Aorus Z590I Ultra Gaming Motherboard LGA 1200 - Brand New

Description

Aorus Z590I Ultra Gaming Motherboard LGA 1200 - Brand New.
Following review taken from:
TechPowerUp
Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra (11th Gen) Review
by
Nate
,
on
Mar 30th, 2021,
in
Motherboards
.
Manufacturer:
GIGABYTE
Packaging & Contents »
Introduction
After almost a decade of total market dominance, Intel has spent the past few years on the defensive. AMD's Ryzen processors continue to show improvement year over year, with the most recent Ryzen 5000 series taking the crown of best gaming processor: Intel's last bastion of superiority.
Now, with a booming hardware market, Intel is preparing to retake some of that lost ground with the new 11th Gen Intel Core Processors. Intel is claiming these new 11th Gen CPUs offer double-digit IPC improvements despite remaining on a 14 nm process. The top-end 8-core Intel Core i9-11900K may not be able to compete against its AMD rival Ryzen 9 5900X in heavily multi-threaded scenarios, but the higher clock speeds and alleged IPC improvements could be enough to take back the gaming crown. Along with the new CPUs, there is a new chipset to match, the Intel Z590. Last year's Z490 chipset motherboards are also compatible with the new 11th Gen Intel Core Processors, but Z590 introduces some key advantages.
First, Z590 offers native PCIe 4.0 support from the CPU, which means the PCIe and M.2 slots powered off the CPU will offer PCIe 4.0 connectivity when an 11th Gen CPU is installed. The PCIe and M.2 slots controlled by the Z590 chipset are still PCI 3.0. While many high-end Z490 motherboards advertised this capability, it was not a standard feature for the platform. In addition to PCIe 4.0 support, Z590 offers USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 from the chipset. The USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 standard offers speeds of up to 20 Gb/s. Finally, Z590 boasts native support for 3200 MHz DDR4 memory. With these upgrades, Intel's Z series platform has feature parity with AMD's B550. On paper, Intel is catching up to AMD, but only testing will tell if these new Z590 motherboards are up to the challenge.
The AORUS line from Gigabyte spans a broad range of products—laptops, peripherals, and core components. Across the enthusiast spectrum, the AORUS name denotes Gigabyte's gaming-focused products. The AORUS motherboard range features a consistent naming scheme that includes the Pro, Elite, Ultra, Master, and Extreme motherboards.
The Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra features a robust VRM utilizing 90 A power stages, along with Q-Flash for a redundant safety net for ambitious overclocking. Along with the standard Z590 updates, the Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra has also added two additional Vcore power stages, which takes the total from 8 to 10. The Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra also offers a full-coverage aluminium backplate for added rigidity and additional VRM cooling. Let's see how the Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra stacks up against its predecessor!
Specifications
Specifications
CPU Support:
Intel 10th Gen or later processors
Power Design:
CPU Power: 11-phase*
Memory Power: 2-phase
Chipset:
Intel Z590
Integrated Graphics:
Dependent on installed CPU
Memory:
2x DIMM, supports dual-channel DDR4-4600 (OC) MHz
BIOS:
AMI UEFI BIOS
Expansion Slots:
1x PCIe 3.0 x16 slot
Storage:
4x SATA 6 Gb/s ports
2x M.2 ports (SATA3/PCIe x4)
Networking:
1x Intel 2.5 Gb/s LAN
1x Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
Rear Ports:
1x DisplayPort
1x HDMI port
1x USB Type-C® port, with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 support
3x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports (red)
2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
2x USB 2.0/1.1 ports
1x Q-Flash Plus button
1x RJ-45 port
2x SMA antenna connectors
3x audio jacks
Audio:
1x Realtek ALC1220 Codec
Fan Headers:
4x 4-pin
Form Factor:
ITX Form Factor: 6.7 x 6.7 in.; 17.0 x 17.0 cm
Exclusive Features:
APP Center
@BIOS
EasyTune
Fast Boot
Game Boost
RGB Fusion
Smart Backup
System Information Viewer
USB TurboCharger
Support for Q-Flash Plus
Support for Q-Flash
Support for Xpress Install
Packaging and Contents
The front of the Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra box features a dark background dominated by the AORUS logo. "Z590I AORUS Ultra gaming motherboard" is printed in white and orange on the left side, with the brand badging on the right.
The back of the box has all the highlights: a top-down shot of the board, several panels detailing prominent features, a shot of the rear I/O, and the specifications list. The box design is well executed and matches the board perfectly.
The accessories are a little above standard and include extras like an RGB extension cable. Also included are three fan adapters since the Z590I AORUS Ultra uses smaller form factor headers for three of the four available connections. Notably absent is any kind of rear I/O shield because the shield is integrated into the board.
The full list of accessories includes:
Manual and support DVD
2x SATA 6 Gb/s cables
USB split header
RGB extension cable
3x Fan adapters
M.2 hardware
Wi-Fi antenna
Board Layout
The Z590I AORUS Ultra features a black PCB matched with a black and gray I/O cover and heatsinks. There is a large aluminium backplate that adds rigidity to the board and offers an added element of cooling to the back of the VRM.
The CPU socket is open enough for most air coolers. The VRM and chipset heatsinks are connected via a single wrap-around heat pipe, which allows them to share and disperse the heat load.
There are two M.2 slots on the Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra; one on the front of the board with a heatsink and another low-profile slot on the back of the board. The slot on the front of the board is PCIe 4.0 and will only function when an 11th Gen CPU is installed. The Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra offers one steel-reinforced PCI Express 3.0 x16 slot. The board has four SATA 6 Gb/s ports on the side.
The Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra has a decent I/O offering that includes Wi-Fi 6 and a fair amount of USB connectivity.
DisplayPort
HDMI port
USB Type-C® port, with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 support
3x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports (red)
2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
2x USB 2.0/1.1 ports
Q-Flash Plus button
RJ-45 port
2x SMA antenna connectors
3x Audio jacks
Networking on the Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra is handled by Intel's new 2.5 Gb/s controller. For wireless connectivity, there is an AX200 Wi-Fi 6 module.
VRM Overview
Specifications
VRM Specifications
Power Design:
Vcore: 10-phase
SOC: 1-phase
Doublers:
N/A
CPU PWM:
Intersil ISL69269 (x+y=12)
Power Stages:
Vcore: Intersil ISL99390 (90 A)
SOC: Vishay SIC651 (50 A)
The Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra features a 11-phase VRM configuration (not including VCCSA phases); ten phases are for the Vcore and one phase for the SOC.
Gigabyte is using an Intersil ISL69269 PWM controller to drive the Z590I AORUS Ultra with no need for any doublers.
The Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra uses Intersil ISL99390 power stages for the ten Vcore phases. These power stages are top of the line and each support a maximum of 90 A of continuous current. The SOC is powered by a Vishay SIC651 50 A power stage.
The Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra has a maximum output of 950 A, with 900 A dedicated to Vcore.
BIOS Overview
Clocks
Range
Interval
BCLK Frequency:
80 MHz ... 500 MHz
0.01 MHz
CPU Ratio:
8 ... 127
1
Memory Dividers:
800 MHz ... 8400 MHz
Voltages
Range
Interval
CPU Voltage:
1.1 V ... 1.8 V
0.005 V
DRAM Voltage:
1.00 V ... 2.00 V
0.01 V
The BIOS on the Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra is similar to Gigabyte's previous offerings; it is easy to navigate and has tons of customization options.
Board Software
For software, Gigabyte has included App Center, which serves as a hub for other applications, as well as Fusion RGB for lighting control.
EasyTune is for in-OS overclocking, and System Information Viewer for fan control.
Finally, @BIOS is in-OS BIOS updating software.
Fan Control and Options
Fan Type
Range
Interval
CPU Fan
0 ... 100
1%
System Fan
0 ... 100
1%
Fan speed is controlled by temperature, actual minimums dependent on fan ability.
Fan control on the Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra can be accessed in the BIOS or through System Information Viewer.
The Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra has a total of four fan headers, all along the top edge of the board. Three headers require adapters (included) to use standard 4-pin fans.
Finished Looks
The Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra has a neutral black and gray theme that is easy to match and will compliment a wide range of components.
Like on many ITX boards, the RGB on the Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra is kept minimal, with a single strip along the front edge of the board.
Test System
Test System
Processor:
Intel Core i9-10900K
5.3 GHz (maximum Boost clock), 20 MB Cache
Intel Core i9-11900K
5.3 GHz (maximum Boost clock), 16 MB Cache
Memory:
2x 8 GB DDR4 3600 MHz
G.SKILL Trident Z Neo F4-3600C16Q-32GTZN
Cooling:
Custom loop: Swiftech Apogee SKF LT block,
Bitspower SC6 pump, and 360 mm radiator
BIOS Version:
F3
Graphics Card:
EVGA RTX 2080 FTW3 Ultra
Harddisk:
1x Crucial MX500 500 GB SATA 6 Gb/s SSD (OS)
1x Crucial P1 1000 GB NVMe SSD (data)
1x Crucial P1 1000 GB NVMe SSD (external I/O testing)
Power Supply:
Seasonic Titanium 1000 W
Case:
Primochill Praxis Wetbench
Software:
Windows 10 Pro 64-bit, NVIDIA GeForce 452.06 WHQL
For 11th Gen testing, I have left the board at default settings except to enable XMP. Notably, I have left the "Gear" setting on auto. Most boards ran my 3600 MHz kit in Gear 1 (synchronous) mode, but a few ran in Gear 2 (1:2) mode.
[...]
Storage Interfaces
Storage Support
SATA:
4x 6 Gb/s
Intel Z590
M.2 (32 Gb/s):
1x PCIe 3.0 x4, SATA
1x PCIe 4.0 x4
Intel Z590
USB (rear):
2x USB 3.2 Gen1
2x USB 2.0
1x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 20 Gb/s
3x USB 3.2 Gen2 10 Gb/s
Intel Z590
USB (internal):
2x USB 3.1 Gen1
4x USB 2.0
1x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C
Intel Z590
[...]
Overclocking
For Overclocking, I have kept the same procedures that I used for Intel's 10th generation. I have left the "Gear" setting on auto for memory overclocking. Every board tested so far has used "Gear 2" when pushing past the 3600 MHz XMP speed for my Trident Z Neo kit.
For overclocking, I was able to achieve 5.2 GHz at 1.38 V core voltage on both my i9-10900K and i9-11900K samples. Overclocking is largely limited by temperature because the Intel Core i9 processors will overpower any ambient cooling solution. Depending on settings, the system will either crash or severely drop frequency.
The Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra did well in memory overclocking, reaching 3900 MHz stable on my 10th Gen sample, and 4000 MHz with my 11th Gen sample at XMP timings and voltages on my Trident Z Neo kit.
Gigabyte has a feature that auto-tunes the memory timings to maintain stability when overclocking. While I disabled it for my test to keep the benchmark standardized, I think it is a great feature for new overclockers because it gives them a starting point for their manual tuning.
Power Consumption and Temperatures
Stock CPU, 3600 MHz Memory
CPU Voltage:
1.284 V
DRAM Voltage:
1.35 V
Idle Power:
10 W
Load Power:
255 W
VRM Temperature:
52.5°C
Chipset Temperature:
46.0°C
4.9 GHz CPU, 3600 MHz memory
CPU Voltage:
1.38 V
DRAM Voltage:
1.35 V
Idle Power:
11 W
Load Power:
280 W
Power draw and thermal testing were conducted with my i9-10900K sample.
With the test bench update, I have also overhauled my temperature measurement methodology. For measurement, I now use a Reed SD-947 4-channel Data Logging Thermometer paired with four Omega Engineering SA1 Self Adhesive Thermocouple probes. One probe directly touches the chipset and two are placed on select power stages. The last probe actively logs the ambient temperature.
For the Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra, one probe is centered along each bank of power stages. A probe is left out to log the ambient temperature. All temperatures are presented as Delta-T normalized to 20 °C, which is the measured temperature minus the ambient temperature plus 20 °C. The end result accounts for variation in ambient temperature, including changes over the course of a test, while displaying the data as if the ambient were a steady 20 °C for easy presentation. Additionally, there is no longer any direct airflow over the VRM with this new setup, placing extra strain on the VRM cooling.
For the numbers seen in the chart above, I use wPrime for both temperature and power draw. However, relatively short tests do not put enough strain on the system to get a look at how the VRM performs at the limit, so I added an additional test to try to thermally abuse Vcore as much as possible.
This test typically involves a 30 minute Prime95 run at the maximum overclock the motherboard can maintain, again with no airflow over the VRM. For Z590, I took a slightly different approach. The goal was to keep VRM testing as fair as possible, so I chose to keep the stock 4.9 GHz frequency and simply boosted the voltage to 1.38 V in order to get the desired power output of about 250 W. Temperatures are logged every second, and the two probes are then averaged for a cleaner presentation before subtracting the ambient to calculate the Delta-T. The results are charted below.
The Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra did well in my VRM torture test, staying under 85 °C. That's toasty, but it's one of the better results from a modern Intel ITX motherboard. There should be no doubt that this board can handle anything Intel has to offer.
Final Thoughts and Conclusion
The Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra is available for US9.99.
Powerful VRM design
Good overclocking
Attractive aesthetics
Only one M.2 slot on 10th Gen CPUs
The Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra is a well-built, practical board with great features, including 2.5 Gb/s LAN, a top-shelf VRM, and an integrated I/O shield. When it comes to looks, the Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra may not turn heads like some more flashy designs, but the neutral gray and black theme of the Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra has an appeal all of its own that easily fits almost any build.
Out of the box, performance was excellent for the Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra. Memory overclocking was good as well, as I reached 3900 MHz CL16 stable with my Trident Z Neo kit using my i9-10900K, and 4000 MHz on my i9-11900K sample. For CPU overclocking, I was able to achieve 5.2 GHz on all cores with both samples. The largest limitation to overclocking with Z590 is going to come down to dealing with the heat produced by the incredibly dense Intel Core i9 Processors.
VRM thermals were good as well, reaching just 83 °C during even my VRM torture testing. While the other Z590 ITX boards I have tested managed slightly better temperatures, they utilized active cooling to do so. Given the space constraints of ITX motherboards, I think this is a valid approach and something Gigabyte may wish to consider in the future if CPU power draw continues to increase.
The Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra is a well-rounded board with high-end features and meaningful improvements over its Z490 counterpart. If you are in the market for a high-end ITX Z590 motherboard, the Gigabyte Z590I AORUS Ultra is worth checking out.