Customer Ratings & Reviews

Pro: -Number of I/O ports -Up to 4 M.2 with EZ Latch -Big heatsink Con: -Control Center This is my fourth build with a Gigabyte board, and so far I have yet to have any major issues. They always have good features for the price. The Z790 Aorus Elite AX is no different, having a great build quality and a cleaner design aesthetic. This board is compatible with the LGA 1700 chipset, so Intel’s 12th to 14th gen. It has all the internal connection you’d expect from a motherboard of this class, and has more USB ports than competitors. The EZ Latch for the M.2 is great for quick installations, and something that should be standard on all motherboards. Their current software Control Center, in my opinion, is a downgrade from earlier versions removing some useful features. It also keeps trying to install unwanted software. Build and Features The board is well built, and has a premium look to it. The various heatsinks throughout the board are robust while keeping the design clean. There are plenty of headers, starting with six PWM fan headers, two at the top and four at the bottom. There’s headers for a front USB 3, front USB C, and two USB 2. For RGB headers, there’s a total of four. A 3 pin and a 4 pin at the top, and another set on the bottom. There are three PCIe slots, with the top GPU PCIe 5 slot being reinforced. There are a total of four M.2 slots, all of which are EZ Latch making it much quicker to install a drive. Every motherboard should have this feature. The top slot, with a chunky heatsink, connects directly to the CPU. The other three, hidden under one big heatsink, connect to the chipset. These are still PCIe gen 4 though. Towards the bottom of the board, right under the heatsink for the M.2, there’s a little bit of RGB that shines the light onto the bottom of the case. One of the reasons I prefer Gigabyte boards is the higher number of USB ports in the back panel. I have a lot of peripherals, so the more ports, the better. There are a total of ten USB ports, 4x USB 2, 3x USB blue 3.2, 2x USB red (10g), and a type C. Other ports include HDMI, DisplayPort, Optical audio, a mic in, and a line out. Functionality I have this paired up with the Intel 14700k and an AIO cooler and temperatures are looking good. All internal components are within normal range. At idle, it stays at about 30℃ and while gaming (except the CPU) stays between 35℃-40℃. Setting up was super easy as most of it is automated. The BIOS starts in easy mode so it’s less intimidating to configure. In this mode, I just needed to turn on the XMP profile for my memory and it was good to go. However, I did encounter a bug when I switched the memory profile. Even though it did switch it properly, I had to switch over to Advance mode to see the changes. A fan curve could also be set up within the BIOS, or later via Control Center. Advanced mode is where you can fully tune the system specs for overclocking. I didn’t mess with it that much outside the memory settings and mostly left it to auto. The Control Center software is a bit of a mixed back for me. It’s an all in one that lets you install or update drivers, control the RGB through Fusion, control fans, and overclock your system. On that, it works fine. However, when compared to previous versions, it no longer has the feature to show the system monitor panel (SIV from older version) to see all the temperatures. I now have to click on a system fan in Fan Control so that it’ll show the temperature readings from the board. It also keeps trying to install unwanted software like Norton during updates. In summary, this is a great board for its class. It looks good and has good features and performance. Simple things like the EZ Latch and many USB ports makes it an easy recommendation over other brands. There’s some bugs in the BIOS and their Control Center can use some improvements, but overall still a good choice.

I have long been a fan of Gigabyte motherboards and have used B and Z series before. However, the Gigabyte - Z790 Aorus Elite AX (Socket LGA 1700) Intel Z790 ATX DDR5 Wi-Fi 6E motherboard is a big step up from my past motherboards. Right away I felt the weight of this motherboard and thought man this thing has some serious heat sinks. I am just amazed at how well laid out this motherboard is. The fact that it has 4 M.2 slots is amazing and I like the new EZ- Latch system. I have always loved running SSD’s in Raid 0 but with two more slots I can now run Raid 10 or 1+0. I also like that all of the PCI-Express slots are X16. I like adding on extra PCI-E cards for sound and extra ports so I like how they are situated with the main one by itself and the other two beside each other far enough away from the main one to allow plenty of space for any Graphics card. This board comes with built-in Bluetooth and WIFI which is awesome because previously I had to use a PCI-E card for those features. It also comes with an antenna along with a couple of Sata cables and the handy G Connector to simplify your front panel connections. The Auros Elite Ax also has plenty of high speed USB connections with a USB-C Gen 2, three USB 3.2 Gen 1 and Two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports along with four standard USB type-A ports, HDMI and Display Port for those that may have to use on board CPU graphics in a pinch. The sound section includes a Mic in, line out 3.5mm as well as a S/PDIF optical digital audio out for premium sound output. This board is very well built and thoughtfully laid out inspiring confidence during the build process. I aslo like the Bios Gygabyte has compared to another top manufacturer I have used because it seems easier to use to me. Once your build is done you will have to download some drivers and you may want to update the Bios. All of these things are pretty straightforward if you know where to look on the Gigabyte website and are familiar with the BIOS update utility. In my opinion, this is a good choice for someone looking to build their own gaming or productivity rig. I would not hesitate to recommend it.

Replaced a mobo from 2021 socket lga 1200. Great to finally have all 4 m.2 slots at gen 4 speed now. The last mobo I had was 1 gen 4 via cpu and the other 2 gen 3. Now I cant finally say goodbye to my old wd 2tb hdd (from 2012) as it needs to be retired even though its still kicking. The all in G connector is an awesome touch for that quick install of the front io connectors. The faceless plate is new to me as well and is a nice touch.

The Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX Intel Socket LGA 1700 DDR5 Wi-Fi 6E ATX motherboard is a high-quality PC component with wide-ranging compatibility and tons of great features. It was one of the last pieces I needed for a new desktop system I’ve been slowly collecting parts for and I couldn’t be happier with the end result. This particular system I have been working on was intended to be used for a wide range of things including gaming, remote work, and even a media server. This Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX motherboard has done a great job of bringing all of the other pieces together to form a system that will not only last me a long time as is, but which also gives me the flexibility to upgrade many of the other parts along the way because of its compatibility with both 13th and 14th generation Intel processors. I am currently using an Intel Core i7-13700K 13th generation CPU with this system but I really like the fact that with this Z790, I can upgrade to one of the newer 14th generation processors down the road when they come down a bit more in price. In addition, since this Z790 offers four DDR5 memory slots, upgrading the RAM, if needed, will also be easy to do down the road. For now, I went with two 32GB sticks of Corsair Vengeance DDR5-5200 CL40 memory. Speaking of compatibility, it should be noted that it was very easy to find the compatibility lists for the memory and storage options that this motherboard support. I simply searched the internet for this exact motherboard and easily found the support page on the Gigabyte website. Once there, it was easy to find the compatibility lists which I used to make sure the parts I was using for my build are officially compatible with the Z790. One of the other important things you will find on this website is the installation package for the Gigabyte Control Center software. After setting everything up and installing Windows 11 on my newly built system, I noticed a pop-up suggesting that I download and install this software but when I clicked on the notification, I received a message stating there was a problem downloading the installer and that I should download it directly from the Gigabyte website which was easy enough to do and one of the first things I did since it makes it extremely easy to update the various drivers that are needed for everything to work properly. In addition to being able to easily update the various drivers, the Gigabyte Control Center software allows you to monitor the temperature of the system, modify fan speeds, and even control the RGB functionality of the motherboard if you have ARGB-compatible components. I ended up using the Cooler Master Hyper 622 Halo Black CPU cooler in my system which I was able to connect to one of the ARGB headers on the motherboard. As a result, I can control the RGB lighting for the two fans as well as any other lighting I may add down the road all in one place. I was initially a bit concerned with whether or not this particular CPU cooler would fit on the Z790 motherboard because of the integrated fully-covered MOSFET heatsinks right next to where the CPU sits but it actually fit perfectly which is another testament to just how compatible this motherboard is. While I’m on the topic of heatsinks, I also really like the thermal guard which covers the M.2 connectors. Once again, it is sized just right so that it does not interfere with the graphics card I installed directly above this section and it will help ensure the NVME hard drives I installed stay nice and cool and last a long time. Another really awesome feature is the EZ-Latch system that is used for both the main PCI-E graphics card connector (which is also designed to be much stronger than standard PCI-E slots due to its use of “Ultra Durable Armor”) and the M.2 connectors. There is a little lever that sticks up to make it much easier to release the graphics card since it is in a small little area between two thermal guards. The M.2 connectors also have an EZ-Latch Plue design which make it easy to install M.2 drives without needing any tools or screws. It is minor details like this that really show the quality and thought that was put into this Z790 motherboard. Overall, I am very impressed with this Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX Intel Socket LGA 1700 DDR5 Wi-Fi 6E ATX motherboard and I highly recommend it!

I recently had the pleasure of building a new PC with the Gigabyte Z790 AORUS ELITE AX motherboard, and it has been an impressive experience. This motherboard has exceeded my expectations in several key areas, and I’d recommend it for most builds if needed, provided you have a stable Intel chip (you can research this whole issue if curious). The first thing I noticed was the exceptional build quality. Gigabyte has done a fantastic job using premium materials, which gives the motherboard a solid and durable feel. The heatsinks are particularly impressive, providing excellent thermal management. Even during heavy loads, my system stays cool, thanks to these well-designed heatsinks. Plus, they add a sleek look to the overall design. Storage options were a major consideration for me, and the Z790 AORUS ELITE AX did not disappoint. With four M.2 slots (all covered by their own heatsinks) and SATA ports, expanding storage was a breeze. The motherboard also supports a wide range of connectivity options, including USB 3.2 Gen 2 and USB Type-C, ensuring fast data transfer speeds and compatibility with all my latest devices. I was also pleased with the variety of headers and support options available. From RGB headers to additional fan connectors, this motherboard covered all my needs. This level of customization made it easy to tailor my build exactly to my specifications. The solid metal panel coverings caught my eye as well. Not only do they enhance the durability of the motherboard, but they also contribute to a sleek and modern look. These coverings provide an extra layer of protection to the critical components, which is reassuring for longevity and reliability. Accessing the BIOS on the Z790 AORUS Elite was a breeze. The user-friendly interface allowed me to navigate and adjust settings with ease, whether updating firmware or tweaking performance settings. As someone who enjoys overclocking, I appreciated the robust support provided by this motherboard. Achieving high overclocks was straightforward, thanks to the comprehensive BIOS settings and the inherent stability of the board. One of the standout features for me was the compatibility with high-speed RAM. I had no issues pushing my RAM to its maximum rated speeds, ensuring that I could fully utilize the performance potential of my memory modules. This capability is crucial for my gaming and content creation needs, as high-speed memory makes a significant difference. My only real issue is the way the board supports dual vs single-channel frequency RAM. Check which slots you’re using when installing RAM sticks; otherwise, you’ll probably slot them into the wrong ones. There also isn’t a bunch of bloatware that you need to use to make anything work; in fact, you technically don’t need any of the GCC software to tweak anything, which I appreciate. In conclusion, my experience with the Gigabyte Z790 AORUS ELITE AX motherboard has been nothing short of excellent. Its exceptional build quality, efficient heatsinks, ample storage and connectivity options, solid metal panel coverings, easy BIOS access, and strong overclocking support make it a versatile and reliable choice. Additionally, the seamless compatibility with high-speed RAM ensures that I can achieve the best possible performance from my system. Whether you're a gamer, content creator, or PC enthusiast, I highly recommend this motherboard for your next build. Of course, the caveat to this whole review is it’s hard to recommend building a PC with socket LGA1700 as the newest Intel processors are right around the corner, along with the latest Intel news regarding 13/14th gen processors having stability issues.

The GIGABYTE - Z790 AORUS ELITE AX has been a much welcomed upgrade to my gaming PC setup. While it isn't too flashy it has plenty of features and has been performing excellent. Whether you are doing a fresh build or doing a motherboard swap this GIGABYTE motherboard has everything you need. Setting this up is straightforward if you have experience building PC's. I did a swap and it took me a couple hours. I ended up upgrading my AIO while I had the MOBO out so it took me a little longer than it should have. Couple things I really like about this motherboard over my old B model is the EZ latch system and the Wi-Fi 6E capability. I was pleasantly surprised when upgrading my M.2 drives that I didn't have to mess with the tiny screws. You just push the stick down and it clicks in place. Same thing with the latch to release the GPU. Smooth and effective. While I typically use an ethernet connection, having the capability to use super fast Wi-Fi is very nice. You get blazing fast speeds with the included Wi-Fi 6E antennae. The BIOS is easy to navigate. I got in there to turn on the XMP profile and tinker with some other things and it was a pleasant experience. I downloaded the GIGABYTE control center and let it do its thing with updates and it worked great. Took some time but all went well. If you're looking for a motherboard for a new build or upgrading an existing system, I recommend Aorus Elite AX. Has everything you need and will be a solid choice.

The Gigabyte - Aorus Elite AX (Z790 version) is an outstanding motherboard with tons of expansion. With a total of 4 M.2 slots, 4 DDR5 slots with a maximum of 192Gb of RAM, all 3 PCI-E slots are x16, and tons more make this motherboard a powerhouse and a great choice for expansion. This is also one of the latest and greatest Gigabyte motherboards and has Wi-Fi 6E built into the motherboard with an external antennae. The capability of having a total of 9!! USB ports is also another testament to the absolute abundance of expansion available on this motherboard. One thing to be aware of with this motherboard is the size of the heatsinks are quite big and close to the CPU, so clearance of your CPU cooler can be an issue. I ended up buying an AIO cooler due to the fact that the air cooler that I had was not able to fit due to the height of the heatsink. The RAM is also quite close to the CPU and could also cause an issue with clearance on your CPU cooler. Other than that one issue that I ran into when installing my CPU cooler, this motherboard was a pleasure to build in, with clearly labeled connectors, toolless M.2 slots, and tons of expansion I am really pleased with this motherboard.

Installation of the motherboard was easily completed; the motherboard was clearly labeled as to what went where. Setting up the BIOS took some time as to the many features available for customization. Installation of my SSDs with the EZ-latch system, made it quicker than trying to fasten all those tiny screws. This motherboard will allow the use of the latest generation of M.2 SSDs. Imagine being able to run four M.2 SSDs at once. Each M.2 SSD slot is covered with a heat shield to dissipate heat. I found that even with the additional SSDs and better GPU the system’s internal cooling was better than what I originally had previously. The system was actually running a few degrees cooler. The build quality of the motherboard is well thought out. The complete board is sturdy enough to hang the heaviest of components like your Graphics Processing Unit without fear they will fail/fall. There are plenty of USB ports both type A and C. More Type A than C. The designers of this motherboard must have asked true gamers what they needed in a motherboard. All my wants have been incorporated in this one.

When building my new computer, this motherboard seemed to fit the bill and price. Inside the box, you get several items that are actually very useful: - Q Connector - this makes it easy to connect the front panel connectors from your case to the motherboard as one giant "block". This saves a lot of time instead of trying to use tweezers to get the tiny individual connectors onto the right pins, only to realize you have them backwards! (by the way, the connector with the triangle/arrow means it is the positive end) - M.2 Thermal Pad - This helps with the transfer of heat from your M.2 to the aluminum heatsinks that are already on the motherboard. Note that some of the heatsinks, such as the main gray one near the graphics card slot, already has the thermal pad installed. Just be sure to peel the protective adhesive film before use! - WiFi Antenna - Easily stands by itself, and helps increase sensitivity to weaker WiFi signals Other things that I really like about this motherboard: - USB 3.2 for the front panel *as well as USB-C*! Having front USB-C is very convenient for the external high speed SSDs. Plugging into the rear USB-C on my old computer was inconvenient. - Reinforced PCIe x16 - seeing the metal reinforcement around this slot is a nice touch especially with graphics cards getting larger and heavier with each new iteration - Large heatsink for primary M.2 drive - 2.5 Gb Ethernet for futureproofing - Q Flash allows me to update the BIOS without CPU/RAM/GPU attached All in all, the build was pretty seamless and the BIOS was easy to navigate. I like that the BIOS is graphical and looks nice while also being easy to understand the settings.