ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero (Intel 1700)

The ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero motherboard ticks all the right boxes, delivering some of the fastest gaming and system performance on the market, while also maintaining impressive temperatures despite its slightly higher power draw. If you want flagship speed at 2/3 the price of the top model, then the Hero is hard to beat.

We are somewhat surprised by how well the 13900K and 13600K function. And a quality processor requires a quality motherboard. The Extreme has everything but is too expensive at $999, making this 629 USD HERO almost look cheap. Of course, it's everything but that. We're a little shocked as to how expensive PC gaming is becoming, as these prices are out of reach for 99% of end-users. However, that is a separate topic, as we must test the hardware, performance, and features. In this aspect, the HERO has everything. many NVMe options, WIFI6e however, we lack a 10 GigE jack we feel was a bit of a cheap thing to do in this price class. Of course, Thunderbolt is onboard, and that makes it even more expensive. The VRM design is more than you could ever wish or need, and the DNA of PCIe gen 4.0 and 5.0 breathes through the platform, offering you five NVMe M2 SSDs based on a blend of these connections, all heatsink cooled. The platform will also support the very fastest memories (think 7200 MHz - we dropped it in and enabled the SPD3.0 profile, and it worked beautifully); more on that in a separate article, though. Hardware wise this puppy is sound; we had no stability issues, the WIFI6 on the 5 GHz band is blazing fast, the 2.5 GigE LAN jacks perform well, the 20 90 A Power Stages and loads of connectivity in the form of M2, SATA and USB and thunderbolt, it's all lovely. It is safe to conclude that this motherboard is designed not for casual gamers or users but rather for affluent computer enthusiasts with deep pockets. This is not a viable option for a budget-conscious audience. However, each market has its own subset of consumers, and the Maximus HERO is aimed squarely at this demographic. Therefore, as a piece of hardware, it is excellent, but considerably better deals are available. This product is suitable for those that live and breathe the ASUS ROG DNA and want nothing but the best but it comes with a 629 USD asking price.

Of course that's all moot if the performance isn't there but, like all the Maximus models before it, the newest Z790 Hero is a star, able to easily overclock our Core i9-13900K (no small feat) whilst also letting it be pushed hard when left to its own devices. If you're feeling very brave and confident in your cooling setup, the BIOS even has a MultiCore Enhancement mode that is labelled "Remove All Limits". If that doesn't get the overclocker in you excited to have a one click way to reach new heights then we don't know what will. With a lot of the Z790 launch motherboards taking established brands in new directions there is something comforting about the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero. It's everything you expect it to be in terms of looks, features and performance. When the results are this good, why change? That's exactly why it wins our OC3D Enthusiast Award.