Customer Ratings & Reviews

This motherboard (MOBO) is so nicely built and so well featured that it is clear to me that there was a passionate gamer development team behind the design of this board. Upgrading my factory Asus G16CH PC with this motherboard has increased my PC's aesthetics and utility dramatically with all of its high-end features, and it has also fully unlocked the power and potential of my Intel i7-13700F processor! The factory motherboard my desktop came with was abysmal. Not only did it lack many features that make it more relevant for modern gamers, but it also held back the full power of my Intel 13700F CPU, not allowing it to turbo up and limiting the power the chip could draw! This meant I was getting terrible performance on my games with CPU-intensive needs (like Helldivers 2) compared to my friends running the same processor. Enter this new motherboard. What Gigabyte has done with this Aorus Z70 Elite AX board is truly beautiful. For one, it was incredibly easy to build on. When I say you can tell gamers were behind the design, I mean that everything on this MOBO is reinforced and simplified for gamers who need to upgrade and expand out of the box and in the future! One of the best features are the EZ-latch M.2 SSD latches! Say goodbye to those freaking annoying tiny M.2 mounting screws that always get dropped and lost in the void of your PC cases and carpet. The latches make it super easy to plug in the M.2 and swivel into place with a gentle spring-loaded tension to hold your M.2 SSD drives securely! This MOBO has four PCIE 4.0 M.2 slots total: the primary one is up top with one of the most robust heatsinks I have ever seen on an out-of-the-box MOBO. If you want to run a toasty top-of-the-line PCIE gen 4 SSD in your PC, this mobo has you covered. There are three more PCIE 4.0 M.2 SSD slots complete with EZ-latch securement on each underneath a heat shield that I have pictured. Each slot has thermal shielding for your M.2 drives. I would have complete confidence running four M.2 SSD’s simultaneously in this build and not worrying about the GPU or other neighboring components roasting them. Speaking of thermals, according to HWmonitor, my whole system seems to be running cooler. The board is so well built, hefty, and reinforced with metal shielding that there is more capacity for heat to dissipate off of items like your RAM, SSDs, and even the chipsets themselves. Now, for the GPU mounting solution, I was very pleased to see a highly robust and reinforced PCIE slot that is labeled as “Ultra Durable PCIE Gen 5 Armor. From what I can tell slotting my 3060 GPU in, this is no mere boast. It feels ultra solid and makes me suspect that your GPU’s own mounting PCB would be the item to break before this MOBO’s PCIE slot would ever give. On that note, support your GPU, folks! They are getting too heavy these days not to use a support brace or prob! The I/O is another huge bragging point on this MOBO. It finally seems like companies are getting the notion that modern builds don’t need PS/2 port connectors for ancient mice and keyboards. Gamers today would much rather have plenty of USB-A ports, modern display connectors, and even the utility of a USB-C port on the I/O selection. This has NINE USB-A ports of various connection types! I am happy to report that this rear USB-C connector appears to be USB 3.2 Gen 2x2, able to support a theoretical 20GB/s transfer speed. I hooked up my Crucial X9 drive to it and was able to attain full 1gb read and write speeds on it! The front USB-C panel connector supports 10GB/s. For internal connectivity on the MOBO, I was very pleased to find plenty of fan headers and RGB headers to allow me to control my MSI AIO RGB cooler and RGB fans, all from the MOBO itself, with no adapters needed! This is super convenient and also highly gamer oriented. Altogether, I couldn’t be happier with my new MOBO. I am getting 20-30FPS more on games like Helldivers 2 with the new unlocked performance of my Intel 13700F CPU and I am happy to have support here for a 14th gen Intel CPU when I am ready to upgrade one day. Thank you, Gigabyte, for making such a robust and excellent MOBO! 5 out of 5 stars and I will be recommending to all of my friends!

Getting my hands on the GIGABYTE - Z790 AORUS ELITE AX and unboxing it was an exciting experience! The packaging was sleek and well-designed, with the motherboard securely nestled inside. Along with the board, I found the usual suspects: SATA cables, M.2 screws, a user manual, and a Wi-Fi antenna. The overall presentation was neat, making the unboxing process smooth and satisfying. Look and Feel The Z790 AORUS ELITE AX has a premium aesthetic. The matte black PCB, combined with stylish heatsinks and subtle RGB accents, makes it a great centerpiece for any build. The build quality feels solid, and the layout is well-thought-out, with clear labeling and accessible ports and slots. The integrated I/O shield is a nice touch, adding to the overall clean look. Installation Into PC Case I chose to buy a case from Gigabyte as well. The installation of the Z790 AORUS ELITE AX into the Gigabyte AORUS C500 GLASS case that I chose was pretty straightforward. The C500 GLASS case is spacious and well-designed for easy cable management. The motherboard fit perfectly, and the pre-installed standoffs made the mounting process a breeze. Connecting the front panel connectors, power supply, and other components was hassle-free, thanks to the clear labeling on the motherboard. Next, I installed an Intel Core i5 12th Gen i5-12500 Hexa-core processor. The LGA 1700 socket on the Z790 AORUS ELITE AX was easy to work with, and the CPU dropped into place without any issues. Securing the processor with the retention arm was straightforward, and attaching the cooler was equally simple. The motherboard's robust VRM design ensures stable power delivery to the CPU, which is crucial for maintaining performance. Gaming Tests I put the Z790 AORUS ELITE AX through its paces with some first-person shooters, including Call of Duty and Destiny 2. Using the built-in Wi-Fi 6E, I experienced smooth and lag-free online gaming sessions. The motherboard's networking capabilities are impressive, providing a reliable and fast connection. Both games ran at high settings without any hiccups, and the overall performance was stellar. BIOS Features and Overclocking Capabilities The BIOS on the Z790 AORUS ELITE AX is user-friendly and packed with features. Navigating through the settings was a breeze, thanks to the intuitive interface. Overclocking the Intel Core i5 12th Gen was straightforward, with plenty of options to tweak voltage, frequency, and other parameters. The motherboard's robust power delivery and cooling solutions helped achieve stable overclocks, enhancing overall performance. SSD and NVMe Hard Drive Issues One area where the Z790 AORUS ELITE AX fell short was when using all SSD and NVMe ports simultaneously. I encountered some issues with the system recognizing all drives, particularly when populating all M.2 slots. After some troubleshooting, it became clear that BIOS updates and proper configuration were necessary to resolve these issues. While it wasn't a deal-breaker, it's something to be aware of for users planning to max out storage options. Security Features The Z790 AORUS ELITE AX comes with a range of security features, including TPM support and secure boot. These features provide peace of mind, ensuring that the system is protected against unauthorized access and potential threats. The inclusion of these security measures is a testament to GIGABYTE's commitment to delivering a reliable and secure motherboard. Conclusion Overall, the GIGABYTE - Z790 AORUS ELITE AX is an excellent motherboard for gamers and enthusiasts. It offers a sleek design, robust performance, and a wealth of features that cater to various needs. Despite some minor issues with SSD and NVMe drive compatibility, the motherboard's strengths far outweigh its weaknesses. Paired with the Gigabyte AORUS C500 GLASS case and the Intel Core i5 12th Gen i5-12500, this setup delivers a fantastic gaming experience with plenty of room for customization and expansion.

I was excited to upgrade my motherboard. It was more than fine but the added storage, VRMs, and faster RAM was hard to pass on. I was familiar with the Gigabyte Aorus Z790 Elite family. It was the first time I had ever replaced a desktop motherboard. I was very pleased with the results. Unboxing the Aorus Elite AX, this thing feels like a tank. It felt solid and sturdy. Nothing cheap or flimsy. The first thing I noticed was the heat shields over all 4 SSD slots. This is an upgrade because there are thermal pads to help with heat management also. The motherboard was beautiful. It definitely felt premium to the touch. I was able to get everything hooked back up with no problems. I took my time which took almost 6 hours. I wanted to make sure I did it Right. I only have two SSDs at the moment. If you want to expand to more, I will have to remove the GPU. The Bios was interesting because you get more selection then on my previous prebuilt motherboard bios. All I did was turn on XMP for my RAM. Eventually, I had to adjust my Fan speeds because they were blasting loud. I mean loud which was almost unbearable. Now, I get the full advantage of my I7-14700KF! I mainly will use this for content creation. With the fast RAM speeds and the 4 SSD slots. It is a dream for anyone who wants to video edit. The reason for this I edit large files in 4k. The extra SSD storage slots allow for storage when I pre render files in Resolve Studio. I can now have one 4 TB SSD for cache only. The price isn't that bad either. You also get thunderbolt expansion if you want that. I did encounter one problem which is why I gave the review 4 stars. The main PCI slot latch broke when I removed my GPU for the first time. It still removes but this is supposed to be an extended latch. Yet, I question if it's durable. I didn't put that much pressure on it. Also, I wish there was another fan header by the RAM or CPU. They are all on the bottom. So, I had to run my fan cords in a weird funky way. Overall, this isn't a bad package. It's not budget but also so expensive you can't justify it. You also get RGB light and fan adjustment in the Gigabyte Control Center app. Plenty of USB ports, SSD capacity, and upgradability for RAM

positive side first, every other component works flawlessly with Windows 10. My board is straightforward. The M.2 slots are user-friendly and screwless. The power, reset, and HD LED cables connect into a larger plug, simplifying installation. I encountered some issues with the build. There was an issue with a bug in the onboard flash program. Using the GUI buttons during the flash process resulted in an error message. I found the fix was to double-click the BIOS file name instead of using the GUI buttons. However, the system wouldn't boot after flashing, requiring a cold boot by unplugging the power cord. Another minor inconvenience is the lack of a physical manual; you need to download a PDF. Womp womp The M.2 SSD installation is incredibly smooth: flip a tiny rotary lever to remove the included heatsink, insert the SSD, push it down, flip another lever, and the SSD clicks into place. The heatsink reattaches just as easily. It's a very slick design. My only gripe is that adding M.2 SSDs after the initial installation requires removing the video card, but that's a minor inconvenience. Overall, it's a great product. During the burn-in test, I maxed out the heat and experienced zero crashes. I’m really pleased with this build and highly recommend it.

Works. Alot of usb ports. No issues with the bios. Win

I replaced my acer oem board with this one and i gotta say its been amazing to see the jump in performance my rig has shown. Ive gotten lower remps overal and im now able to utilize intel xmp and set timings on the ram and use the speeds on the SSD'S also. Worth the price

Just the best in every aspect that you use it the way they made easy installation

The motherboard works well with i9-14900k (13 & 14th gen) support. Turned on out the box, bios makes sense. Good buy!

This was an open box fair deal, which omplies that everything still functions properly despite cosmetic imperfections or missing non essential components. However, the m.2 lock was broken off and I had to work on removing the lock and and install something working. I almost returned it. However, getting a board like this at the price I got it for is next to impossible so I kept going. Other things are wrong to like two of the usb ports not providing power to peripherals and the wifi card being dead (thankfully I use ethernet). This is a chance you take I guess, but don't sell something as working perfectly if it does not.

Its a nice MB that included every feature i reqiuire unlike a lot of the others. A lot of companies make you choose between one feature or another. It was in perfect condition and included everything as an open box buy. Works great.

I knew my build needed a serious upgrade, and the AORUS motherboard was ready to be the fearless commander of my rig. Setting it up felt like assembling a piece of military-grade tech. Everything from the sleek armor plating to the neatly organized ports screamed “performance powerhouse!” As soon as I fired it up, my PC came to life like a beast waking from hibernation. This board handles my Ryzen like a pro, giving it the room it needs to stretch its legs without so much as a hiccup in performance. Gaming? Butter smooth. Streaming? Effortless. And, yeah, I might’ve geeked out over the customizable RGB—because let’s be real, a little light show never hurt anybody. Only downside? The BIOS could use a revamp.

This board is excellent in performance but seems to have a problem with using three screens. It works on two screens but has excellent performance. The Q flash was something new I never experienced until now. I like using Q flash and never had any issues in building my PC

This is an amazing deal, it has plenty of m.2 spots and the cooling is impressive. So many covers this is the most fancy looking motherboard I've ever seen and at such a thrifty price. Excellent I O panel too. Can't go wrong buy this now! And such a cool boot logo!!

I bought an asus rog board before this and had nothing but blue screens constantly. Ruled it out as a faulty mobo. I went to best buy and they only had this one in stock for my i7 and it has been phenomenal. Zero issues a ton of nvme slots. And great argb

It worked out of the box the price it okay and it looks good enough for me and has all the necessary features

I have no problem with this board in general, it was easy enough to install as all motherboards are, however, after a few weeks of use I started getting crash errors. Ultimately after determining what it was and speaking with PC repair shop and other product experts, it was determined that the board itself had flaws. Perhaps a faulty solder point on the PCI-E bus because once i would start a graphically intense game, any game, I would crash out and be returned to desktop or freeze up and have to restart. After changing out the mother board, problem was gone. SO faulty board for sure but I do have other Gigabyte products in my rig that are working just fine after years of use. Also, do not use the Gigabyte control center(GCC) for anything other than your MOBO updates, after those are complete just delete the program...... it is one of the glitchiest programs I have had the displeasure to work with.

good mother board could be better if it had a couple more usb ports

You know how people are super loyal to brands like Apple? That's me but for Aorus.

I purchased two open-box of this motherboards, installed them, and they’re working perfectly. I got them at a 40% discount and plan to buy more.

This is my second Z790 motherboard. I was building my first PC and unfortunately, I messed up the first one lol beginner mistake. I’ve never had any issues with any Z790 motherboards. The all black design is really cool for the build and look I’m going for.