Page 1: Optimized for water cooling use: ASUS ROG Strix Z690-A Gaming WiFi D4 in the test
Anyone who decides explicitly against using the new DDR5 main memory will get almost no choice, especially with the upper class and high-end mainboards, because these boards almost necessarily require the DDR5 standard. The ROG Strix Z690-A Gaming WiFi D4 from ASUS is an exception. Our test clarifies whether the board is convincing in practice.
The DDR5 RAM modules are not only fairly new on the market, but also quite expensive depending on the clock speed and storage capacity. In order to still be able to enjoy Intel’s 12th core generation, many interested parties and DIY users continue to rely on the proven DDR4 main memory. The ASUS ROG Strix Z690-A Gaming WiFi D4 is not only compatible with DDR4 UDIMM modules, but also comes with a comprehensive range of equipment. But ASUS also offers the ROG Strix Z690-A Gaming WiFi for the new DDR5 modules, although the price is around 35 euros higher. We will now look at the details of the DDR4 model in detail.
The ASUS ROG Strix Z690-A Gaming WiFi D4 is particularly suitable for light builds. The ATX PCB itself is black, while the heatsinks are silver. There are also a few white decorative elements. Overall, the contrast could hardly be greater. An RGB LED area with the Strix lettering from ASUS has been left on the I/O cover.
The technical characteristics
The ASUS ROG Strix Z690-A Gaming WiFi D4 has been provided with the following technical characteristics:
| manufacturer and designation | ASUS ROG Strix Z690-A Gaming WiFi D4 |
|---|---|
| motherboard format | ATX |
| CPU socket | LGA1700 (Intel Alder Lake-S) |
| power connections | 1x 24-pin ATX 2x 8-pin EPS12V |
| Phases/MOSFETs | 17 phases (16+1) 16x Vishay SiC659 (VCore, 80A) 1x Vishay SiC659 (GT, 80A) |
| Price | from 354 euros |
| website | ASUS ROG Strix Z690-A Gaming WiFi D4 |
| Southbridge/CPU Features | |
| chipset, cooling | Intel Z690 chipset, passive |
| memory banks and type | 4x DDR4 (dual channel), max. 5,333 MHz |
| memory expansion | 128GB max (with 32GB UDIMMs) |
| SLI / CrossFire | – |
| Onboard Features | |
| PCI Express | 1x PCIe 5.0 x16 (x16) over CPU 1x PCIe 3.0 x16 (x4) via Intel Z690 1x PCIe 3.0 x1 (x1) via Intel Z690 |
| storage interfaces | 4x SATA 6GBit/s via Intel Z690 2x SATA 6GBit/s via ASMedia ASM1061 1x M.2 M-Key with PCIe 4.0 x4 over CPU 2x M.2 M-Key with PCIe 4.0 x4 via Intel Z690 1x M.2 M-Key with PCIe 4.0 x4/SATA 6GBit/s via Intel Z690 |
| USB | chipset: 2x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 (1x external, 1x internal), 3x USB 3.2 Gen2 (3x external), 6x USB 3.2 Gen1 (4x external, 2x internal) 6x USB 2.0 (2x internal, 4x external) |
| graphic interfaces | 1x HDMI 2.1 output 1x DisplayPort 1.4 output |
| WiFi / Bluetooth | WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax via Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201, dual band, max. 2.4 GBit/s, Bluetooth 5.2 |
| thunderbolt | – |
| LAN | 1x Intel I225-V 2.5Gbps LAN |
| audio codec and connections | 8-channel Realtek ALC4080 codec Savitech SV3H712 AMP 5x 3.5mm audio jacks 1x USB-C |
| LED lighting | RGB LEDs: I/O Cover 1x 4-pin RGB header 3x 3-pin ARGB headers |
| FAN and WaKü headers | 1x 4-pin CPU FAN header 1x 4-pin CPU OPT header 1x 4-pin AIO pump header 5x 4-pin chassis FAN headers |
| Onboard Convenience | Status LEDs, Clear CMOS button (external), Flash BIOS button (external) |
| manufacturer warranty | 3 years (only through dealers) |
The included accessories
- Mainboard manual including support DVD (drivers and software)
- Quick Start Guide
- security information
- Product Warranty Info Card
- four SATA cables
- various ROG stickers
- 2T2R WiFi antenna
- two M.2-Q latches
- two M.2 rubber spacers
- ROG Strix keychain
- seven cable ties
At the ROG Maximus Z690 Hero (Hardwareluxx review) ASUS has dispensed with the DVD and has opted for a USB stick instead. However, this is not the case with the ROG Strix Z690-A Gaming WiFI D4. Apart from that, ASUS also provides a manual here as well as further support in the form of the quick start guide and security information. In terms of cables, the mainboard comes with four SATA cables and the 2T2R WLAN antenna.
But we also found seven cable ties, various M.2 accessories, some ROG stickers and a ROG Strix key fob in the box.