ASRock PHANTOM GAMING Z790 Riptide WiFi Review: A Deep Dive
Table of Contents
Introduction
The ASRock PHANTOM GAMING Z790 Riptide WiFi motherboard is a feature-packed ATX board designed for gamers and enthusiasts seeking top-tier performance and connectivity. This review will delve into its features, performance, and overall value proposition, offering a detailed perspective based on thorough testing and real-world usage.
Features
The Z790 Riptide WiFi boasts a compelling set of features, catering to both high-end gaming and content creation needs. Key highlights include:
- PCIe 5.0 Support: Enjoy blazing-fast speeds for your graphics card and NVMe storage drives with PCIe 5.0 support.
- Dual Channel DDR5: The Riptide WiFi supports up to 192GB of DDR5 memory, providing ample bandwidth for demanding applications.
- Wi-Fi 7: Experience the next generation of wireless connectivity with Wi-Fi 7, delivering ultra-low latency and lightning-fast speeds.
- Killer 2.5G LAN: This motherboard is equipped with a Killer E3100G 2.5G LAN chip for high-speed wired network connections.
- Robust Power Delivery: The 16+1+1 power phase design with 90A SPS provides ample power for high-end Intel processors.
- Extensive Storage Options: With 5 M.2 slots, 8 SATA3 connectors, and support for RAID configurations, you’ll have plenty of storage options.
Performance
The Z790 Riptide WiFi delivers excellent performance, exceeding expectations in various benchmarks. Its PCIe 5.0 capabilities unlock impressive speeds for storage drives, significantly improving loading times and application responsiveness. The motherboard’s robust power delivery ensured stable operation under heavy loads, even with an overclocked CPU. The Wi-Fi 7 connectivity showcased its low latency and high bandwidth capabilities, ideal for online gaming and streaming. The Killer 2.5G LAN offered noticeably faster wired connections compared to traditional Gigabit LAN.
Pros & Cons
Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons of the ASRock PHANTOM GAMING Z790 Riptide WiFi:
Pros:
- PCIe 5.0 support for graphics and storage.
- Dual channel DDR5 support for high memory bandwidth.
- Wi-Fi 7 and Killer 2.5G LAN for exceptional connectivity.
- Robust power delivery system for stable operation.
- Extensive storage options with 5 M.2 slots and 8 SATA3 connectors.
- ASRock’s user-friendly BIOS and software utilities.
Cons:
- The price point may be higher than some competing motherboards.
- The large heatsink can potentially obstruct airflow in some cases.
Final Verdict
The ASRock PHANTOM GAMING Z790 Riptide WiFi is an excellent choice for gamers and enthusiasts seeking a high-performance motherboard with cutting-edge features. Its PCIe 5.0, Wi-Fi 7, and DDR5 support, combined with robust power delivery and extensive storage options, make it a compelling option for demanding applications. While the price may be a consideration, the overall value proposition is strong, making it a worthy investment for those seeking the latest technologies and top-tier performance.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Unique Feature | – PCIe Gen5 (Graphics, M.2) – Dual Channel DDR5 |
| Rock-Solid Durability | – Server-Grade Low-Loss PCB – 16+1+1 Power Phase, 90A SPS for VCore+GT with Enlarged Heatsink Armor – Flexible Integrated I/O Shield – 20K Long-lasting Black Caps (high quality and conductive polymer capacitors) |
| Ultrafast Connectivity | – Killer 2.5G LAN, 802.11be Wi-Fi 7 Module – ASRock Lightning Gaming Ports |
| EZ Update | – ASRock Auto Driver Installer |
| EZ Troubleshooter | – ASRock Post Status Checker |
| CPU | – Supports 14th, 13th & 12th Gen Intel® Core™ Processors (LGA1700) – Supports Intel® Hybrid Technology – Supports Intel® Turbo Boost Max 3.0 Technology – Supports Intel® Thermal Velocity Boost (TVB) – Supports Intel® Adaptive Boost Technology (ABT) |
| Chipset | – Intel® Z790 |
| Memory | – Dual Channel DDR5 Memory Technology – 4 x DDR5 DIMM Slots – Supports DDR5 non-ECC, un-buffered memory up to 8000+(OC)* – Max. capacity of system memory: 192GB – Supports Intel® Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) 3.0 |
| BIOS | – 128Mb AMI UEFI Legal BIOS with GUI support |
| Graphics | – Intel® Xe Graphics Architecture (Gen 12) – 1 x eDP 1.4, supports max. resolution up to Full HD 60Hz – 1 x HDMI 2.1 TMDS Compatible, supports HDCP 2.3 and max. resolution up to 4K 60Hz – 1 x DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC (compressed), supports HDCP 2.3 and max. resolution up to 8K 60Hz / 5K 120Hz |
| Audio | – 7.1 CH HD Audio with Content Protection (Realtek ALC1220 Audio Codec) – Impedance Sensing on Rear Out port – Individual PCB Layers for R/L Audio Channel – Nahimic Audio |
| LAN | – 2.5 Gigabit LAN 10/100/1000/2500 Mb/s – Killer E3100G – Supports Killer LAN Software |
| Wireless LAN | – 802.11be 2×2 Wi-Fi 7 Module – Supports IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be – Supports 2.4GHz/5GHz/6GHz frequency band* – Supports 320MHz channel bandwidth with 6GHz frequency band* – 1 antenna to support 2 (Transmit) x 2 (Receive) diversity technology – Supports Bluetooth 5.4** – Supports MU-MIMO |
| Slots | CPU: – 1 x PCIe 5.0 x16 Slot (PCIE1), supports x16 mode* Chipset: – 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16 Slot (PCIE2), supports x4 mode* – 1 x PCIe 3.0 x1 Slot (PCIE3)* – 1 x M.2 Socket (Key E), supports type 2230 WiFi/BT PCIe WiFi module and Intel® CNVio/CNVio2 (Integrated WiFi/BT) – Supports AMD CrossFire™ |
| Storage | CPU: – 1 x Blazing M.2 Socket (M.2_GEN5, Key M), supports type 2280 PCIe Gen5x4 (128 Gb/s) mode* – 1 x Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_1, Key M), supports type 2260/2280 PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) mode* Chipset: – 1 x Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_2, Key M), supports type 2260/2280 PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) mode* – 1 x Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_3, Key M), supports type 2260/2280 PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) mode* – 1 x Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_4, Key M), supports type 2260/2280 PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) mode* – 8 x SATA3 6.0 Gb/s Connectors |
| RAID | – Supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and RAID 10 for SATA storage devices – Supports RAID 0, RAID 1 and RAID 5 and RAID 10 for M.2 NVMe storage devices |
| USB | – 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C (Front) – 2 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A (Rear) – 1 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C (Rear) – 6 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A (4 Rear, 2 Front) – 6 x USB 2.0 (2 Rear, 4 Front) |
| Connector | – 1 x eDP Signal Connector – 1 x Thermistor Cable Header – 1 x SPI TPM Header – 1 x Power LED and Speaker Header – 1 x RGB LED Header* – 3 x Addressable LED Headers** – 1 x CPU Fan Connector (4-pin)*** – 1 x CPU/Water Pump Fan Connector (4-pin) (Smart Fan Speed Control)**** – 1 x Chassis Fan Connector (4-pin)***** – 4 x Chassis/Water Pump Fan Connectors (4-pin) (Smart Fan Speed Control)****** – 1 x 24 pin ATX Power Connector – 2 x 8 pin 12V Power Connectors (Hi-Density Power Connector) – 1 x Front Panel Audio Connector – 1 x Thunderbolt™ AIC Connector (5-pin) (Supports ASRock Thunderbolt™ 4 AIC Card) – 2 x USB 2.0 Headers (Support 4 USB 2.0 ports) – 1 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Header (Supports 2 USB 3.2 Gen1 ports) – 1 x Front Panel Type C USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Header (20 Gb/s) |
| Rear Panel I/O | – 2 x Antenna Mounting Points – 1 x HDMI Port – 1 x DisplayPort 1.4 – 2 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A Ports (10 Gb/s) – 1 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C Port – 4 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A Ports (USB32_56 are Lightning Gaming Ports.) – 2 x USB 2.0 Ports – 1 x RJ-45 LAN Port – HD Audio Jacks: Line in / Front Speaker / Microphone |
| Software and UEFI | Software: – ASRock Motherboard Utility (Phantom Gaming Tuning) – Killer Control Center – ASRock Polychrome SYNC* UEFI: – ASRock EZ Mode – ASRock Full HD UEFI – ASRock My Favorites in UEFI – ASRock Auto Driver Installer – ASRock Instant Flash – ASRock Easy RAID Installer |
| Accessories | – 1 x User Manual – 2 x SATA Data Cables – 1 x ASRock WiFi 2.4/5/6 GHz Antenna – 1 x ARGB Splitter Cable – 1 x Thermistor Cable |
| Form Factor | – ATX Form Factor: 12.0-in x 9.6-in, 30.5 cm x 24.4 cm – 8 Layer PCB |
| OS | – Microsoft Windows® 10 64-bit / 11 64-bit |
| Certifications | – FCC, CE – ErP/EuP ready (ErP/EuP ready power supply is required) |
