CONCLUSION

   One of the things I really wanted to do in this review was to test and see if gamers would actually benefit by disabling the E-cores (efficiency cores) of their 12^th gen Intel CPUs and as you can see from my charts that largely depends on the game. For example, Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition doesn’t like it when the E-cores are disabled and as for F1 2022 and Forza Horizon 5 the gains are miniscule, even at 1080p resolution. That’s not to say that every graphics engine will behave in the same way so I recommend trying out for yourselves and choosing the setting that gives you the highest FPS. As for everything else in order to get the Intel Core I9-12900K stable throughout 2 weeks of tests I had to push its main voltage to 1.34V and that does require a good amount of cooling (the Fractal Celsius+ S36 was barely able to provide just that). As for the Z690 DARK KINGPIN motherboard since it’s the first Z690 model to arrive here I can’t really compare it with others but if past EVGA models are any indication it should sit at the top of the “food chain”. Unfortunately, unlike the Z590 DARK the Z690 DARK KINGPIN lacks onboard ARGB lighting and even though that’s certainly not a big deal i did somewhat like it on the previous DARK model. I was also genuinely surprised to see that this motherboard doesn’t come with display outputs even though the 12900K i used does come with the onboard UHD 770 graphics. On the other hand, the Z690 DARK KINGPIN motherboard comes with a thick backplate which makes it look like a tank compared to other motherboards.

   EVGA DARK motherboards represent some of the best models in the market and so they are not quite affordable, as expected really (the same of course applies for their equivalents by the competition). Needless to say, the same applies here since currently the Z690 DARK KINGPIN retails for USD549.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 660.99Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de). For casual users and even some professionals this price may not be justified but for overclockers, enthusiasts and people who aim on getting their hands on the top Intel CPU models (12900K/KS) this motherboard could be your best option currently and since it delivers on everything it certainly deserves the Platinum Award.

PROS

- Excellent Build Quality
- OC Potential (Dual Fan Cooled 21 Phase Digital VRM)
- 2 Reinforced & EMI Shielded PCIe 5.0 slots
- OC Features (PCIe Disable Switches / Slow Mode / Safe Boot / Triple BIOS / Clear CMOS Buttons / USB BIOS Update Port)
- Three M.2 PCIe 4.0 Sockets
- Available BIOS Settings
- NU Audio Amplifier
- U2 Port
- Angled Connectors
- Exterior Connectivity (Dual 2.5GbE Ports / USB 3.2 Gen2x2 / WiFi 6E / BT 5.2)
- Bundle
- 3 Year Limited Warranty

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- Dual DIMM Design
- Only 3 PCIe Slots
- No Display Outputs