Intel Core i9-12900K & Core i5-12600K Alder Lake CPU Review Ft. Z690 AORUS Master, MSI MPG Z690 Carbon WiFi, & G.Skill Trident Z5 DDR5-6000 Memory

Intel has finally unleashed a sub-10nm (officially the Intel 7 process, which is comparable to TSMC 7nm) desktop CPU with its 12th Gen Alder Lake processors and the company’s multi-year slippage at 14nm is officially over.

The Alder Lake architecture also features a plethora of innovative changes including a hybrid architecture with big.SMALL design features p and e-cores as well as a new hardware scheduling technology that will go live in Windows 11.

The company has largely been stagnant in the consumer desktop space. The main reason for this stagnation has been Intel's reliance on its 14nm process node and Skylake architecture which has served the desktop space since 2015 up till 2020 (10th Generation Comet Lake) while Intel's 10nm process dilemmas and yields couldn't keep up with Skylake in mainstream desktop space. To build up its 10nm inventory for a mass consumer launch, Intel did release an intermediate platform, the Z590, and the respective 11th Gen Rocket Lake lineup with a new architecture but limited to just 8 cores due to power scaling and inefficiency on the 14nm process node.

One of the issues and an ongoing one is the competitive threat from AMD's Ryzen processors which aren't only tackling Intel in terms of pure core count but also in terms of IPC which has exceeded Skylake levels and also pricing in which AMD has simply made Intel's once iconic Core i5 and Core i7 lineups disappear from the game. Despite the newer architecture, the Rocket Lake CPUs proved not to be competitive in the multi-threaded space and Ryzen 5000 CPUs even offered better gaming performance in several AAA titles.

There's another key department where Intel still holds the lead over AMD which is due to the process maturation of the 14nm node over the years. In terms of clock speeds, Intel has taken the battle to AMD which makes sense in a way since while their remerged rival can beat them in terms of price, cores, they can surely flex their muscles in terms of clock speeds, however, AMD has been knocking the socks off Intel with its impressive gen-over-gen IPC gains which invalidate the clock speed gains that intel has been so proud of. Those clock speeds also come at a big disadvantage on the existing 14nm node and that's power consumption. Intel Desktop CPUs are no longer the king in terms of efficiency.

Intel 12th Gen vs AMD Ryzen 5000 Desktop CPU Prices:

Intel CPU	Cores / Threads	Clocks (Max)	Price (MSRP)	Prices (Newegg) - 01/11/2021	Prices (Newegg) - 01/11/2021	Price (MSRP)	Clocks (Max)	Cores / Threads	AMD CPU
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	$749.99 US	$799 US	4.7 GHz (105W)	16/32	AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
Intel Core i9-12900K	16/24	5.2 GHz (241W)	$589 US (K) $564 US (KF)	$649.99 K $629.99 KF	$559.99 US	$549 US	4.6 GHz (105W)	12/24	AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
Intel Core i7-12700K	12/20	5.0 GHz (190W)	$409 US (K) $384 US (F)	$449.99 K $419.99 KF	$394.99 US	$449 US	4.7 GHz (105W)	8/16	AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
Intel Core i5-12600K	10/16	4.9 GHz (150W)	$289 US (K) $264 US (KF)	$319.99 K $299.99 KF	$309.99 US	$299 US	4.6 GHz (65W)	6/12	AMD Ryzen 5 5600X

So this year, Intel has decided to launch a second architecture overhaul, and oh boy! It's a big one. Enter Alder Lake, a brand new approach to x86 consumer processors which feature two key cores technology and come with a brand new platform that is outfitted with the next-generation features such as DDR5 and PCIe 5.0. The Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake lineup will include the top to bottom i9, i7, i5, and i3 chips.

Main features of Intel's Alder Lake Desktop CPUs include:

• Intel 7 Process Technology
• Performance hybrid architecture, combing P-Cores and E-Cores
• Intel Thread Director
• Core architecture featuring performance improvements
• Up To 19% IPC increase
• Up To 16 Cores (8 P-Cores + 8 E-Cores) and 24 threads
• Increased L2 cache and L3 shared Intel Smart Cache
• DDR5 Support (Up To 4800 MT/s)
• Processor PCIe 5.0 (up to 16 lanes)
• Chiplet PCIe 4.0 (up to 12 lanes)
• Integrated WiFi 16E Support
• Up To 8 DMI 4.0 lanes
•  Core and memory overclocking enhancements
• Enhanced Intel UHD graphics driven by Xe architecture

Their main competitor is still the AMD Ryzen 5000 lineup based on the Zen 3 architecture that was introduced back in Q4 2020 and based on the Zen 3 core architecture. For this review, I'll be putting the Core i9-12900K and the Core i5-12600K to test on two Z690 motherboards, the Z690 AORUS Master and the MSI MPG Carbon WiFi.

Intel's Alder Lake-S desktop CPU platform will feature support on LGA 1700 socket which made is a brand new socket design. The Alder Rocket Lake-S processors will be launching alongside the 600-series motherboards and won't be compatible with existing LGA 1200 socket motherboards such as Z590 and Z490. In addition to the flagship Z690 motherboards, B660 motherboards will support memory overclocking which has been highly anticipated by budget PC builders.

Intel Z690 Platform Features:

The 11th gen desktop platform has a range of new features that mainly include:

• Support for LGA 1700 Intel Core / Pentium Gold / Celeron Processors
• TDP Support Up To 125W
• DDR5-4800 / DDR4-3200 Support For Alder Lake Desktop Processors
• Support For Intel Wireless-AX (CNVi)
• Up To 16 PCIe Gen 5.0 Lanes (Discrete GPU via CPU Only)
• Up To 12 PCIe Gen 4.0 Lanes
• Up To 16 PCIe Gen 3.0 Lanes
• 8x SATA III ports (6 Gbps)
• 4x USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 20 Gbps
• 10 USB 3.2 Gen 2x1 10 Gbps
• 10 USB 3.2 Gen 1x1 5 Gbps
• 14 USB 2.0
• x8 DMI Gen 4.0 (CPU-PCH Interconnect)
• IRST 17 for PCIe storage RAID on CPU & PCH Support
• Hardware-Level PCIe Gen 4 Integration from various board vendors
• Optane Memory Ready
• Thunderbolt 4.0
• Integrated Intel 2.5G Base-T Ethernet
• Integrated Intel WiFi 6E Support

Another interesting thing to talk about the Z690 PCH is its process node and dimensions. The Z690 PCH is based on the 14nm node and measures at 98mm2 which is slightly larger than the Z590 PCH featured on LGA 1200 socket motherboards.

Intel Desktop Platform Chipset Comparison

Chipset Name	Arrow Lake-S (ARL-S) PCH / 800 Series (Z890)	Raptor Lake-S (RPL-S) PCH / 700 Series (Z790)	Alder Lake-S (ADL-S) PCH / 600 Series (Z690)	Rocket Lake-S (RKL-S) PCH / 500 Series (Z590)	Comet Lake-S (CML-S) PCH / 400 Series (Z490)	Coffee Lake S (CFL-S) PCH / 300 Series (Z390/H370, B360, Q370, H310)	Coffee Lake S (KBL-R) PCH / Z370 Platform
Process Node	7nm	14nm	14nm	14nm	14nm	14nm	22nm
Processor	24C, 20C, 14C, 12C, TBD)	24,16C,12C,10C,6C,4C	16C,12C,10C,6C,4C (Full corporate/consumer SKU stack at launch)	8C, 6C (Full corporate/consumer SKU stack at launch)	10C, 8C, 6C, 4C, 2C (Full corporate/consumer SKU stack at launch)	8C, 6C, 4C, 2C (Full corporate/consumer SKU stack at launch)	8C, 6C, 4C (6 Consumer SKUs at Launch)
Memory	Up To DDR5-6400 (Native)	Up To DDR5-5600 (Native) Up To DDR4-3200 (Native)	Up To DDR5-4800 (Native) Up To DDR4-3200 (Native)	Up To DDR4-3200 (Native)	Up To DDR4-2933 (Native)	Up To DDR4-2666 (Native)	Up To DDR4-2666 (Native)
Media, Display & Audio	eDP / 4DDI (DP, HDMI) Display Capabilities	eDP / 4DDI (DP, HDMI) Display Capabilities	eDP / 4DDI (DP, HDMI) Display Capabilities	DP 1.2 & HDMI 2.0, HBR3 HDCP 2.2 (HDMI 2.0a w/LSPCON) 12-bit AV1/HEVC & VP9 10-bit Enc/Dec, HDR, Rec.2020, DX12 Integrated Dual-Core Audio DSP With USB Audio offload SoundWire Digital Audio Interface	DP 1.2 & HDMI 1.4 HDCP 2.2 (HDMI 2.0a w/LSPCON) HEVC & VP9 10-bit Enc/Dec, HDR, Rec.2020, DX12 Integrated Dual-Core Audio DSP SoundWire Digital Audio Interface	DP 1.2 & HDMI 1.4 HDCP 2.2 (HDMI 2.0a w/LSPCON) HEVC & VP9 10-bit Enc/Dec, HDR, Rec.2020, DX12 Integrated Dual-Core Audio DSP SoundWire Digital Audio Interface	DP 1.2 & HDMI 1.4 HDCP 2.2 (HDMI 2.0a w/LSPCON) HEVC & VP9 10-bit Enc/Dec, HDR, Rec.2020, DX12 Integrated Dual-Core Audio DSP
I/O & Connectivity	Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20G) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi6E/ 7 BT CNVio) with Gig+ Integrated SDXC 4.0 Controller Thunderbolt 4.0	Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20G) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi6E/ 7 BT CNVio) with Gig+ Integrated SDXC 4.0 Controller Thunderbolt 4.0	Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20G) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi6E/ 7 BT CNVio) with Gig+ Integrated SDXC 4.0 Controller Thunderbolt 4.0	Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20G) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi6E/ BT CNVi) Integrated SDXC 3.0 Controller Thunderbolt 4.0 (Maple Ridge)	Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2 Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi / BT CNVi) Integrated SDXC 3.0 Controller Thunderbolt 3.0 (Titan Ridge) w/ DP 1.4	Integrated USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi / BT CNVi) Integrated SDXC 3.0 Controller Thunderbolt 3.0 (Titan Ridge) w/ DP 1.4	Integrated USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) Thunderbolt 3.0 (Alpine Ridge)
Storage	PCIe 5.0 (CPU Lanes), 8x SATA 3.0	Next-Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 5.0 (CPU Lanes), 6x SATA 3.0	Next-Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 5.0, 6x SATA 3.0	Next-Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 4.0, 6x SATA 3.0	Next-Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 3.0, 6x SATA 3.0	Next Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 3.0, 6x SATA 3.0	Next Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 3.0, 6x SATA 3.0
Max PCH PCIe Lanes	Up To 24 (Gen 4)	Up To 20 (Gen 4) Up To 8 (Gen 3)	Up To 12 (Gen 4) Up To 16 (Gen 3)	Up To 24 (Gen 3)	Up To 24 (Gen 3)	Up To 24 (Gen 3)	Up To 24 (Gen 3)
Max CPU PCIe Lanes	Up To 20 (Gen 5) Up To 4 (Gen 4)	Up To 16 (Gen 5) Up To 4 (Gen 4)	Up To 16 (Gen 5) Up To 4 (Gen 4)	Up To 20 (Gen 4)	Up To 16 (Gen 3)	Up To 16 (Gen 3)	Up To 16 (Gen 3)
Max USB Ports	Up To 5 (USB 3.2 Gen 2z2) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x1) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 1x1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0)	Up To 5 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x2) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x1) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 1x1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0)	Up To 4 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x2) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x1) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 1x1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0)	Up To 3 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x2) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x1) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 1x1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0)	Up To 10 (USB 3.2) Up To 14 (USB 2.0)	Up To 10 (USB 3.1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0)	Up To 10 (USB 3.0) Up To 14 (USB 2.0)
Security	Intel TET Intel Boot Guard	N/A	N/A	N/A	Intel SGX 1.0	Intel SGX 1.0	Intel SGX 1.0
Power Management	C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby	C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby	C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby	C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby	C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby	C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby	C8 Support
Launch	2024	2022	2021	2021	2019	2018	2017

Meet The LGA 1700 Socket - 12th Generation CPU Support

As mentioned earlier, LGA 1200's reign is finally over and the LGA 1700 socket is here now. The new socket adds more pins to the socket and changes the dimensions entirely. The new LGA 1700 socket offers 500 more pin connections to the CPU, allowing for more communication channels with the board itself and accommodating electrical pin configurations that are required to support 12th Gen CPUs.

So as for the socket details, Intel is going with an asymmetrical design which poses since the Alder Lake CPUs are no longer square-shaped. The Alder Lake desktop CPUs will come in a 37.5x45.0mm package and will be supported by the 'V0' socket which we know as LGA 1700. The new socket also changes the mounting positions to a 78x78mm grid rather than a 75x75mm grid. The Z-height has also changed to 6.529mm compared to 7.31mm on the previous LGA 12**/115* sockets.

Specifications
Intel LGA1700 Socket details
IHS to MB Height (Z-Stack, validated range):	6.529 – 7,532 mm
Thermal Solution Hole Pattern:	78 x 78 mm
Socket Seating Plane Height:	2.7 mm
Maximum Thermal Solution Center of Gravity Height from IHS:	25.4 mm
Static Total Compressive Minimum:	534N (120 lbf), Beginning of Life 356 N (80 lbf)
End of life maximum:	1068 N (240 lbf)
Socket Loading:	80-240 lbf
Dynamic Compressive Maximum:	489.5 N (110 lbf)
Maximum Thermal Solution Mass:	950 gm
Important Note:	A Keep In Zone is introduced for LGA17xx-18xx thermal solutions. Two volumes are provided. The Asymmetric volume provides the maximum available design space. The Symmetric volume provides for designs to be rotatable on the board. The thermal solution under load should fit within the volume

What's interesting is that the Alder Lake CPUs use an asymmetrical design and while we don't know how the dies will be positioned under the IHS, we do know from AMD Threadripper that CPUs that carry such design require full IHS coverage and that may be the tricky part when it comes to cooling the brand new Alder Lake CPUs. So far, we know that Alder Lake will be a monolithic yet hybrid CPU design so it remains to be seen how cooling is handled for these 12th Generation chips.

Cooler Compatibility With LGA 1700 Socket

To make their existing coolers compatible with Intel's Alder Lake lineup, many cooling brands have released LGA 1700 upgrade kits which feature mounting hardware for the new socket. But the Intel Alder Lake platform isn't just featuring a brand new mounting design but the CPU dimensions itself have changed too.

The LGA 1700 (V0) socket not only has an asymmetrical design but also comes with a lower Z-stack height. This means that proper mounting pressure is needed to make full contact with the Intel Alder Lake IHS. Certain cooler manufacturers have already been using larger cold plates for Ryzen and Threadripper CPUs to make proper contact with the IHS but these are mostly higher-end and new cooling designs. Those who are still running older AIOs with round cold plates could have trouble maintaining the required pressure distribution which could lead to inadequate cooling performance.

Cooling will play a major role in determining the performance of Intel's Alder Lake CPUs, especially the unlocked lineup, which as per the leaked benchmarks, runs really hot. Users will have to utilize the best of the best cooling hardware to maintain an adequate temperature & more so if they are planning on overclocking the chips.

We know from the official announcement that Intel's 12th Gen Alder Lake Desktop CPUs will be available in two main die configurations. These include an 8+8 (C0) die which will be featured on high-end unlocked and non-K SKUs and a 6+0 (H0) die that will be used for non-K SKUs. All of the dies are based on the 10nm ESF process node (Intel 7) and feature a smaller die size compared to 14nm SKUs.

Intel Alder Lake CPU Dies, Hot Spots & Best Cooling Configurations

The Intel Alder Lake C0 die has a surface area of 215.25mm2 while the H0 die has a surface area of 162.75mm2. This means that as the area shrinks and transistor density increases, heat dissipation will become a major challenge. The CPUs will use a Tin TIM material between the die and IHS along with a soldered design. Just for comparison, the 14nm Rocket Lake CPUs with 8 cores & 16 threads had a surface area of 276mm2.

Since both Alder Lake dies have a different core configuration, their hot spots are also different. As shown in the thermal imagery by MSI, the C0 (8+8) die has its hot spot close towards the center but the H0 (6+0) die has its hot spot slightly towards the left side. So it will be important to use the right cooling configuration based on the SKU you are getting.

For this purpose, MSI has shown some best cooling configurations to use with the Intel Alder Lake CPUs. For starters, it is suggested that copper-based heatsinks are used instead of aluminum ones. The positioning will also play an important role as you are advised to have the heat pipes running parallel to the die and not perpendicular. The parallel configuration will ensure that the heat pipes are making direct contact over the hot spots and not making inefficient contact.

The Intel Alder Lake-S Desktop CPU lineup will include the 12th Gen Core processors. Intel will kick off its lineup with the introductory 'K' and 'KF' chips which will be followed by more mainstream variants in the following weeks (early 2022 around CES).

The architecture has seen several optimizations and key refinements that have led to an increase from 8 cores and 16 threads to 16 cores and 24 threads. The new 10nm ESF (Intel 7) process retains Intel's clock leadership, pushing the chips up to 5.2 GHz.

Intel’s Alder Lake will be built using the company’s new E and P cores, you can read the architectural deep dive over here, and represent a significant evolution in the company’s power efficiency targets. It will be built on the Intel 7 process and scale from 9 watts to 125 watts. DDR5 and PCIe gen5 will be supported (first to market) and feature new technologies like the Intel Thread Director.

Alder Lake will be fully scalable from Desktop (LGA1700) to ultra-mobile. Interestingly, however, while the platform has 8 P-cores and 8 E-cores, only the P-cores will support hyperthreading making for a total of 24 threads available. The integrated GPU will have 96 EUs of Xe architecture (good but nothing to write home about) but the thing that impressed us the most was the fact that Intel is claiming a 19% IPC uplift over Rocketlake – which should handily beat AMD parts if true.

Alder Lake will feature up to 30 MB of noninclusive LL Cache and support DDR5-4800, LP5-5200 along with DDR4-3200, and LP4x-4266. It will also support two times the PCIe bandwidth thanks to its support of PCIe 5 and will be able to provide up to 16 lanes of PCIe Gen5 with up to 64 GB/s. The new design is fully modular and built like lego and should be completely scalable and flexible. The compute fabric interconnect has a bandwidth of 1000 GB/s while the IO fabric has a BW of 64 GB/s. The memory subsystem supports up to 204 GB/s but more importantly can scale memory frequency (and power) according to the need of the SoC

Intel Core i9-12900K 16 Core / 24 Thread Desktop CPU

The Intel Core i9-12900K will be the flagship chip in the 12th Gen Alder Lake Desktop CPU lineup. It will feature 8 Golden Cove cores and 8 Gracemont cores for a total of 16 cores (8+8) and 24 threads (16+8). The P-cores (Golden Cove) will operate at a maximum boost frequency of up to 5.3 GHz with 1-2 active cores and 5.0 GHz with all-cores active while the E-cores (Gracemont) will operate at 3.90 GHz across 1-4 cores and up to 3.7 GHz when all cores are loaded. The CPU will feature 30 MB of L3 cache and TDP values are maintained at 125W (PL1) and 241(PL2).

The CPU is said to feature a 1st stage power limit of 125W which is standard for a flagship Intel SKU and the 2nd stage power limit or PL2 is rated at 241W. This means that when hitting its maximum advertised clock speeds, the CPU could end up pulling even higher wattage from the PSU. Overall performance creation is also seeing a giant leap in performance across the board. Interestingly, however, if you want the same performance as an Intel Core i9 11900k, then you can drop the power consumption by 1/4 to 65W and get the same performance! This is an incredible leap in performance efficiency thanks to the e-cores.

The Intel Core i9-12900K will have an MSRP of $589 US which puts it $40 expensive than the Ryzen 9 5900X and $210 US cheaper than the Ryzen 9 5950X. The KF variant will be priced even lower at a $564 US MSRP.

Intel Core i7-12700K 12 Core / 20 Thread Desktop CPU

Moving over to the Core i7, Intel will offer 8 Golden Cove cores but cut down the Gracemont cores to 4. This will result in a total of 12 cores (8+4) and 20 threads (16+4). The P-cores (Golden Cove) will operate at a maximum boost frequency of up to 5.0 GHz with 1-2 active cores and 4.7 GHz with all-cores active while the E-cores (Gracemont) will operate at 3.8 GHz across 1-4 cores & up to 3.6 GHz when all cores are loaded. The CPU will feature 25 MB of L3 cache and TDP values are maintained at 125W (PL1) and 228W (PL2).

As for pricing, the Core i7 will also be cheaper than the Core i9 variant at $409 US & $394 US (for the KF) variant. This puts it in the same price category as the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X which offers 8 cores and 16 threads at $449 US.

Intel Core i5-12600K 10 Core / 16 Thread Desktop CPU

Lastly, we have the Intel Core i5-12600K which will be the entry-level unlocked chip within the line. The CPU will carry 6 Golden Cove and 4 Gracemont cores for a total of 10 cores (6+4) & 16 threads (12+4). The P-cores (Golden Cove) will operate at a maximum boost frequency of up to 4.9 GHz with 1-2 active cores and 4.5 GHz with all-cores active while the E-cores (Gracemont) will operate at 3.6 GHz across 1-4 cores & up to 3.4 GHz when all cores are loaded. The CPU will feature 20 MB of L3 cache and TDP values are maintained at 125W (PL1) and 228W (PL2).

Now the main proving ground for this chip against the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X will be its performance to price value. The Ryzen 5 5600X with a $299 US MSRP is slightly higher in terms of pricing when we compare it to its predecessor. The Core i5-12600K on the other hand will be replacing the Core i5-11600K and will retain at $289 US standard and $264 US for the KF variant. This alone is cheaper than the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Based on performance and availability, the Core i5-12600K could indeed become a hot selling chip in the mainstream gaming market. With that said, we also have to take into account the availability of the Core i5-12600K. Technically, mainstream SKUs aren't affected a lot by supply issues as is the case with the Ryzen 5 5600X but a small delay in stock could result in Intel missing an opportunity to create a dent in AMD's Ryzen 5 segment. Consumers have already seen what AMD delivered as a successor to its Ryzen 5 3600X so now it's time to see if Alder Lake can really shake things up in the mainstream gaming segment.

Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake Desktop CPU Specs

CPU Name	P-Core Count	E-Core Count	Total Core / Thread	P-Core Base / Boost (Max)	P-Core Boost (All-Core)	E-Core Base / Boost	E-Core Boost (All-Core)	L3 Cache	TDP (PL1)	TDP (PL2)	Expected (MSRP) Price
Core i9-12900KS	8	8	16 / 24	3.4 / 5.5 GHz	5.2 GHz	2.4 / 3.9 GHz	3.7 GHz	30 MB	150W	260W	$739 US
Core i9-12900K	8	8	16 / 24	3.2 / 5.2 GHz	5.0 GHz	2.4 / 3.9 GHz	3.7 GHz	30 MB	125W	241W	$599 US
Core i9-12900	8	8	16 / 24	2.4 / 5.1 GHz	TBA	1.8 / 3.8 GHz	TBA	30 MB	65W	202W	$489 US $464 US (F)
Core i9-12900T	8	8	16 / 24	1.4 / 4.9 GHz	TBA	1.0 / 3.6 GHz	TBA	30 MB	35W	106W	$489 US
Core i7-12700K	8	4	12 / 20	3.6 / 5.0 GHz	4.7 GHz	2.7 / 3.8 GHz	3.6 GHz	25 MB	125W	190W	$419 US
Core i7-12700	8	4	12 / 20	2.1 / 4.9 GHz	TBA	1.6 / 3.6 GHz	TBA	25 MB	65W	180W	$339 US $314 US (F)
Core i7-12700T	8	4	12 / 20	1.4 / 4.7 GHz	TBA	1.0 / 3.4 GHz	TBA	25 MB	35W	99W	$339 US
Core i5-12600K	6	4	10 / 16	3.7 / 4.9 GHz	4.5 GHz	2.8 / 3.6 GHz	3.4 GHz	20 MB	125W	150W	$299 US
Core i5-12600	6	0	6 / 12	3.3 / 4.8 GHz	4.4 GHz	N/A	N/A	18 MB	65W	117W	$223 US
Core i5-12600T	6	0	6 / 12	2.1 / 4.6 GHz	TBA	N/A	N/A	18 MB	65W	74W	$223 US
Core i5-12490P	6	0	6 / 12	3.0 / 4.6 GHz	TBA	N/A	N/A	20 MB	65W	74W	~$250 US
Core i5-12500	6	0	6 / 12	3.0 / 4.6 GHz	TBA	N/A	N/A	18 MB	65W	117W	$202 US
Core i5-12500T	6	0	6 / 12	2.0 / 4.4 GHz	TBA	N/A	N/A	18 MB	35W	74W	$202 US
Core i5-12400	6	0	6 / 12	2.5 / 4.4 GHz	4.0 GHz	N/A	N/A	18 MB	65W	117W	$192 US $167 US (F)
Core i5-12400T	6	0	6 / 12	1.8 / 4.2 GHz	TBA	N/A	N/A	18 MB	35W	74W	$192 US
Core i3-12300	4	0	4 / 8	3.5 / 4.4 GHz	TBA	N/A	N/A	12 MB	60W	89W	$143 US
Core i3-12300T	4	0	4 / 8	2.3 / 4.2 GHz	TBA	N/A	N/A	12 MB	35W	69W	$143 US
Core i3-12100	4	0	4 / 8	3.3 / 4.3 GHz	TBA	N/A	N/A	12 MB	60W 58W (F)	89W	$122 US $97 US (F)
Core i3-12100T	4	0	4 / 8	2.2 / 4.1 GHz	TBA	N/A	N/A	12 MB	35W	69W	$122 US
Intel Pentium Gold G7400	2	0	2 / 4	3.7 GHz	N/A	N/A	N/A	6 MB	46W	N/A	$64 US
Intel Pentium Gold G7400T	2	0	2 / 4	3.1 GHz	N/A	N/A	N/A	6 MB	35W	N/A	$64 US
Intel Celeron G6900	2	0	2 / 2	3.4 GHz	N/A	N/A	N/A	4 MB	46W	N/A	$42 US
Intel Celeron G6900T	2	0	2 / 2	2.8 GHz	N/A	N/A	N/A	4 MB	35W	N/A	$42 US

G.Skill is one of the top memory manufacturers known to gamers and enthusiasts in the PC industry. The company has been specializing in the memory industry for several years and their memory kits are very popular among the masses. There are memory lines from G.Skill that have been the eye-catcher since the company was formed, Trident and Ripjaws.

Both of these series have now become the choice of enthusiasts and overclockers as they come with an impressive specifications list and some of the best design schemes on the market. With the launch of the DDR5 standard, G.Skill is introducing its brand new Trident lineup, the Trident Z5, which comes in high-speed flavors with Samsung ICs and many options to choose from.

For this particular testing, G.Skill sent me its Trident Z5' F5-6000U3636E-32TZ5S' 32 GB (16 GB x 2) kit which comes with clock speeds of 6000 MT/s. The memory kit consists of dual 16 GB DIMMs which make up a total of 32 GB in capacity. Following are the full specifications of the kit I'll be testing:

The Gigabyte / AORUS motherboard lineup is composed of 24 motherboards. The Z690 AORUS lineup comes with more enthusiast and gaming-specific features than the Gigabyte lineup while the Vision series is more so focused on the content creation segment.

Just like every generation, Gigabyte is focusing on a few key principles that will define its Z690 line's dominance.

These features include:

Better VRM Design:

• Up To 20+1+2 Phase, 105A Smart Power Stage, All ATX 16+ Phase

DDR5 Xtreme Memory Design:

• Ultra Durable SMD DDR5 Armor, Shielded Memory Routing, DDR5 Auto Booster, DDR5 XMP Booster, XMP 3.0 User Profile

Better Thermal:

• Fins-Array III, Thermal Guard III, Fully Covered Heatsink, All 6L 2x Copper PCB and Above

Faster Storage & Graphics Interface:

• Full PCIe 5.0 Hardware Design, Ultra Durable SMD PCIe 5.0 Armor, Up To 4x PCIe 4.0 M.2

Better Connectivity:

• Thunderbolt 4, 10 GbE LAN, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2, Front USB Type-C, All 2.5GbE and Above, WiFi 6E

As you can see, Gigabyte has a lot of new features to talk about so let's talk about the new VRM design that they are offering this generation. Gigabyte is going with a fully direct Digital VRM design that will comprise up to 20 VCore Phases (105A Power Stage), 1 VCCGT Phase (105A Power Stage), and 2 VCCAUX Phases (70A DrMOS). All ATX motherboards will be configured with a 16+ phase VRM design. Just like the previous generation, Gigabyte is using Tantalum Polymer Capacitors for higher efficiency and lower voltage while maintaining lower temperatures. Gigabyte has shown overclock data where they have achieved up to 8 GHz frequencies on LN2 cooling with their top-tier Xtreme design.

Moving over to DDR5 memory, Gigabyte has said that their motherboards are designed to support up to DDR5-8000 overclocked DIMMs out of the box in dual-channel mode. Furthermore, the brand new Xtreme memory design on Z690 motherboards includes DDR5 SMD DIMMs and the Shielded memory routing to minimize all noise and electrical interference to achieve higher performance. It also looks like Gigabyte has two modes for DDR5 voltages, a secure mode where the PMIIC will be locked at 1.1V and a Programmable mode which unlocks Native DDR5 voltage control & increases the overall memory overclocking performance and capability.

Gigabyte also features a new feature known as DDR5 Auto booster which can automatically increase native DDR5-4800 to 5000 Mbps with the click of a button within the BIOS. The same function is also included to boost XMP profiles that are validated by memory makers. So rather than sticking to the default XMP profiles, you end up with slightly faster XMP 3.0 specs for a free performance.

One of AORUS's & Gigabyte's strongest suites over the last few generations has been their cooling designs on motherboards. The Z690 series takes it to the next level with Fins-Array III. The new heat sink solution has almost double the per-fin surface area with extended fins and an increase of more than 900% in total. The heat sinks themselves are NanoCarbon Coated to enhance thermal radiation and have shown to be 10% cooler than the standard design.

Underneath these massive heat sinks is the Direct-Touch Heatpipe II solution which will comprise 8 mm heat pipes and feature a narrow gap design to dissipate heat more effectively. The same is true for M.2 heatsinks which are receiving a huge upgrade in the form of M.2 Thermal Guard Xtreme which features an extended fin design and even dual Heatpipe on top-tier Z690 boards.

Obviously, we can't move on without mentioning some features such as PCIe 5.0 where Gigabyte is offering up to two Gen 5.0 slots (x8 / x8 mode). The slots come with an SMD Iron Claw that reduces overall signal degradation while the multi-point stainless steel pins increase the overall durability of the slots. You also get up to 4 PCIe 4.0 x4 slots, Thunderbolt 4 support, 20 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports, and USB Type-C front panel headers on all Z690 motherboards, The top motherboards are outfitted with 10 GbE Aquantia LAN ports while you will find 2.5 GbE networking as a standard on all Gigabyte Z690 motherboards. There's also WiFi 6E support with brand new Antennas and you will find a new HEX ESS ES9080A 8x8 channel DAC line driver on the high-end designs.

The motherboard we got for testing is the Z690 AORUS Master which comes in as an enthusiast offering with a price tag of $469.99 US (Newegg). Talking about specs, the motherboard features the LGA 1700 socket which is powered by a 19+1+2 phase power delivery that makes utilizes the RAA229131 PWM controller and RAA2201105 (105A) MOSFETs for the VCore. The Vcc GT and Vcc AUX MOSFETs are spec'd at 60A & 70A respectively. The motherboard features four DDR5 DIMM slots which can support up to 128 GB capacities with speeds of up to 5600 MHz (OC+). The motherboard has a very futuristic look to it and also features a decent cooling setup on the VRMs which includes heatsinks that are made of proper aluminum fins and connected together through a heat pipe.

AORUS Z690 PRO AX Motherboard Features:

• Support 12th Gen Intel Series Processors
• Dual Channel Non-ECC Unbuffered DDR5, 4 DIMMs
• Direct 19+1+2 Phases VRM Design with 105A Power Stage and Tantalum Polymer Capacitor
• DDR5 XTREME MEMORY Design with SMD DIMM and Shielded Memory Routing
• Advanced Thermal Solution with NanoCarbon Fins-Array III Heatsink, Direct-Touch Heatpipe II, and NanoCarbon Baseplate
• Intel WIFI 6E 802.11ax 2T2R & BT5 with AORUS Antenna
• Audio Solution with ESS Sabre ES9118 125dB on Rear Audio​
• AQUANTIA 10GbE BASE-T LAN
• 5 x Ultra-Fast NVMe PCIe 4.0/3.0 x4 M.2 with Thermal Guards
• RGB FUSION 2.0 with Multi-Zone Addressable LED Light Show Design, Support Addressable LED & RGB LED Strips
• Smart Fan 6 Features Multiple Temperature Sensors, Hybrid Fan Headers with FAN STOP and Noise Detection
• Q-Flash Plus Update BIOS without Installing the CPU, Memory, and Graphics Card

Storage options include 6 SATA III ports while expansion includes 1 PCIe 5.0 x16, two PCIe 3.0 x4, and five M.2 ports (4 Gen 4 + 1 Gen 3). Two of the four M.2 slots feature Thermal Guard III heatsinks while the rest feature standard Thermal Guard II heatsinks with thermal pad cooling featured underneath them. The PCH heatsink is made up of a metallic grey finish while the IO cover has a matte black finish but does come with RGB LEDs that can be configured through the Gigabyte RGB Fusion software.

For I/O, AORUS features 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (Type-C), 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-C), 5 USB 3.2 Gen 2 (2 Type-A Rear + 1 Type-C Front), 4 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, Marvell AQtion AQC113C 10GbE LAN Port, WiFi 6E (2x antenna ports), 1 Display Port 1.4, 1 SPDIF port, Q-Flash Plus + Clear CMOS buttons and an HD audio jack that is powered by the Realtek ALC1220-VB CODEC.

The Z690 AORUS Master motherboard comes in the standard cardboard package. The front is themed in black and orange which has been part of the AORUS lineup for a while now. You can also note the AORUS Eagle logo on the front which looks great. The front side also lists down support for Intel's 12th generation Core processors while the motherboard is clearly labeled as a gaming product.

The backside of the package lists down the specifications and special features of the motherboard such as the Direct 19+1+2 Phase Digital VRM Solution, Advanced Thermal Design with Fins Array III / M.2 Thermal Guard III heatsinks, PCIe 5.0 design, DDR5 & XMP 3.0 support, and WiFi 6E.

Inside the package is another box that contains the accessories at the bottom. It is very easy to access although the accessories and each of them are nicely packed in three compartments.

Following is the full list of accessories in the package.

• Quick Installation Guide, User's Manual
• 4 x SATA Cables
• 2 x Thermistors
• 3 x Screws for M.2 Sockets
• 3 x Standoffs for M.2 Sockets
• 1 x Gigabyte G-Connector
• 1 x Antenna (WiFi)

The motherboard is housed above the accessories and has anti-static wrapping to protect it from any built-up electrical resistance that can affect the board.

The Z690 AORUS Master is a really cool motherboard with a unique and aesthetically pleasing design that should go well with almost any PC build. The motherboard carries tons of I/O and features in the $450-$500 US segment.

The Z690 AORUS Master motherboard features matte black and silver/grey colors. The pricing and quality of this product make it feel more premium than the previous generation Master offerings from AORUS. While the Z590 AORUS Master featured an ATX design, this time the Z690 Master has been upgraded to an E-ATX form factor. It also has a more futuristic look to it.

The board uses the LGA 1700 socket to support Intel Core processors. The socket is compatible only with Intel's 12th Generation core family. The socket has a protective cover on top of it that points out the exclusivity with Alder Lake 12th Gen CPUs & refrains users from running an older 11th and 10th generation CPUs as they won't fit in the socket at all and forcing them in the socket is only going to cause permanent damage to your motherboard.

Next to the socket are four DDR5 DIMM slots that can support up to 128 GB dual-channel memory. These slots are rated to support XMP profiles up to 6400 MHz (OC Plus). The DIMM slots feature metallic shielding around them for extra durability. Each slot is labeled, making it easier to install DIMMs in the proper orientation. DDR5 memory comes with a different latch position so forcing a DDR4 module into a DDR5 slot will cause permanent damage.

The Z690 AORUS Master features a 19+1+2 (VCore/ VccGT/VccAUX)  phase digital power delivery that makes utilizes the RAA229131 PWM controller and RAA2201105 (105A) MOSFETs for the VCore. The Vcc GT and Vcc AUX MOSFETs are spec'd at 60A & 70A respectively.

As you can see, the VRMs are getting ample cooling from the Fin-Array III heatsinks that are both beefy in terms of size and also feature actual cooling fins. This motherboard is designed for overclocking so expect a smooth & stable operation of the electrical circuitry when this board is running. The motherboard also comes with a backplate that features thermal pads for extra cooling performance.

The CPU is supplied power through an 8+8 pin power connector configuration. This will feed the CPU with up to 300 Watts of power. The Intel 12th Gen Unlocked CPUs are very power-hungry with the maximum turbo power rated at 241W for the Core i9-12900K and more if you are planning to overclock these chips.

Getting a closer look at the VRM heatsinks reveals an aluminum fin design on both heatsinks. Each heatsink has thermal pads located underneath for efficient transfer of heat. The thermal pads on the Z690 AORUS Master are rated at 9w/mK. While the heatsinks don't feature any heat pipe-based inter-connection, they do feature Direct-Touch Heatpipe II solutions underneath the fins that make direct contact with the VRMs.

Expansion slots include three PCI Express x16 (1 x Gen 5.0 x16 / 2 x Gen 4.0 x4) and five M.2 slots. The board can technically support three-way multi-GPU (CrossFireX / SLI) however we know that no existing gaming GPU offers 3-Way connectivity anymore. Four M.2 slots are rated to support NVMe PCIe gen4 x4 and Intel Optane series memory while a singular slot is rated to operate at M.2 3.0 x4/x2 speeds if all SATA ports are not sharing the bandwidth with it.

AORUS is using a metallic cover on the sides of the expansion slots which provides protection to some extent. It adds more retention and shearing resistance by reinforcing the slots with metal plates. Aside from adding more protection, they do look really sweet.

All five M.2 slots are cooled off by the thermal pad and aluminum baseplate cooling. This will ensure stable operation for M.2 storage devices. The thermal adhesive has a plastic cover over them which needs to be removed before using them with the storage devices. The topmost M.2 slot that will house the primary M.2 is based on the new Thermal Guard III heatsink design that offers even more cooling performance through a larger heat sink. Following is the M.2 config on the motherboard:

CPU:

1. 1 x M.2 connector (Socket 3, M key, type 2260/2280/22110 PCIe 4.0 x4/x2 SSD support) (M2A_CPU)

Chipset:

1. 2 x M.2 connectors (Socket 3, M key, type 2260/2280/22110 PCIe 4.0 x4/x2 SSD support) (M2P_SB, M2Q_SB)
2. 1 x M.2 connector (Socket 3, M key, type 2242/2260/2280 PCIe 3.0 x4/x2 SSD support) (M2C_SB)
3. 1 x M.2 connector (Socket 3, M key, type 2242/2260/2280 SATA and PCIe 4.0 x4/x2 SSD support) (M2M_SB)
4. 6 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors

The Z690 PCH is housed beneath a large heatsink with the AORUS eagle logo etched over it that looks great.

The PCH heat sink and the I/O cover features RGB LEDs, as a part of the RGB Fusion 2.0 suite, embedded within it and there are also a wide range of RGB connectors on the motherboard if you want to set up your own lighting.

Storage options include six SATA III ports rated to operate at 6 GB/s. These can support 6 different storage devices at once. There are also two USB 3.2 front panel connectors (Gen 2x2 + Gen 1). USB 2.0 dual connectors are also included.

AORUS is using its AMP-UP Audio system for audio which is a combination of hardware, software audio solutions. 7.1 CH HD audio with the latest Realtek ALC1220-VB CODECaudio codec. AORUS's Z690 Master rocks an ESS ES9118 DAC chip too for superior noise output.

There's just one button on the motherboard which serves as a Power On/Off switch. The DEBUG LED can be seen next to the button.

The full list of connectors on the motherboard is listed as follows.

• 1 x 24-pin ATX main power connector
• 2 x 8-pin ATX 12V power connectors
• 1 x CPU fan header
• 1 x water cooling CPU fan header
• 4 x system fan headers
• 4 x system fan/water cooling pump headers
• 2 x addressable LED strip headers
• 2 x RGB LED strip headers
• 5 x M.2 Socket 3 connectors
• 6 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors
• 1 x front panel header
• 1 x front panel audio header
• 1 x USB Type-C header, with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 support
• 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 headers
• 2 x USB 2.0/1.1 headers
• 1 x noise detection header
• 2 x Thunderbolt add-in card connectors
• 1 x Trusted Platform Module header (For the GC-TPM2.0 SPI/GC-TPM2.0 SPI 2.0 module only)
• 1 x power button
• 1 x reset button
• 1 x reset jumper
• 1 x Clear CMOS jumper
• 2 x temperature sensor headers
• Voltage Measurement Points

AORUS is using Intel's WiFi 6E 802.11 AX210 WiFi Module to power wireless connectivity such as 802.11ax WiFi (2.4/5/6 GHz WiFi) and Bluetooth 5.2. In terms of Ethernet, there is also a single 10 Gigabit Ethernet LAN port which is powered by Marvell's AQtion AQC113C network controller chip.

The motherboard comes with the following I/O connectors:

• 1 x Q-Flash Plus button
• 1 x Clear CMOS button
• 2 x SMA antenna connectors (2T2R)
• 1 x DisplayPort
• 1 x USB Type-C port, with USB 3.2 Gen 2 support
• 1 x USB Type-C port, with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 support
• 5 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports (red)
• 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
• 1 x RJ-45 port
• 1 x optical S/PDIF Out connector
• 5 x audio jacks

Moving over to the MSI 600 series lineup, the board manufacturer is preparing at least 13 new Z690 motherboards. The MSI lineup will feature a range of families. These include the MEG or Massive Enthusiast Gaming lineup which focuses on the enthusiast gaming segment, MPG which stands for Massive Performance Gaming and carters the high-end market, MAG, or the Massive Arsenal Gaming which focuses on the mainstream and budget segment while the PRO series is designed with content creators in mind.

MSI is back with its MPG Carbon, this time featuring the Z690 chipset and design that is much powerful than ever. The MSI MPG Z690 Carbon WiFi features a great selection of IO for all users.

The product is MSI's flagship MPG product so expect it to be spec'd out accordingly., the MPG Z690 Carbon WiFi rocks a  Direct 18 Phase All-Digital VRM with 75A Amp Smart Power Stages. Power to the VRM and CPU socket is provided through a dual 8-pin connector configuration.

MSI MPG Z690 Carbon WiFi Motherboard Features:

• Supports 12th Gen Intel Core / Pentium Celeron processors for LGA 1700 socket
• Supports DDR5 Memory, up to 6666+(OC) MHz
• Lightning Fast Game experience: PCIe 5.0 slots, Lightning Gen 4 x4 M.2, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2
• Enhanced Power Design: Direct 18+1+1 phases power, dual 8-pin CPU power connectors, Core Boost, Memory Boost
• Premium Thermal Solution: Enlarged heatsink with heat-pipe, MOSFET thermal pads rated for 7W/MK, additional choke thermal pads, and M.2 Shield Frozr are built for high-performance system and non-stop gaming experience
• MYSTIC LIGHT: 16.8 million colors / fancy lighting effects controlled in one click. MYSTIC LIGHT SYNC supports RGB, RAINBOW(ARGB), Corsair LED strips and Ambient devices.
• 2.5G LAN with LAN Manager and Intel Wi-Fi 6E Solution: Upgraded network solution for professional and multimedia use. Delivers a secure, stable, and fast network connection
• AUDIO BOOST 5: Reward your ears with studio grade sound quality for the most immersive gaming experience
• High-Quality PCB: 8-layer PCB made by 2oz thickened copper and server grade-level material
• Pre-installed I/O Shield: Better EMI protection and more convenience for installation

The MPG Z690 Carbon also features support for four DDR5 Rams with speeds of up to 6666+ MHz (OC) and a capacity of up to 128 GB. The board features 6 SATA III ports and a single USB 3.2 Gen 2 front-panel header. Before we talk about I/O and expansion on this motherboard, let's look at the design itself.

MSI's MPG Z690 CARBON WiFi design's inclined towards the gaming segment. The ATX motherboard features several heatsinks and a carbon-Esque car design theme with brushed metallic accents in grey and black colors. The heatsink includes a heat pipe and makes use of 7W/MK to dissipate heat effectively

Now coming to the expansion slots, the MSI MEG Z590 ACE motherboard features three PCIe slots (2 x Gen 5 & 1 x Gen 3), and five M.2 slots (4x Gen4x4, 1x Gen 3x4), all of which are cooled by the M.2 Shield Frozr heatsinks.

For I/O, you get 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (2 Type-C) ports, 5 USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, 4 USB 2.0 ports, HDMI + DP ports,  2.5G (Intel I225V) Ethernet LAN ports, Intel WiFi 6E (BT 5.2) functionality, Audio Boost HD and to top it all off, buttons for Clearing CMOS & flashing the BIOS. The MPG Z690 Carbon WiFi is going to be priced at an official MSRP of $399.99 US which makes it one of the more expensive & high-end options.

The MSI MEG Z690 CARBON WIFI comes in the standard cardboard package. The front is themed in a very unique purple and blue color theme. The front side also lists down support for Intel's 12th generation Core processors. The motherboard clearly lists down support for Windows 11 & TPM 2.0 along with Mystic Light and Lightning Gen 5 marketing on the packaging.

The backside of the package lists down the specifications and special features of the motherboard such as Direct 18+1+1 phase power delivery, DDR5 support, Lightning Gen 5, and Lightning USB 20 GB/s slots/ports, WiFi 6E/Bluetooth 5.2, Audio Boost 5, Mystic Light and the overall premium look that this motherboard has to offer.

The top of the box opens up to reveal a cool "MPG" branding within the package itself. This is a very high-end motherboard and little things like this do make up for the extra cash you will be spending on a board like this.

Inside the package is another box that contains the accessories and is located right below the box holder for the board itself. It is very easy to access although the accessories are a bit scattered and things could get messy sorting out the various additions.

There are several accessories included in the package such as a Wi-Fi antenna module, four SATA III cables, screws for the M.2 storage devices, a cleaning brush, a USB stick with drivers and software, a driver disk, a manual for the board, and even a few stickers. Following is the full list of accessories in the package.

• Quick Installation Guide
• User Manual
• USB Drive (With Drivers/Softwares)
• Cascade Badge
• WiFi Antenna
• Cleaning Brush
• Screwdrivers
• MPG Stickers
• Reward Program / Shout Out Flyer
• Cable Stickers
• Product Catalog
• Registration Card
• M.2 Screw / Standoff Set
• EZ M.2 Clips
• DP to Mini DP Cable
• Thermistor Cable
• 1 to 2 RGB LED Extension Y Cable
• Corsair RGB LED Extension Cable
• Rainbow RGB LED Extension Cable
• 2 x SATA Cables

The motherboard is housed within the cardboard package and has anti-static wrapping to protect it from any built-up electrical resistance that can affect the board.

The MSI MPG might not be the flagship but it has a design that screams high-end and the addition of an all M.2 heatsink design makes it look even better.

The MSI MPG Z690 Carbon WIFI is themed in black and silver colors. This is a top-tier product that retails at over $300 US, making it one of the more expensive Z690 motherboards in MSI's lineup. The motherboard comes in the standard ATX form factor and is jam-packed with features.

The board uses the LGA 1700 socket to support Intel Core processors. The socket is compatible only with Intel's 12th Generation core family. The socket has a protective cover on top of it that points out the exclusivity with Alder Lake 12th Gen CPUs & refrains users from running an older 11th and 10th generation CPUs as they won't fit in the socket at all and forcing them in the socket is only going to cause permanent damage to your motherboard.

Next to the socket are four DDR5 DIMM slots that can support up to 128 GB dual-channel memory. These slots are rated to support XMP profiles up to 666 MHz (OC Plus). The DIMM slots feature metallic shielding around them for extra durability. Each slot is labeled, making it easier to install DIMMs in the proper orientation. DDR5 memory comes with a different latch position so forcing a DDR4 module into a DDR5 slot will cause permanent damage.

The MSI MPG Z690 CARBON WIFI packs an 18+1+1 phase power delivery configuration that makes use of the Renesas RAA229131 (105A) MOSFET. The motherboard also makes use of an 8 layer PCB with a 2oz copper design.

As you can see, the VRMs are getting ample cooling from two massive aluminum-based heatsinks that are interconnected via a heat pipe. This motherboard is designed for overclocking so expect a smooth & stable operation of the electrical circuitry when this board is running.

The CPU is supplied power through an 8+8 pin power connector configuration. This will feed the CPU with up to 300 Watts of power. The Intel 12th Gen Unlocked CPUs are very power-hungry with the maximum turbo power rated at 241W for the Core i9-12900K and more if you are planning to overclock these chips.

Getting a closer look at the VRM heatsinks reveals an aluminum fin design underneath the baseplate for the topmost heatsink. Each heatsink has 7w/Mk thermal pads located underneath for efficient transfer of heat.

The MSI Dragon and MPG logos are laser-etched on both heatsinks and provide a nice aesthetic for the motherboard.

Expansion slots include three PCI Express x16 (two Gen 5 x16/x8 / 1 Gen 3 x4), and 5 M.2 slots. The board can technically support three-way multi-GPU (CrossFireX / SLI) however we know that no existing gaming GPU offers 3-Way connectivity anymore. The M.2 slots are rated to support NVMe PCIe gen4 x4 (1 Gen 3 x4) and Intel Optane series memory.

MSI is using a metallic cover on the sides of the expansion slots which provides protection to some extent. It adds more retention and shearing resistance by reinforcing the slots with metal plates. Aside from adding more protection, they do look really sweet.

The quadruple M.2 slots are cooled off by the thermal pad and aluminum baseplate cooling. This is part of MSI's M.2 Shield Frozr cooling technology and ensures stable operation for M.2 storage devices. The thermal adhesive has a plastic cover over them which needs to be removed before using them with the storage devices.

The Z690 PCH is housed beneath a large heatsink with the Carbon logo on top of it. The design on the heatsink cover is just for aesthetic since it has several RGB LEDs running on MSI's Mystic Light technology underneath it.

The PCH heat sink has RGB LEDs and provides a good light show for those that are interested in RGBs trend. You can also turn off the LEDs entirely through MSI's bundled software if you are not a fan of such LEDs.

Storage options include six SATA III ports rated to operate at 6 GB/s. These can support six different storage devices at once. There are also dual USB 3.2 (1x Gen 2 / 1x Gen 1) front panel connectors of which one is right-angled. Many fan headers and jumpers can be found beneath the storage ports.

MSI is using its Audio Boost 5 HD system for audio which is a combination of hardware, software audio solutions. 7.1 CH HD audio with the latest Realtek ALC4080 audio codec.

A bunch of other connectors for chassis power, RGB, and fan headers can be spotted next to them while the DEBUG LED and voltage measuring points are located at the top right corner of the board.

The full list of connectors on the motherboard is listed as follows.

• 1x 24-pin ATX main power connector
• 2x 8-pin ATX 12V power connectors
• 6x SATA 6Gb/s connectors
• 5x M.2 slots (M-Key)
• 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps Type-C connector
• 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 5Gbps connector (supports additional 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 5Gbps ports)
• 2x USB 2.0 Type-A connectors (supports additional 4 USB 2.0 ports)
• 1x 4-pin CPU fan connector
• 1x 4-pin water-pump fan connector
• 6x 4-pin system fan connectors
• 1x Front panel audio connector
• 2x System panel connectors
• 1x Chassis Intrusion connector
• 1x Clear CMOS jumper
• 1x TPM module connector
• 1x TBT connector (supports RTD3)
• 1x Tuning Controller connector

MSI is using Intel's Wi-Fi 6E AX210 to power wireless connectivity such as 802.11ax WiFi (2.4G WiFi) and Bluetooth 5.2. In terms of Ethernet, there is single Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports which include an I225V 2.5G Networking chip.

The I/O plate comes with an I/O cover with MSI's iconic dragon logo imprinted over it. Following is the full list of I/O ports on the MSI MPG Z690 CARBON WIFI motherboard:

• USB 2.0
• DisplayPort
• 2.5G LAN
• Wi-Fi/Bluetooth
• Audio Connectors
• Flash BIOS Button
• HDMI
• USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps Type-A
• USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 20Gbps Type-C
• Optical S/PDIF Out

For testing, I used the Intel Core i9-12900K and Core i5-12600K which were sent to us by Intel. The motherboards used included the MSI MPG Z690 CARBON WIFI and the Z690 AORUS Master, both of which fall in the $400-$500 US segment.

Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake CPU Test Platform:

Processors	Intel Core i5-12400 Intel Core i9-12900K Intel Core i5-12600K Intel Core i9-11900K Intel Core i9-10900K Intel Core i7-10700K Intel Core i5-10600K Intel Core i9-10980XE Intel Core i9-9900KS Intel Core i9-9900K Intel Core i7-8700K Intel Core i5-8600K AMD Ryzen 9 5950X AMD Ryzen 9 5900X AMD Ryzen 7 5800X AMD Ryzen 9 3950X AMD Ryzen 9 3900X AMD Ryzen 7 3700X AMD Ryzen 5 3600X AMD Ryzen 7 2700X
Motherboard	MSI B660M Mortar WiFi DDR5 (i5-12400) Z690 AORUS Master (Intel 12th Gen) ASRock X570S PG Riptide (Ryzen 9 5950X) MSI MEG Z590 ACE (Intel 11th Gen) ASUS ROG Maximus XII HERO WIFI (Intel 10th Gen) MSI X299 Creator (Intel 10th Gen X Series) Z390 AORUS Master (Intel 8th/9th Gen) MSI MEG X570 Unify (AMD Ryzen 3000 / Ryzen 5000) ASRock X470 Taichi Ultimate (AMD Ryzen 2000)
Power Supply	ASUS ROG THOR 1200W
Solid State Drive	Samsung SSD 980 PRO M.2 (1 TB)
Memory	G.SKILL Trident Z5 32 GB (2 x 16GB) CL36 6000 Mbps (DDR5 Platforms) G.SKILL Trident Z Royal Series 16 GB (2 x 8GB) CL17 4000 Mbps (DDR4 Platforms)
Video Cards	MSI GeForce RTX 3090 SUPRIM X
Cooling Solutions	Corsair H115i (With LGA 1700 Mounting Kit)
OS	Windows 11 64-bit (Only Intel 12th Gen CPUs) Windows 10 64-bit

Our test rig includes the Samsung 980 Pro 1 TB SSD that boots up our main OS while a 2 TB Seagate HDD is used for the storage of games and applications. In addition to these, we are running an MSI GeForce RTX 3090 SUPRIM X graphics card, an ASUS ROG Thor 1200W power supply. For this specific review, we used the G.Skill's latest Trident Z5 DDR5-6000 memory kit running at CL36 timings. We also got a LGA 1700 mounting kit for the Corsair H115i to use as cooling solution for our test setup. The cooling solution choices are very limited so far due to availability of mounting kits but things are expected to get better by the end of November.

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HandBrake is a tool for converting video from nearly any format to a selection of modern, widely supported codecs.

PCMark 10

PCMark 10 is a complete PC benchmarking solution for Windows 10. It includes several tests that combine individual workloads covering storage, computation, image and video manipulation, web browsing, and gaming. Specifically designed for the full range of PC hardware from netbooks and tablets to notebooks and desktops, PCMark 10 offers complete Windows PC performance testing for home and business use.

POV-Ray

The POV-Ray package includes detailed instructions on using the ray-tracer and creating scenes. Many stunning scenes are included with POV-Ray so you can start creating images immediately when you get the package.

SuperPI

Super PI is used by many overclockers to test the performance and stability of their computers. In the overclocking community, the standard program provides a benchmark for enthusiasts to compare “world record” pi calculation times and demonstrate their overclocking abilities. The program can also be used to test the stability of a certain overclock speed.

WinRAR

WinRAR is a powerful archive manager. It can backup your data and reduce the size of email attachments, decompress RAR, ZIP, and other files downloaded from the Internet, and create new archives in RAR and ZIP file format.

X264 HD Encode Benchmark

This benchmark measures the encoding performance of the processor. It offers a standardized benchmark for the clip as well as the encoder used is uniform.

y-Cruncher Compute Benchmark

y-cruncher is a program that can compute Pi and other constants to trillions of digits. It is the first of its kind that is multi-threaded and scalable to multi-core systems. Ever since its launch in 2009, it has become a common benchmarking and stress-testing application for overclockers and hardware enthusiasts. Do note that the single-thread test makes uses of AVX-512 instructions while the multi-htread test relies on memory & SMT performance as well.

Battlefield V

Battlefield V brings back the action of the World War 2 shooter genre. Using the latest Frostbite tech, the game does a good job of looking gorgeous in all ways possible. From the open-world environments to the intense and gun-blazing action, this multiplayer and single-player FPS title is one of the best-looking Battlefields to date. The game was tested at max settings at 1440p.

DOOM Eternal

DOOM Eternal brings hell to earth with the Vulkan-powered idTech 7.  We test this game using the Ultra Nightmare Preset and follow our in-game benchmarking to stay as consistent as possible.

GTA V

GTA V is one handsomely optimized title for the PC audience. It's scalable across various PC configurations and delivers an impressive frame rate. Rockstar did an amazing job with the PC build of GTA V and it comes with a large array of settings that can be configured by PC gamers. We tested the title at 1440P with everything set to Ultra and 4x MSAA.

Metro Exodus

Metro Exodus continues the journey of Artyom through the nuclear wasteland of Russia and its surroundings. This time, you are set over the Metro, going through various regions and different environments. The game is one of the premier titles to feature NVIDIA’s RTX technology and does well in showcasing the ray-tracing effects in all corners. The game was tested at Ultra setting with RTX settings turned off at 1440p.

Shadow of The Tomb Raider

Sequel to The Rise of the Tomb Raider, Shadow of The Tomb Raider is visually enhanced with an updated Foundation Engine that delivers realistic facial animations and the most gorgeous environments ever seen in a Tomb Raider Game. The game is a technical marvel and really shows the power of its graphics engine in the latest title.

Sid Meier's Civilization VI

Civilization VI is the pinnacle of the series. It's featured huge, sweeping changes, and nothing was left out. Everything has found a purpose, they all work together in tandem but also have a reason to stand alone. It uses a more fleshed-out engine that now supports DirectX 12 capabilities. We tested the game with every setting maxed out (4x MSAA, 4096x4096 shadow textures) at 1440P in DirectX 12.

Watch Dogs Legion

Watch Dogs: Legion is a 2020 action-adventure game published by Ubisoft and developed by its Toronto studio. It is the third installment in the Watch Dogs series and the sequel to 2016's Watch Dogs 2. Set within a fictionalized representation of a futuristic, dystopian London, the game's story follows the hacker syndicate DedSec as they seek to clear their names after being framed for a series of terrorist bombings

Ashes of The Singularity (4K)

Stardock's Ashes of the Singularity RTS title is a new take on the historical genre. The game incorporates several things that many pc gamers have been curious about and anxious to try for themselves such as Explicit Multi-Adapter Support and full Asynchronous Compute under DirectX 12 API. We tested the game at 4K with 4x MSAA on Crazy Settings under DirectX 12.

In these specific tests, I will be taking a look at the performance impact that DDR5 stock and over-clocked memory have on certain games and applications. The memory we used is G.Skill Trident Z5 DDR5-6000 which can be easily pushed to DDR5-6400 by tuning the voltage to 1.35V (+.5V) while keeping the same timings of CL36.

AIDA64 Memory Bandwidth Benchmark

For AIDA64 memory tests, I used the G.Skill Trident Z5 memory kit in three configurations, JEDEC, XMP 3.0, and Overclock. The JEDEC speed was set to the standard 4800 Mbps (CL40) at 1.1V, the standard profile in XMP 3.0 mode was 6000 Mbps at 1.3V while the overclock profile was a slight bump to 6400 Mbps at 1.35V (.5V+) while retaining the same timings. I used the Core i9-11900K DDR4 results below for comparison to how the DDR5 memory stacks up against high-end DDR4 kits.

You can see the performance impact that DDR5 makes in all the standard and overclocked configs in the following gaming and application tests.

The Intel Alder Lake CPUs feature the brand new hybrid architecture approach composed of Golden Cove and Gracemont cores. The chip also relies on a brand new 10nm Enhanced SuperFin process node which delivers up to 5.2 GHz clock speeds on the flagship Core i9-12900K. The faster clocks along with the addition of more cores should lead to more power consumption but Intel is also touting increased efficiency per watt thanks to the overall performance increases we get this generation.

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In terms of packaging, AMD Ryzen Desktop CPUs ship with a Solder TIM interface and higher-quality gold-plating under the IHS. The thermal testing was carried out with the Corsair H1150i AIO liquid cooler:

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Based on all those metrics above, we finally land to the conclusion and before I give the final verdict on the 12th Gen platform, let's talk about some aspects of the Alder Lake CPU itself.

The Intel 12th Generation lineup brings a brand new slate to the table. Gone is the 14nm, gone are the various Skylake iterations, and gone is the good ol' x86 design approach that we have seen over the many years. With Alder Lake, Intel has changed everything from top to bottom. We get a new process node, we get a new architecture (actually two new architectures) and we also get a brand new hybrid design that requires you to upgrade to the latest Windows 11 operating system to take full advantage of the performance that is packed under the hood.

The 12th Gen Performance - Hybrid Design Packs A Punch In Both Apps & Gaming

Starting with the performance numbers, Intel served AMD a good one by implementing a hybrid architecture to lift up its core count and also its multi-threaded performance. The Core i9-12900K is right there with the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, a true 16 core and 32 thread chip. In several applications and synthetic workloads, the Core i9-12900K manages to be faster than the Ryzen 9 5950X at price close to the Ryzen 9 5900X but the real show-stealer is the Core i5-12600K which managed to beat the Ryzen 5 5600X, Ryzen 7 5800X, i9-10900K and even Intel's own 11th Gen flagship, the i9-11900K with pure dominance. It's one chip that surprises me more than the i9-12900K and at its price, it's literally untouchable. The Core i5-12600K is a small multi-threaded monster and you really see those smaller cores in action on this chip more so than the 12900K.

With Alder Lake, Intel has also managed to recapture its gaming throne from AMD. Both the Core i9-12900K and Core i5-12600K offer exceptional gaming performance in all the games tested and once again, it's the Core i5-12600K results that impressed me the most. Offering faster gaming vs the Ryzen 9 5950X and even comes close to the 12900K in some instances, especially if you plan on overclocking that little monster. With that said, there isn't a whole lot of games that will make full use of Intel's hybrid architecture approach right now. With Intel's Thread Director technology and further game-engine integrations, we will see specific titles offer even more performance but since this is a new technology, it will take some time before we get to see the full benefit of this approach in action.

Pricing is good but is the availability too?

Pricing is also a small win-win for consumers and the reason I call it small is that while the MSRP of the 12th Gen lineup looks really good, I have been unable to find actual retail listings that are close to them. Again, considering the current supply situation and considering we are at day-1 of launch, this is to be expected but the Core i5-12600K is cheaper than the Ryzen 5 5600X and the 12900K is cheaper than the 5950X and close to the 5900X in pricing. That's very competitive and I hope that prices can come close to the MSRPs by the end of the year. I would also advise getting the 'KF' chips over the 'K' SKUs if you really don't want that iGPU on board. You save a couple of bucks & end up with even better price to performance ratio versus comparing Ryzen 5000 CPUs.

Most of the lucky people will be getting the chips shipped out to them today who pre-ordered it last week while the majority will be heading over to retail outlets and online stores to purchase the chips & once again, availability will be a concern depending on the region. In the US alone, there are certain retail outlets that are already out of stock but supply is expected to resume later today.

10nm Efficient But More Performance Means Higher Wattage & Temps

On the power efficiency front, 10nm ESF is a good enhancement of the 10nm SF node from Intel. It offers the same performance as a 250W Rocket Lake chip at 65W but to match AMD's Ryzen 5000 in multi-threading and IPC, the power envelope needs to be scaled up. As such, the MTP or max turbo profile has been raised to 241W and this is the first time ever that Intel has disclosed its full turbo TDP figures. While efficient, this means that the 12th Gen Alder Lake CPUs still sip in more power than the Ryzen 5000 chips but it is more evident on the higher-end SKUs that boost past 5 GHz. The Core i9-12900K is a very power-hungry chip still, just like its predecessor but the Core i5-12600K actually offers better performance than the 5800X while consuming similar power.

That's where the lower voltage requirements for the 12600K play in. With 12900K, you need more volts to feed the higher clocks and that inversely affects the power envelope for the turbo profile. At the same time, the gaming power figures are an interesting thing to see as the Core i9-12900K really consumes lower power than both 5950X & 5900X during gaming loads while the 12600K is sitting at 10-15W higher than the 5600X but offers much faster gaming performance.

As the voltages go up, so do the temperatures and once again, 12900K manages to be a hot chip with temperatures hovering at around 70C while the 12600K hovers around the mid-50s at full load. So overall, in the power/temp segment, Ryzen 5000 CPUs still run cooler and consume low power but don't let this make you think that 12th Gen Intel chips are still as inefficient as those on 14nm.

What Platform To Choose? DDR5 or DDR4?

So this is an interesting one, like every new standard of memory before it, the Z690 platform also comes with both DDR5 and DDR4 options. The Z690 motherboards are purely designed for the K series chips and that's what I am going to focus on for now as the non-K parts are still few months away from launch.

If you are building an Alder Lake PC, then the first thing that will come to your mind is definitely if you want a DDR5 or a DDR4 motherboard. For one, you are going to pay for a new motherboard nonetheless, whether it be a DDR5 or a DDR4 variant, simply because of the new socket. The Z690 boards I have checked have a $10-$20 US+ premium on the DDR5 variants. Take for example the MSI Tomahawk which comes in both DDR5 and DDR4 flavors and costs $309 & $299, respectively.

That's a small premium compared to what you will be paying for DDR5 memory and boy are those expensive. The 16 GB kits start at over $200 US while the 32 GB kits start at over $300 US. This was to be expected since DDR5 is new and will take at least a year or two to reach parity with DDR4 prices. That's a $50-$100 US premium over DDR4 memory so in total, to go the DDR5 route, you will end up somewhere around $120-$150 US premium over a DDR4 platform. The performance difference in this early generation of DDR5 memory is also not that huge and to really see a CPU performance benefit, you'd need at least DDR5-5600 or above.

As a buyer, you will consider the DDR4 option to be more viable for you but that's only for the short term. Next year, more DDR5 platforms will become standard and DDR4 will go the way of the dinos so if you are looking for longevity, investing in DDR5 memory now is not a bad choice but certainly an expensive one. Because if you plan on upgrading to DDR5 in the future, you are going to need a new motherboard and memory kit anyways so rather than paying that premium later, why not pay it now? Yes, one argument could be that as the adoption rate for DDR5 increases, the prices will also come down on existing kits as more options enter the market but I don't see much point in DDR4 anyways for the high-end consumers. At the end of the day, if you really want a high-end PC, then DDR5 is a no-brainer, but if you want a mainstream or a budget solution then you should rather wait for the entry-level B660 motherboards that will be restricted to just DDR4 memory.

PCIe Gen 5.0 - Pretty Much Useless

Another key feature of the new Z690 platform is the addition of PCIe Gen 5.0 lanes. It looks like Intel wanted to be the first to each new IO and memory standard with Alder Lake but this one is quite useless. Yes, we know that new graphics cards are at some point going to come out & will feature support for PCIe Gen 5.0 hardware but existing graphics cards aren't even saturating the Gen 4 lanes entirely and we get another 2x bandwidth increase with Gen 5. Sure it offers future-proofing but I mean it would've been more beneficial as a consumer if those lanes were shared with one of the M.2 slots so next year when the new Gen 5 SSDs arrived, users could upgrade to make somewhat use of the new standard. But Intel decided to share all lanes to the PCIe slots & which to me is unnecessary and we will see if next-gen graphics cards are going to see any real-world benefit from it.

But all is not bad about having Gen 5.0 on the platform as certain motherboard vendors will be providing AICs with Gen 5 M.2 slots so you can slap that in one of the PCIe 5.0 slots and have a next-generation M.2 SSD running on your PC. But those AICs are only specific to the high-end motherboards.

So Is Alder Lake Worth The Hype? It Totally Is!

Intel's Alder Lake has many reasons for PC builders to be excited about. It's the fastest in gaming, it's a leap in multi-threaded performance for the blue team and it has a platform that offers the latest IO and memory standards. The Core i9-12900K is a really fast chip that is intended for users who are building PCs with the highest-end AIO and custom-loop cooling solutions. It's right there with the 5950X in terms of performance and even above & beyond in various applications while taking back the gaming throne.

But it is the Core i5-12600K that's going to be the game-changer for Intel. A chip that offers faster performance than the 5800X and 11900K at the price of a 5600X & even lower for the 'KF' variant. Unlike the 12900K, the 12600K runs cool and consumes much lower power, making it an ideal choice for consumers who want to build a fast mainstream gaming PC without spending too much in cooling and PSU upgrades. If you were really planning on getting a 5600X or a 5800X PC, then I'd advise you to change your plans and just get the 12600K, it's that sweet of a deal.

While the Core i9-12900K is the new gaming king, the Core i5-12600K is the new mainstream king and AMD needs to come up with something even more competitive than the 5600X and 3600X to match this little beast. Alder Lake with its added innovations & also additional features coming in the future through game developer integrations and hybrid architecture processor optimizations is surely to bring back PC builders to the blue team and get people excited about Intel CPUs once again!

Final Verdict - The 12th Gen Alder Lake lineup brings leading gaming performance back to the blue team along with a stellar increase to multi-threaded performance. The Intel 12900K is the new champ but the 12600K is going to be the hottest selling chip based on its highly competitive pricing and performance.

The title says it all, the CPUs are the main attraction after such a long while. Over the last few gens, we have been focusing more on the motherboards since they offered more technical innovations than Intel's core lineup but this generation, it's the opposite. With that said, both MSI and Gigabyte have some fantastic boards to talk about so let's start with Gigabyte's high-end offering and move over to the more mainstream option from MSI.

The Gigabyte Z690 AORUS Master is a high-end all-rounder which packs a new and refreshed design on the Z690 chipset. AORUS has decided to upgrade the motherboard to E-ATX status to accommodate more features and an impressive power delivery solution that comprises 22 VRM phases and 105A MOSFETs to hit that 5.2 GHz all-core OC sweet spot. Some stand-out features of the motherboard include the 10 GbE LAN port, the new Fins Array III heatsink solution for the VRM, and the Thermal Guard III heatsink for the primary M.2 slot. Overall, the motherboard is well-built and a top-tier choice for Intel's 12th Gen Alder Lake Unlocked CPUs. The only thing that is concerning is the price at $469.99 US but you won't regret paying top dollar for this product.

The MSI MPG Z690 CARBON WIFI is the standard ATX option for $300 US and also rocks a great aesthetic choice. It has a 20 Phase VRM design and can also hold that sweet 5.2 GHz spot on the i9-12900K with ease. The VRMs do get slightly warm due to a standard aluminum solution instead of the fin-based design that AORUS Master rocks but MSI has to cut-down costs somewhere to keep the prices in the mainstream segment.

Other than that, you get 2.5G LAN, WiFI, lots of USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, and a stellar quintuple M.2 slot configuration which will give you lots of room for Gen 4 SSD expansion. A standout feature on MSI boards is the use of two Gen 5.0 slots instead of just one. You can use the second slot for a PCIe Gen 5.0 AIC card to get those PCIe 5.0 lanes fed to a next-gen SSD. Overall, the MSI MPG Z690 CARBON WIFI is a really great option in the $300 US segment and we will be looking at other boards in this price category to compare how well they stack up against MSI's offering.