On the right you can find the PCI-E Power connector for additional power to the expansion slots when using SLI / CF, a USB 3.2 header, a thermocouple header, and the greatest invention in a new generation of motherboards. Try to guess what it is? Do you think it’s an auto overclocking button or CLR_CMOS? Maybe launching a secret RGB auxiliary for overclocking?
Read more @ Overclockers Ukraine (Russian)
Once again, as they have done for generations, ASUS has delivered a reliable well-endowed motherboard platform with the Z690 Maximus Hero. Connectivity is stacked from USB 3.2 to Thunderbolt and even M.2; a plethora of ports suitable for any consumer wanting to build a top-tier gaming machine are available. Adding to this, the latest Wi-Fi and 2.5Gbe solutions are integrated, and the latest Realtek chipset handles 7.1 audio.
Read more @ TweakTown
The ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Hero comes with nice goodies such as a GPU holder , a key ring and various ROG stickers. There are also some cables (ARGB & SATA), WLAN antennas and other accessories: M.2 Q-Latch twist lock, M.2 Rubber spacer for single-sided SSDs, Q-Connector for the front panel. On top of that comes the Hyper M.2 expansion card . Furthermore, a manual and a USB stick for important drivers are of course included in the box.
Read more @ Allround-PC (German)
The ROG Maximus Z690 series of this generation first made a breakthrough in appearance, weakened the oblique lines that brought the trend of its own, and introduced a digital array style, and equipped with a light effect display to provide RGB enthusiasts with more ways to play. Performance It still maintains the consistent good style of the ROG series, through the luxurious scale of 20-phase CPU power supply and unlocking the complete voltage and parameter adjustment items of the CPU and DDR5 memory, with all-round coverage of heat dissipation, ensuring that players have the challenge of overclocking.
Read more @ Chiphell (Chinese)
The motherboard is quite heavy because from the front we see a scattering of different heatsinks at once. With such a weight, you need to think about the metal plate on the back side, but it is not here yet. I would not be surprised if in the next generation it will be and possibly even completely copper for better heat dissipation.
Read more @ Overclockers Russia (Russian)
In terms of the power section, as for most of the boards on the Z690 chipset, there was a strengthening of the VRM compared to the predecessor on the Z590. And so we have as many as 20 phases with 90 A transistors from Intersil, which provides a load capacity that goes far beyond what you can get from the top Intel Core i9-12900K at home. The specification is similar to the above-mentioned MSI MEG Z690 UNIFY, providing two PCIe x16 slots with the option to work in x8 / x8 mode, as many as five M.2 connectors, a lot of high-speed USB 3.2 Gen 2 sockets and a Wi-Fi 6 network card.
Read more @ ITHardware (Polish)
It comes with an impressive 20+1 90A Power Stage design, easily one of the more robust in the Z690 lineup. Plus, everything from the VRM to all the M.2 mounts is heavily armoured with huge heatsinks and various cooling technologies to ensure maximum performance at all times. Connectivity is taken very seriously here too, with PCIe 5.0, onboard M.2 Gen 4.0, as well as a ROG Hyper M.2 PCIe Card. You get USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, and (20Gbps), and a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports (40Gbps, DisplayPort 1.4, and Thunderbolt Video supported).
Read more @ eTeknix
In our mind this makes the Strix almost impossible to buy, and the Hero a bargain. Part of this is based upon the aesthetic considerations. The Strix looks, dare we say it, a little cheap. Or, rather, cheaper than we’d expect a Strix to look. Normally that is the ROG range that has all the lighting bells and whistles and plenty of features, but in Z690 guise the Strix E is bordering on average. The ROG Maximus Hero on the other hand looks like a premium product, and has all the features and tricks up its sleeve that we’d expect to find on anything carrying that Republic of Gamers logo.
Read more @ OC3D
Underneath the heatsink, you’ll find a total of three M.2 slots for your high-speed storage needs. The first slot is connected to the CPU, while the bottom two are connected to the chipset, but you can get two more via the ROG Hyper M.2 expansion card if you need more. PCIe 5.0 is one of the new features available on the Z690 chipset motherboards but it’s currently supported on the first and second PCIe x16 slots, depending on your setup – x16 or x8/x8 configuration.
Read more @ Tech Critter
But it will be in its construction where it shines the brightest, with a VRM of 20 + 1 phases of 90A, a total of 5 M.2 slots adding its ROG Hyper M.2 card , and an impressive rear panel with dual Thunderbolt 4. Neither it overlooks incorporating the best sound integrated with a SupremeFX ALC4082 + DAC codec and Wi-Fi 6E. How will the 12900K behave on your socket? Let’s get started!
Read more @ Professional Review (Spanish)