In the assortment of ASUS, there are 19 motherboards based on the Intel Z390 chipset. A potential buyer can choose from models of the elite ROG series or the ultra-reliable TUF, as well as Prime, which has more affordable prices. The board we received for testing belongs to the latest series and even in Russia costs a little over 12 thousand rubles, which is relatively inexpensive for solutions based on the Intel Z390 chipset. We are talking about the model ASUS Prime Z390-A.
Having on board everything you need to create a gaming system or a productive workstation, the board is still slightly simplified by the developers - this has affected almost everything, from the processor power circuit to the ports. At the same time, ASUS Prime Z390-A has all the possibilities for overclocking the processor and RAM. We will tell you more about all this in this article.
Specifications and cost
| Supported processors | Intel Core i9 / Core i7 / Core i5 / Core i3 / Pentium / Celeron processors performed by LGA1151 of the eighth and ninth generation of the Core microarchitecture |
| Chipset | Intel Z390 Express |
| Memory subsystem | 4 × DIMM DDR4 unbuffered memory up to 64 GB; dual-channel memory mode; support for modules with frequency 4266(OC)/4133(OC)/4000(OC)/3866(OC)/3733(OC)/ 3600(O.C.)/3466(O.C.)/3400(O.C.)/3333(O.C.)/3300(O.C.)/3200(O.C.)/3100(O.C.)/ 3066(O.C.)/3000(O.C.)/2800(O.C.)/2666/2400/2133 МГц; support for Intel XMP (Extreme Memory Profile) |
| Graphical interface | The integrated graphics core of the processor allows the use of HDMI and DisplayPort ports; resolutions up to and including 4K (4096 × 2160 at 30 Hz) are supported; the maximum amount of shared memory is 1 GB; support for Intel InTru 3D, Quick Sync Video, Clear Video HD Technology, Insider |
| Connectors for expansion cards | 2 PCI Express x16 3.0 slots, x16, x8/x8, x8/x4+x4 and x8+x4+x4/x0 operating modes; 1 PCI Express x16 slot (in x4 mode), Gen 3; 3 x PCI Express x1, Gen 3 |
| Video subsystem scalability | NVIDIA 2-way SLI Technology; AMD 2-way/3-way CrossFireX Technology |
| Drive interfaces | Chipset Intel Z390 Express: – 6 × SATA 3, throughput up to 6 Gb / s; – support for RAID 0, 1, 5 and 10, Intel Rapid Storage, Intel Smart Connect Technology and Intel Smart Response, NCQ, AHCI and Hot Plug; – 2 × M.2, up to 32Gb/s each (M.2_1 only supports PCI Express drives from 42mm to 110mm, M.2_2 supports SATA and PCI Express drives from 42mm to 80mm) ; - support for Intel Optane Memory technology |
| Network interfaces |
Gigabit network controller Intel Gigabit LAN I219V (10/100/1000 Mbit); support for ASUS Turbo LAN Utility technology; support for ASUS LAN Guard technology |
| Audio subsystem | 7.1-channel HD audio codec Realtek ALC S1220A; signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) - 120 dB; SNR level at the line input - 113 dB; audio capacitors Nichicon fine gold (7 pcs.); power pre-regulator; built-in headphone amplifier; different layers of textolite for the left and right channels; PCB-isolated sound card |
| USB interface | Chipset Intel Z390 Express: – 6 USB 2.0/1.1 ports (2 on the rear panel, 4 connected to connectors on the system board); – 4 USB 3.1 Gen1 ports (2 on the rear panel, 2 connect to the connectors on the motherboard); – 4 USB 3.1 Gen2 ports (on the back of the board, 3 Type-A and 1 Type-C); – 1 x USB 3.1 Gen1 (connects to a header on the motherboard) |
| Connectors and buttons on the rear panel | Combo PS/2 port and two USB 2.0/1.1 ports; USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C and USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A ports; HDMI and DysplayPort video outputs; two USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A ports; two USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A ports and an RJ-45 network LAN socket; 1 optical output S/PDIF-interface; 5 3,5mm gold-plated audio jacks |
| Internal connectors on textolite | 24-pin ATX power connector; 8-pin ATX 12V power connector; 6 SATA3; 2 M.2; 4-pin CPU fan header with PWM support; 4-pin CPU_OPT fan header with PWM support; 2 4-pin Chassis Fan headers with PWM support 4-pin connector for pump AIO_PUMP; 4-pin connector for pump W_PUMP; EXT_Fan connector; M.2 Fan connector; temperature sensor connector; 2 4-pin addressable Aura RGB Strip connectors; USB 3.1 Gen 1 connector for connecting 1 Type-C port; USB 3.1 Gen 1 connector for connecting 2 ports; 2 USB 2.0/1.1 connectors for connecting 4 ports; TPM connector (Trusted Platform Module); COM port connector; S/PDIF connector; Thunderbolt connector; a group of connectors for the front panel (Q-Connector); front panel audio jack; MemOK! switch; CPU OV connector; power button; Clear CMOS connector; Node connector |
| BIOS | 128 Mbit AMI UEFI BIOS with multilingual interface and graphical shell; ACPI 6.1 compliant; PnP 1.0a support; support for SM BIOS 3.1; support for ASUS EZ Flash 3 technology |
| I / O controller | Nuvoton NCT6798D |
| Proprietary functions, technologies and features | 5-Way Optimization by Dual Intelligent Processors 5: – 5-Way Optimization tuning key perfectly consolidates TPU, EPU, DIGI+ VRM, Fan Xpert 4, and Turbo Core App; – Procool Power connector design; TPU: – Auto Tuning, TPU, GPU Boost; FanXpert4: – Fan Xpert 4 featuring Fan Auto Tuning function and multiple thermistors selection for optimized system cooling control; ASUS 5X Protection III: – ASUS SafeSlot Core: Fortified PCIe Slot prevents damage; – ASUS LANGuard: Protects against LAN surges, lightning strikes and static-electricity discharges!; – ASUS Overvoltage Protection: World-class circuit-protecting power design; – ASUS Stainless-Steel Back I/O: 3X corrosion-resistance for greater durability!; – ASUS DIGI+ VRM: Digital 9 phase power design with Dr. MOS; ASUS Optimem II: – Improved DDR4 Stability; ASUS EPU: – EPU; ASUS Exclusive Features: – MemoOK! II; – AI Suite 3; – AI Charger; ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution: – Stylish Fanless Design Heat-sink solution & MOS Heatsink; – ASUS Fan Xpert 4; ASUS EZ DIY: – ASUS OC Tuner; – ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3; – ASUS EZ Flash 3; – ASUS UEFI BIOS EZ Mode; ASUS Q Design: – ASUS Q-Shield; – ASUS Q-LED (CPU, DRAM, VGA, Boot Device LED); – ASUS Q-Slot; – ASUS Q-DIMMs; – ASUS Q-Connector; AURA: RGB Lighting Control; Turbo APP: – featuring system performance tuning for selected applications; M.2 Onboard |
| Form factor, dimensions (mm) | ATX, 305×244 |
| Operating system support | Windows 10 x64 |
| Warranty manufacturer, years | 3 |
| minimum retail price, RUB | 12 460 |
Packaging equipment
ASUS Prime Z390-A is sealed in a small cardboard box, on the front side of which the board itself is depicted, the model and series name are marked, and supported technologies are listed. Not forgotten is the mention of support for the ASUS Aura Sync backlight system.
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From the information on the back of the box, you can find out almost everything about the board, including specifications and key features. Very briefly, the characteristics of the product are also mentioned on the sticker at the end of the box.
Inside the box, there is no additional protection for the board - it just lies on a cardboard pallet and is sealed in an antistatic bag.
The set is quite standard: two SATA cables, a rear panel plug, a disk with drivers and utilities, a 2-way SLI connection bridge, instructions and screws for fixing drives in M.2 ports.
The bonus is a coupon for a twenty percent discount when buying branded cables in the CableMod store.
The board is manufactured in China and comes with a three-year warranty. We add that in Russian stores it is already being sold with might and main at a price of 12,5 thousand rubles.
Design and features
The design of the ASUS Prime Z390-A is modest and concise. There are no bright inserts or attention-grabbing details on the textolite, and the entire color scheme consists of a combination of white and black, as well as a silver color of the radiators. At the same time, the board can hardly be called boring, although this is the last thing you can pay attention to when choosing the basis for a medium performance system.
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Of the individual design elements, let's highlight the plastic shrouds on the input-output ports and on the chipset heatsink.
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They have translucent windows through which the backlight will be visible. We add that the dimensions of the board are 305 × 244 mm, that is, it belongs to the ATX format.
Among the main advantages of ASUS Prime Z390-A, the manufacturer highlights power circuits based on DrMOS elements, eight-channel Crystal Sound, as well as support for all modern ports and interfaces.
Before a detailed analysis of the components of the motherboard, we present their location on the diagram from the instruction manual.
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The rear panel of the board has eight three types of USB ports, a PS/2 combo port, two video outputs, a network socket, an optical output, and five audio connectors.
As you can see, everything is modest and no frills, but the developers can hardly be blamed for any compromises, since the basic set of ports is implemented here.
All radiators and casings are attached to the textolite with screws. It took less than a couple of minutes to remove them, after which the ASUS Prime Z390-A appeared in its natural form.
The textolite is not overloaded with elements, there are many zones free from chips, but this is quite a typical situation for motherboards in the mid-budget segment.
The LGA1151-v2 processor socket does not differ in any proprietary features - it is completely standard.
The characteristics of the board declare support for all modern Intel processors for this socket, including the recently released Intel Core i9-9900KF, which require flashing BIOS version 0702 or later.
The processor power system on ASUS Prime Z390-A is organized according to the 4 × 2 + 1 scheme. The power circuit uses DrMOS assemblies with integrated NCP302045 drivers manufactured by ON Semiconductor, capable of withstanding up to 75 A at peak load (average current - 45 A).
Manages power on the board digital controller Digi + ASP1400СTB.
The board is powered by two connectors - 24- and 8-pin.
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The connectors are made using ProCool technology, which claims a more reliable connection with cables, reduced resistance and improved heat distribution. At the same time, we did not reveal any visual differences from the usual connectors on other boards.
There are no differences in the Intel Z390 chipset, the crystal of which is in contact with its small heatsink through a thermal pad.
However, they could not be here.
The board is equipped with four DDR4 RAM DIMM slots, which are colored in pairs in different colors. Priority for installing one pair of modules are light gray slots, which is marked directly on the textolite.
The total amount of memory can reach 64 GB, and the maximum frequency stated in the specifications is 4266 MHz. True, to achieve such a frequency, you still have to try to choose both a successful processor and the memory itself, but the proprietary OptiMem II technology should make the rest as easy as possible. By the way, the list of modules officially tested on the board today already contains 17 pages in small print, but even if your memory is not in it, then with a probability of 99,9% Prime Z390-A will work with it, since ASUS boards are extremely omnivorous to modules RAM and, as a rule, overclock them perfectly. Let's add that the memory power supply system is single-channel.
ASUS Prime Z390-A is equipped with six PCI Express slots. Three of them are made in the x16 design, and two of these slots have a metallized shell. The first x16 slot is connected to the processor and uses 16 PCI-E processor lanes.
The second slot of the same form factor can work only in PCI-Express x8 mode, so the board, of course, supports NVIDIA SLI and AMD CorssFireX technologies, but only in x8/x8 combination. The third "long" PCI-Express slot works only in x4 mode, using the chipset lines. In addition, the board has three PCI-Express 3.0 x1 slots, also implemented by the Intel chipset.
Switching of operating modes of PCI-Express slots is implemented by ASMedia ASM1480 switching chips.
As for the board's video outputs from the graphics core built into the processor, they are implemented by the ASM1442K controller.
The board has standard six SATA III ports with a bandwidth of up to 6 Gb / s, implemented by the capabilities of the same Intel Z390 chipset. With their placement on the textolite, the developers did not do anything tricky and placed all the connectors in one group in a horizontal orientation.
There are also two M.2 ports on the board. The top one, M.2_1, supports PCI-E and SATA devices up to 8cm in length and disables the SATA_2 port when a SATA drive is installed.
The bottom one can only install PCI-E drives up to 11 cm long, it is additionally equipped with a heatsink plate with a thermal pad.
There are a total of 17 USB ports on the board. Eight of them are displayed on the rear panel, where you can find two USB 2.0, two USB 3.1 Gen1 and four USB 3.1 Gen2 (one Type-C format). Another six USB 2.0 can be connected to two pads on the board (an additional hub is used), two USB 3.1 Gen1 can be output in the same way. In addition to them, one USB 3.1 Gen1 connector is connected to the board for the front panel of the system unit case. Quite an exhaustive set of ports.
As a network controller on the ASUS Prime Z390-A, the widespread Intel I219-V chip is used.
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Hardware protection against static electricity and power surges will be provided by the LANGuard block, and software traffic optimization can be done using the Turbo LAN utility.
The sound path of the board is based on the Realtek S1220A processor with a declared signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at the line audio output of 120 dB and an SNR level at the line input of 113 dB.
Such values are achieved, among other things, through the use of Japanese premium audio capacitors, the separation of the left and right channels in different layers of the PCB, the isolation of the audio zone on the PCB from the rest of the elements with a non-conductive strip.
At the software level, DTS Headphone:X surround sound technology is supported.
The Nuvoton NCT6798D chip is responsible for monitoring and controlling the fans on the board.
A total of seven fans can be connected to the board, each of which can be individually configured by PWM signal or voltage. There is also a separate connector for connecting pumps of liquid cooling systems, which outputs a current of 3 A.
The EXT_FAN connector provides the ability to connect an expansion board with additional connectors for fans and thermal sensors, which can then also be controlled from the BIOS of the board.
The automatic overclocking setting on ASUS Prime Z390-A is implemented by the TPU KB3724Q microcontroller.
To connect external LED backlight strips, the board provides two Aura RGB connectors.
Tapes up to XNUMX meters long are supported. The board's textolite illuminates the output shroud area and a small section of the chipset heatsink, while backlight color adjustment and selection of its modes are available via the ASUS Aura application.
From other connectors on the bottom edge of the textolite, we highlight the new NODE connector, to which you can connect ASUS power supplies to monitor power consumption and fan speed.
But the lack of a POST code indicator on the board is not encouraging, even despite its mid-budget class.
The board's VRM circuits are cooled by two separate aluminum heatsinks with thermal pads. In turn, the chipset, which consumes no more than 6 watts, is cooled by a small 2-3 mm plate.
The drive plate in the bottom M.2 port is the same thickness. Moreover, the manufacturer promises a 20-degree decrease in the temperature of drives in comparison with the performance of a system without a radiator at all.
Source: 3dnews.ru