ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi 6E mini-ITX motherboard: features and specs

The ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi 6E is a mini-ITX motherboard for Intel's LGA 1700 socket. Mini-ITX boards are small, around 17 x 17 cm, so they suit compact cases, but that space limit forces clever layout choices. This board uses several of them to fit fast storage, strong power delivery and cooling into a small footprint.

Processor support

ASUS says the board supports 14th and 13th Generation Intel Core processors, plus 12th Generation Core, Pentium Gold and Celeron processors. It uses DDR5 memory and a PCIe 5.0 graphics slot. Mini-ITX boards generally have only two memory slots, so memory capacity is lower than on larger boards.

Small-form-factor design

Two ideas in the listing stand out:

• ROG Strix Hive moves overclocking controls and connectivity to the desktop. ASUS says this also leaves room for a larger audio solution.
• ROG FPS-II Card mounts USB and SATA ports vertically, which ASUS says makes building easier in tight cases.

Power and cooling

The board has a 10+1 power solution with each stage rated for 105A, along with ProCool II power connectors, alloy chokes and durable capacitors. Rated current per stage is a sign of headroom for multi-core processors, though real-world performance also depends on cooling and the processor itself.

Cooling is handled by thick heatsinks with integrated I/O cover, high-conductivity thermal pads and an L-shaped heatpipe. In compact cases airflow is limited, so VRM heatsinks matter more than usual.

Storage

The board has a multi-layer M.2 stack: one PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot and one PCIe 4.0 slot, sandwiched between thick heatsinks. This stacked layout saves board space and keeps the drives cooled. PCIe 5.0 SSDs typically run faster than PCIe 4.0 models but also run hotter, so the heatsink matters.

Connectivity

The model name lists WiFi 6E, and the listing adds Thunderbolt 4, 2.5 Gb Ethernet and a front-panel USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C connector. WiFi 6E adds the 6 GHz band, and a front-panel Type-C connector needs a case with a matching port to be useful.

What to check before you buy

• Confirm your case is mini-ITX compatible and check graphics card and cooler clearance.
• Check your processor is supported, and whether a BIOS update is needed.
• Make sure you buy DDR5 memory, and check the two-slot limit suits your needs.
• Confirm your CPU cooler fits LGA 1700 and the height limits of your case.
• Check you have enough SATA and USB ports for your devices, as small boards offer fewer.
• Check the power supply connectors match what the board requires.

The short version

• Mini-ITX board for Intel LGA 1700 with DDR5 and a PCIe 5.0 slot.
• 10+1 power stages rated for 105A, with heatpipe-linked VRM heatsinks.
• One PCIe 5.0 and one PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot in a stacked, heatsinked layout.
• WiFi 6E, Thunderbolt 4 and 2.5 Gb Ethernet.
• Suits compact gaming builds.

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