ASUS, MSI and Gigabyte Announce Motherboards That Support 10th Gen Core Processors "Comet Lake

Close to the launch of the Intel Core 10a gen S desktop processors, Intel partners announce the new 400 series chipset based motherboards to better support the latest CPUs from the US manufacturer. ASUS, MSI and Gigabyte they are among the first companies to present the new motherboards, characterized by the new one LGA 1200 socket and therefore not compatible with the previous series.

As happened for the Core 9th gen Coffee Lake-S, Intel is also on the market with solutions on this occasion based on the top of the range Z490 chipset (heir of Z390), the medium and medium / low range cards (H470, B460 and H410) instead will arrive later (with some exceptions). The Intel Z490 chipset brings among other interesting interesting news, among these we point out Integrated Wi-Fi, improved support for the USB 3.2 Gen 2 standard, plus Optane Memory and RAID options.

Let's start with ASUS which traditionally offers a wide range of products, divided into families ROG Maximus, ROG Strix, TUF Gaming is Prime, with the new entry ProArt aimed at creators. As anticipated, all cards are based on the Z490 chipset, guided by the top model ROG Maximus XII Extreme, the top for overclockers and enthusiasts who seek the maximum in terms of performance, reliability and build quality.

These cards offer enhanced VRM as well as a series of MicroFine alloy chokes and ProCool pins that ensure stable current flow to the CPU. ROG Maximus XII Extreme supports RAM DDR4 4800, offers 4 slots for M.2 SSD, USB-C 20Gbps and dual network card, respectively Intel I225-V 2.5 Gb and Marvell 10 GbE. The other ROG Maximus models are: ROG Maximus XII Apex, ROG Maximus XII Formula is ROG Maximus Hero (Wi-Fi), all high-profile, but slightly cheaper options, which generally resume the same basic characteristics, offering, inter alia, the ASUS AuraSync RGB LED lighting system.

The ROG Strix series it is no different and includes 6 other cards: ROG Strix Z490-E is Z490-F Gaming, ROG Strix Z490-I Gaming, ROG Strix Z490-H Gaming, ROG Strix Z490-A Gaming is ROG Strix Z490-G Gaming (Wi-Fi).

ROG Strix Z490-E is the top model, equipped with a 14 + 2 phase VRM, a robust dissipation system and premium components. The card, ideal for overclockers, offers support for DDR4 4600 and integrates the latest generation of connectivity with Intel I225-V LAN, WiFi 6 and Bluetooth.

Let's move on to TUF series Gaming with "armored" models Z490-Plus gaming is Z490-Plus WiFi Gaming, featuring 6-layer PCBs, DrMOS components, TUF capacitors and PCIe x16 slots with reinforced ASUS SafeSlot design.

The ASUS Prime line, Prime Z490-A, Prime Z490-P is Prime Z490M-Plus, represents the cheapest option on the Z490 chipset, while maintaining an excellent performance / price ratio and the classic ASUS build quality. The new offer closes ASUS ProArt Z490-Creator 10G which among the important features it boasts Thunderbolt 3, support for Multi-GPU configurations and dual network card. For all the details of the ASUS Z490 line you can consult this page.

Gigabyte is no different and announces the Z490 motherboards AORUS series, Gaming X in addition to other cheaper models with chipsets H470 and B460. Also in this case the variants are different and we invite you to consult the official page of the manufacturer at this link for all technical details.

The line is obviously driving the new Gigabyte fleet AORUS, the best that the company offers in terms of performance, quality and price. Very interesting the AORUS Z490 XTREME WaterForce, an imposing and aesthetically impeccable motherboard that offers among many things the predisposition for liquid cooling.

List all the features implemented on this sheet is not simple and would require a separate analysis, but among the most important ones we mention the 16-phase digital VRM, DDR4 4800, USB ESSential DAC, Intel AX WiFi and AQUANTIA 10Gbps network card, 3 M.2 slots and RGB Fusion 2 lighting.

A step below in the price list we find the Z490 GAMING X, with 11 + 1 phase VRM, dual-GPU support, dual M.2 slot for NVMe SSD and high profile component dissipation. There is also support for the latest technologies such as native USB 3.2 gen2, ALC 1200 audio and proprietary Smart Fan 5 and RGB Fusion 2 features.

Interestingly, Gigabyte, unlike ASUS, also presented some options with H470 and B460 chipsets. Among these the Gigabyte H470M DS3H it doesn't look bad at all since among the various features it offers two M.2 PCIe gen 3.0 x4 slots, CrossFire and USB 3.2 gen1 support, Gigabit LAN and RGB Fusion 2.0 lighting.

The MSI family it is noted instead for the series MEG, MPG and MAG, designed for specific market segments and their needs. We are talking about cards equipped with well-kept dissipation systems, not only for the power supply section but also for the M.2 slots equipped with Shield FROZR heatsink. Reliability and build quality are paramount, thanks to 10-layer PCB-reinforced PCBs and high-quality components.

Characterized by solutions 2.5G Ethernet LAN and 6 AX WiFi technology, MSI Z490 motherboards allow for incredibly high transfer rates. All MSI Z490 motherboards support ARGB lighting with the EZ LED controller to turn LEDs on and off easily.

For the most market segment there is the MEG series, designed with the most innovative technologies, an aggressive cooling system and exclusive features capable of providing the best performance. MEG Z490 GODLIKE offers an improved thermal design that includes a baseplate MOSFET can offer the perfect support for the most extreme overclocking.

There MPG series it is instead designed for players who need to obtain high level performances; all MPG series motherboards have a Mystic Light LED design with 16.8 million colors and 29 predefined effects, easily controlled with the exclusive MSI Dragon Center software.

Let's move on to MAG line which provides an aggressive look and sees as a reference MAG Z490 TOMAHAWK WIFI. The board features aluminum cover and enlarged heat sink design to optimize dissipation. All M.2 slots are equipped with M.2 Shield FROZR to prevent possible throttling. The PWM Digital with 12 + 1 + 1 phases guarantees instead a constant and stable power supply.

MAG Z490 TOMAHAWK is equipped with Dual LAN, including 2.5G LAN and Gigabit LAN. For the B460 chipsets MSI will also present the MAG series, including the TOMAHAWK, MORTAR and BAZOOKA motherboards with 12 + 1 + 1 phases.

The offer is closed by the MSI PRO series motherboards, designed for those who need high performance even at work. Among these we point out MSI Z490-A PRO equipped with a high profile heatsink, M.2 Shield FROZR and Digital PWM with 12 phases which also allows a moderate overclock.