ASUS ProArt Z890-CREATOR WIFI Motherboard: LGA1851, Thunderbolt 5, WiFi 7

The ASUS ProArt Z890-CREATOR WIFI is an ATX motherboard on the Intel Z890 chipset with an LGA 1851 socket. It is designed for Intel Core Ultra Series 2 desktop processors and is aimed at content creators and anyone building a connectivity-rich workstation. This page explains what the main features mean.

Socket and processor support

LGA 1851 is the socket used by Intel's Core Ultra Series 2 desktop processors. ASUS lists support for Core Ultra 9, 7 and 5 models. The Z890 chipset is the higher-end option in its family and typically allows memory and processor tuning. The board uses DDR5 memory, which is not interchangeable with DDR4.

Power delivery

The board has 16+2+1+2 teamed power stages, ProCool II power connectors, alloy chokes and durable capacitors. Power stages smooth the electricity going to the processor, and a stronger design typically helps a demanding processor run steadily under sustained loads.

Connectivity

• Thunderbolt: dual Thunderbolt 5 ports and a Thunderbolt 4 port. Thunderbolt 5 is the newer generation, intended for high-speed storage, docks and displays.
• Networking: 10 Gb and 2.5 Gb Ethernet and WiFi 7. A 10Gb port is only useful if the rest of your network (switch, cabling) supports it.
• Expansion: two PCIe 5.0 slots with full support for next-generation graphics cards.
• Storage: five M.2 slots, one PCIe 5.0 and four PCIe 4.0. More M.2 slots mean room for fast drives for projects, scratch disks and backups.
• USB: a front-panel header for 20Gbps USB.

Features for builders

ASUS lists several tool-free or simplified features: PCIe Slot Q-Release Slim with SafeSlot, M.2 Q-Release, M.2 Q-Slide, M.2 Q-Latch, Q-Antenna and Q-Connector. They are meant to make installing cards and drives quicker. BIOS FlashBack lets you update the BIOS from a USB drive without a processor installed, which is useful when a new chip needs a newer BIOS.

AI and creator software

ASUS names AI Overclocking, AI Cooling II, AI Networking II, AI Advisor and NPU boost, which are automated tuning and monitoring tools. ProArt Creator Hub includes Color Management, which works with Pantone utilities for system control and creation settings. ASUS Control Center Express offers USB port management, software blacklisting and Regedit on/off controls for managed environments.

Who it suits

It suits creators, video editors, photographers and developers who want a lot of fast storage and ports, and anyone wanting a base for a Core Ultra Series 2 system with room to upgrade.

What to check before you buy

• Case size: this is an ATX board and the listing gives about 14 x 11 inches.
• The processor model and cooler mounting for LGA 1851.
• DDR5 memory compatibility and capacity.
• Whether you need Thunderbolt 5, 10Gb Ethernet or WiFi 7, since you will pay for features you may not use.
• A power supply with the right connectors.
• BIOS version and the manual's M.2 and PCIe lane-sharing notes.

The short version

• ATX Z890 motherboard with an LGA 1851 socket for Core Ultra Series 2.
• DDR5, two PCIe 5.0 slots and five M.2 slots.
• Dual Thunderbolt 5 plus Thunderbolt 4, 10Gb and 2.5Gb LAN, WiFi 7.
• Builder-friendly Q-features, BIOS FlashBack and ProArt Creator Hub.

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