Introduction
The MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi motherboard offers extensive storage and expansion capabilities. It features one PCIe Gen 5.0 SSD slot for the latest high-speed solid-state drives and four additional M.2 SSD slots that operate at PCIe 4.0 x4 speeds. These M.2 slots accommodate various sizes, including 22110, 2280, and 2260 SSDs, depending on their placement on the motherboard. Installing an SSD is easy thanks to the security clip system, which removes the need for screws—simply insert the SSD and secure it with the clip. All M.2 slots include EZ M.2 Shield Froze II technology, which uses thermal pads above and below each SSD to improve heat dissipation, enhancing performance and longevity. The motherboard can support up to five M.2 SSDs, providing ample storage for different applications. The voltage regulator module (VRM) features Direct 20+1+1+1 power phases, dual power connectors, and a 110A Smart Power Stage, ensuring stable and efficient power delivery for high-end processors. Additionally, the motherboard supports up to four DDR5 UDIMM memory modules with a maximum capacity of 256GB. Memory speeds range from 4800 to 9200 MT/s, depending on the configuration, offering high-performance options for overclocking. The integrated Intel Killer BE1750x Wi-Fi 7 module, installed in the M.2 Key-E slot, supports MU-MIMO TX/RX and operates across the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands with speeds up to 5.8Gbps. It is compatible with various wireless standards, including 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be. Connectivity is further enhanced with eight USB 10Gbps Type-A ports, two USB 10Gbps Type-C ports, and two Thunderbolt 4 40Gbps Type-C ports, offering numerous high-speed interfaces for peripherals. The motherboard also includes a 5G Ethernet port and connectors for Wi-Fi antennas, ensuring strong and stable wireless connections The front panel connectors are designed for better cable management and include features such as BIOS flashing buttons, CMOS clearing, and system reset functions. Users can customize settings through the BIOS to control LED lighting, enable Safe Boot functions, and manage fan speeds.
The integration of the LGA1851 socket is allowing users to upgrade to Intel's latest processors without changing their current cooling solutions. This compatibility simplifies the upgrade process and ensures that the motherboard remains relevant as Intel releases new CPU models. The MPG Z890 Carbon WIFI is built on an advanced printed circuit board (PCB) layout that optimizes signal integrity and power delivery, which are essential for maintaining high performance during intensive computing tasks. In addition to the updated socket, the motherboard supports DDR5 memory, offering higher speeds and better performance compared to previous memory standards. It includes five M.2 slots for fast storage options and integrated Killer based Wi-Fi 67 for wireless connectivity. The motherboard also provides a variety of input and output (I/O) ports, such as USB 3.2 Gen 2, 2.5 and 5 Gbps Ethernet, and audio connections, to accommodate various peripherals and devices.
The motherboard's layout is optimized for ease of installation and upgrades, allowing users to configure their systems with minimal effort. With the recent announcement from Intel regarding the Core Ultra 200S series processors, the Z890 motherboard ensures compatibility, making it a suitable choice for users looking to leverage Intel's latest CPU advancements. Additional features of the Z890 include comprehensive connectivity options, including multiple USB ports, high-speed Ethernet, and advanced audio solutions, addressing to a wide range of peripheral and networking needs. The motherboard also supports various overclocking features, allowing users to fine-tune their system's performance parameters to achieve desired performance levels. ASUS's AI-based optimization tools further streamline the process of system tuning, providing intelligent adjustments based on the user's workload and performance requirements. These tools are designed to enhance system stability and efficiency without requiring extensive manual configuration, making high-performance computing more accessible to a broader audience.
| Advanced AI PC Features | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series | ROG | TUF Gaming | ProArt | Prime |
| ASUS AI Advisor | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AI Overclocking | Yes | Select models | Yes | No |
| AI Networking II | Yes | Yes | Yes | Select models |
| AI Cooling II | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Intel's Core Ultra Series 2 processors utilize the new LGA 1851 socket, requiring an 800 Series motherboard for compatibility. To enable CPU overclocking, a Z890 motherboard is necessary. These processors maintain Intel’s high core counts, offering configurations with up to 24 cores through a disaggregated architecture. The design emphasizes performance cores (P-cores) with higher clock speeds for improved single-threaded performance, supported by efficient cores (E-cores) that provide strong multithreaded processing capabilities. The Series 2 processors include a neural processing unit (NPU) designed to handle neural network tasks efficiently, achieving a peak theoretical performance of 13 tera operations per second. This NPU is supported by Intel's Deep Learning Boost technologies, including Vector Neural Network Instructions and DP4A instructions, along with GNA 3.5 AI Processing, delivering optimized performance for artificial intelligence tasks from the start. The new generation of Intel CPUs also improves integrated graphics performance with the Xe LPG graphics architecture. This GPU architecture supports DisplayPort 2.1 and HDMI 2.1, allowing the connection of high-resolution displays without a dedicated graphics card, offering flexibility and efficiency in system design.
