Asus ROG STRIX Z690-A GAMING WIFI ATX - motherboard

Intel® Z690 LGA 1700 ATX motherboard with PCIe® 5.0, 16+1 DrMos, DDR5, Two-Way AI Noise Cancelation, AI Overclocking, AI Cooling, AI Networking, WiFi 6E, Intel 2.5 Gb Ethernet, four M.2 slots with heatsinks PCIe 4.0 NVMe® SSD support, M.2 backplate, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C®, SATA and AURA Sync RGB lighting

The ROG Strix Z690-A Gaming WiFi motherboard deploys robust power delivery and cooling to unleash the full force of 12th Gen Intel® Core™ processors, all orchestrated by ASUS-exclusive intelligent controls that deliver advanced user experiences. Meanwhile, support for DDR5 memory and PCIe® 5.0 video cards will put users on the cutting edge of high-performance PC tech. Onboard WiFi 6E and ample PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots bring the speed that you need, and DIY-friendly innovations help simplify the PC building process. To top it all off, Strix Z690-A Gaming WiFi dazzles with customizable RGB lighting and a refined brushed-metal finish.

POWER DESIGN
Digital power control and an array of power stages provide the muscle needed to control the latest Intel CPUs.

TEAMED POWER STAGES
16+1 power stages combine high-side and low-side MOSFETS and drivers into a single package, delivering power and efficiency that the latest Intel processors can take full advantage of.

ALLOY CHOKES AND DURABLE CAPACITORS
High-end chokes and durable capacitors are engineered to resist extreme temperatures, enabling performance that exceeds industry standards.

8+8 PIN PROCOOL II POWER CONNECTOR
ASUS ProCool II connectors are built to tight specifications to ensure full contact with power supply cable wiring. A metal sheath improves heat dissipation, and low electrical impedance helps prevent hotspots and bolsters reliability.

DIGI+ POWER CONTROL
The Digi+ voltage-regulator module (VRM) is one of the finest in the industry, ensuring ultra-smooth and clean power delivery to the CPU.

SIX-LAYER PCB
A multi-layered printed circuit board design quickly dissipates heat around the voltage regulators to improve overall system stability and provide the CPU with more overclocking headroom.

Cooling

Integrated I/O Cover & VRM Heatsinks
Two thick heatsinks that are bonded to the metal I/O shield cool the VRMs. This structure provides ample mass and surface area to deal with the thermals of Intel’s latest processors.

Thermal Pads
Specially engineered thermal pads efficiently transfer heat from the inductor and phase array to the heatsink.



Intelligent Control

TWO-WAY AI NOISE CANCELATION
TThis powerful ASUS-exclusive utility leverages a massive deep-learning database to reduce background noise from the microphone* and incoming audio while preserving voices. Distracting keyboard clatter, mouse clicks and other ambient noises are removed so you can hear and be heard with perfect clarity while gaming or during calls.

*A splitter cable is necessary when using a 3.5 mm headset.

ROG AI OVERCLOCKING
ROG AI Overclocking is an intelligent utility that helps you get the most out of your build by automatically profiling your CPU and cooling system to predict optimal voltage and frequency settings.

Accessible via the AI Suite software in Windows or directly through the UEFI, the intuitive AI Overclocking user interface enables users of all levels. A range of customizable settings are available for seasoned overclockers, and an auto-tuning option is available for beginners.

AI COOLING
ASUS AI Cooling technology automatically manages and controls motherboard-connected fans to ensure optimal settings based on current system load and temperature.

AI NETWORKING
The proprietary ROG GameFirst VI utility is designed to help all users — beginners, experts, and everyone in between — optimize network settings to ensure smooth online gameplay. New to this generation, GameFirst VI features AI-enhanced identification and boost technologies to ensure faster and smarter network optimization.

Storage & Memory

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).

- A dedicated circuit on the motherboard safely circumvents DDR5 memory PMIC restrictions, allowing you to step past the default 1.1-volt limit and push frequency and timings to the max.
- Ordinarily, a restricted PMIC that has been unlocked requires the system to be fully power-cycled each time memory voltage is adjusted. ROG motherboards leverage onboard hardware and firmware to cleverly work around this irksome limitation, enabling voltage adjustments to be applied through the same soft system-reset process employed for previous generations of DDR memory.

PCIe Performance
With four strategically placed M.2 slots, ROG Strix Z690-A Gaming WiFi takes full advantage of CPU and chipset bandwidth to usher in support for dizzyingly quick PCIe® Gen 4.0 SSDs, lightning-fast Intel NVM Express® RAID, and high-capacity drives that blaze past traditional SATA-based storage.

Networking

WIFI 6E (802.11 AX)
Onboard WiFi 6E technology takes advantage of the newly available radio spectrum in the 6 GHz band. It provides up to three times the bandwidth of the 5 GHz band and up to seven 160 MHz bands to deliver ultrafast wireless networking speeds and improved capacity as well as better performance in dense wireless environments.

*WiFi 6E availability and features are dependent on regulatory limitations and co-existence with 5 GHz

Intel 2.5 Gb Ethernet
Onboard 2.5 Gb Ethernet gives your wired connection a boost, with up to a 2.5X improvement over standard Ethernet connections for faster file transfers, smoother lag-free gaming and high-res video streaming.

Audio

SUPREMEFX
ROG SupremeFX is a unique blend of hardware and software that provides superior audio. In ROG Strix Z690-A Gaming WiFi, SupremeFX features the ALC4080 codec to increase playback resolution from 192 kHz to 384 kHz across all channels. The front-panel output is streamed through a highly integrated Savitech amplifier that’s capable of driving of a wide variety of gaming headsets and high-fidelity headphones.

Customization

UNDENIABLY ROG STRIX
A specially illuminated acrylic display on the I/O cover gives the illusion that the circuit board is visible beneath an RGB ROG logo. Meanwhile, touches of brushed metal throughout the motherboard, plus the stitched fabric of the ROG Strix Cable organizer, deliver a variety of carefully crafted surface textures. Last but not least, a special lighting pattern built into the motherboard finishes off a colorful tour of the ROG worldview.

OUTSHINE THE COMPETITION
ROG Strix motherboards deliver sterling performance and superior aesthetics to outshine the competition. They also feature built-in ASUS Aura technology that enables full RGB lighting control and a variety of presets for embedded RGB LEDs and third-party lighting strips that can connect to onboard RGB headers. In addition, all lighting can be easily synced with other Aura-compatible hardware.

DIY Friendly

PCIE® SLOT Q-RELEASE
A physical button located on the chipset heatsink unlocks the first PCIe slot’s security latch with one tap, greatly simplifying the process of detaching a PCIe card from the motherboard when it’s time to upgrade to a new GPU or other compatible device.

Certified Compatibility

CERTIFIED COMPATIBILITY
ROG Strix motherboards undergo an extensive certification program to ensure compatibility with the widest range of components and devices. Our Qualified Vendor List (QVL) provides a reference for identifying guaranteed-compatible components and memory.

ASUS AIO coolers are also compatible with a wide variety of CPUs, up to and including 12th Gen Intel processors, giving you ultimate flexibility to cool the CPU that fits your needs.

THE ROG STRIX ECOSYSTEM AWAITS
Level up your game with ROG Strix. Enjoy complementary aesthetics, control and compatibility across AIO coolers, cases, peripherals, and much more. ROG offers more choices than any other brand.

Optimization

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.

ADVANCED MODE
MEMTEST86
For added convenience, MemTest86 has been pre-installed into ROG UEFI (BIOS) Run the test to pinpoint memory issues with just one click, without the need for any USB stick or going into the OS. The memory report will also be stored in the BIOS archives for reference.

EZ MODE
Designed to simplify setup, EZ mode presents vital settings and stats on a single page. With guided wizards, drag-and-drop functionality, and one-click application of important settings, your rig will be up and running in no time.

5-WAY OPTIMIZATION
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.

TPU INSIGHT
The TurboV Processing Unit (TPU) provides AI Suite 3 with the intelligence needed to automatically fine-tune voltages, monitor system stats, and adjust overclocking settings.

EPU GUIDANCE
With the Energy Processing Unit (EPU), you’ll enjoy system-wide power savings. The EPU automatically optimizes power consumption and maximizes savings with Away mode.

FAN XPERT 4
Fan Expert 4 provides comprehensive control over fans, water pumps and all-in-one (AIO) coolers. Control is also possible via the award-winning ROG UEFI. Whether you're cooling with air or water, Auto-Tuning mode intelligently configures all parameters with a single click. There's also an Extreme Quiet mode, which reduces all fan speeds to below the default minimum to keep your system whisper-quiet when performing light tasks.

DIGI+ POWER CONTROLS
The Digi+ voltage-regulator module (VRM) delivers real-time control over voltage droop, allowing you to switch frequency and power-efficiency settings so you can fine-tune CPU voltage regulation for ultimate stability and performance.

TURBO APP
Define CPU overclocking, apply fan profiles, prioritize network data, optimize audio settings at app level, and more ― all with this intuitive tool.

Audio Effect

SONIC STUDIO III
ROG Sonic Studio supports HRTF-based (head-related transfer function*) virtual surround for VR 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.

DTS: SOUND UNBOUND
ROG Strix Z690 motherboards are pre-loaded with the DTS® Sound Unbound™ app that envelops you in audio as never before, conjuring whole new levels of immersion for extraordinary gaming and entertainment experiences. By leveraging Windows Sonic spatial technology, DTS Sound Unbound delivers audio in a virtual 3D space — putting you right in the middle of the soundscape, where you can sense the location and direction of every gunshot, footstep or other sound in your virtual environment.
* DTS Sound Unbound requires in-game support. Check with game developers for supported titles.​

AIDA64

AIDA64 EXTREME
ROG Strix Z690 motherboards include an AIDA64 Extreme 60 days free trial. This industry-leading system information tool provides detailed information about installed hardware and software, and it also provides benchmarks for measuring 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 OLED panels of ROG AIO liquid coolers*.

*Support available for ROG Ryujin II and selected models.

Armoury Crate

ARMOURY CRATE
Armoury Crate is a software utility designed to give you centralized control of supported gaming products, making it easy to tune the look and feel of your system. From a single intuitive interface, Armoury Crate helps you customize RGB lighting and effects for compatible devices and synchronize them with Aura Sync to create a unified lighting scheme across your system. In addition, Armoury Crate’s Fan Xpert4 tool provides comprehensive control over fans, water pumps and all-in-one (AIO) coolers.

You can also use Armoury Crate to download drivers, software and user manuals, register products, and tap into a special news feed that connects you to the global ASUS gaming community.

*Windows 10 required for full Aura Sync functionality within Armoury Crate. For Windows 8 and earlier versions, standalone Aura Sync software is available for free download from the product support site.