INTRODUCTION

   Even though new motherboard chipsets are just around the corner the Intel Z590 and AMD X570/S based motherboards are currently the best ones in the consumer market. This is not so much in terms of performance but rather in available features and most importantly their support for PCIe 4.0 which applies both for their PCIe and M.2 slots. Of course, with CPUs like the Intel Core i9-11900K and the AMD Ryzen 5900X/5950X these motherboards also offer unprecedented performance levels to consumers and that also means that I'm genuinely very interested to see what improvements and/or additions the upcoming Intel 12xx and AMD 69xx series bring to the table. As for now, well, after testing the GIGABYTE X570S Aorus Master model many of you came forward asking for yet another motherboard review and so with me today i have that exact model, the Z590 Aorus Master.

   GIGABYTE offers a comprehensive product lineup that aims to “Upgrade Your Life.” With expertise encompassing consumer, business, gaming, and cloud systems, GIGABYTE established its reputation as a leader in the industry with award-winning products including motherboards, graphics cards, laptops, mini PCs, and other PC components and accessories. As a perennial developer in PC and server hardware and solutions, GIGABYTE is poised to extend our scope in business servers and cloud systems with hardware and software solutions that integrate AI and AloT applications to allow customers to capture, analyze, and transform digital information into economic data, accelerating businesses' success from edge to cloud.

   The Aorus Master may not be the top of the line models in the GIGABYTE lineup but still the Z590 Aorus Master model sports an interesting 18+1 phase digital VRM paired with the 2 generation of their direct-touch heatpipe and fins-array cooling solution, all of which should allow for easy, hassle free overclocking (casual). It also comes ready with a total of 4 DIMM slots (dual-channel configuration – 128GB total supported with speeds up to 5400MHz), 3 full-length EMI shielded (and reinforced) PCIe 4.0 slots (x16/x8-4 / x16 slot operates at up to x8 when the x8 slot is populated), 3 M.2 SSD slots (1xGen4x4/2xGen3x4), 6 native SATA 6Gb/s ports (with RAID 0/1/5/10 support), Realtek ALC1220-VB audio codec (paired with the ESS SABRE 9118 DAC), Intel AX210 Dual-Band WiFi 6/BT 5.2 wireless adapter, Aquantia 10GbE LAN, dual temperature sensor headers, dual-BIOS selection, two RGB LED strip headers and a Thunderbolt add-in connector (extra TB card required to use this). The Z590 Aorus Master is also equipped with a multi-function indicator, motherboard power button and rear I/O quick flash and clear CMOS buttons for easier/faster access. As for available connections the Z590 Aorus Master is equipped with a single DisplayPort v1.2 video output, 4 USB 2.0 ports (internal header), 2 USB Type-C USB 3.2 Gen2 ports (1 external and 1 internal), 8 USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports (4 external & 4 internal), 5 USB Type-A 3.2 Gen2 ports (external), single Aquantia 10GbE (10/100/1000/10000) Ethernet port, 2 WiFi 6/BT 5.2 SMA antenna connectors and the Realtek ALC1220 High Definition Audio onboard audio card outputs (five 3.5mm jacks and a single S/PDIF). So, time to see how the Z590 Aorus Master compares not only to other Z590 models but also GIGABYTE's very own X570S Aorus Master.