Name: ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Extreme E-ATX motherboard
Brand: Asus
SKU: 90MB18H0-M0EAY0
Price: 368 USD
Availability: InStock

ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Extreme E-ATX Motherboard: Uncompromising Performance for High-End Enthusiasts

The ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Extreme is a premium E-ATX motherboard engineered for gamers, overclockers, and content creators seeking the pinnacle of performance and connectivity. Built on Intel’s Z690 chipset and supporting the LGA 1700 socket, this motherboard is fully compatible with 12th and 13th Gen Intel Core processors. It sets a new standard in enthusiast-grade hardware, with extensive support for cutting-edge technologies such as DDR5 memory, PCIe 5.0, Thunderbolt 4, and Wi-Fi 6E. Whether you’re constructing a high-performance gaming rig or a professional workstation, the ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Extreme delivers unparalleled features and stability.

Key Features & Technical Specifications

The ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Extreme incorporates the latest standards in motherboard design, combining high-speed connectivity, superior thermal solutions, and robust power delivery in a meticulously crafted E-ATX form factor.

Feature	Specification
CPU Socket	LGA 1700 – Supports 12th & 13th Gen Intel® Core™, Pentium® Gold, and Celeron® CPUs
Chipset	Intel® Z690
Form Factor	Extended ATX (E-ATX)
Memory Support	4x DIMM, up to 128GB DDR5, 6400+ MHz (OC)
Expansion Slots	2x PCIe 5.0 x16 (x16 or x8/x8)
M.2 Slots	5x M.2 (4 onboard, 1 via ROG DIMM.2 module)
SATA Ports	6x SATA 6Gb/s
Networking	10Gb Ethernet (Marvell AQtion), 2.5Gb Ethernet (Intel I225-V), Wi-Fi 6E (Intel)
USB Ports	2x Thunderbolt 4 Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, USB 3.2 Gen 2 & Gen 1, USB 2.0
Audio	SupremeFX 7.1 Surround Sound High Definition Audio CODEC ALC4082 + ESS SABRE DAC
Power Delivery	24+1 phase VRM with premium-grade components
Cooling Features	Multiple fan headers, VRM heatsinks, high-conductivity thermal pads, LiveDash OLED
RGB Lighting	ASUS Aura Sync RGB and addressable RGB headers

Unrivaled Power and Thermal Engineering

At the heart of the ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Extreme lies a 24+1 power stage VRM, specifically engineered to ensure clean and stable power delivery for high-core count processors, even under extreme overclocking conditions. The board’s robust power architecture is cooled by large, finned heatsinks connected by a heatpipe system, ensuring optimal thermal efficiency and sustained high-performance operation.

Thermal management is further enhanced by multiple temperature sensors, dedicated headers for AIOs and high-speed fans, and a LiveDash OLED display, which provides real-time system information and diagnostics.

Advanced Storage and Expansion Capabilities

With five M.2 slots, including one via the proprietary ROG DIMM.2 module, the ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 offers unparalleled flexibility for NVMe SSD configurations, including RAID 0/1/5 support. Combined with six SATA ports, this board is fully capable of managing both performance-focused and high-capacity storage arrays.

The dual PCIe 5.0 x16 slots ensure future-proof compatibility with next-generation GPUs and storage devices, delivering significantly increased bandwidth over PCIe 4.0.

Connectivity and I/O Innovation

For ultra-fast networking, the motherboard features dual Ethernet ports—10Gbps (Marvell AQtion) and 2.5Gbps (Intel I225-V)—making it ideal for high-throughput environments such as game streaming or large-scale media transfers. In addition, Wi-Fi 6E support ensures access to the newly expanded 6GHz band for less congested wireless communication and faster data rates.

On the rear I/O panel, you’ll find an abundance of connectivity options, including two Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports, which support daisy-chaining multiple high-speed devices, external GPUs, and dual 4K or single 8K displays. USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, Gen 2, and legacy USB 2.0 ports ensure compatibility with a broad range of peripherals.

Enhanced Customization and Aesthetic Integration

True to the ROG philosophy, the ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 integrates extensive RGB lighting control through ASUS Aura Sync, along with customizable OLED displays for diagnostics and personalization. Build aesthetics are elevated with reinforced metal shielding, blacked-out heatsinks, and premium finishes that suit any high-end chassis design.

Software Ecosystem and BIOS Utility

The included AI Suite 3, ROG UEFI BIOS, and Fan Xpert 4 provide an intuitive interface for tuning system parameters, optimizing performance, and customizing fan profiles. ASUS also includes MemTest86, Overwolf, and RAMCache III, further enhancing system diagnostics and performance optimization tools.

Final Thoughts

The ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Extreme sets the benchmark for Z690 motherboards, with a no-compromise approach to performance, connectivity, and aesthetic design. It is ideal for builders looking to leverage the full potential of Intel’s latest CPU architecture while ensuring headroom for future technologies such as PCIe 5.0 GPUs and high-speed DDR5 memory.