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NZXT offers this N5 Z690 motherboard in both white and black versions for $ 239.99 . A price that places it in direct competition with the excellent MSI Z690 PRO-A. The Match is difficult but the atypical design of this N5 Z690 gives it a serious advantage. NZXT therefore seems to be on the right track to become a serious competitor to the biggest brands that are already well established.
Read more @ Overclocking (French)
We’ll be focussing on the N7 Z690 here, which has on-board 802.11ax Wi-Fi, PCIe 5.0 support, three M.2 slots for the latest SSDs. Its main feature, though, is the large shroud that covers the PCB, which is available in black or white. There are plenty of black motherboards out there, but relatively few white ones, but with white cases and graphics cards in hot demand, clearly owners of those will want to pair them with a white motherboard too.
Read more @ Forbes
We show in our video there is a setting in the BIOS of the NZXT N7 Z690 that encourages you to select your chosen CPU cooler. Behind the scenes this setting adjusts the power limits for your 12th Gen Intel CPU and that strikes us as a good way to help the novice PC builder who has no clue about PL1 and PL2 and just wants to get on with their life.
Read more @ KitGuru
In today’s review, we will be looking at the Gigabyte Z690 AORUS Xtreme WaterForce. By combining the flagship Xtreme motherboard with Gigabyte’s WaterForce line, we get a limited edition product of only 200 ever produced! Gigabyte uses the AORUS naming convention to serve as the company’s gaming-orientated line of Intel and AMD motherboards. These AORUS Z690 branded motherboards come in multiple models comprising of the Pro, Ultra, Elite, Tachyon, Master, and Xtreme, some of which overlap in features and suggested price points.
Read more @ TechPowerUp
There is an outside chance that you are unaware that NZXT sells motherboards, in which case you might find our previous N7 Z590 review useful so do please take a look. The main appeal of NZXT motherboards is that they look immaculate inside NZXT cases such as the H7 Flow, however here at KitGuru we also demand features and performance. Did the NZXT N5 Z690 really make me smile or is that a grimace of pain?
Read more @ KitGuru
It features ASRock’s newest 20 Phase SPS Dr.MOS Power Design and supports PCIE 5.0 slots for graphics cards, as well as memory speeds of up to DDR5 6400MHz (OC). For storage, it comes with 6 x SATA3 ports, 2 x Hyper M.2 (PCIe Gen4 x4) slots and 1 x M.2 (PCIe Gen3 x2 & SATA3) slot, which is more than enough for more most users. As far as expansion is concerned, it has 2 x PCIe 5.0 x16 slots, 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, and 1 x PCIe 3.0 x1 slot.
Read more @ FunkyKit
The NZXT N5 Z690 is the first of its kind amongst the rest of the motherboards sold by NZXT. This board is the first time we have seen a lower tier board compared to other boards they’ve previously released which have been typically seen as part of the “N7” line-up with the most notable feature being the clean shielding that covers pretty much all of the board and matches perfectly with NZXT’s own brand of cases. This newer N5 approach from NZXT forgoes the shields and instead focuses on making a board simplistic, full of features and as easy to build with as possible.
Read more @ eTeknix
As usual, NZXT hasn’t skimped on the packaging of its motherboards. The N7 Z690 comes in a bigger-than-you’d-expect box, providing ample protection. After removing the motherboard from the box, I readied it for installation.
My i7-12700K, 16 GB of RAM, and RTX 3070 joined the board and other components inside of the H7 Elite case without issue. Ports are placed thoughtfully and I was especially happy with the generous number of fan headers. After the installation was complete, I was left with a very good-looking system.
Read more @ GameRevolution
Two more design elements that will make the DIY enthusiast happy: First, M.2 latches mean no more losing those tiny screws. Second, the integrated I/O shield makes sure it’s never forgotten—and comes in handy in cramped cases where it’d be more difficult to maneuver. This is a feature that’s been appearing on higher-end motherboards the last few years, so it’s great to see it here.
Read more @ PCWorld
At over $600, the ASRock Z690 Taichi Razer Edition is a pricey alternative to the Taichi that includes more RGBs and native integration with the Razer Synapse ecosystem. If customizing your board and the attached lighting is key, the Razer Edition is a great choice in the premium motherboard space. Otherwise, there are better equipped and less expensive options available.
Read more @ Tom’s Hardware