Alongside new "Coffee Lake-S Refresh" 9th-Generation CPUs, Intel's Z390 chipset officially decloaked on Oct. 8, and with it a host of supporting motherboards from the usual board makers. The chipset itself appears to be just a minor modification of the existing Z370, Intel's high-end chipset for its mainstream desktop processors that allows for CPU overclocking. The PCI Express lane count stays the same (24), and dual-channel memory is still the order of the day, versus quad-channel on the enthusiast-grade X299 platform for Intel's Core X-Series. The primary improvements from Z370 to Z390 are inherent support for USB 3.1 Gen-2 ports (up to six, versus none natively with Z370), as well as support for CNVi. CNVi moves portions of the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology onto the CPU die to enable extremely high-speed wireless solutions with companion hardware, for speeds of up to 1.73Gbps (according to Intel).
We got our mitts on two early high-end boards, from Asrock and MSI, with the ultimate aim of reviewing them and test-driving some of Intel's new Core processors. We haven't had the opportunity to fire up these boards yet (though they should work with 8th-Generation CPUs, we hadn't gotten our hands on 9th-Generation Core CPUs at this writing) but we documented their look as we unboxed and ogled. Take a peek with us.
Meet the Asrock Z390 Taichi
The Z390 is the latest in Asrock's line of signature Taichi motherboards, which are set apart by distinctive black-and-white PCBs and a unique "gear" motif. This board really takes the theme to another level, though. This full-ATX (12-by-9.6-inch) board lists for $239.99.
The Top-Down View
Here's an overhead view of the board. The key things you'll note in the left half of the PCB: the PCI Express x16 cards wrapped in steel sheathing for strength. You get three of these slots interspersed with a pair of PCI Express x1 slots. The x16 slots support AMD CrossFireX in two-, three-, and four-GPU configs (presumably, in the last case, via a pair of older twin-GPU cards), as well as Nvidia SLI multi-card loadouts in SLI and Quad SLI.
We've Got Gear Envy
We adore the gear themes across the Taichi line, but the three-dimensional, raised layers of gears on this board are especially striking.
64GB of OC RAM
The four DIMM slots visible here are capable of taking up to 64GB of RAM in four 16GB DIMMs. Asrock claims that the board can push, with certain memory kits, speeds of up to 4,200MHz in overclocked mode. It also supports a host of stepped-down overclocked modes. You can also install error-correcting-code (ECC) server-style DIMMs, but they will operate in non-ECC mode.
The Accessory Kit
In the box, you get a quick-install guide and a manual, as well as the usual support CD. (We really wish all motherboard vendors would take a hint from some of their forward-looking peers and provide these on a USB flash stick.) The hardware bits comprise the I/O shield, two antenna poles for the onboard 802.11ac Wi-Fi, four SATA cables, an Asrock-branded high-bandwidth bridge, and screws for mounting M.2 drives in their slots.
Main I/O Cover
The shield masking the I/O area isn't gussied up with RGB lighting (just some white glowing strips) or fancy materials, but elsewhere on the board you'll find two RGB headers and an addressable RGB header for adding your own light strips. The board also supports RGB synchronicity with other RGB-equipped gear.
Onboard USB Headers, to the Max
You might notice here an onboard header port to the top left of the round gear decor. This is actually a relatively new USB 3.1 Gen 2 header connector, used for powering chassis front-panel USB Type-C ports on late-model PC cases that have them. This port supplements two USB 3.0/3.1 20-pin connectors (visible at far upper left in this image) as well as two USB 2.0 headers elsewhere on the board. This board is ready for any desktop chassis' possible USB port configuration.
Ready for 8, Ready for 9, Ready for Tweaks
The Z390 supports both 8th and 9th Generation Intel Core CPUs on the LGA 1151 socket. To the right of the socket you can see a small on-PCB chip labelled "Hyper BCLK," which is a supplemental clock generator. It allows for more precise tuning of frequencies for overclockers.
Keep Your M.2 Cool
The board includes a full-length head spreader over the main M.2 slot to cool hot-running PCI Express drives. The spreader will cover drives up to Type-22110 (110mm long).
Triple Sticks! More M.2 Slots
You get two additional M.2 slots on this board, these without spreaders, interleaved with the PCI Express slots. That's the potential for a lot of compact, fast storage. All three M.2 slots support drives on either the PCI Express or SATA bus.
Stack Some SATA Drives On
In addition to the trio of onboard M.2 slots, you get eight SATA 3.0 ports. We're happy to see that Asrock has ditched the ill-fated SATA Express commonly seen on late-model high-end mainboards in favor of nothing but the "old-fashioned" kind. Six of the ports support RAID 0/1/5/10, while the other two are single-use on an Asmedia controller. Note that use of the three M.2 slots will disable certain corresponding SATA ports under particular conditions due to lane sharing.
Power Gear: Capacitors and More
This board is loaded for overclocking bear, evidenced by the solid-state, Japanese Nichicon 12K capacitors and a full array of power chokes peeking out from under the two large heat sinks.
An I/O Panel Lush With USB
The rear-panel I/O is pretty stacked. For audio, you get the usual array of surround-sound speaker ports, as well as an optical S/PDIF out. On the USB front, you get four USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports, four USB 3.1 Gen 2 (three of them the usual Type-A, and one Type-C). HDMI and DisplayPort outputs allow you to use the board with Intel's on-chip UHD graphics. Also back here are twin connectors for the Wi-Fi antenna poles, a legacy PS/2 port, and a Clear CMOS button.
Audio Starts Here
These Nichicon capacitors and a Realtek codec power what Asrock refers to on this board as Purity Sound 4, a 7.1-channel onboard audio solution that resides in its own isolated audio zone on the PCB. Also integrated into the audio subsystem is an amplifier for the front-panel headphone jack.
More Power, Please!
The secondary main power connector (aka the CPU power connector) is actually two on this board, in four- and eight-pin varieties, to support the board's overclocking features and 12-power-phase design.
Meet the MSI MEG Z390 Ace
Here's our other initial Z390 board. MSI is releasing a whole flurry of Z390-based boards to coincide with the 9th Generation CPU launch, along with a new breakdown of its board lines. With this launch, we're seeing MSI's boards in new Pro, MAG, MPG, and MEG families. The two MEGs are the highest-end offerings, with this MEG Z390 Ace model sharing the spotlight with the really over-the-top Z390 Godlike, an Extended ATX (EATX) board with 16 power phases. (The Ace is "just" full ATX and 12.)
MAG, MPG, and MEG
No, MAG, MEG, and MPG are not file formats. The MAG derives from MSI's former "MSI Arsenal Gaming" boards, while MPG derives from "MSI Performance Gaming" and MEG from, you guessed it, "MSI Enthusiast Gaming." It's a new naming scheme for the company.
MSI MEG Z390 Ace: The Overhead View
Along the bottom edge is an unusual sight: not one but two USB 3.1 Gen 2 connectors for Type-C ports on chassis front panels! We're not sure we've ever seen a PC case with more than one Type-C port and its associated header cable. As for the PCI Express slots, you get three x16 and three x1. The x16 slots support two-card SLI and up to three-card CrossFire. You'll have to step up to the Z390 Godlike board if you want support for four-way CrossFire.
Stare Into Infinity
The board has a polygon-shaped window in the I/O cover that shines like an "infinity mirror," an RGB-lighting optical illusion that creates a little tunnel of colorized lights that seems to regress inside the board. (MSI calls it "Mystic Light Infinity," after its Mystic Light RGB-syncing tech.) Good gimmicky fun for RGB-crazed PC builders who are all about the bling.
Not One But Three M.2 Slots
MSI matches the Z390 Taichi by providing a heat-sink shield for one of its three M.2 slots.
Dial O for Overclocking
A single-twist overclocking dial, as well as dedicated onboard power and reset buttons, earmark this as a board for serious overclockers. Of course, the board BIOS and supplemental software allow for a host of manual tweaks.
Dragon Topper
Dragon logos are the order of the day on any piece of MSI's gaming-oriented enthusiast gear. This one tops the chipset, in a nifty contrasting silver badge.
Packed, Stacked, and Attached I/O
Like on the Asrock Taichi board, you won't be wanting for USB. With the Ace, you get four each of USB 2.0 and USB 3.1 Gen 1 (aka USB 3.0) ports, as well as two USB 3.1 Gen 2 (one Type-A and one Type-C). One of the USB ports lets you attach a flash drive and press a button on the panel to update the BIOS. Also back here: one Ethernet jack, surround-sound and optical ports, twin antenna connectors, and a CMOS-clear button. Note that the I/O shield is integrated into the board, not a separate metal piece as on most motherboards.
Slots of Steel
The PCI Express slots on the MEG Z390 Ace board are lined with metal to keep from cracking. This is becoming a standard feature on midrange and better mobos these days, and we heartily approve, given how many high-end boutique PCs we've seen ruined over the years in shipping due to a cracked PCI Express slot.
Metal Overkill? Armored DIMM Slots, Too
To the right of the chokes and capacitors under the MSI heatsink you can see the tops of the DIMM slots. MSI, like a few other board makers on their highest-end boards, takes things to the extreme by lining the memory slots with steel for stability. We can understand this on a PCI Express slot with a heavy video card applying sideways pressure to the plastic, but RAM modules? Hrm.
New Chipset, Same Old Socket
As we mentioned earlier, Z390 works with both 8th and 9th Generation Intel Core CPUs on the LGA 1151 socket. However, these 9th Generation "Coffee Lake-S Refresh" CPUs will also work with other 300-series chipsets that debuted when 8th Generation Core was current (Z370, B360, H370, and H310).
SATA on the Edge
Six SATA ports stick out at right angles to the board, alongside a USB 3.0 20-pin header connector.
The Accessory Kit
A whole host of bits and bobs come with the MEG Z390 Ace. The accessory load includes the usual SATA cables, a standalone Wi-Fi antenna unit (which works with the CNVi module), a high-bandwidth SLI bridge, manuals and driver disk, plus MSI-specific paraphernalia including cable tags.