INTRODUCTION

   Compared to even just 5 years ago Intel is clearly ramping up development of new motherboard chipsets and CPU models lately and even though their new Z790 chipset is just around the corner (as is their 13th generation of CPUs) the Z690 is still their flagship commercial model. Yes, many manufacturers rushed to release their own models based on that chipset and many of you are probably already aware of the early problems (mostly related to DDR5 compatibility) but the latest models to be released in the market seem to have all but resolved them. Just like with past DARK models in order to serve a more bug-free product EVGA once again took their time in releasing their Z690 DARK KINGPIN motherboard and today that's exactly what i have with me.

   EVGA is the #1 NVIDIA authorized partner in channel sales throughout North America. Based on the philosophy of intelligent innovation, market knowledge, and the real time operation, EVGA continues to identify the need in the market place and providing the solution to that need. By offering product differentiation, a 90 day Step-Up program, and other customer focused programs, EVGA is a clear leader in all categories: etail, retail, distribution, and system builders. With headquarters in Brea, CA, EVGA's global coverage includes EVGA GmbH in Munich, EVGA LATAM in Miami, and EVGA Hong Kong. For further information online about EVGA, visit https://www.evga.com.

   The latest Z690 DARK KINGPIN motherboard by EVGA is compatible with 12th generation LGA1700 CPUs (will be using the Intel Core i9-12900k for my Z690 reviews) and brings two new things to the table, support for DDR5 RAM (via its two DIMM slots which can hold up to 64GB - DDR4 Z690 models are also available in the market) and PCIe 5.0 cards (for its two EMI shielded and reinforced x16 full length slots). Yes, its three PCIe M.2 sockets are still Gen4 but with PCIe 5.0 graphics cards scheduled to be released before the end of the year this could actually turn out to be a useful upgrade for some (if there are obvious gains between 4.0 and 5.0 of course). As for DDR5 RAM the EVGA Z690 DARK KINGPIN model is compatible with modules exceeding 6600MHz (probably as high as 7200MHz) so that too could prove to be extremely valuable, especially to demanding users and professionals. As for the rest the Z690 DARK KINGPIN sports an impressive 21-phase digital VRM (18+2+1), 100% copper heatsink with twin fans, single PCIe 3.0 x4 slot, six native Intel SATA 6Gb/s ports (support RAID 0/1/5/10), two ASMedia (ASM1061) SATA 6.0Gb/s ports, single U.2 NVMe port, two ARGB and two RGB headers, right angled ports for both power and SATA, dual Intel i225-V 2.5G Ethernet ports, Intel AX211 dual band Wi-Fi 6E/BT v5.2 module and the Realtek ALC1220 onboard sound card together with their very own EVGA NU Audio SV3H615 headphone amplifier. Typically EVGA has equipped their Z690 DARK KINGPIN motherboard with a large number of features aimed towards serious overclockers including PCIe disable switches (allow the end user to disable PCIe slots for troubleshooting), CPU slow-mode switch (can be used to change the CPU ratio on-the-fly to minimum), safeboot button (boots directly into the BIOS without changing your settings - handy if your system will not boot with those settings), power and reset buttons, Probe IT connector, clear CMOS button, BIOS update button and dedicated USB 2.0 port, multi-function indicator and the triple-bios selection switch. As for available connectivity here, we find two USB 2.0 ports (via internal headers), three USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports (2 rear and 1 via internal header), 4 USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A ports (rear), USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port (via internal header), USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C port (rear), two Intel i225V 2.5 GbE (10/100/1000/2500) RJ45 ports, NU Audio amplifier port (for stereo speakers and headphones/headsets) and the Realtek ALC1220 High Definition Audio onboard audio ports. Also, worth pointing out is that the 12th Generation of Intel CPUs is a hybrid line meaning it sports two different core types, P-Cores (performance - support hyperthreading) and E-Cores (Efficiency - lack hyperthreading support) so for this review I’ll be doing tests involving both P and E cores enabled (which add to 16 cores for the 12900k model with 24 threads) and disabled (to see which benefits, if at all, each configuration has over the other).