0, which doubles the data bandwidth of PCIe 4.0, providing faster connections to GPUs and storage devices. The two PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots further enhance storage performance, allowing for ultra-fast SSDs with faster read and write speeds, improving loading times and system responsiveness. Coupled with Gigabyte's advanced thermal solutions, including heat sinks and thermal guards, the motherboard ensures components remain cool and stable under heavy load.
Connectivity is another strong point, with the inclusion of Wi-Fi 6E and 2.5G Ethernet ensuring fast, reliable internet connections, while multiple USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports provide ultra-fast data transfer speeds. The motherboard is also equipped with Smart Fan 6 technology, which automatically adjusts fan speeds based on system temperatures to optimize cooling while minimizing noise.
Key Features
1. Intel Z790 Chipset with LGA 1700 Socket
The Intel Z790 chipset supports Intel’s latest 14th Gen Core processors, offering robust performance, enhanced overclocking features, and future-proofing. The LGA 1700 socket provides compatibility with Intel 12th, 13th, and 14th Gen CPUs, ensuring flexibility for upgrades.
2. DDR5 Memory Support
With four DDR5 DIMM slots, the motherboard supports up to 128GB of RAM at speeds up to 7600 MHz (overclocked). DDR5 offers significantly higher data transfer speeds and improved efficiency over DDR4, enhancing multitasking, gaming, and heavy content creation workloads.
3. PCIe 5.0 Support
The Z790 AORUS ELITE AX ICE is equipped with PCIe 5.0, which offers twice the bandwidth of PCIe 4.0. This ensures that the system is future-proofed for next-gen graphics cards, storage solutions, and other high-performance peripherals.
4. Dual PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 Slots
Two M.2 slots with PCIe 4.0 x4 support allow for high-speed NVMe SSD storage, providing faster boot times, quicker game load times, and enhanced overall system responsiveness.
5. Wi-Fi 6E and 2.5G Ethernet
The motherboard features Wi-Fi 6E for fast, reliable wireless connections with reduced latency, even in congested environments. Additionally, the 2.5G Ethernet port offers high-speed wired connections for stable and fast internet, which is essential for gaming and streaming.
6. USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Ports
The motherboard includes multiple USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports, offering data transfer speeds of up to 20Gbps, making it ideal for fast data transfers with external SSDs, flash drives, and other peripherals.
7. Advanced Thermal Design
The Gigabyte Z790 AORUS ELITE AX ICE features a sophisticated thermal solution that includes large heat sinks, thermal pads, and M.2 thermal guards to ensure efficient heat dissipation and maintain system stability during heavy workloads.
8. RGB Fusion 2.0
RGB Fusion 2.0 offers users the ability to personalize their system’s lighting, with fully customizable RGB lighting zones and compatibility with a wide range of RGB-enabled peripherals.
9. Robust Power Delivery
The motherboard features a 16+1+2 Digital VRM design that ensures stable and efficient power delivery, even during extreme overclocking. The use of high-quality DrMOS and solid capacitors ensures long-lasting performance and reliability.
10. Smart Fan 6
Smart Fan 6 technology includes hybrid fan headers with multiple temperature sensors, ensuring optimal cooling across different zones of the motherboard, maintaining performance without excessive noise.
Specifications
Chipset: Intel Z790
CPU Support: Intel 12th/13th/14th Gen Core i9/i7/i5/i3, Pentium, Celeron Processors (LGA 1700)
Memory Support: 4x DDR5 DIMM Slots, supporting up to 128GB (Up to 7600 MHz OC)
Expansion Slots:
1x PCIe 5.0 x16 slot (for GPUs)
2x PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slots (for NVMe SSDs)
4x SATA 6Gb/s connectors
Graphics: Supports Intel UHD Graphics with integrated processors (via HDMI 2.1 port)
Networking:
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)
2.5G Ethernet LAN
USB Ports:
Rear I/O: 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C, 3x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 4x USB 2.0
Internal: USB 3.2 Gen 1 headers, USB 2.0 headers
Audio: Realtek ALC1220-VB HD Audio Codec, 7.1 channel audio
Form Factor: ATX
Dimensions: 30.5cm x 24.4cm (12.0 inches x 9.6 inches)
Review
The Gigabyte Z790 AORUS ELITE AX ICE has quickly established itself as a popular choice among gamers, creators, and PC enthusiasts looking for a robust and future-proof motherboard. Thanks to its support for DDR5 memory and PCIe 5.0, users can expect performance improvements across various tasks, from gaming to professional applications such as video editing or 3D rendering.
Users appreciate the seamless setup experience and the intuitive Gigabyte BIOS, which allows for easy overclocking and system tuning. The motherboard’s sleek white design (ICE edition) adds a distinctive aesthetic appeal to custom builds, especially for users seeking a white-themed PC setup.
The performance of the Z790 AORUS ELITE AX ICE is stellar, particularly when paired with Intel’s 14th Gen processors. With Wi-Fi 6E and 2.5G Ethernet, users can experience fast, lag-free gaming and streaming, even in high-traffic environments. The dual M.2 slots and PCIe 5.0 support offer plenty of room for expansion and future upgrades, which ensures the system can evolve as new technologies become available.
One area where the motherboard excels is in cooling. The Smart Fan 6 technology, combined with large heat sinks and M.2 thermal guards, helps to manage temperature effectively, even during intense workloads or gaming sessions.
On the downside, some users might find the pricing to be on the higher side compared to other Z790 motherboards. However, considering the future-proof features, solid power delivery, and advanced networking capabilities, the value it provides is substantial.
Warranty Details
The Gigabyte Z790 AORUS ELITE AX ICE motherboard comes with a 1-year limited warranty, covering manufacturing defects. Gigabyte’s warranty also includes technical support and access to firmware and software updates. Customers can register their product on Gigabyte’s website to activate the warranty and access additional support features.
07-Day Refund/Return/Exchange Policy
Customers who purchase the Gigabyte Z790 AORUS ELITE AX ICE motherboard are eligible for a 07-day return, refund, or exchange policy. To initiate a return or exchange, the motherboard must be in its original condition with all accessories, packaging, and documentation intact. Defective products can be exchanged for a new unit, and customers can receive a full refund if the motherboard is returned in like-new condition within the 07-day window.
Conclusion
The Gigabyte Z790 AORUS ELITE AX ICE DDR5 Intel Z790 14th Gen LGA 1700 ATX Motherboard is a powerful and feature-rich option for those looking to build a high-performance PC. With support for Intel’s latest processors, DDR5 RAM, PCIe 5.0, and cutting-edge connectivity options like Wi-Fi 6E, this motherboard is built for both present and future performance demands.
Its sleek white aesthetic, combined with excellent cooling solutions and robust power delivery, makes it not only a great choice for gamers but also for content creators and professionals seeking a versatile and powerful platform for their work. While it comes at a premium price, the feature set, future-proofing, and overall build quality make it a worthwhile investment for those who value performance and aesthetics in equal measure.