The ASUS ROG Strix Z890-E Gaming WiFi is a premium ATX motherboard which uses Intel’s Z890 chipset and LGA 1851 socket. It supports Intel Core Ultra desktop processors from Series 2, including compatible Core Ultra 5, Ultra 7 and Ultra 9 models. It does not support older LGA 1700 processors such as the Core i9-14900K, despite similarities in Intel’s desktop product naming.. Its seven M.2 sockets, strong power delivery, 5Gb Ethernet, Wi-Fi 7 and unusually extensive USB connectivity make it particularly capable for enthusiast gaming and workstation builds. ASUS equips the board with four DDR5 DIMM sockets supporting up to 256GB of memory. Official overclocked speeds extend to DDR5-9200+ under suitable conditions. The motherboard also supports conventional unbuffered DDR5, Intel XMP profiles and newer CUDIMM modules. ASUS supplements these standards with NitroPath routing, DIMM Fit, DIMM Flex and AEMP III. Grab it now for 25% off the MSRP, dropping the price to just $299.99.

Take a gander below for more information on the various specifications of this motherboard, or see the bottom of this page for more motherboard deals covering different brands and budgets.

What we like about this ASUS ROG Strix Z890-E Gaming WiFi motherboard

Substantial power delivery for high-end processors

ASUS uses 18 primary 110A power stages alongside several supplementary stages for the processor’s other voltage rails. ProCool II connectors, MicroFine alloy chokes, metallic capacitors and sizeable heatsinks complete the power-delivery system. This is comfortably beyond what a stock Core Ultra desktop processor requires and provides useful thermal headroom for sustained multicore workloads or manual tuning. Two eight-pin CPU power connectors are available, although a typical build does not necessarily need both unless it uses a high-power processor and aggressive settings.

AI Overclocking examines processor and cooling characteristics before suggesting operating parameters. AI Cooling II can adjust fan behaviour according to temperature and workload, while NPU Boost targets the processor’s neural-processing unit.

Exceptional M.2 storage capacity

Seven onboard M.2 sockets are the board’s most distinctive feature. Three support PCIe 5.0 x4 storage, three operate through PCIe 4.0 x4, and the seventh supports either a PCIe 4.0 x4 or SATA M.2 drive. Four conventional SATA 6Gb/s ports are also provided. This capacity is valuable for video-production systems, large game libraries and workstations that need multiple high-speed drives without separate expansion cards. ASUS covers the storage area with substantial heatsinks and provides tool-free Q-Latch or Q-Slide mechanisms to simplify installation.

There is an important bandwidth condition, however. The M.2_3 and M.2_4 PCIe 5.0 sockets share processor lanes with the primary PCIe 5.0 graphics slot. Installing drives in those two positions reduces the graphics slot from x16 to x8.

PCIe 5.0 x8 still provides the same theoretical bandwidth as PCIe 4.0 x16, so the practical gaming penalty with a modern graphics card may be small. Nevertheless, users should plan their drive placement carefully rather than assuming that all seven sockets operate without affecting another device. The primary M.2_1 socket offers PCIe 5.0 x4 operation without that particular compromise.

Intel Rapid Storage Technology supports PCIe and SATA RAID configurations, although available RAID levels depend on whether the drives connect through the processor or chipset. Using all seven M.2 sockets also creates a considerable cooling requirement, especially with multiple PCIe 5.0 drives.

Modern graphics and expansion support

The reinforced primary SafeSlot provides PCIe 5.0 x16 connectivity and supports x16 or bifurcated x8/x4/x4 operation. ASUS’s Q-Release Slim mechanism helps release a large graphics card without requiring direct access to a conventional retention tab.

A second full-length slot connects through the Z890 chipset and operates electrically at PCIe 4.0 x4. It is suitable for a capture card, storage controller, network adapter or another bandwidth-appropriate expansion device, but it is not equivalent to a second x16 graphics slot.

Extensive rear and front USB provision

The rear panel contains 14 USB connections. These include two Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports, nine 10Gbps USB ports and three 5Gbps Type-A ports. One of the 10Gbps Type-C connections supports power delivery of up to 30W for compatible devices.

Each Thunderbolt 4 port can provide up to 40Gbps of bidirectional bandwidth. The connections also support display output through a processor with functioning integrated graphics, including either two 4K 60Hz displays or one 8K 60Hz display under supported configurations.

Internal headers can add one front USB-C port at up to 20Gbps, four 5Gbps front USB ports and six USB 2.0 connections. The advertised total of 25 therefore combines 14 physical rear ports with the maximum 11 connections available through case headers; it does not mean that 25 rear sockets are present.

Integrated DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.1 outputs are included. Their availability and maximum capabilities depend on the installed processor’s integrated graphics, and most gaming builds will instead connect their monitors directly to a discrete graphics card.

Fast wired and wireless networking

The wired network connection uses a Realtek 5Gb Ethernet controller with ASUS LANGuard protection. It offers more bandwidth than the 2.5Gb ports found on many mainstream motherboards, although obtaining its full performance requires compatible network equipment and sufficiently fast storage or internet service.

The wireless module provides 2×2 Wi-Fi 7 across the 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz bands, with support for 320MHz channels and a theoretical transfer rate of up to 5.8Gbps. ASUS includes its external Q-Antenna, which should be attached even when the computer is positioned close to the router. Bluetooth 5.4 is also listed.

Comprehensive cooling and monitoring options

Internal cooling connections include dedicated CPU, optional CPU and AIO-pump headers alongside five chassis-fan headers. This is sufficient for a sophisticated air-cooled or liquid-cooled build without immediately requiring a separate controller.

AI Cooling II can create fan curves based on observed thermal behaviour, while the BIOS provides more conventional manual controls. Large heatsinks cover the voltage-regulation hardware and M.2 area, making the board suitable for prolonged high-load operation when installed in a well-ventilated case.

Strong integrated audio

ROG SupremeFX audio is built around the Realtek ALC4080 codec and a Savitech SV3H712 amplifier. ASUS specifies 120dB signal-to-noise performance for stereo playback and up to 32-bit/384kHz output through the supported front-panel connection.

The board includes gold-plated analogue jacks and optical S/PDIF output. Only two analogue audio jacks appear on the rear panel, so users requiring multichannel analogue output should note ASUS’s dependence on front-panel connections or use a USB audio device. The optical output remains useful for compatible receivers, DACs and speaker systems.

Builder-friendly

BIOS FlashBack allows firmware installation without entering the existing BIOS, while a rear Clear CMOS button simplifies recovery from unstable settings. Tool-free M.2 retention, graphics-card Q-Release, diagnostic indicators and pre-mounted cooling components reduce some of the frustration associated with assembling a densely equipped system.

The ATX board measures 12 by 9.6 inches, so it should fit standard ATX cases. Builders should still check clearance around thick graphics cards, bottom expansion devices and front-mounted radiators.

Who should consider this LGA 1851 motherboard deal

The ROG Strix Z890-E Gaming WiFi is best suited to an enthusiast building around a high-end Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processor and expecting to use several NVMe drives, high-speed networking or numerous USB peripherals. It is also well suited to content-creation workstations with fast external Thunderbolt storage, capture devices and large internal storage arrays.

It is less appropriate for a value-focused gaming system with one SSD, one graphics card and ordinary 1Gb networking. Less expensive Z890 boards can deliver similar game performance because a motherboard does not directly raise frame rates when the processor and graphics card operate at the same settings.

Its lane-sharing arrangement also makes it important to plan a build in advance. Used intelligently, the board offers exceptional storage and connectivity; populated without checking the manual, two of its Gen5 M.2 sockets can unexpectedly reduce the main graphics connection to x8.

Overall, the ROG Strix Z890-E is a sophisticated foundation for an expansive Intel system. Its storage capacity, connectivity and firmware tools justify its premium positioning for demanding builders, while its complexity and platform limitations make it unnecessarily elaborate for a conventional gaming PC.

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