Between the 2 motherboards, Z790 and Z690, there may be little or no visible distinction. Whether or not it’s the variety of ports or total aesthetics, it’s laborious to search out any variations between the 2 at a look. An additional PCIe slot built-in into the Z790 will not be noticeable to many customers when evaluating the 2.
A chipset is a part of the motherboard designed by AMD or Intel to be appropriate with their distinctive processors and allows connection between the I/O, GPU, RAM, storage, and CPU. When searching for a motherboard, it is advisable to be certain that the chipset is appropriate with the processors as devoted chipsets are solely appropriate with sure processors.
What’s a Z790 motherboard?
Z790 is an Intel chipset that’s appropriate with the Twelfth Era and the Thirteenth Era Intel Core processors. It’s among the many top-end chipsets of the Thirteenth Era and affords optimum IO connectivity. Furthermore, it allows overclocking of each the RAM and the CPU. Z790 additionally supplies the utmost room for SSDs and GPUs.
Z690 is the sooner variant of the Z790 Intel chipset. It additionally helps all trendy gaming elements. The 2 involved chipsets are remarkably related with just a few minor variations. Via this text, we are going to undergo each characteristic to find out the distinction between the 2.
Key Variations
As talked about above, each the Z790 and Z690 Intel chipsets are extremely related in construct and aesthetics. Within the subsequent part, we are going to take you thru every characteristic and evaluate the 2 chipsets, Z790 and Z690. On the finish of the part, we now have summarized an in depth desk evaluating the 2 chipsets.
1. CPU Socket
The CPU socket is the slot which allows establishing a connection between the PCB and a microprocessor with out soldering. This makes it simpler to interchange the CPU simply on the motherboard. Each motherboards characteristic the LGA 1700, which makes them each appropriate with the Twelfth-generation and the Thirteenth-Era core processors.
2. PCIe
The variety of PCI-E lanes is perhaps the identical however the Z790 affords extra compatibility with the PCI-E 5.0, extra so for the mainstream board designs. Additionally, for the Z690, the person would get just one PCIe 16 Gen 5 slot however the Z790 affords SSD and next-generation GPU configurations when in comparison with the Z790.
Nonetheless, for each the motherboard the GPUs and SSDs, the PCI-E 5.0 compatibility is a bit sluggish which must be considered, transferring ahead within the late 2023 and early 2024 variants.
3. CPU Era
The gen is the technology to which the processor belongs. The upper the technology, the higher the chip. Each Z790 and Z690, each assist Twelfth Era and Thirteenth Era processors.
4. DMI 4.0 Lanes
DMI 4.0 is an interface that’s used to speak between the chipset and the CPU. The DMI 4.0 Lanes ship two occasions quicker velocity as in comparison with DMI 3.0. For each these chipsets, they each have 8 DMI 4.0 Lanes.
5. Built-in Graphics Card
The built-in graphics card is the GPU that’s put in within the chipset of the motherboard. For each the Z790 and Z690 chipsets, they’ve enabled built-in graphics playing cards which make them each excellent for gaming and computing functions.
6. RAID Help and Modes
RAID is an affordable disk expertise that shops the identical knowledge in a number of completely different locations in order that it may be retrieved in case of any drive failure. So, each the Z790 and Z690 chipsets assist SATA drive and PCIe drives and may allow completely different RAID modes like 0, 1, 5, and 10.
7. Most Variety of SATA
The SATA port navigates how the info might be transferred from and to the motherboard of the pc and the mass storage units, SSDs, optical drives and HDDs. Each these motherboards characteristic 8 SATA ports every so there is no such thing as a level of distinction right here.
8. Variety of USB Ports
The USB ports are the slots which allow the system to be related to exterior units with ease. Between the 2 chipsets, the Z790 options one further USB 3.2 Gen 2 X 2 20 Gbps port in comparison with the Z690. Apart from that, they’ve an equal variety of USB 3.2 Gen 2 X 1 10 Gbps ports, USB 3.2 Gen 1 X 1 5 Gbps ports and USB 2.0 ports.
9. Reminiscence
When speaking about reminiscence, we can’t pinpoint one issue so we now have separated them into completely different elements and mentioned each and their compatibility regarding each the motherboards.
a. Era
DDR4 was handled as the usual for fairly a while however Intel has considered the necessity to combine DDR5 reminiscence compatibility on their platforms. With the Z690 and several other different high-end chipsets, they’ve been given the choice to be appropriate with DDR5. Nonetheless, they’re additionally appropriate with the final technology of DDR4 reminiscence compatibility. Equally, the Z790 chipset can also be appropriate with each the DDR4 and DDR5 reminiscence generations.
It’s advisable to go for the DDR4 reminiscence choices for the i3, i5 and even for some i7 whereas the DDR5 is extra fitted to the i7 and i9 processors. The efficiency positive factors of DDR5 have minimal distinction, however the prices are a lot increased for the technology.
b. Channels
The reminiscence channels are the connection between the CPU and the RAM, which switch the info between the 2 elements. Each these motherboards have the identical 2/2 reminiscence channels.
c. Variety of DIMMs per Channel
DIMM per channel refers back to the variety of slots that the RAM occupies. Each the motherboards have twin DIMMS per channel, which signifies that the reminiscence occupies each slots within the pocket book for the reminiscence.
d. Slots
The RAM slot or reminiscence slot allows the reminiscence stick/ chip to be inserted into the pc. Each the Z790 and Z690 fit with 128 GB reminiscence.
10. Variety of Supported Shows
The variety of supported shows is the variety of screens that may be related to the motherboard. For each the Z790 and Z690, the variety of supported shows is 4. Because of this a person can join 4 screens with this motherboard.
11. Built-in WiFi
The built-in WiFi is the expertise that’s already put in within the motherboard and permits it to connect with the units wirelessly. With the most recent WiFi model, it lets you join with extra units with ease. Each these motherboards have the WiFi model Intel WiFi 6E AX211, which simply connects all units.
12. Thermal Design Energy
The thermal design energy is the warmth generated by the chipset or any element for which the cooling system dissipates the warmth. Decrease TDP is all the time beneficial because it implies lesser energy consumption which needs to be the purpose. Each these chipsets have a TDP of 6 watts.
13. Overclocking
At first, the customers will discover that overclocking doesn’t appear to have undergone a exceptional change between Z790 and Z690 chipsets. Excessive-end motherboards like these two have extra VRMs, enabling them to endure with lesser energy phases. Nonetheless, out of those two, Z790 is a greater consideration when wanting on the overclocking of any Thirteenth Era processor.
| Function | Z790 | Z690 |
| CPU Socket | LGA 1700 | LGA 1700 |
| PCIe Lanes | 28 | 28 |
| PCIe Gen 5 Lanes | 20 | 20 |
| PCIe Configurations | 1X16+1X4 or 2X8+1X4 | 1X16+1X4 or 2X8+1X4 |
| Twelfth Gen Help | Sure | Sure |
| Thirteenth Gen Help | Sure | Sure |
| Overclocking Help | Sure | Sure |
| DMI 4.0 Lanes | 8 | 8 |
| RAID Help | PCIe, SATA | PCIe, SATA |
| RAID Modes | 0, 1, 5, 10 | 0, 1, 5, 10 |
| Max variety of SATA 6 GB/s | 8 | 8 |
| Max Variety of USB ports | 14 | 14 |
| Max USB 3.2 Gen 2X2 Ports | 5 | 4 |
| Max USB 3.2 Gen 2X1 Ports | 10 | 10 |
| Max USB 3.2 Gen 1X1 Ports | 10 | 10 |
| Max USB 2.0 Ports | 14 | 14 |
| Reminiscence Help | DDR 5-5600B DDR4-3200 | DDR 5-4800B DDR4-3200 |
| Reminiscence Channels | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| Reminiscence Slots | 128 GB | 128 GB |
| No. of Shows Supported | 4 | 4 |
| No. of DIMMs per Channel | 2 | 2 |
| Built-in WiFi | Intel WiFi 6E AX211 (Gig+) | Intel WiFi 6E AX211 (Gig+) |
| Thermal Design Energy | 6 Watts | 6 Watts |
| Overclocking | Sure | Sure |
Which to decide on, Z790 or Z690?
Deducing from the comparability desk given above, one may level out that there’s not a lot distinction between the Z790 and Z690. Each of them are utterly appropriate with the Thirteenth Era processors. Additionally, there are not any further advantages of the upgraded Z790. Subsequently, each would be the similar in efficiency for gaming functions and computing functions.
The main distinction between the 2 is that the Z790 supplies an additional 8 X PCIe 4.0 lanes from the chipset however at the same expense of 8 X PCIe 3.0 lanes. This suggests that the Z790 nonetheless permits 28 X PCI lanes when seen in opposition to Z690 however possesses further flexibility to make use of an additional PCIe 4.0 lane for added Thunderbolt 4 controllers and excessive bandwidth M.2 slots. Additionally, the Z790 options PCIe 3.0 lanes which can be utilized for streaming playing cards, further NICs, or another non-bandwidth crucial actions.
With the Z790, Intel has determined that it’s going to not assist the Optane Reminiscence of the model. They nonetheless provide the identical sort of assist, however the Z790 doesn’t let the system use the Optane reminiscence.
Ultimate Phrase
The first cause for selecting the Z790 over the Z690 is the additional PCIe 4.0 I/O compatibility with a further USB 3.2 G2X2 Sort-C port in comparison with Z690. When evaluating the 2 chipsets based mostly on gaming or computing, customers shouldn’t anticipate any distinction if they’re utilizing the prevailing Z690 or the brand new Z790. We have now tried to debate all of the options of the chipsets intimately to provide you a transparent concept concerning the two.
For those who nonetheless have doubts, do write within the feedback part under.