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ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero motherboard: features, specs and who it suits
An LGA 1700 ATX motherboard with Wi-Fi 7, DDR5, a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot, five M.2 slots in total and two Thunderbolt 4 ports. What the specs mean.
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The ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero is an ATX motherboard for Intel processors on the LGA 1700 socket. It is a high-end board in ASUS's Republic of Gamers range, aimed at gaming builds and overclockers who want lots of storage, fast connections and strong power delivery.
Socket and memory
LGA 1700 is the socket used by Intel's 12th, 13th and 14th Gen Core processors. The listing names 12th and 13th Gen, Pentium Gold and Celeron support and mentions 14th Gen in the title. ASUS often requires a BIOS update for newer generations, so check the support page for your exact processor. The board takes DDR5 memory, up to 192GB according to ASUS.
Power delivery and cooling
ASUS describes 20+1+2 power stages with dual ProCool II power connectors, alloy chokes and durable capacitors. The power stages (the voltage regulator module, or VRM) feed the processor, and a stronger VRM typically helps with heavy multi-core loads and overclocking. Large heatsinks are joined to the I/O cover by an L-shaped heatpipe, with thermal pads connecting them to the power stages.
Five M.2 slots
The board has one onboard PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot and four PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots, all with cooling. M.2 slots hold compact NVMe SSDs directly on the board. PCIe 5.0 doubles the theoretical bandwidth of PCIe 4.0, though only a compatible SSD can use it, and some slots may share bandwidth with other ports, so check the manual.
Expansion and graphics
Two PCIe 5.0 x16 SafeSlots are included. ASUS's SafeSlot design is intended to reinforce the slot so it holds a heavy graphics card firmly. An HDMI 2.1 output is also listed.
Connectivity
The listing highlights:
- Two Thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C ports.
- A front-panel USB 20Gbps Type-C connector with Quick Charge 4+ up to 60W and USB Wattage Watcher.
- Six additional USB 10Gbps ports.
- Wi-Fi 7, which needs a Wi-Fi 7 router and device to use its full capability.
Who it suits
It suits enthusiasts building a high-end Intel PC who want many NVMe drives, fast ports and a strong VRM. It is more board than most casual builds need, and a simpler Z790 or B760 board may be enough for them.
What to check before you buy
- Processor: confirm your CPU is supported and whether a BIOS update is needed.
- Memory type: this board uses DDR5, which isn't interchangeable with DDR4.
- Case size: it is a full ATX board, so check that your case supports ATX.
- Cooler: check that your cooler's mounting and clearance suit LGA 1700.
- Storage: check which M.2 slots share bandwidth or disable SATA ports.
- Unlisted details: the listing gives no board dimensions, so check the manufacturer's page.
- Handling: switch off and unplug the PC before installation, and follow the manual.
The short version
- LGA 1700 ATX motherboard for Intel 12th and 13th Gen, with 14th Gen noted in the title.
- DDR5 memory, up to 192GB; 20+1+2 power stages.
- One PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot, four PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots and two PCIe 5.0 x16 slots.
- Wi-Fi 7, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI 2.1 and a 20Gbps front-panel connector.
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