Asus ROG Maximus Z890 Hero review

pcgamer.com:

Intel's new Core Ultra 200S series of desktop processors launched to a mostly negative response, due to the regression in gaming performance compared to the previous generation of chips. However, they are pretty good at content creation tasks and they consume far less power in gaming, so they could be suitable for some folks. But what motherboard do you buy?

The new Arrow Lake CPUs only fit into an LGA1851 socket, so you can't fit one in a previous-generation motherboard. At the moment, there's only one chipset available (Z890) and most board vendors have focused on creating ATX-sized models that are quite expensive. Then again, if one is going to spend over $500 on a Core Ultra 9 285K, you're probably best off getting a suitably capable motherboard to ensure the setup lasts you as long as possible.

The ROG Maximus Z890 Hero isn't at the very top of Asus' Intel motherboard range but it's not far off, as it sports as comprehensive a set of features as one could possibly ask for. Naturally, that means the price tag is equally as big, but that's par course for high-end motherboards these days.

Pretty much everything about the ROG Maximus Z890 Hero is big—opening the enormous packaging reveals a motherboard that weighs in at an astonishing 3.6 kg (8 lbs). From the huge primary M.2 slot heatsink to the massive polychromic display, nothing about it is subtle even though it doesn't sport in-your-face graphics.

Socket: Intel LGA1851
Chipset: Intel Z890
CPU compatibility: Intel Core Ultra 200S desktop
Form factor: ATX
Memory support: DDR5-4800 to DDR5-9200+(OC), up to 192 GB, CUDIMM supported
Storage: 6x M.2, 4x SATA, 1x SlimSAS
USB (rear): 2x Thunderbolt 4 Type-C 40 Gbps, 1x USB 3.1 Type-C 10 Gbps, 4x USB 3.1 Type-A 10 Gbps, 4x USB 3.0 Type-A 5 Gbps
Display: 1x HDMI 2.1, 2x USB/Thunderbolt 4
Networking: Intel 2.5G LAN, Realtek 5G LAN, Wi-Fi 7
Audio: Realtek ALC4082
Price: $692 | £713 | AU$1,249

Just read through the specifications to see what I mean. Few motherboards come