Gigabyte Z890 Aorus Master Motherboard Review: ATX with 14 USB ports, incredibly fast memory support

2024-11-16T13:02:29Z

Below, we’ll examine the details of the Z890 Aorus Master and determine whether it deserves a spot on our Best Motherboards list. But before we share test results and dig deep into the board’s features, below are the specifications from the Gigabyte website.

Gigabyte’s Z890 Aorus Master is a premium motherboard that supports Intel’s new Arrow Lake processors. The board also receives a facelift, an additional PCIe 5.0 x4-capable M.2 socket (now two), Thunderbolt 4 (40 Gbps) Type-C ports, additional ‘EZ’ features, and AI overclocking. Priced at $599.99, the MSRP did go up from the Z790 mid-lifecycle update Aorus Master X ($550), but it stands up well to the direct competition.

Gigabyte has several Z890-based SKUs in the product stack—in fact, the company has the most, at 18. We won’t list all of them here, but you’ll see all the familiar faces and more. This includes Micro ATX and Mini-ITX boards and prices ranging from $179.99 (Z890M Gaming X) to the Z890 Aorus Extreme ($999.99+?). They also have several white versions of some boards, which cost the same as their darker counterparts. We’d be surprised if you can’t find a motherboard that works for you with all the available options from Gigabyte.

Testing on the Z890 Aorus Master went well. Even with settings similar to those of other boards, the Aorus Master sipped on the power comparatively, with performance varying depending on the tests. Gaming performance was solid in our two titles, while the other benchmarks generally mixed in with the other Z890 data we’ve gathered so far.

Specifications of the Gigabyte Z890 Aorus Master

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Socket	Intel (LGA 1851)
Chipset	Z890
Form Factor	ATX
Voltage Regulator	21 Phase (18x 110A SPS MOSFETs for Vcore)
Video Ports	(2) Thunderbolt 4 (Type-C)
Row 5 – Cell 0	(1) HDMI (v2.1) – Front
USB Ports	(2) Thunderbolt4 (40 Gbps) Type-C
Row 7 – Cell 0	(6) USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)
Row 8 – Cell 0	(4) USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps)
Row 9 – Cell 0	(2) USB 2.0 (480 Mbps)
Network Jacks	(1) 10 GbE
Audio Jacks	(2) Analog + SPDIF
Legacy Ports/Jacks	✗
Other Ports/Jack	✗
PCIe x16	(1) v5.0 (x16/x8)
PCIe x8	✗
PCIe x4	✗
PCIe x1	✗
DIMM Slots	(4) DDR5-9500+(OC), 256GB Capacity
M.2 Sockets	(2) PCIe 5.0 x4 (128 Gbps) / PCIe (up to 110mm)
Row 20 – Cell 0	(1) PCIe 4.0 x4 (64 Gbps) / PCIe (up to 110mm)
Row 21 – Cell 0	(1) PCIe 4.0 x4 (64 Gbps) / PCIe (up to 80mm)
Row 22 – Cell 0	(1) PCIe 4.0 x4 (64 Gbps) / PCIe/SATA (up to 80mm)
Row 23 – Cell 0	(Supports RAID 0/1/5/10)
SATA Ports	(4) SATA3 6 Gbps
Row 25 – Cell 0	(Supports RAID 0/1/5/10)
USB Headers	(1) USB v3.2 Gen 2×2 (20 Gbps) Type-C
Row 27 – Cell 0	(2) USB v3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps)
Row 28 – Cell 0	(2) USB v2.0 (480 Mbps)
Fan/Pump Headers	(10) 4-Pin (CPU, System fans)
RGB Headers	(4) aRGB Gen 2 (3-pin)
Row 31 – Cell 0	(1) RGB (4-pin)
Diagnostics Panel	EZ Debug Zone
Row 33 – Cell 0	(1) Debug Port (2-character)
Row 34 – Cell 0	(1) Debug LEDs
Internal Button/Switch	(1) Power button
Row 36 – Cell 0	(1) Reset button
SATA Controllers	✗
Ethernet Controller(s)	(1) Marvell AQtion AQC113C (10 GbE)
Wi-Fi / Bluetooth	Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200NGW (2×2- 320 MHz, 6 GHz, BT 5.4)
USB Controllers	Realtek RTS5411S, RTS54361, RTS5464
HD Audio Codec	Realtek ALC1220 w/ESS Sabre9118 DAC
DDL/DTS	✗ / DTS:X Ultra
Warranty	3 Years

Inside the Box of the Gigabyte Z890 Aorus Master

Gigabyte includes a handful of accessories inside the box to help deliver a positive building experience. You get the typical collection of SATA cables, a quick-connect Wi-Fi antenna, and a couple of other useful items, including the DDR Wind Blade to cool off your high-speed RAM. Below is a complete list of the extras.

Wi-Fi Antenna (w/EZ-plug)
(2) Thermistors cables
(2) SATA cables
G-Connector
Microphone
DDR Wind Blade (RAM fan)
Installation guide
Stickers

Design of the Z890 Master

Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: Gigabyte)

The Aorus Master has always been a good-looking motherboard, which does not change with Z890. We still see large, oversized heatsinks with the Aorus branding on top, illuminated by RGB LEDs. The bottom of the board uses a large plate-style heatsink with a brushed finish and some reflective chrome highlights on the chipset heatsink with the Master branding and Aorus motto of “Team up, Fight On” emblazoned on those shiny parts. For the first PCIe 5.0 M.2 socket uses a much larger individual heatsink while the rest use a simple plate heatsink, and all using EZ clips to remove. The Aorus falcon flexes proudly between the PCIe slots while another RGB strip lights up the bottom part of the board. Ultimately, we like what we see, and the updated aesthetic blends in with most build themes.

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(Image credit: Gigabyte)

The first item we encounter on the top left is the two (one required) 8-pin EPS connectors to power the processor. Next to them is the first 4-pin fan header, with the other nine (yes, nine!) above the RAM slots and along the bottom edge. Each header supports PWM and DC-controlled devices, with power output all the same at 2A/24W. The 10 total fan headers are the most I’ve seen on a consumer board, and there is plenty of power to go around. Control over these headers is managed through the BIOS or Gigabyte Control Center’s (GCC) Fan Control application.

Next, we run into the four RAM slots with locking mechanisms on both sides to secure your memory kit. Gigabyte offers support for up to 256GB and speeds up to DDR5-9500(OC), one of the fastest we’ve come across for the platform. We had no issues running the fastest kits in-house (DDR5-8200) without issue and, at least on paper, there’s a lot of headroom left. Above that are four more fan headers, and immediately to the right are the first (of two) 2-pin headers for thermistors.

In the right corner, we see the first two (of four) 3-pin ARGB headers, with the other two located along the bottom edge. There’s also a 4-pin RGB header at the bottom, too. Control over the integrated and attached RGBs comes from GCC and the RGB Fusion app. There are several canned LED effects, many of which you can tweak the speeds and colors to your liking, or just shut them all off when you need to.

Moving down the right edge, we run into the two-character Debug port and the four-LED POST debugger, which helps to identify any issues that arise during POST. Just to the left are convenient power and reset buttons. Next, we find the 24-pin ATX connector to power the board, a front-panel USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 (20 Gbps) Type-C header, and two 19-pin front-panel USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) ports. If the 14 USB ports on the rear IO somehow aren’t enough, there are plenty for the front panel as well.

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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

The Z890 Aorus Master’s VRM consists of 21 phases, 18 for Vcore, that will easily handle any processor you put on it. Astute readers may recognize this is fewer than the last generation, but these processors are also more efficient. Power comes from the dual 8-pin EPS connectors, then onto the familiar Renesas RAA229130 PWM controller. From there, we ran into the 18 Renesas R2209004 SPS MOSFETs rated at 110A each in a ‘twin’ configuration. Again, there is plenty of power, even when overclocking the flagship part like our Core 9 Ultra 285K. CPU temperatures will limit you before the power delivery does.

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==

(Image credit: Gigabyte)

On the bottom half of the board, hiding under the metal shroud, is a high-quality audio solution using the Realtek ALC1220 codec and an ESS SABRE9118 DAC. It’s a flagship-class audio solution that most users should be satisfied with. Even though this is one of the better audio solutions, we would like to see the latest codec like its peers use.

In the middle are three full-length PCIe slots, all using some form of reinforcement. The top slot sports Gigabyte’s UD Slot X reinforcement and a PCIe EZ Latch button to remove the card easily. The top connects through the CPU and is the sole PCIe 5.0 x16 slot. Using a lesser UD Slot reinforcement (note that’s non-X), the bottom two slots connect through the chipset and run up to PCIe 4.0 x4 and x1 (middle and bottom) speeds. There is some lane sharing. When M2D_CPU (the second 5.0 x4-capable M.2 socket) is populated, the top/CPU-connected slot drops to x8 speeds. Outside of that, it’s smooth sailing.

Five M.2 sockets hide under the heatsinks on the bottom of the board, each using the M.2 EZ Latch to secure your device without those tiny screws. You get two PCIe 5.0 x4 (128 Gbps) sockets and three PCIe 4.0 x4 (64 Gbps) sockets. If you own or plan to buy a SATA-based M.2 module, you’re in luck, as one of the sockets, M2M_SB, supports PCIe and SATA devices. If your use case requires redundancy or additional storage speed, the Aorus Master supports RAID0/1/5/10 modes on the NVMe drives.

Past the chipset, along the right edge, we see an HDMI port that can monitor the system with the Sensor Panel application (monitor required). Below are four SATA ports (supports RAID0/1/5/10) and two more 4-pin fan headers.

Across the bottom of the board are several exposed headers. You’ll find the typical stuff here, including additional USB ports, RGB headers, etc. Below is a complete list, from left to right.

Front panel audio
(2) 4-pin RGB headers
3-pin RGB header
DB sense
TPM header
(2) USB 2.0 headers
(3) System fan headers
2-pin temperature sensor header
Clear CMOS jumper
Reset jumper
Front panel

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(Image credit: Gigabyte)

One of the first things you’llnotice on the rear IO is that it’s stuffed with USB ports – 14 in total. You get the two Thunderbolt 4 (40 Gbps) ports that also double as video outputs, six USB 3.2 Gen 2 (20 Gbps, all Type-A) ports, four USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) ports, and two USB 2.0 ports. On the left are the Clear CMOS and Q-Flash Plus buttons to reset the BIOS or update it (even without a CPU).

On the right are the Marvell 10 GbE port, the quick-connect Wi-Fi 7 antenna headers, and a basic audio stack with line out, microphone, and SPDIF optical output. Outside of the sheer number of USB ports and some venting for the VRMs, there’s nothing out of the ordinary here.

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Gigabyte Z890 Aorus Master Motherboard Review: ATX with 14 USB ports, incredibly fast memory support

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