Today, Intel officially unveiled its new desktop CPUs, the Core Ultra 200S series. These processors require the new LGA1851 socket, meaning that compatible motherboards must use Intel’s 800-series chipset. As one of Intel’s key partners, ASUS has also released a new lineup of Z890 chipset motherboards.
In this article, we’ll take a first look at one of ASUS’s standout Z890 motherboards, the Maximus Z890 Apex, which also happens to be a personal favorite. The Apex is designed specifically for enthusiasts and overclockers who love tweaking and optimizing their systems. As a longtime user of the Apex series, I’m excited to see what the Maximus Z890 Apex brings to the table this time and what improvements it offers over its predecessor.
Unboxing
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The Maximus Z890 Apex comes in a sleek white box, a departure from the black packaging of its predecessor, the Z790 Apex. I believe this design choice complements the white color of the Z890 Apex perfectly. On the back of the box, you’ll find a detailed overview of the motherboard’s specifications, rear I/O ports, and key features.
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The accessory bundle that comes with the Z890 Apex includes the usual items: M.2 screws, standoffs, a user manual, a USB drive with drivers and utilities, and a WiFi antenna. However, it also features some unique accessories not typically bundled with motherboards. Notably, ASUS has included the signature DIMM.2 card and memory fan kit, both in white this time, to match the motherboard’s color scheme.
ASUS’s attention to detail with these white-colored accessories shows a clear effort to align with the Z890 Apex’s aesthetic, an improvement over the Z790 Apex, which also had a white theme but lacked this level of coordination. It would be even better if ASUS considered using a white PCB for the DIMM.2 card to further enhance the design consistency.
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Now, let’s take a closer look at the Z890 Apex. Aside from the white color theme, its overall design and layout are quite similar to the Z790 Apex Encore. However, the back of the motherboard features an interesting design that I personally find appealing, even though it’s typically hidden once installed on a test bench or inside a system.
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The Z890 Apex features a robust 22+1+2+2 power stage design, offering a slight upgrade from the Z790 Apex Encore in terms of power delivery and efficiency. Here’s a quick breakdown of the phases:
- Vcore rails are equipped with teamed 110A power stages, ensuring stable and efficient power delivery to the CPU cores, which is essential for overclocking and maintaining high performance.
- SA power is handled by a single phase with a 90A power stage, ensuring sufficient power for the system agent, which controls the CPU’s communication with the rest of the system.
- VNNAON power for the CPU’s always-on voltage, also uses two phases, each with 80A power stages, contributing to overall stability and energy efficiency.
The Z890 Apex continues the Apex series’ tradition with its signature 2-DIMM slots and single DIMM.2 slot. This time, ASUS has increased DDR5 memory support, reaching up to DDR5-9000+ and a total of 96GB when using the newer 48GB sticks. The DIMM.2 slot supports up to two M.2 SSDs, though it remains limited to PCIe 4.0.
However, PCIe 4.0 still offers ample performance for most users. Additionally, the motherboard includes PCIe Gen5 x4 slots on M.2_1, M.2_3, and M.2_4 for those who need PCIe 5.0 SSD support.
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Moving on to the storage options, the Z890 Apex features a layout similar to that of the Z790 Apex Encore, which enhances its usability beyond overclocking. Along with the M.2 Q-latch that simplifies the installation of M.2 SSDs, the motherboard also includes additional PCIe x4 slots, just like the Z790 Apex Encore. This makes it easy to install extra add-in cards if you choose to repurpose the Z890 Apex for other applications.
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The Z890 Apex also includes several noteworthy quality-of-life features, such as the Q-Release Slim for the PCIe x16 slot, as well as the M.2 Q-Release and Q-Slide for the M.2_1 slot. It’s great to see that you no longer need to press a button to release the latch on the PCIe x16 slot to remove the graphics card. However, the M.2 Q-Release and Q-Slide features truly caught my attention.
The challenges I faced with the M.2_1 slot heatsink on previous Apex motherboards, which I’ve highlighted in the past, have finally been addressed with this new design. I know I’m not the only one who has pointed out this issue—many enthusiasts have likely encountered similar difficulties. The implementation of this design shows that ASUS is attentive to user feedback, which is commendable.
Now, let’s take a look at the rear I/O. It closely resembles what the Z790 Apex Encore offers, with slight changes to the USB connectivity. The rear I/O includes the usual BIOS flashback and clear CMOS buttons, which are helpful during overclocking sessions. You’ll also find a PS/2 port for legacy keyboards and mice, four USB 3.2 Gen1 ports, four USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A ports, and a USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C port. Additionally, there are two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a 5GbE LAN port, a Wi-Fi 7 module featuring a Q-Antenna design, and audio jacks.
That’s all… For now
That wraps up our unboxing and first look at the ASUS ROG Maximus Z890 Apex for now. Overall, the upgrades are definitely commendable, from the quality-of-life features to the power design and connectivity, all tailored to support the new Core Ultra 200S series desktop CPUs.
While we can’t share performance details yet due to the embargo, we’ll be diving deeper in the coming weeks to put the motherboard to the test and explore its features and performance. So, see you all again in a couple of weeks!