BRAND

ASUS

MODEL

ROG MAXIMUS Z690 HERO

ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z690 HERO

• Socket LGA 1700 for 12th Gen Intel® Core™, Pentium® Gold and Celeron® processors
• Intelligent Control: ASUS-exclusive tools including AI Overclocking, AI Cooling, AI Networking and Two-Way AI Noise-Cancellation for easy configuration
• Robust Power Solution: 20+1 teamed power stages rated for 90 A, ProCool II power connectors, MicroFine alloy chokes and premium metallic capacitors
• Optimised Thermal Design: Large VRM heatsinks plus integrated aluminum I/O cover, high-conductivity thermal pad, triple M.2 heatsinks and two M.2 backplates, plus ROG Water-Cooling Zone and ROG Hyper M.2 card with heatsinks.
• High-Performance Networking: Onboard WiFi 6E, Intel® 2.5 Gb Ethernet, and ASUS LANGaurd.
• Fastest Gaming Connectivity: PCIe® 5.0, dual Gen 4 M.2 onboard, ROG Hyper M.2 card with Gen 5 M.2 support, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 front-panel connector, dual Thunderbolt™ 4 (USB Type-C® ports).
• Industry-Leading Audio: ROG SupremeFX ALC4082 with ESS® ES9018Q2C DAC for pinpoint positioning and dynamics
• Unmatched Personalisation: I/O cover with Polymo Lighting, ASUS-exclusive Aura Sync RGB lighting, including one RGB header and three addressable Gen 2 RGB headers
• DIY-Friendly Design: Pre-mounted I/O shield, PCIe Slot Q-Release, BIOS FlashBack™, Q-Code, FlexKey, Q-Connector, M.2 Q-Latch, SafeSlot, ROG Hyper M.2 card and ROG Graphics Card Holder
• Renowned Software: Bundled 1year AIDA64 Extreme subscription and intuitive UEFI BIOS dashboard with integrated MemTest86

The ROG Maximus Z690 Hero is a quintessential strand of the Republic of Gamers DNA, replete with high-octane components to satisfy users who seek an introduction to the enthusiast-grade Maximus line. Its arsenal of cooling, power delivery and connectivity stands ready to handle whatever the latest 12th Gen Intel® Core™ processors throw at it. And with its new animated Polymo lighting display on the I/O cover that dazzles with vibrant RGB logos and patterns, the ROG Maximus Z690 Hero has the looks to match its leverage.

PERFORMANCE

With tailored power delivery and support for the latest high-performance memory, ROG Maximus Z690 Hero easily handles the demands of Intel Alder Lake-S processors. It features an intelligent VRM design that’s rated for 90 amps, plus carefully selected components and memory layout optimisations to cater to enthusiasts looking to create a battle-ready rig with balanced performance.

Teamed Power Architecture

Today's CPU architectures place incredible demands on motherboard power design by transitioning from deep power-saving modes, going from lower-power mode to full load in an instant. The latest ROG VRM architecture rises to the challenge by utilising teamed power stages to rapidly swing current, while maintaining exemplary thermal performance.

DDR5 Overclocking strength

Comprehensive memory tuning options are the cornerstone of ROG motherboards. For DDR5, the Maximus Z690 lineup breaks performance limits by providing a stacked suite of overclocking parameters for not only high-speed kits, but even entry-level memory modules that have a locked power management IC (PMIC).

COOLING

Top-level PC performance demands exceptional cooling. The ROG Maximus Z690 Hero is armed with robust VRM and chipset heatsinks that provide the perfect balance of mass and surface area for heat dissipation. Load up with an AIO or custom cooling loop paired with your choice of fans to keep thermals under complete control.

COOLER BY DESIGN

VRM and aluminum I/O heatsink

A VRM heatsink on the MOSFETs and chokes is connected to the aluminum I/O cover via an embedded heatpipe to increase mass and surface area for dissipation.

M.2 heatsink and backplate

sLarge aluminum heatsinks provide extensive surface area to cool mounted M.2 drives, and each of the three onboard slots has a dedicated backplate for additional heat dissipation.

High-conductivity thermal pads

Each thermal pad improves overall heat transfer from the system by bridging the heat generated by the power stages to the heatsink. For future maintenance, a replacement thermal pad can also be found in the package.

Solid steel backplate

A plate of electro-galvanized steel strengthens the spine of the ROG Maximus Z790 Hero to prevent bending.

Chipset heatsink

A dedicated heatsink draws heat away from the chipset to maintain optimum operating temperature.

THERMAL MANAGEMENT

An extensive array of headers line the ROG Maximus Z790 Hero for precise cooling control and monitoring.

Multiple temperature sources
Each header can be set to monitor and react to three user-configurable thermal sensors for workload-based cooling, and all settings can be easily managed by Fan Xpert 4 or UEFI.

4-pin fan headers
In addition to the pair of CPU fan headers, the Maximus Z790 Hero features four chassis headers, and each supports auto-detection of PWM or DC fans.

AIO pump header
An additional PWM/DC fan header offers dedicated control of self-contained water-cooling setups.

ROG WATER-COOLING ZONE

Dual water-temperature headers and a flow-rate header feed information straight into Armoury Crate, allowing you to track coolant temperatures and the flow rate of the entire loop.

Water pump+
A dedicated header can supply over 3 amps to a high-performance PWM or DC water pumps.

Water in/out
A dedicated header enables monitoring of temperatures at the input/output points of any component.

Water flow
A dedicated header enables constant monitoring of flow rate throughout the entire loop.

CONNECTIVITY

The latest connectivity solutions ― WiFi 6E, PCIe® 5.0 and two Thunderbolt™ 4 USB Type-C® ports ― empower supersmooth networking and blisteringly fast file transfers. And for enthusiasts looking for high-fidelity audio, the SupremeFX ALC4082 codec takes gaming immersion to a whole new level while also saving a PCIe slot.

Intel WiFi 6E (Gig+)
Onboard WiFi 6E technology takes advantage of the newly available radio spectrum in the 6 GHz band, providing up to three times the bandwidth of the 5 GHz band and up to seven 160 MHz bands to deliver ultrafast wireless networking speeds along with improved capacity and better performance in dense wireless environments.

Intel 2.5 Gb Ethernet
Onboard Intel® 2.5 Gb Ethernet gives your wired connection a boost, with speeds that are 2.5 times faster than standard Ethernet connections for speedy file transfers, smooth lag-free gaming and high-res video streaming.

USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C® Front-Panel Connector with Quick Charge 4+
USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 adds an additional lane that can boost Type-C data transfers with speeds of up to 20 Gbps. The port also features Quick Charge 4+ technology that can quickly charge devices up to 60 W with a PCIe power supply cable plugged into the nearby 6-pin connector.

Two Onboard Thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C® Ports
Each port delivers up to 40 Gbps of bidirectional bandwidth for the latest high-speed devices and drives. Thunderbolt 4 also supports up to two external 4K displays and extends PCIe bandwidth to up to 32 Gbps.

Three Onboard M.2 Slots
ROG Maximus Z690 Hero features three onboard M.2 slots, with two offering support for the latest PCIe 4.0 SSDs.

ROG HYPER M.2 CARD
PCIe 5.0 READY
If users need more M.2 storage or even faster data transfers, the bundled ROG Hyper M.2 Card features two more slots, one of which is a PCIe 5.0 and ready to perform at up to twice the speed of the accompanying PCIe 4.0 slot.

SupremeFX

ROG SupremeFX audio technology delivers an exceptional 113 dB signal-to-noise ratio on the line-in connection to provide best-ever recording quality. There's also a low-dropout regulator for cleaner power delivery to the SupremeFX ALC4082 codec, and an ESS® 9018Q2C integrated DAC capable of reaching -115dB THD+N to provide playback that conveys all the subtlety and nuances of the audio track

OPTIMIZATION

ROG Maximus Z690 Hero is packed with intuitive and flexible tools that give builders next-level control of system performance.

Level up performance
The dashboard-style control panels of AI Suite 3 and Armoury Crate let you fine-tune almost every aspect of your ROG Maximus Z690 Hero system with ease. Get the best balance between performance, cooling, stability, and efficiency via simple and intuitive interfaces.

UEFI BIOS
The renowned ROG UEFI (BIOS) provides everything you need to configure, tweak, and tune your rig. It offers intelligently simplified options for newcomers to PC DIY, as well as more comprehensive features for seasoned veterans.

Accurate Voltage Monitoring
Conventional motherboards use single-ended sensing tapped from a location that isn't ideal, leading to a large disparity between the actual voltage fed to the CPU and the value reported to software. ROG Maximus Z690 Hero features a differential-sensing circuit and delicate IC that simplify overclocking and tuning by allowing you to track voltages more accurately.

PERSONALISATION
In addition to elite performance, ROG Maximus Z690 Hero introduces the new Polymo Lighting display, gracing the I/O cover with an eye-catching microstructural array of light and color. This intricate design features two RGB patterns, empowering builders to show off a luminous RGB style that they won’t see anywhere else.

Grow Your Gaming World
Gear up with ROG components — from graphics card and monitors to mice and keyboards. And up your game with complementary aesthetics, control and compatibility. The ROG ecosystem is more extensive than any competing brand, so you’ll enjoy greater choice as your system expands.

Sonic Studio III
Sonic Studio supports HRTF-based (head-related transfer function*) virtual surround for headsets, casting an immersive aural landscape that draws you deeper into the action. The intuitive Sonic Studio interface also offers a range of EQ options and one-click presets, allowing you to tailor acoustics to suit personal preferences or the characteristics of your headset.

Armoury Crate
Armoury Crate is a software utility designed to provide centralised control of supported ROG gaming products. From a single intuitive interface, Armoury Crate puts command of all your Aura gear at your fingertips with the new Aura Creator suite ready. The software also provides control of settings for a growing number of ROG products, making it easier to tune the look and feel of your system. Armoury Crate even offers dedicated product registration and ROG news feeds to help you stay in touch with the ROG gaming community.

AIDA64 Extreme
ROG Maximus Z690 series includes a one-year AIDA64 Extreme subscription, a tool that provides detailed information about hardware and software, as well as benchmarks to measure the performance of the entire system or individual components. AIDA64 Extreme includes a monitoring and diagnostics feature to detect and prevent hardware issues. All vital system sensors can be tracked in real time, allowing voltage readings, fan speeds, and temperature information to be displayed on the desktop or sent to dedicated displays or to the LCD panels of ROG AIO liquid coolers*.