Z690 vs Z790 any difference?
Z690 vs Z790 any difference?
Hey everyone, I'm struggling to pick the right motherboard for my 13900K. I need to buy one during Black Friday, but finding a good price and quality Z790 feels tough. My budget is around 550€ max. I originally wanted the Z790 because it avoids BIOS updates needed with Z690 and offers better memory stability—especially since I have two 32GB DDR5 5600MHz modules. The main point I noticed was that Z790 supports 5600 MHz DDR5 natively, while Z690 doesn’t. I checked prices and saw the MSI Z790 Carbon at 420€, but it sold out quickly. The Z790 Aorus Master is also good but costs a lot (640€). I’ve seen many Z690 options like the Aorus Master, MSI Z690 Carbon, and others, all under 200€ with similar specs. Is there really a performance gap to justify the extra cost? I’ve been searching for a fair comparison.
The platform remains limited with fewer PCI-e lanes. Despite Intel's upcoming new socket, it's still a dead end. Choosing the Z790 won't boost performance significantly. You'll receive comparable results. Key points: higher default memory speed (XMP supports any speed, even if not officially supported) and additional 8 PCI-e 4.0 lanes at the expense of PCI-e 3.0 lanes. See sources for details.
It mainly offers slightly faster PCIe lanes from the chipset and an additional USB port for connectivity. The four DIMM slots provide a superior memory layout compared to the Z690 versions (the Unify-X won’t apply; this board outperforms all four DIMM Z790 boards due to its excellent two-slot design). That’s roughly the summary. I chose a Unify-X for my 13th gen system—it's an excellent choice—but if you don’t intend to use DDR5 at 7000MT/s, cheaper options will suffice. I’d steer clear of the Z690 Master, as it really has trouble with that workload.
I understand, it seems unnecessary. You already have two PCIe devices for USB and hard drives that don’t require high speeds—they just need around 200 MB/s. You’re thinking about a 4-dim motherboard for future upgrades to 128 GB. That’s a bit confusing, but you’re planning to add more PCIe lanes and M.2 slots later. You mentioned using a 4090 on the x16 PCIe 5.0 and an NVMe Gen 4 on a fast M.2, plus another NVMe and two PCIe slots for extra SATA and USB. Are there any limits on this setup? You’re not focused on the storage cards, just on the M2 and PCIe performance. Also, why is the Aorus Master having issues? Your RAM is 5600 MHz, and you found good reviews for the Aorus.
Regarding the Asrock Z790 Taichi, it seems to offer a great combination of features and value. The two reviews I've checked mention some performance concerns compared to other boards, likely due to inadequate cooling for the 13900K. What are your thoughts?
You'd probably prefer DDR4 for 128GB of RAM, though 128GB DDR5 can still feel limiting and you might actually achieve better speeds with DDR4. Alternatively, hold off until 64GB DDR5 DIMMs become available, they should appear soon. For guidance, check the motherboard manual—it explains the configuration and bandwidth sharing. This setup works well on both Z690 and Z790 boards. It has trouble reaching maximum memory speeds compared to other Z690 models and isn't very stable with XMP profiles based on my experience. It's decent for 10GbE, and 5600MT/s should suffice; however, if you require 10GbE, the Z690 Aero D stands out with more features at a similar cost. It's not an outstanding board, but ASRock often improves the Taichi lineup, so it should be fine. If you really need a top-tier Z790, the Maximus Hero would be the better choice. Just keep in mind it's an EATX board, so fitting it into a case will be challenging.
I need that 5600 MHz for 3D rendering and compositing. 128 GB will come later, likely in 2-3 years. Currently 64 is sufficient. In the meantime, several BIOS updates could resolve the 4 DIMM and speed problems. I’d like to get the full x16 speed, including M.2 drives and no restrictions on SATA ports. Unfortunately, the Aero D isn’t available in my country for some unclear reason. The case is fine—I’ll install the Fractal Design Meshify 2 XL to fit. My main concern is performance; I’m unsure if the numbers are accurate or if power limits are disabled. In reviews, it showed 31K on Cinebench and around 36K in another test, which is confusing. I don’t know if the BIOS settings are off or the power limits are active, so it’s hard to say. Right now I’m considering the MSI Z690 MPG Force, MSI Z690 Carbon (or Z790 if it’s on MSRP and in stock), or the Asrock Taichi Z790 (black version).
The problem lies with the memory controller, not the BIOS. As you add more memory ranks, the achievable speed drops, and right now 128GB is restricted to four channels per rank. Although Raptor Lake isn't as problematic as Alder Lake's limitations, it still struggles with quad-rank memory. It's unlikely you'll surpass 4400MT/s officially (they cap at 3600MT/s), but at those low speeds DDR4 can actually perform better. Capacity will improve as higher DIMMs become available, but once you reach that level, a board like the Unify X can fully utilize it. The main hurdles remain on the motherboard, not the chipset. Certain boards may block SATA ports when using specific M.2 slots (like the Z690 Carbon/Force), though it still has five slots overall. Always check your motherboard manual for details.
If the Z790 wasn't available, it wouldn't exist. Compared to the Z690, it's simply less versatile in many aspects. The Z790 features a less efficient PCIe design—it includes five M.2 slots but takes lanes from the GPU, limiting it to four usable slots unless you restrict your GPU. The Z690, on the other hand, handles everything better and supports x8 configurations more easily.
It offers some new features like a higher-bandwidth Type C port and extra rear buttons for overclocking, but overall it feels like a step back from the Z690.