The ASRock Phantom Gaming Z790 Nova WiFi motherboard is meticulously crafted with a 20+1+1 phase power design that boasts 90A smart power stages. It is equipped with high-quality black capacitors that have an impressive rating of 20,000 hours of mean time between failures (MTBF). To ensure optimal performance, the motherboard features a robust voltage regulator module (VRM) that is configured with an eight-layer printed circuit board (PCB), complete with a 2oz copper layer for enhanced electrical conductivity and efficient heat management. The VRM’s thermal solution consists of dual extra-large heatsinks connected by a heat pipe, with one of the heatsinks incorporating a fan for active cooling.
In terms of its form factor, the ASRock Phantom Gaming Z790 Nova WiFi motherboard is designed as an ATX platform. It is built to accommodate the Intel Z790 chipset and supports the LGA 1700 socket, making it compatible with Intel’s 12th to 14th generation processors. When it comes to storage capabilities, the motherboard excels with six M.2 slots specifically designed for NVMe drives, catering to both 2260 and 2280 form factors.
- The first M.2 slot boasts a PCIe 5.0 interface that can reach up to 128 Gb/s of bandwidth, while the second slot offers PCIe 4.0 connectivity with a maximum bandwidth of 64 Gb/s, directly connected to the CPU lanes. Additionally, three more M.2 slots are available through the chipset’s PCIe lanes, with one supporting both SATA III and PCIe 4.0 modes. The motherboard also includes four SATA III ports that complement the NVMe slots, with all interfaces supporting various RAID configurations for enhanced storage flexibility. It’s worth noting that activating the M.2_1 slot adjusts the PCIe1 slot to operate at x8 mode.
- To expand the motherboard’s capabilities, there are two PCIe x16 slots, one with PCIe 5.0 x16 and the other with PCIe 4.0 x16 configured to x4 mode, as well as a single PCIe 3.0 x1 slot. Additionally, there’s a vertical Key-E slot designed for a type-2230 WiFi 7/BT 5.4 module with MU-MIMO capability, which further enhances connectivity options.
- The motherboard’s structural integrity is reinforced with a metal backplate to prevent bending. The primary PCIe 5.0 slot is constructed with Surface Mount Technology (SMT), 15μ gold contacts for reliable signal integrity, and is reinforced to support the weight of heavy graphics cards, further aided by an included support bracket.
The ASRock Phantom Gaming Z790 Nova WiFi motherboard boasts impressive technical specifications, including a Realtek ALC4082 codec for audio management with dedicated PCB layers for left and right audio channels, ensuring crystal-clear sound. Networking is provided through a 2.5Gigabit Killer 3100 LAN and an integrated 802.11be 2×2 WiFi 7+ BT 5.0 module.
The motherboard’s rear I/O panel features a comprehensive array of USB ports, including nine USB Type-A connectors across different specifications and a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C port. Other notable features include a TPM header, Thunderbolt AIC support, multiple temperature sensor headers, RGB and addressable RGB headers, and onboard switches for system management and troubleshooting.
The motherboard is equipped to handle the demands of overclocking and memory profiles like Intel XMP and AMD EXPO, with power delivery to the CPU facilitated through dual 8-pin connectors and a 24-pin main power connector.
The ASRock Phantom Gaming Z790 Nova WiFi motherboard is currently priced at $299.99.
