Compare Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX DDR4 with Asus TUF Gaming Z790-PLUS-D4 to see their differences.
Compare Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX DDR4 with Asus TUF Gaming Z790-PLUS-D4 to see their differences.
Hi, I understand your situation well. You've had your PC built last Christmas with an I5-13600KF and a Gigabyte Z690 Gaming X DDR4. The motherboard needed replacement once due to a failing network chipset, and the new card also failed after a short period. You're now considering a Z790 motherboard upgrade and are unsure which model to choose. You mentioned using a 2.5 Gb network, not 1 GB, which might explain the instability you've experienced. You're thinking about investing more for a Z790 model but aren't sure which brand—Gigabyte or Asus—to go with. You noted the Gigabyte uses Realtek chips while the Asus uses Intel, and you're curious about the differences in their VRM designs (70A vs 60A). I don’t want to overclock yet, but you’re open to improving performance in the future. Could you share your thoughts on these options? Thanks for reaching out, Charly.
Choose the Gigabyte model if your network runs on 2.5GbE. The Intel network chipsets encounter problems when operating in that bandwidth mode. That detail isn’t important. Beyond 60A, the power parts behave almost the same, and the higher value mainly reflects minor differences.
You're welcome! It's understandable to worry about compatibility, but the Gigabyte chip shouldn't be identical to your Z690 motherboard. The designs have evolved enough over the years to offer distinct performance benefits. Yes, there are significant updates between generations that can lead to different outcomes in the long run.
I’m familiar with the Z790X board—it’s a fully reworked motherboard built from scratch, featuring an 8-layer PCB instead of the usual 6 layers, which should support higher performance models like the 14900K. The non-X version is quite similar to the Z690 design. I haven’t encountered many complaints about this board from anyone, so I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that it’s just a matter of timing or luck.