ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Formula Motherboard: features, specs and who it suits

The ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Formula is an ATX motherboard for 12th Gen Intel Core processors. It is built for enthusiast PCs, especially ones with custom liquid cooling, and it brings DDR5 memory, PCIe 5.0, Wi-Fi 6E and 10Gb Ethernet onto a single board with a moonlight white finish.

Socket, memory and expansion

The board uses Intel's LGA 1700 socket, which is the socket for 12th Gen Intel Core CPUs. ASUS says it is ready for Windows 11 and supports both PCIe 5.0 and DDR5. PCIe 5.0 doubles the per-lane bandwidth of PCIe 4.0, which mainly matters for future graphics cards and the fastest NVMe storage. DDR5 is the newer memory generation, and it is not physically interchangeable with DDR4, so memory from an older build won't fit. The rear panel offers 12 USB ports in total, according to the brand.

Power delivery

Modern high-core-count CPUs draw a lot of current, especially when overclocked. ASUS describes a 20-plus-1 teamed power stage design, with stages rated for 105 A, ProCool II power connectors, MicroFine alloy chokes and metallic capacitors. In general, a larger number of power stages shares the load, which keeps individual components cooler and voltage steadier under heavy use.

Cooling and the water-cooling zone

The headline thermal feature is the EK CrossChill III VRM block, co-developed with EK Water Blocks. It lets the power section be connected to a custom liquid loop. ASUS also lists high-conductivity thermal pads, triple M.2 heatsinks, dual embedded backplates, a ROG Water-Cooling Zone and a ROG Hyper M.2 card with heatsinks. If you don't run a custom loop, the board still has heatsinks, but the liquid-cooling option is the reason this model exists.

Networking

Onboard Wi-Fi 6E adds access to the 6 GHz band where your router supports it. A Marvell AQtion 10Gb Ethernet port is included for fast wired links, which is worth having if you move large files to a network storage device that also supports 10Gb speeds. ASUS LANGuard is listed as a protection feature for the network ports.

Software tools

ASUS lists AI Overclocking, AI Cooling, AI Networking and Two-Way AI Noise-Cancelation. These are tools meant to ease tuning and configuration instead of manual BIOS adjustment, and results vary by CPU and cooling.

Who it suits

It suits builders planning a high-end 12th Gen Intel system, particularly with a custom water loop and a white colour scheme. Someone building a simple office PC would likely not use most of its features.

What to check before you buy

• Confirm your CPU is a 12th Gen Intel Core model using the LGA 1700 socket.
• Make sure you have DDR5 memory, as DDR4 isn't compatible.
• Check that the case supports ATX boards and fits your cooling plan.
• If using a custom loop, plan fittings and tubing for the VRM block.
• Check the manual and ASUS support page for the BIOS version needed by your processor.
• Count the M.2 drives, USB devices and network gear you want to connect.

The short version

• ATX board for 12th Gen Intel Core CPUs on the LGA 1700 socket.
• DDR5 memory and PCIe 5.0 support.
• 20-plus-1 power stages rated for 105 A and an EK CrossChill III VRM block.
• Wi-Fi 6E and Marvell AQtion 10Gb Ethernet.
• Moonlight white finish aimed at custom liquid-cooled builds.

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