GIGABYTE Z890 AORUS MASTER
The Z890 AORUS MASTER is a flagship ATX motherboard for Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) processors. It offers DDR5 up to 9500 MT/s, PCIe 5.0, Wi-Fi 7, 10 GbE LAN, multiple M.2 slots, Thunderbolt 4, and premium thermals.
Features
The Z890 AORUS MASTER is GIGABYTE’s premium offering for the Intel Z890 chipset, designed around the LGA 1851 socket for Core Ultra Series 2 CPUs. It’s built for enthusiasts who demand top performance, extreme memory speeds, rich connectivity, and robust thermal and power delivery.
Key Features & Specifications
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CPU & Power Delivery
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Supports Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) family of processors.
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Uses a high-capacity VRM setup (an “18-plus” phase design with high current Smart Power Stage MOSFETs) to ensure stable power under load and during overclocking.
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Memory Support
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Four DDR5 DIMM slots, supporting massive capacity (up to about 256 GB) and very high overclocked speeds (benchmarked up to DDR5-9500+ in certain tests).
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Strong memory stability thanks to features like “Memory UD Slot” construction.
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Expansion & Storage
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Equipped with multiple M.2 slots: several PCIe 5.0 x4 and PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2s for NVMe storage, including long form-factor (e.g. 22110) compatibility.PCIe 5.0 x16 slot (reinforced “UD Slot X”) for high-end graphics cards. Additional PCIe 4.0 slots (x4/x1) for expansion.
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Connectivity & Networking
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10 GbE LAN for ultra-fast wired network performance.
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Integrated Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth support for wireless performance.
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Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 via front USB-C / rear I/O, multiple high-speed USB ports.
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Thermal & Cooling
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Large heatsinks for VRMs, “VRM Thermal Armor”, “M.2 Thermal Guard XL” to keep NVMe drives from throttling.
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Many fan/pump headers, Smart Fan 6 support (adjustable curves, fan stop, etc.) for precise cooling.
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Build Quality & Features
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Ultra durable construction: reinforced PCIe slot, strong power connectors, multi-layer PCB, robust build for long life.
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Convenient DIY features: EZ-Latch / EZ M.2 latches for easy installation / removal of GPU or SSDs.
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Safety / utility features such as Q-Flash Plus (BIOS updates without needing CPU/RAM installed), debug LEDs, power/reset buttons.
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Storage & RAID Support
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Multiple SATA ports (typically 4) plus RAID 0/1/5/10 support for both SATA and NVMe in supported slots.
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Audio
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Premium audio implementation using the Realtek ALC1220 codec, often paired with ESS Sabre DAC in reviews for improved clarity.
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Conclusion
The GIGABYTE Z890 AORUS MASTER is a top-tier motherboard built for power users, content creators, and gamers who want the highest performance and future-proof features. If you want extreme DDR5 speeds, best-in-class connectivity (Wi-Fi 7, 10GbE, Thunderbolt 4), and a robust thermal and power delivery system that can handle demanding tasks, this board delivers. It may be overkill for basic use, but for those pushing boundaries in gaming, rendering, or overclocking, it justifies its price and capabilities.
Specifications
| CPU | LGA 1700 SOCKET : SUPPORT FOR THE 14TH , 13TH AND 12TH GENERATION INTEL CORE , PENTIUM GOLD AND CELERON PROCESSORS |
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| CHIPSET | Z890 |
| MEMORY | SUPPORT FOR DDR5 UPTO 9500 MT/S (OC) MEMORY MODULES |
| VIDEO OUTPUT PORTS | 1 X HDMI PORT |
| LAN + WIFI + BLUETOOTH | MARVELL AQTION AQC113C 10GBE LAN CHIP (10GBPS/5GBPS/2.5GBPS/1GBPS/100GBPS) , INTEL WIFI 7 BE200NGW , BLUETOOTH 5.4 |
| AUDIO | REALTEK ALC1220 CODEC , HIGH DEFINITON AUDIO , 2/4/5.1/7.1 CHANNEL |
| EXPANSION SLOTS | 1 X PCI EXPRESS X16 SLOT, SUPPORTING PCIE 5.0 AND RUNNING AT X16 (PCIEX16) , 1 X PCI EXPRESS X16 SLOTS SUPPORTING PCIe 4.0 AND RUNNING AT X4 (PCIEX4) , 1 X PCI EXPRESS X16 SLOT, SUPPORTING PCIe 4.0 AND RUNNING AT X1 (PCIEX1) |
| STORAGE INTERFACES | 1 X M.2 CONNECTOR (SOCKET 3 , M KEY , TYPE 25110/22110/2580/2280 PCIe 5.0 X4/X2 SSD SUPPORT ) (M2A_CPU) , 1 X M.2 CONNECTOR (SOCKET 3, M KEY , TYPE 22110/2280 PCIe 4.0 X4/X2 SSD SUPPORT) (M2B_CPU) , 1 X M.2 CONNECTOR (SOCKET 3, M KEY , TYPE 22110/2280 PCIe 5.0 X4/X2 SSD SUPPORT ) (M2P_SB) , 1 X M.2 CONNECTOR (SOCKET 3 , M KEY , TYPE 2280 SATA AND PCIE 4.0 X4 SSD SUPPORT (M2M_SB) , 4 X SATA 6GB/S CONNECTORS |
| INTERNAL I/O CONNECTORS | 1 X 24- PIN ATX MAIN POWER CONNECTOR , 2 X 8 PIN ATX 12V POWER CONNECTOR , 1 X CPU FAN HEADER ,1 X CPU FAN/WATER COOLING PUMP HEADER , 4 X SYSTEM FAN HEADERS , 4 X SYSTEM FAN/WATER COOLING PUMP HEADER , 4 X ADDRESSABLE RGB GEN2 LED STRIP HEADERS , 1 X RGB LED STRIP HEADERS , 5 X M.2 SOCKET 3 CONNECTORS , 4 X SATA 6GB/S CONNECTORS , 1 X FRONT PANEL HEADER , 1 X FRONT PANEL AUDIO HEADER , 1 X USB TYPE C HEADER , WITH USB 3.2 GEN 2 SUPPORT , 1 X USB 3.2 GEN 1 HEADER , 2 X USB 2.0/1.1 HEADERS ,1 X NOISE DETECTION HEADER , 1 X TRUSTED PLATFORM MODULE HEADER (FOR THE GC-TPM2.0 SOI/GC-TPM2.0 SPI 2.0 MODULE ONLY ) , 1 X HDMI PORT (NOTE) , 1 X POWER BUTTON , 1 X RESET BUTTON , 1 X Q-FLASH PLUS BUTTON , 1 X RESET JUMPER , 1 X CLEAR CMOS JUMPER , 2 X TEMPERATURE SENSOR HEADERS |
| BACK PANEL CONNECTORS | 1 X Q-FLASH PLUS BUTTON , 1 X CLEAR CMOS BUTTON , 2 X INTEL THUNDERBOLT 4 CONNECTORS (USB TYPE-C PORTS ) , 6 X USB 3.2 GEN 2 TYPE-A PORTS (RED) , 4 X USB 3.2 GEN 1 PORTS , 2 X USB 2.0/1.1 PORTS , 1 X RJ-45 PORT , 2 X ANTENNA CONNECTORS (2T2R) , 2 X AUDIO JACKS , 1 X OPTICAL S/PDIF OUT CONNECTOR |
| SIZE | ATX |
| UNIQUE FACTORS | SUPPORT FOR GIGABYTE CONTROL CENTER (GCC) , AVAILABLE APPLICATIONS IN GCC MAY VARY BY MOTHERBOARD MODEL , SUPPORTED FUNCTIONS OF EACH APPLICATIONS MAY ALSO VARY DEPENDING ON MOTHERBOARD SPECIFICATIONS. , SUPPORT FOR Q-FLASH , SUPPORT FOR Q-FLASH PLUS , SUPPORT FOR SMART BACKUP |