OVERALL
ALTERNATIVES
SPECS
VS AVERAGE
REVIEWS
Scored using Motherboards Methodology v1.0
Motherboards Methodology v1.0
Mathematical & Unbiased Scoring
Products in this category are evaluated mathematically under Frontumo Motherboards Methodology v1.0 using verified laboratory benchmarks, technical specifications, and authentic consumer ratings with 0% commercial bias.
Explore Motherboards Methodology v1.0

ASUS ROG Strix Z490 A Gaming Review | 107 Data compared

Avg. price:~£260CPU socket:LGA 1200Chipset:Intel Z490Form factor:ATX

ASUS ROG Strix Z490 A Gaming Review: Compare 107 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Motherboards category and whether it is worth buying.

7.2

Overall score

Score
7.2/ 10
✕
What it is
An overall evaluation of the motherboard's quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.
When it matters
When you need a quick reference to identify the best motherboards on the market.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 62% of models
Score components

90%

7.0

Technical score

10%

8.7

User score

â–²Better than 62% of motherboards
7.0

Technical score

Technical score
7.0/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Motherboards category across these key areas: Platform & Features, Memory, Storage, Expansion, Ports & USB, Network, Audio, Power & Cooling.
When it matters
When you want to compare motherboards based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 61% of models
Score components

19%

7.0

Memory

16%

8.4

Platform & Features

16%

6.4

Storage

15%

7.2

Network

13%

5.6

Ports & USB

8%

5.3

Expansion

8%

8.1

Power & Cooling

5%

9.6

Audio

â–²Better than 61% of motherboards
8.7

User score

User score
8.7/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the motherboard.
When it matters
When you want to understand how a motherboard performs in real-world builds and how reliable it is in terms of stability, BIOS usability, connectivity, and long-term ownership.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 78% of models
Score components

70%

9.2

User ratings

30%

7.5

Number of reviews

Based on 303 buyer reviews from online shops.
Read buyer reviews on Amazon →
How we calculate this
User ratings – average star rating across all shop listings, weighted by how many reviews each has, on a 1–10 scale.
Number of reviews – how many buyer reviews the product has, on a logarithmic scale; the 8% most-reviewed models in the category get 10.
â–²Better than 78% of motherboards
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Best prices

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Best rankings

Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
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Technical Specifications of motherboard ASUS ROG Strix Z490 A Gaming

Technical score
Technical score
7.0/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Motherboards category across these key areas: Platform & Features, Memory, Storage, Expansion, Ports & USB, Network, Audio, Power & Cooling.
When it matters
When you want to compare motherboards based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 61% of models
Score components:

19%

7.0

Memory

16%

8.4

Platform & Features

16%

6.4

Storage

15%

7.2

Network

13%

5.6

Ports & USB

8%

5.3

Expansion

8%

8.1

Power & Cooling

5%

9.6

Audio

7.0
User score
User score
8.7/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the motherboard.
When it matters
When you want to understand how a motherboard performs in real-world builds and how reliable it is in terms of stability, BIOS usability, connectivity, and long-term ownership.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 78% of models
Score components

70%

9.2

User ratings

30%

7.5

Number of reviews

Based on 303 buyer reviews from online shops.
Read buyer reviews on Amazon →
How we calculate this
User ratings – average star rating across all shop listings, weighted by how many reviews each has, on a 1–10 scale.
Number of reviews – how many buyer reviews the product has, on a logarithmic scale; the 8% most-reviewed models in the category get 10.
8.7
Popularity
Popularity
7.5/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the motherboard.
When it matters
When you prefer a motherboard that has already been bought and reviewed by many other users.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 66% of models
Popularity:
ASUS ROG Strix Z490 A Gaming has a popularity score of 7.5 points, which is higher than that of 66% of products in this category.
7.5
Value for money
Value for money
7.8/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the motherboard's overall rating with its cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for a motherboard that offers a strong balance of features, performance, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 60% of models
Score components:

60%

7.2

Overall score

40%

9.2

Price

7.8
Brand name
Asus
CPU socket
LGA 1200
CPU socket
LGA 1200
â–¼ Worse than 62% of models
This motherboard uses the LGA 1200 CPU socket, which is less advanced than that of 61.5% of motherboards and equal to that of 8.8% of motherboards.
CPU platform
Intel
CPU platform
Intel
â–² Better than 32% of models
This motherboard is built for the Intel CPU platform, which is more versatile than that of 31.6% of motherboards and equal to that of 68.4% of motherboards.
Chipset
Intel Z490
Chipset
Intel Z490
â–¼ Worse than 57% of models
This motherboard uses the Intel Z490 chipset, which is less advanced than that of 56.6% of motherboards and equal to that of 2.9% of motherboards.
Form factor
ATX
Form factor
ATX
â–² Better than 48% of models
This motherboard has the ATX form factor, which is more versatile than that of 47.8% of motherboards and equal to that of 52.2% of motherboards.
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DDR memory version
DDR4
DDR memory version
DDR4
â–¼ Worse than 36% of models
This motherboard uses DDR4 memory, which is newer than that of 13.5% of motherboards and equal to that of 50.8% of motherboards.
Memory slots
4
Memory slots
4
â–² Better than 21% of models
Market range: <2 – >4
This motherboard has 4 Memory slots, which is more than 21.5% of motherboards and equal to 72.5% of motherboards.
Maximum memory capacity
128 GB
Maximum memory capacity
128 GB
â–² Better than 40% of models
Market range: <32 GB – >256 GB
This motherboard supports up to 128 GB of memory, which is more than 40.4% of motherboards and equal to 31.9% of motherboards.
Memory channels
2
Memory channels
2
â–¼ Worse than 7% of models
This motherboard supports 2 memory channels, which is more than 0.2% of motherboards and equal to 92.6% of motherboards.
Maximum RAM speed
4,800 MT/s
Maximum RAM speed
4,800 MT/s
â–² Better than 51% of models
Market range: <2k MT/s – >8k MT/s
This motherboard supports memory speeds up to 4,800 MT/s, which is higher than that of 51.2% of motherboards and equal to that of 5.1% of motherboards.
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N. of M.2 sockets
2
N. of M.2 sockets
2
â–¼ Worse than 35% of models
Market range: <0 – >4
This motherboard has 2 M.2 sockets, which is more than 30.8% of motherboards and equal to 34.4% of motherboards.
M.2 slot interface per slot
1x PCIe 3.0 x4/SATA, 1x PCIe 3.0 x4
M.2 slot interface per slot
1x PCIe 3.0 x4/SATA, 1x PCIe 3.0 x4
â–¼ Worse than 64% of models
This motherboard offers 1x PCIe 3.0x4/SATA, 1x PCIe 3.0x4 for M.2 slot interfaces, which is slower than that of 64.3% of motherboards and equal to that of 3.3% of motherboards.
N. of SATA 3 connectors
6
N. of SATA 3 connectors
6
â–² Better than 53% of models
Market range: <4 – >8
This motherboard has 6 SATA 3 connectors, which is more than 52.6% of motherboards and equal to 32.1% of motherboards.
Supported RAID levels
0/1/5/10
Supported RAID levels
0/1/5/10
â–² Better than 32% of models
This motherboard supports RAID levels 0/1/5/10, which is broader than 32% of motherboards and equal to 68% of motherboards.
NVMe RAID support
yes
NVMe RAID support
yes
â–² Better than 40% of models
This motherboard supports NVMe RAID. 40.3% of motherboards support this feature.
Show more
N. of PCIe 5.0 x16 slots
0
N. of PCIe 5.0 x16 slots
0
â–¼ Worse than 31% of models
Market range: <0 – >1
This motherboard has 0 PCIe 5.0x16 slots, which is fewer than 31.5% of motherboards and equal to 68.5% of motherboards.
N. of PCIe 4.0 x16 slots
0
N. of PCIe 4.0 x16 slots
0
â–¼ Worse than 45% of models
Market range: <0 – >1
This motherboard has 0 PCIe 4.0x16 slots, which is fewer than 44.5% of motherboards and equal to 55.5% of motherboards.
N. of PCIe 3.0 x16 slots
3
N. of PCIe 3.0 x16 slots
3
â–² Better than 83% of models
Market range: <0 – >3
This motherboard has 3 PCIe 3.0x16 slots, which is more than 82.7% of motherboards and equal to 11.1% of motherboards.
PCIe slot electrical configuration
x16/x0/x4, x8/x4/x4
PCIe slot electrical configuration
x16/x0/x4, x8/x4/x4
â–² Better than 62% of models
This motherboard uses x16/x0/x4, x8/x4/x4 for PCIe slot electrical configuration, which is more flexible than that of 62.2% of motherboards and equal to that of 0.3% of motherboards.
PCIe bifurcation support
yes
PCIe bifurcation support
yes
â–² Better than 40% of models
This motherboard supports PCIe bifurcation. 40.4% of motherboards support this feature.
Show more
Total USB ports (rear I/O)
8
Total USB ports (rear I/O)
8
â–² Better than 40% of models
Market range: <6 – >10
This motherboard has 8 USB ports (rear I/O), which is more than 40.2% of motherboards and equal to 30.5% of motherboards.
Total USB ports (including headers)
15
Total USB ports (including headers)
15
â–² Better than 48% of models
Market range: <11 – >19
This motherboard has 15 USB ports (including headers), which is more than 47.6% of motherboards and equal to 13.5% of motherboards.
Total USB-C ports (rear I/O)
1
Total USB-C ports (rear I/O)
1
â–² Better than 35% of models
Market range: <0 – >2
This motherboard has 1 USB-C ports (rear I/O), which is more than 35.5% of motherboards and equal to 48.7% of motherboards.
Total USB-C ports (including headers)
2
Total USB-C ports (including headers)
2
â–² Better than 52% of models
Market range: <0 – >3
This motherboard has 2 USB-C ports (including headers), which is more than 51.7% of motherboards and equal to 32.9% of motherboards.
N. of USB 3.2 Gen2x2 ports (USB-C)
0
N. of USB 3.2 Gen2x2 ports (USB-C)
0
â–¼ Worse than 18% of models
Market range: <0 – >1
This motherboard has 0 USB 3.2 Gen2x2 ports (USB-C), which is fewer than 18.3% of motherboards and equal to 81.7% of motherboards.
10Gbps excluded.
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LAN speed
2.5 Gbps
LAN speed
2.5 Gbps
â–² Better than 49% of models
Market range: <1 Gbps – >2.5 Gbps
This motherboard supports LAN speeds up to 2.5 Gbps, which is higher than that of 49.3% of motherboards and equal to that of 41.4% of motherboards.
LAN controller
Intel I225-V
LAN controller
Intel I225-V
★ Better than 90% of models
This motherboard uses the Intel I225-V LAN controller, which is more advanced than that of 90.1% of motherboards and equal to that of 4.2% of motherboards.
N. of RJ45 ports
1
N. of RJ45 ports
1
â–¼ Worse than 14% of models
Market range: <1 – >2
This motherboard has 1 RJ45 ports, which is fewer than 14.4% of motherboards and equal to 85.6% of motherboards.
Wi-Fi connectivity
no
Wi-Fi connectivity
no
â–¼ Worse than 50% of models
This motherboard does not support Wi-Fi connectivity. 50.1% of motherboards support this feature.
Wi-Fi version
N/A
Show more
Audio codec
SupremeFX S1220A
Audio codec
SupremeFX S1220A
â–² Better than 87% of models
This motherboard uses the SupremeFX S1220A audio codec, which is more advanced than that of 86.8% of motherboards and equal to that of 3.4% of motherboards.
Audio channels
7.1
Audio channels
7.1
â–² Better than 5% of models
This motherboard offers 7.1 audio channels, which is more than 4.9% of motherboards and equal to 95.1% of motherboards.
Audio SNR
120 dB
Audio SNR
120 dB
â–² Better than 56% of models
Market range: <95 dB – >120 dB
This motherboard has an audio SNR of 120 dB, which is higher than that of 56% of motherboards and equal to that of 40.5% of motherboards.
Headphone amp support
yes
Headphone amp support
yes
â–² Better than 41% of models
This motherboard supports a headphone amp. 40.8% of motherboards support this feature.
N. of 3.5mm audio jacks
5
N. of 3.5mm audio jacks
5
â–² Better than 50% of models
Market range: <2 – >6
This motherboard has 5 3.5mm audio jacks, which is more than 49.6% of motherboards and equal to 37% of motherboards.
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VRM phases
12+2
VRM phases
12+2
â–² Better than 64% of models
This motherboard has 12+2 VRM phases, which is more than 64% of motherboards and equal to 2.5% of motherboards.
N. of CPU power connectors
2
N. of CPU power connectors
2
â–² Better than 55% of models
Market range: <1 – >2
This motherboard has 2 CPU power connectors, which is more than 54.6% of motherboards and equal to 45.1% of motherboards.
N. of fan headers
6
N. of fan headers
6
â–² Better than 50% of models
Market range: <3 – >8
This motherboard has 6 fan headers, which is more than 50% of motherboards and equal to 22.3% of motherboards.
Pump header
yes
Pump header
yes
â–² Better than 22% of models
This motherboard has a pump header. 21.9% of motherboards include this feature.
Pump header max current
1 A
Pump header max current
1 A
â–¼ Worse than 56% of models
Market range: <0 A – >3 A
This motherboard supports up to 1 A on the pump header, which is lower than that of 56.3% of motherboards and equal to that of 19.7% of motherboards.
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ASUS ROG Strix Z490 A Gaming vs the average motherboard

246810TotalPlatform & FeaturesMemoryStorageExpansionPorts & USBNetworkAudioPower & Cooling
  • More advanced LAN controller
    LAN controller
    Intel I225-V
    ★ Better than 90% of models
    This motherboard has better LAN controller than the average motherboard (Intel I225-V vs Killer + Intel + Realtek). The average motherboard uses Killer + Intel + Realtek LAN controller.
    Intel I225-V vs Killer + Intel + Realtek
  • Better audio codec
    Audio codec
    SupremeFX S1220A
    â–² Better than 87% of models
    This motherboard has better audio codec than the average motherboard (SupremeFX S1220A vs Realtek ALC897). The average motherboard uses Realtek ALC897 audio codec.
    SupremeFX S1220A vs Realtek ALC897
  • 1 more CPU power connectors
    N. of CPU power connectors
    2
    â–² Better than 55% of models
    Market range: <1 – >2
    This motherboard has more CPU power connectors than the average motherboard (2 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 CPU power connectors.
    2 vs 1
  • Integrated I/O shield
    Integrated I/O shield
    yes
    â–² Better than 54% of models
    This motherboard has an integrated I/O shield, while the average motherboard does not. 46% of motherboards include an integrated I/O shield.
  • 1 more USB 3.2 Gen2 USB-C ports
    N. of USB 3.2 Gen2 ports (USB-C)
    1
    â–² Better than 65% of models
    Market range: <0 – >1
    This motherboard has more USB 3.2 Gen2 USB-C ports than the average motherboard (1 vs 0). The average motherboard has 0 USB 3.2 Gen2 USB-C port/s.
    1 vs 0
  • 1 more PCIe x4 slots
    N. of PCIe x4 slots
    1
    â–² Better than 73% of models
    Market range: <0 – >1
    This motherboard has more PCIe x4 slots than the average motherboard (1 vs 0). The average motherboard has 0 PCIe x4 slot/s.
    1 vs 0
  • More VRM phases
    VRM phases
    12+2
    â–² Better than 64% of models
    This motherboard has more VRM phases than the average motherboard (12+2 vs 10). The average motherboard has 10 VRM phase/s.
    12+2 vs 10
  • 1 more USB4 or Thunderbolt headers
    N. of USB4 / Thunderbolt headers (USB-C)
    1
    â–² Better than 66% of models
    Market range: <0 – >1
    This motherboard has more USB4 or Thunderbolt headers than the average motherboard (1 vs 0). The average motherboard has 0 USB4 or Thunderbolt header/s.
    1 vs 0
  • 8.5% higher user score
    User score
    8.7/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the motherboard.
    When it matters
    When you want to understand how a motherboard performs in real-world builds and how reliable it is in terms of stability, BIOS usability, connectivity, and long-term ownership.
    Score distribution
    â–¼
    â–¼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    ASUS ROG Strix Z490 A Gaming
    the average motherboard
    ASUS ROG Strix Z490 A Gaming has a higher user score than the average motherboard (8.68 vs 8.000).
    8.68 vs 8
  • Integrated I/O shield
    Integrated I/O shield
    yes
    â–² Better than 54% of models
    This motherboard has an integrated I/O shield, while the average motherboard does not. 46% of motherboards include an integrated I/O shield.
  • Newer CPU socket
    CPU socket
    LGA 1200
    â–¼ Worse than 62% of models
    This motherboard has newer CPU socket than the average motherboard (LGA 1200 vs LGA 1151). The average motherboard uses LGA 1151 CPU socket.
    LGA 1,200 vs LGA 1,151
  • 2 more SATA 3 connectors
    N. of SATA 3 connectors
    6
    â–² Better than 53% of models
    Market range: <4 – >8
    This motherboard has more SATA 3 connectors than the average motherboard (6 vs 4). The average motherboard has 4 SATA 3 connectors.
    6 vs 4
  • 1 more PCIe x4 slots
    N. of PCIe x4 slots
    1
    â–² Better than 73% of models
    Market range: <0 – >1
    This motherboard has more PCIe x4 slots than the average motherboard (1 vs 0). The average motherboard has 0 PCIe x4 slot/s.
    1 vs 0
  • 2 more PCIe 3.0x16 slots
    N. of PCIe 3.0 x16 slots
    3
    â–² Better than 83% of models
    Market range: <0 – >3
    This motherboard has more PCIe 3.0x16 slots than the average motherboard (3 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 PCIe 3.0x16 slot/s.
    3 vs 1
  • 1 more USB 3.2 Gen2 USB-C ports
    N. of USB 3.2 Gen2 ports (USB-C)
    1
    â–² Better than 65% of models
    Market range: <0 – >1
    This motherboard has more USB 3.2 Gen2 USB-C ports than the average motherboard (1 vs 0). The average motherboard has 0 USB 3.2 Gen2 USB-C port/s.
    1 vs 0
  • 1 more USB4 or Thunderbolt headers
    N. of USB4 / Thunderbolt headers (USB-C)
    1
    â–² Better than 66% of models
    Market range: <0 – >1
    This motherboard has more USB4 or Thunderbolt headers than the average motherboard (1 vs 0). The average motherboard has 0 USB4 or Thunderbolt header/s.
    1 vs 0
  • 1 more USB 3.2 Gen2 headers
    N. of USB 3.2 Gen2 headers (USB-C)
    1
    â–² Better than 61% of models
    Market range: <0 – >1
    This motherboard has more USB 3.2 Gen2 headers than the average motherboard (1 vs 0). The average motherboard has 0 USB 3.2 Gen2 header/s.
    1 vs 0
  • 1 more total USB-C connections
    Total USB-C ports (including headers)
    2
    â–² Better than 52% of models
    Market range: <0 – >3
    This motherboard has more total USB-C connections than the average motherboard (2 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 total USB-C connections.
    2 vs 1
  • More advanced LAN controller
    LAN controller
    Intel I225-V
    ★ Better than 90% of models
    This motherboard has better LAN controller than the average motherboard (Intel I225-V vs Killer + Intel + Realtek). The average motherboard uses Killer + Intel + Realtek LAN controller.
    Intel I225-V vs Killer + Intel + Realtek
  • Better audio codec
    Audio codec
    SupremeFX S1220A
    â–² Better than 87% of models
    This motherboard has better audio codec than the average motherboard (SupremeFX S1220A vs Realtek ALC897). The average motherboard uses Realtek ALC897 audio codec.
    SupremeFX S1220A vs Realtek ALC897
  • 5 dB higher audio SNR
    Audio SNR
    120 dB
    â–² Better than 56% of models
    Market range: <95 dB – >120 dB
    This motherboard has a higher audio SNR than the average motherboard (120 dB vs 115 dB). The average motherboard has audio SNR of 115 dB.
    120 dB vs 115 dB
  • 1 more CPU power connectors
    N. of CPU power connectors
    2
    â–² Better than 55% of models
    Market range: <1 – >2
    This motherboard has more CPU power connectors than the average motherboard (2 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 CPU power connectors.
    2 vs 1
  • More VRM phases
    VRM phases
    12+2
    â–² Better than 64% of models
    This motherboard has more VRM phases than the average motherboard (12+2 vs 10). The average motherboard has 10 VRM phase/s.
    12+2 vs 10
  • 1 more RGB headers
    N. of RGB headers (4-pin)
    2
    â–² Better than 77% of models
    Market range: <0 – >2
    This motherboard has more RGB headers than the average motherboard (2 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 RGB header/s.
    2 vs 1
  • More basic motherboard chipset
    Chipset
    Intel Z490
    â–¼ Worse than 57% of models
    This motherboard has more basic motherboard chipset than the average motherboard (Intel Z490 vs Intel B860). The average motherboard uses Intel B860 chipset.
    Intel Z490 vs Intel B860
  • Slower M.2 slot interfaces
    M.2 slot interface per slot
    1x PCIe 3.0 x4/SATA, 1x PCIe 3.0 x4
    â–¼ Worse than 64% of models
    This motherboard has slower M.2 slot interfaces than the average motherboard (1x PCIe 3x4/SATA, 1x PCIe 3x4 vs 1x PCIe 5x4, 2x PCIe 4x4). The average motherboard uses 1x PCIe 5.0x4, 2x PCIe 4.0x4 M.2 slot interfaces.
    1x PCIe 3.0x4/SATA, 1x PCIe 3.0x4 vs 1x PCIe 5.0x4, 2x PCIe 4.0x4
  • No Wi-Fi connectivity
    Wi-Fi connectivity
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 50% of models
    This motherboard does not support Wi-Fi connectivity, while the average motherboard does. 50% of motherboards support Wi-Fi connectivity.
  • No Wi-Fi antenna included
    Wi-Fi antenna included
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 51% of models
    This motherboard does not include a Wi-Fi antenna, while the average motherboard does. 51.1% of motherboards include a Wi-Fi antenna.
  • 1 fewer ARGB headers
    N. of ARGB headers (3-pin)
    1
    â–¼ Worse than 51% of models
    Market range: <0 – >3
    This motherboard has fewer ARGB headers than the average motherboard (1 vs 2). The average motherboard has 2 ARGB header/s.
    1 vs 2
  • 1 fewer PS/2 ports
    N. of PS/2 ports
    0
    â–¼ Worse than 59% of models
    Market range: <0 – >1
    This motherboard has fewer PS/2 ports than the average motherboard (0 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 PS/2 port/s.
    0 vs 1
  • Older HDMI version
    HDMI version
    1.4
    â–¼ Worse than 55% of models
    This motherboard has older HDMI version than the average motherboard (1.4 vs 2.1). The average motherboard supports HDMI 2.1.
    1.4 vs 2.1
  • 62.5% more expensive
    ASUS ROG Strix Z490 A Gaming is more expensive than the average motherboard (£260 vs £160).
    £260 vs £160
  • 62.5% more expensive
    ASUS ROG Strix Z490 A Gaming is more expensive than the average motherboard (£260 vs £160).
    £260 vs £160
  • More basic motherboard chipset
    Chipset
    Intel Z490
    â–¼ Worse than 57% of models
    This motherboard has more basic motherboard chipset than the average motherboard (Intel Z490 vs Intel B860). The average motherboard uses Intel B860 chipset.
    Intel Z490 vs Intel B860
  • No TPM connector
    TPM connector
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 88% of models
    This motherboard does not have a TPM connector, while the average motherboard does. 88% of motherboards include a TPM connector.
  • Slower M.2 slot interfaces
    M.2 slot interface per slot
    1x PCIe 3.0 x4/SATA, 1x PCIe 3.0 x4
    â–¼ Worse than 64% of models
    This motherboard has slower M.2 slot interfaces than the average motherboard (1x PCIe 3x4/SATA, 1x PCIe 3x4 vs 1x PCIe 5x4, 2x PCIe 4x4). The average motherboard uses 1x PCIe 5.0x4, 2x PCIe 4.0x4 M.2 slot interfaces.
    1x PCIe 3.0x4/SATA, 1x PCIe 3.0x4 vs 1x PCIe 5.0x4, 2x PCIe 4.0x4
  • Older HDMI version
    HDMI version
    1.4
    â–¼ Worse than 55% of models
    This motherboard has older HDMI version than the average motherboard (1.4 vs 2.1). The average motherboard supports HDMI 2.1.
    1.4 vs 2.1
  • 1 fewer PS/2 ports
    N. of PS/2 ports
    0
    â–¼ Worse than 59% of models
    Market range: <0 – >1
    This motherboard has fewer PS/2 ports than the average motherboard (0 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 PS/2 port/s.
    0 vs 1
  • No Wi-Fi connectivity
    Wi-Fi connectivity
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 50% of models
    This motherboard does not support Wi-Fi connectivity, while the average motherboard does. 50% of motherboards support Wi-Fi connectivity.
  • No Wi-Fi antenna included
    Wi-Fi antenna included
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 51% of models
    This motherboard does not include a Wi-Fi antenna, while the average motherboard does. 51.1% of motherboards include a Wi-Fi antenna.
  • 1 fewer ARGB headers
    N. of ARGB headers (3-pin)
    1
    â–¼ Worse than 51% of models
    Market range: <0 – >3
    This motherboard has fewer ARGB headers than the average motherboard (1 vs 2). The average motherboard has 2 ARGB header/s.
    1 vs 2
  • 61 mm wider
    Width
    305 mm
    â–¼ Worse than 85% of models
    Market range: <170 mm – >320 mm
    This motherboard is wider than the average motherboard (305 mm vs 244 mm). The average motherboard width is 244 mm.
    305 mm vs 244 mm
  • 1 A lower pump header current limit
    Pump header max current
    1 A
    â–¼ Worse than 56% of models
    Market range: <0 A – >3 A
    This motherboard has a lower pump header current than the average motherboard (1 A vs 2 A). The average motherboard provides pump header current of 2 A.
    1 A vs 2 A

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

Third-party reviews

Based on 303 buyer reviews from online shops.
Reviews last updated: May 2026 · How we calculate this
Read buyer reviews on Amazon →

What we like about ASUS ROG Strix Z490 A Gaming

  • Distinctive white and silver cyberpunk-inspired aesthetics suitable for themed builds
  • Robust power delivery (VRM) capable of handling 10th Gen Intel CPUs under overclocking
  • Comprehensive rear I/O connectivity including USB-C and multiple USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports
  • User-friendly BIOS with intuitive overclocking and tweaking dashboards
  • Includes helpful troubleshooting features like BIOS FlashBack and an integrated I/O shield
  • Solid networking support with Intel 2.5 Gb Ethernet for high-speed wired connections

What we don't like about ASUS ROG Strix Z490 A Gaming

  • Lacks built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity out of the box
  • The 2.5 Gb Ethernet controller has been reported by some users to have stability or driver issues
  • HDMI output is limited to version 1.4b, supporting 4K at only 30Hz
  • Higher price point compared to entry-level Z490 options without offering significant extra features
  • Some internal connectors, such as the 8+4 pin CPU power, can be difficult to access in tight cases

Verdict

The ASUS ROG Strix Z490-A Gaming is a high-performance ATX motherboard designed for 10th Gen Intel Core processors, featuring an LGA 1200 socket and a robust 12+2 power stage VRM with ProCool II connectors for stable overclocking. It supports up to 128GB of DDR4 memory at speeds reaching 4600MHz (OC) and includes dual M.2 slots (one with a dedicated heatsink), Intel 2.5Gb Ethernet, and a pre-mounted I/O shield. Key pros include its striking silver-and-white cyberpunk aesthetic, AI-driven overclocking and cooling enhancements, and premium SupremeFX S1220A audio; however, it lacks built-in Wi-Fi and its HDMI port is limited to version 1.4b, capping 4K output at 30Hz.

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