Z690 AORUS XTREME Review – Lots of Options, Lots of Polishing
Z690 AORUS XTREME Review – Lots of Options, Lots of Polishing
the motherboard Z690 AORUS EXTREME is the plate "flag" de AORUS using Z690 chipset for processors 12th generation and soon 13th from Intel (LGA 1700 socket). Being the top of the range board, AORUS has included many options which comes with a pretty high premium: 899 USD currently in the United States. We will see its performance (which we do not doubt at any time,) and we will mention other aspects that the brand has to polish for its next generations.
The Z690 AORUS XTREME motherboard is on loan for this review.
Table of Contents
Z690 AORUS XTREME – Features of a top of the range motherboard
USB lovers can rest assured that the Z690 AORUS EXTREME brings several connectivity options. Through the chipset, the motherboard offers a port USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 type C y 6 USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports. Additionally, AORUS has included additional USB controllers that are located both in the inputs and outputs of the board, as well as on the internal part of the motherboard.
The AORUS flagship board also includes a controller for Thunderbolt 4.0 with two dedicated ports USB Type-C TB4, which are also compatible with USB 3.2 Gen 2 or less.
As for NETWORK controllers through the RJ45 port, the Z690 AORUS XTREME comes with two:
-Intel I225-V 2.5GbE LAN
-Marvell AQtion AQC113C 10GbE LAN
As a solution of WiFi/Bluetooth, AORUS adopts the controller Intel WiFi 6E AX210 with band holder 2.4 y 5 / 6 GHz y Bluetooth 5.2.
For users who choose to have plenty of M.2 storage slots, the board offers 4 M.2 SSDs: one connected directly to the CPU y three via chipset, all using PCIe Gen 4.0. In addition, it includes four SATA3 ports (two less than usual).
You can see three PCI Express slots on the motherboard, two of them connected to the processor, using PCIe Gen 5.0. In the case of using one slot, it works at x16 and in the case of two, at x8. The last PCI Express slot is directly connected to the chipset and works at PCIe Gen 3.0 x4.
Before we talk about the motherboard power phase solution, let's see what audio components (DAC) the Z690 AORUS XTREME motherboard includes.
For the optical output, AORUS chose to use the ESS9280AC DAC. For the microphone and audio output (LINE OUT) use the ESS ES9080 DAC each (a total of two).
All of these chips are top of the range chips that are available for motherboards.
Power Phases (VRM) – Extreme for an XTREME board
The brain in charge of converting the 12v signal to the necessary voltage for the processor is under the control of the new controller. PMW de RENESAS, el RAA229131 which can generate up to 20 separate signals. The power stage responsible for giving power to each signal is the RENESAS RAA22010540 that has a maximum amperage de 105A.
Theoretically it has a maximum support of 2100 amps of current, something never seen before in this generation of motherboards (Z690).
AORUS has taken into account, in the design of the Z690 AORUS XTREME, to include support for iGPUs of 12th generation Intel Core models. The controller responsible for supplying voltage to the iGPU is RENESAS RAA229131 and the same power stage used for the VCore (RAA22010540).
The driver for the VACCIN/AUX is M2940A and use two PowerStages MP87992 de 70A.
Z690 AORUS XTREME - Photos
In construction.
Benchmark (Intel Core i9-12900KF - Boards)
The benchmark is important for reviewing and being able to compare results across different platforms and review sites. One variable can make all the difference in the world and it is important to have these observations to compare results from different media outlets.
El Core i9-12900KF it's on loan (by GIGABYTE) so I don't know if we'll have it available for comparison on future non-GIGABYTE Z690 motherboards.
CPU: Intel Core i9-12900KF (https://amzn.to/3JcrWMs)
Motherboard (what we are testing): Z690 AORUS XTREME (F7d) (https://amzn.to/3S0amz9)
RAM: Kingston Fury Beast 2x16GB 5200C40 (https://amzn.to/3JcqxW3)
Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition (https://amzn.to/3z6FtAy)
SSD #1: HP FX900 1TB (Review) – Through Chipset (https://amzn.to/3OxOoAz)
SSD #2: Acer Predator GM7000 1TB – Via CPU (https://amzn.to/3OzSVCv)
Source: EVGA Supernova 1300W P+ (https://amzn.to/3OEkMkV)
Dissipation: Custom EKWB Waterloop + EKWB Water Block // 360 Radiator + Noctua Fans (Push/pull)
The factory tests only have XMP enabled.
Application of RAM timings on board Z690 AORUS XTREME (Kingston Fury Beast 5200C40)
This is the first time using this kit of RAMs (Fury Beast 5200C40) with a motherboard DDR5 for processors 12th generation de Intel. Therefore, we have no references on how to apply secondary/tertiary timings on different motherboard models (whether looser or tighter).
Here we have the reference values that the motherboard applied for these RAMs using the XMP profile (uses micron chips).
BIOS – Lots of polishing
GIGABYTE/AORUS motherboard BIOS has not evolved much in recent years and has lagged behind other brands in the market. Some options have been added such as “search” for a particular option via its Alt-F (search) function, but it is not visible at first glance to a common user who wants to start overclocking.
The “hotkey” for the search option is Alt-F.
Enabling XMP is still easy and we always suggest user (even beginner) to switch to advanced mode in BIOS of any motherboard.
Enabling XMP in GIGABYTE BIOS is still simple (that's good).
Using the search menu is only available in English, so learning anglicisms is important (for things like overclock).
There are some things that annoy, such as memory multipliers or memory straps of the motherboard that are listed within the options, which really DO NOT EXIST. This will result in a total waste of time for a user who wants to do a simple overclock to the RAM memories, thinking that said frequency is possible.
The reality is, many of the memory multipliers listed in GIGABYTE BIOS simply do not exist within Intel's 12th Gen processor options, which will result in BOOT LOOPs and wasted time.
These options should be removed from BIOS and leave the ones that are possible by Intel. The truth is something quite simple to fix, but at the same time, a sloppiness on the part of the GIGABYTE BIOS team.
There is also no explanation why the option to change the voltage VDD and VDDQ share the same input, a different behavior to different brands and programming by GIGABYTE, so overclocking RAM on brand motherboards is different from the rest. This adds more complexity as a "special" RAM overclock guide is required only for GIGABYTE motherboards if one is using a GIGABYTE motherboard.
RGB Fusion – A dinosaur that requires new wheels
RGBFusion, from the beginning, it has been a headache. With the version 2.0 Subtle changes have come, but the software hasn't matured much as it lacks many features that GIGABYTE's competitors have implemented over the years (although they are not bug free).
RGB Fusion Software It's very simple, with limited options and a rather old interface. For example, enthusiasts who use ASUS, are very happy with Armory Crate/AURA Creator as RGB/ARGB solution.
GIGABYTE simply doesn't have these options and after so many years of waiting and no press media criticizing, we think it's time for GIGABYTE/AORUS to start software development for their latest products.
One suggestion would be that a new version has a modular option and the user can install components within the main software. Some examples would be:
-RGB Control: Everything related to the ARGB/RGB options on the board, enhanced to what currently comes with RGB Fusion.
-Effect Creation: A software dedicated to giving customization to specialized ARGB effects for all components that can be connected to the motherboard.
-AORUS Engine: Right now AORUS Engine is as an external software that works in conjunction with RGB Fusion. Instead of being a completely separate software, change it as a module of the main software.
-Dashboard Monitor: Component to control options of the current/future monitors of the brand as a component.
The user will already decide which components to use or not to use since the software is modular. The easiest for GIGABYTE, would be to strengthen an alliance with some brand of components, which can outsource the development of the software (an example: Razer?) and that his goal is to have the best ecosystem of ARGB components under his wing.
At hand, high customization, avoid software bugs and low CPU usage if the user decides to install multiple modules.
The limited options that RGB Fusion 2.0 brings with Z690 AORUS XTREME
As previously mentioned, the options are limited. The board has two modes:
-Sync mode
-Independent mode
Interestingly, when using SyncMode, For some reason, the ARGB devices that we have connected directly to the board through the ARGB connector do not change. It stays white and won't sync.
In standalone mode, you can control the devices connected by the ARGB connector, but the plastic module for RAMs with LED lights (AORUS RGB Memory Armor) stops working. Bugs and little quality control in terms of software.
Hopefully one day AORUS/GIGABYTE will do a RGB Fusion job from scratch.
Benchmarks – Z690 AORUS XTREME (Intel Core i9-12900KF)
Benchmarks on motherboards shouldn't really show much difference between one motherboard model or another, unless the range segment is substantially smaller. Another reason is that the default power limiters on the board are biased by security concerns. Only in those cases, there could be a substantial variation in one motherboard model with another.
However, It helps us to validate that there were no problems when testing the system.
Cinebench R23 (Multi and single core)
The popular benchmark of MAXON that various portals use, which simulates the rendering performance that one would supposedly get when using modeling, animation, simulation software called 4D CINEMA.
The benchmark has two measures:
-Multi-core performance.
-Single core performance.
CBR23 is specialized in measuring the performance of the processor when rendering a complex image.
Geekbench 5
Geekbench is a synthetic benchmark developed by PrimatesLabs, which tries to compare products between platforms within the technology industry. It has several versions, including for mobile. For PC, it is currently in its fifth iteration and measures single and multi core performance.
With this new iteration of the popular software, augmented reality testing and machine learning (Artificial Intelligence).
UL Procyon Benchmark
UL Procyon is a new benchmark from the same team behind PCMark 10 y 3DMark (among many others). It simulates real tasks that one uses in the real world. Although it does not cover all possible scenarios, it gives a result in programs that a user can use on a day-to-day basis.
Office Productivity (Microsoft Office 2021 Pro)
The Office Productivity benchmark uses as a basis Microsoft Office The version we use is the most recent, Microsoft Office 2021 Pro. The tests are carried out in the following software:
-Microsoft Word
-Microsoft Excel
-Microsoft PowerPoint
-Microsoft Outlook
UL Procyon Office Productivity | |
| Points |
Z690 AORUS EXTREME | 9962 |
Photo Editing (Photoshop, Lightroom Classic)
The Photo Editing benchmark recreates tasks one normally does in programs like Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom Classic on PCs used as workstations o content creators. Jobs like multi-image loop processing or image editing is what this test tries to emulate.
UL Procyon Photo Editing | |
| Points |
Z690 AORUS EXTREME | 11393 |
Video Editing (Adobe Premiere Pro)
The benchmark of Photo Editing works on two projects 1080p y 2160p with different effects within Adobe Premiere, as well as encoding times. The test tries to emulate the daily use (in a simplified way) that a professional might do when editing a video.
UL Procyon Video Editing | |
| Points |
Z690 AORUS EXTREME | 8624 |
Puget Bench
Puget Bench is another measurement tool for content creators, as well as professional work. Puget Bench It has several tests for different software such as:
Photoshop -Adobe
-Adobe Lightroom Classic
-Adobe Premiere Pro
-Adobe After Effects
-DaVinci Resolve
The two tests we will use today are:
Photoshop -Adobe
-Adobe Premiere Pro (Extended)
Puget Bench (Adobe Photoshop)
Puget Bench Adobe Photoshop | |
| Points |
Z690 AORUS EXTREME | 1406 |
PugetBench (Adobe Premiere Pro – Extended)
PugetBench Adobe Premiere Pro (Extended) | |
| Points |
Z690 AORUS EXTREME | 1025 |
Overclock and VRM temperatures (Z690 AORUS XTREME)
overclock in processors de 12th generation has two perspectives. One of the ways is to make OC a all cores, while the other is to overclock only the performance cores (P-Cores) and disable the efficiency cores (E-Cores).
Deactivating the e cores and maximizing core frequency P-Cores, one can perhaps maximize the frequency in the P-Cores. These are the most important for gaming, but at the sacrifice of multi-core performance, which is important for productivity tasks.
I prefer to maximize performance both single core and multi core, so we will overclock the following:
-P-Cores (All Core)
-E-Cores (All Core)
-Uncore (Ring Ratio)
The voltage we will use is 1.36v and LLC (Load Line Calibration) chosen for our tests is Turbo.
The stable configuration used was:
-Frequency P-Cores: 5.3 GHz
-Frequency E-Cores: 4.2 GHz
-Uncore: 4.5GHz
-VCore (Fixed): 1.36v
-LLC: Turbo
This configuration was found to be stable in tests of AIDA64 in which we tested CPU/FPU y Cache at the same time, twice for more than three hours.
VRM – Temperatures – Doesn't really matter anymore on top of the range models
GIGABYTE was one of the first partner companies, many years ago, to emphasize the power phase. The platform Z390 de GIGABYTE/AORUS it was one of the first results of the company's approach and has been taken as the norm by the industry. while doing VRM tests it is something that is still done, relevance has dropped quite a bit (except in entry-level or mid-range models).
The reason?
Simply put most manufacturers put components that have no problem with any processor on the market. Several years later, the VRM design (power phase) of any company has become something of a second, or even a third level, since most have phases of powers MONSTROUS.
Therefore, the result should not surprise you.
The ambient temperature was 18 degrees centigrade approximately when the test was done and the sensor did not exceed the 47 degrees centigrade.
Truly an iceberg of icebergs.
Final Analysis – Motherboard for AORUS fans, but with many aspects to improve
This is going to be a harsh review (which I hope the brand will take into consideration) of GIGABYTE Z690 motherboards in general, but before them let's start with their benefits. During normal use of the motherboard (ie only with XMP profile activated) the board did not show any problems at all. No BSOD (blue screen) like problems for day to day gaming scenarios.
I don't normally use benchmark PCs for productivity tasks, but there were also no hints in the two or three days of non-stop benchmarking when using UL Procyon and PugetBench, the two longest tests on our test list.
We do not have 4 DIMMs of DDR5 memory to test how well the PC works, since it is documented that Intel 12th generation can cause problems when working with a configuration of 4 DIMMs and with XMP activated. It's one of the reasons that no motherboard manufacturer has validated DDR5 RAM on their QVL list with this particular configuration, except maybe one or two models (out of dozens).
Hopefully with Z790, DDR5 and 4 DIMMs configuration will generate more confidence, but for those users who currently want that, it is safest to go for a base frequency RAM (4800MT/s).
One of the improvements that Z690 AORUS XTREME to past versions, is the AORUS Fan Commander removal (I think it also had connections for ARGB?). Removing this from the XTREME model seems appropriate to me. Why will they ask?
The reason is simple. This required an additional software connection (USB 2.0 if I remember correctly) and from software It is one of the weak points of the brand.
Let's start with Z690 AORUS XTREME motherboard reviews. One of them is the price, which could be more accessible to the public if some options were removed. More than anything it is a suggestion.
The external USB DAC is something that perhaps adds a lot of added value (for some). However, the truth is, if you want an external USB Type-C USB DAC, you can buy it separately and probably of similar or better quality/components.
By the way, AORUS sells this component separately (although not locally) so it's really unnecessary.
Even a product like the AORUS Gen4 AIC Adapter (https://amzn.to/3PTB6zu) would be a better substitute than the external USB DAC (personally). The point is, by removing accessories, the manufacturer's cost would partially go down, resulting in a lower MSRP.
However, please remember that this is a premium product, so a quality AORUS doll is probably more appealing to fans of the AORUS brand.
And why is price relevant?
Well, it is quite curious that a product with a value of 899 USD (MSRP USA) is far behind the competition in simple but important things for the common user, such as:
-RGB Software
-BIOS
We have already covered both parts in their respective section, but in short, RGB Fusion requires a rebuild from scratch and GIGABYTE motherboard BIOS needs a polish to bring it in line with the rest of the market.
The last thing mentioned, we see that it can be fixed in a simple way, but the RGB software issue can take a long time and affects the entire range of family of boards and products GIGABYTE/AORUS that they use RGBFusion, including this plate.
Returning to something positive, the exclusive design of the M.2 Thermal Guard from AORUS XTREME It is something that needs to be highlighted. Let's hope this design sticks, as it helps a lot in keeping temperatures under control in the demanding devices currently on the market.
Though, GIGABYTE should check out the tight space between the M.2 slot closest to the processor and the first PCIe slot on the board (there's little room to handle the video card, when pulling it out).
Greetings and until next time. OINK.
