Question 1

Is the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero a worthwhile upgrade from a Z690 Hero?

Accepted Answer

Upgrade from a Z690 Hero when you specifically need 14th Gen Intel compatibility, Wi-Fi 7, an onboard PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot, or the Dark Hero's newer storage and connectivity layout. If your Z690 Hero already supports your processor, DDR5 memory, and current GPU and SSD configuration, the gaming performance difference from changing only the motherboard is usually limited. The upgrade becomes more meaningful when replacing the CPU and adding PCIe 5.0 storage or newer wireless networking at the same time.

Question 2

Is the Z790 Dark Hero worth upgrading to from the standard ROG Maximus Z790 Hero?

Accepted Answer

The Dark Hero is the more suitable choice for a new build when you want Wi-Fi 7, native 14th Gen Intel support, an onboard PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot, and the updated Dark Hero design. The standard Z790 Hero already provides premium power delivery, dual Thunderbolt 4, five-M.2 support through its included expansion solution, and similar platform performance. For an existing Z790 Hero owner, the upgrade is primarily about connectivity and storage layout rather than a large gaming-performance increase.

Question 3

Should I choose the Z790 Dark Hero or the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore for overclocking?

Accepted Answer

Choose the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore for memory-focused and competitive overclocking: it uses two DIMM slots, supports up to 96GB, offers higher rated memory overclocking speeds, includes a ROG DIMM.2 card and memory fan kit, and provides additional extreme-OC controls. Choose the Dark Hero for a more flexible high-end system with four DIMM slots, up to 192GB of memory, five onboard M.2 slots, dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, and broader everyday connectivity. The Apex Encore is specialized for maximum memory and CPU tuning, while the Dark Hero is better suited to mixed gaming, workstation, and storage-heavy builds.

Question 4

Should I buy the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero or the ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi II?

Accepted Answer

Choose the ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero if you need two PCIe 5.0 x16 slots, dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, 320MHz Wi-Fi 7 support, stronger enthusiast overclocking controls, and up to 60W front-panel USB-C charging. Choose the ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi II if you want a similar five-slot M.2 layout and four DDR5 DIMM slots with a simpler feature set. Gaming performance is expected to be similar with the same CPU, GPU, and memory settings; the Dark Hero is mainly justified by its connectivity and expansion features.

Question 5

Does this motherboard use DDR5 RAM, and how much memory can it support?

Accepted Answer

It supports DDR5-only, non-ECC, unbuffered memory through four DIMM slots, with up to 192GB total capacity. Memory speeds range from DDR5-4800 to 8000+ MT/s through supported overclocking profiles, but the achievable speed depends on the processor, DIMM configuration, and ASUS's memory support list. DDR4 memory is not compatible.

Question 6

Does it have built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, or do I need a separate adapter?

Accepted Answer

It includes integrated Intel Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, so a separate wireless adapter is not required. Wi-Fi 7 features such as 6GHz operation, 320MHz channels, and Multi-Link Operation require compatible network equipment and supported software; the product specification lists Windows 11 or later for Wi-Fi 7 compatibility.

Question 7

Who is this motherboard suitable for?

Accepted Answer

It is best suited to enthusiasts building a high-performance ATX gaming, content-creation, or overclocking desktop around a compatible Intel LGA 1700 processor. Its main strengths are strong CPU power delivery, five cooled M.2 slots, PCIe 5.0 expansion, Wi-Fi 7, dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, and extensive rear and front USB connectivity. It is less suitable for compact builds, DDR4-based upgrades, or users who do not need premium expansion and connectivity features.

Question 8

How many M.2 SSDs can this motherboard support, and are there any lane-sharing limitations?

Accepted Answer

It supports five M.2 SSDs: one PCIe 5.0 x4 slot and four PCIe 4.0 x4 slots, with heatsinks for all five. The PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot shares bandwidth with the second PCIe 5.0 x16 slot. When that M.2 slot is enabled, the second x16 slot is disabled and the primary x16 slot operates at x8, which matters for multi-GPU or other high-bandwidth expansion-card configurations.

Question 9

Will this motherboard support 14th Gen Intel processors out of the box?

Accepted Answer

It supports compatible 14th, 13th, and 12th Gen Intel processors on the LGA 1700 socket, but some 14th Gen CPUs may require a BIOS update. The board includes BIOS FlashBack, so the BIOS can be updated without installing a supported CPU in advance. Check ASUS's CPU support list and BIOS guidance before building.

Question 10

Should buyers expect BIOS or DDR5 XMP setup issues with the Dark Hero?

Accepted Answer

Buyers should plan to check the BIOS version before installing some 14th-generation processors and should use ASUS's BIOS FlashBack feature if an update is needed. Reddit discussions also indicate that high-speed DDR5 XMP profiles can require troubleshooting or manual tuning, so memory compatibility should be checked against ASUS's support list rather than assumed from the kit's rated speed.

Brand	ASUS
Series	ROG
Model	ROG MAXIMUS Z790 DARK HERO
Part Number	90MB1F90-M0AAY0

CPU Socket Type	LGA 1700
CPU Type	Intel® Socket LGA1700 for Intel® Core™ 13th Gen Processors, Intel® Core™ 12th Gen, Pentium® Gold and Celeron® Processors Supports Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 and Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0** * Refer to www.asus.com for CPU support list. ** Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 support depends on the CPU types.

Number of Memory Slots	4 x DIMM slots, max. 192GB, DDR5
Memory Standard	DDR5 8000+(OC)/7800+(OC)/7600(OC)/7400(OC)/7200(OC)/7000(OC)/6800(OC)/6600(OC)/6400(OC)/6200(OC)/6000(OC)/5800(OC)/5600/5400/5200/5000/4800 Non-ECC, Un-buffered Memory
Maximum Memory Supported	192GB
Channel Supported	Dual channel memory architecture Supports Intel® Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) memory module ASUS Enhanced Memory Profile II (AEMP II) Supports DIMM Flex * Supported memory types, data rate (Speed), and number of DRAM modules vary depending on the CPU and memory configuration, for more information refer to www.asus.com for memory support list. * Non-ECC, un-buffered DDR5 memory supports On-Die ECC function.

Serial ATA (SATA)	4 x SATA 6Gb/s ports
M.2	Total supports 5 x M.2 slots and 4 x SATA 6Gb/s ports* Intel® CoreTM Processors (13th & 12th Gen) M.2_1 slot (Key M), type 2242/2260/2280/22110 (supports PCIe 5.0 x4 mode.) M.2_2 slot (Key M), type 2242/2260/2280 (supports PCIe 4.0 x4 mode.) Intel® Z790 Chipset M.2_3 slot (Key M), type 2242/2260/2280 (supports PCIe 4.0 x4 mode) M.2_4 slot (Key M), type 2280 (supports PCIe 4.0 x4 mode) M.2_5 slot (Key M), type 2280 (supports PCIe 4.0 x4 mode) 4 x SATA 6Gb/s ports * Intel® Rapid Storage Technology supports PCIe RAID 0/1/5/10, SATA RAID 0/1/5/10. ** M.2_1 shares bandwidth with PCIEX16(G5)_2. When M.2_1 is enabled, PCIEX16(G5)_2 will be disabled and PCIEX16(G5)_1 will run x8 only.
SATA RAID	* Intel® Rapid Storage Technology supports PCIe RAID 0/1/5/10, SATA RAID 0/1/5/10.

Max LAN Speed	1 x Intel® 2.5Gb Ethernet ASUS LANGuard
Wireless LAN	Intel® Wi-Fi 7* 2x2 Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) Supports 2.4/5/6GHz frequency band* Support Wi-Fi 7 320MHz bandwidth, up to 5.76Gbps transfer rate. Bluetooth® v5.4**** * Compatible with Windows 11 or later. Wi-Fi 7 MLO(Multi-link Operation) full functions support will be ready in Windows 11 2024 Platform (Windows 11 24H2) or later. * Wi-Fi 6GHz frequency band and bandwidth regulatory may vary between countries. **** The Bluetooth version may vary, please refer to the Wi-Fi module manufacturer's website for the latest specifications.
Bluetooth	Yes

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ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero (WiFi 7) LGA 1700(14th,13th,12th Gen) DDR5 ATX gaming motherboard(PCIe 5.0x16 with Q release, five M.2 slots,20+1+2 power stages,2x Thunderbolt 4 ports

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Physical Spec
Form Factor	ATX
Dimensions (W x L)	12.0" x 9.6"

Item#: 9SIBTK0KSV0466