ASUS
ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Formula
A solid mid-range pick in the motherboards line-up, with Z790 up front.
67/100
Z790LGA 170024+1ATXDDR52x 8-pin
£789best price at Amazon
In stock at 1 retailer
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Why we rate it
- VRM heatsink
- Front USB-C header
- BIOS flashback
- Above-average m.2 slots (total)
- Below-average max ram
Score profile
Scored against the motherboards classWhere the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Formula wins and loses
Full specification
Grouped · supported features marked in blueSpecifications
Platform
SocketLGA 1700
ChipsetZ790
Form factorATX
Supported CPU generationsIntel Core 14th Gen, 13th Gen, 12th Gen
Memory
RAM typeDDR5
RAM slots4
Max RAM128 GB
Power delivery
VRM phases24
CPU power connectors2
VRM heatsinkYes
Expansion slots
PCIe 5.0 x16 slots1
M.2 slots (total)5
M.2 PCIe 5.0 slots2
M.2 PCIe 4.0 slots4
M.2 heatsinks5
SATA ports6
Rear I/O
USB4 / Thunderbolt 42
USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gb/s)6
USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gb/s)6
HDMI1
HDMI version2.1
Internal headers
Front USB-C headerYes
Networking
Ethernet2.5
Wi-FiWi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth5.3
Audio
Audio codecROG SupremeFX ALC4082
Audio channels7.1
Features
BIOS flashbackYes
Debug LED / postcode displayYes
RGB / ARGB headers2
Fan headers8
More specs
M2 slots0
USB c ports2
PCIE 5 count1
Ethernet gbps2.5
Watch it in action
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Head to head
Highlighted cell = better in that rowASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Formula vs ASUS ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Extreme
ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 FormulaASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Extreme
| ASUSASUS ROG Maximus Z790 FormulaThis page | ASUSASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Extreme | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 67 /100 | 75 /100Better |
| Chipset | Z790 | X870E |
| Socket | LGA 1700 | AM5 |
| Form factor | ATX | E-ATX |
| RAM slots | 4 | 4 |
| M2 slots total | 5 | 5 |
Who it's for
Is the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Formula right for you?
Buy it if
Buyers on a budget
Anyone who needs a dependable motherboard for the essentials without overspending.
Skip it if
Skip it if
You need flagship-tier performance, in which case a higher-tier motherboard is the better call.
Performance builder
Chasing frames and headroom in a high-end rig.
good
Mainstream builder
Wants strong value in a balanced build.
good
Budget builder
Stretching every pound in an entry rig.
okay
Common questions
Before you buy
Is the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Formula worth it?
It depends on what you need. It scores 67/100 against other motherboards, a solid mid-range result where the class average is around 51.
What stands out on the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Formula?
Its vrm heatsink stands out, a genuinely useful feature if your setup calls for it.
How does it compare to the ASRock Z890 Taichi Lite?
The ASRock Z890 Taichi Lite scores 68/100 versus this one at 67/100, so it is the step up on the spec sheet.
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