Here we have ASUS’s new ROG Maximus Z890 Hero as Intel has just announced the new Core Ultra 200S series desktop processors, along with the new Z890 series motherboards exclusively compatible with the new lineup. The AMD counterpart has seen various design upgrades, so what’s new on the Intel version?
ASUS ROG Maximus Z890 Hero: Unboxing
Still the same classic black-and-red box design, and just like the ROG Crosshair X870E Hero, you are greeted with a small introduction of the new Q-Design, along with a plastic cover that reveals the motherboard itself.
On first look, the design of the Z890 Hero is distinctly different than that of the X870E Hero – here, it features a more flat and angular look, along with the new SSD heatsink that features the ‘HERO’ wordmark, sitting right below the third side of the VRM heatsink. Hidden beneath the massive metal plate is a total of five SSD slots, which means you’re getting a whopping six SSD slots in total.
As a Z890-based motherboard, it comes with Intel’s all-new LGA1851 socket designed for Core Ultra 200S (Arrow Lake) processors – however, cooler compatibility remains the same, so any existing coolers that already support LGA1700 should work right away with the new socket.
Taking a close look at the primary SSD heatsink, and we can see ASUS has used a slightly different mechanism to secure the heatsink. Unlike the spring latch design that you can just push to lock the heatsink in place found on the X870E Hero, this design uses a hook that slips in place when you push the handle on top back to its original position.
Hidden under the primary heatsink is the SSD slot that can accommodate SSDs up to M.2 22110 form factor, so for the most common M.2 2280 drives, there is a pre-installed Q-Slide latch that secures the shorter drive in place. If you happens to own one of those ultra-rare M.2 22110 drives (most likely enterprise models), you’ll have to remove the Q-Slide and install the drive accordingly with the integrated latch on far side.
The memory slot has been reworked as well, with what ASUS calls the NitroPath DRAM technology (first seen on the X870E Hero) – essentially, the slot contacts are now physically shorter to minimize signal noise, which enables faster RAM clock speeds. The double-sided slot lock also improves slot retention force for better reliability.
The PCIe quick-release mechanism is also reworked this time around, with the new PCIe Q-Release Slim design instead allows the GPU to be removed by tilting slightly to the right. Note that this only applies to the primary slot, while the second x16 slot at the bottom of the motherboard still requiring the user to release the lock manually.
Like the X870E Hero, you can also find a SlimSAS connector on the right side of the motherboard, in this case obscured by the SSD heatsink. In case you didn’t know, SlimSAS is part of the SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) standard primarily designed for server-grade storage solutions, so it’s a potentially useful feature for those intending to build a small-scale server.
You can also find a suite of AI-branded features, like AI Overclocking, AI Cooling II, AI Networking II (formerly GameFirst), and ASUS says this motherboard is also “Advanced AI PC ready”. Hot marketing term and all – but it should have no issues with AI-focused workloads with all the high-end features you’ve come to expect from this company.
Accessories
All of the accessories are stored beneath the motherboard in the packaging, and here we can find a few noteworthy additions. If you have those ultra-rare M.2 22110 SSDs, ASUS has provided a small patch of thermal pad extensions to cover the entire length of the drive by simply applying it on the heatsink. You also get the front panel combo connector to simplify the installation process for those tiny header pins.
One addition that ASUS has included for the Z890 Hero, but not the X870E Hero, is the RAM cooler bracket – ASUS probably expects any users with this motherboard in particular to give their memory modules a pretty hefty overclock (especially as CUDIMMs are a thing now, which is better supported in Intel platforms), so in case you need extra cooling, you don’t have to use the zip ties for it.
Finally, just like the X870E Hero we previously unboxed, you’ll also get a bottle opener for funsies. It serves zero purpose for the motherboard; this is purely for opening the celebratory bottles if the occasion demands it. But hey, it’s not the first time ROG has delved into the merchandise side of things, right?
As always, stay tuned for the full review here at Pokde.NET as we look further into the small details of the new ROG Maximus Z890 Hero, as we’ll be giving the motherboard a quick test drive.
Starting now, the ASUS ROG Maximus Z890 Hero is open for pre-orders with a free limited-edition ROG gift to be claimed from October 10-20. Click here for more details.