The ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Hero Motherboard Review: A Solid Option For Alder Lake

Conclusion

When Intel launched its 12th Gen Core series late last year, it provided users with even more competition in the desktop market. Intel's Hybrid Alder Lake architecture was a hit in terms of performance, but it also pushed the boundaries of value across a variety of SKUs ranging from the Core i3 to its flagship Core i9. The benefits of Alder Lake combined with the premium Z690 chipset include PCIe 5.0, plenty of PCIe 4.0 storage options, Wi-Fi 6E, USB 3.2 G2x2, and 2.5 GbE networking.

ASUS has a wide variety of models for Z690, from its entry-level Prime series, its mid-range ROG Strix series designed for gamers, all the way to the flagship ROG Maximus models. The ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Hero is an exciting model for different reasons, such as quality and price, as it bridges the gap between the top of the ROG Strix series (Z690-E Gaming WIFI) and the impressive yet equally expensive ROG Maximus Z690 Formula with EKWB's VRM water block for additional cooling options.

The ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Hero has a decent feature set, which mixes and matches some controllers from mid-range and the more expensive flagship boards. This includes a modestly mid-range networking array, including an Intel I225-V 2.5 GbE controller with an Intel AX211 Wi-Fi 6E CNVi that offers both 6 GHz band and BT 5.2 connectivity. Other features on the rear panel include dual Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports, six USB 3.2 G2 Type-A, and a third Type-C port with USB 3.2 G2 speeds. Onboard audio is also premium, with a SupremeFX ALC4082 HD audio codec spearheading things, with an assisting ESS Sabre ES9018Q2C DAC.

Connecting PCIe devices and storage isn't an issue, with two full-length PCIe 5.0 slots operating at x16 or x8/x8 and compatibility to install up to five PCIe M.2 storage drives; there are also six SATA ports for conventional drives and devices. Three of the PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slots are hardwired into the board, while the other two can be installed into the ROG Hyper M.2 slot; one of these supports PCIe 5.0 x4 M.2 drives that are coming to the market soon, while the other conforms to PCIe 4.0 x4.

Focusing on the performance of the ROG Maximus Z690 Hero, it performed competitively against other Z690 models we've tested in both compute and gaming scenarios. In our system tests, the Z690 Hero did well in our power testing, and although it was a little slower to POST than other Z690 models, the DPC latency performance is one of the best we've seen on Z690 so far. It's also one of the coolest we've seen so far (joint top with the GIGABYTE Z690 Aorus Master), so performance overall is certainly positive all-round. In overclocking, we managed to hit 5.3 GHz on the P-cores with our Core i9-12900K without much fanfare, so we know the 21-phase power delivery is doing its business. 

Final Thoughts: Good Performance, Decent Features, But Perhaps a Little Overpriced?

At the time of writing, the ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Hero can be purchased for $600 at Newegg, which is a fair price considering all of the board's features, including Wi-Fi 6E, 2.5 GbE, Thunderbolt 4, premium audio, and its solid array of storage and rear panel connectivity. The real crux of the value is when you compare it to other boards with similar features, such as the GIGABYTE Z690 Aorus Master ($430), which doesn't include Thunderbolt 4, but it does have 10 GbE networking. Another model with similar specifications, including Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 6E, 2.5 GbE, but only with three M.2 slots, is the ASRock Z690 Taichi which costs $500.

When it comes to selecting a Z690 motherboard, finding the value in the price comes down to what features you want the most. In the case of the ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Hero, you're getting the best of both worlds, including Thunderbolt 4, a decent networking array with 2.5 GbE and Wi-Fi 6E, and support for five PCIe M.2 slots.

Sure, if the price was $100 lower or ASUS had opted for a beefier wired networking controller, then the Z690 Hero would be a no-brainer; that's the bottom line here. The ROG Maximus Z690 Hero looks excellent, it performed well in all of our tests, but if it had just that little bit more for the enormous $600 price tag, then it would undoubtedly be one of the best buys currently on Z690.