ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF Motherboard Review

Overclockers and PC enthusiasts had a break from ASRock OC Formula motherboards, and many couldn’t wait to see them again. We are happy that the OC Formula made its comeback, and we can present the Z890 Taichi OCF to you. The motherboard has been with us for a couple of weeks already, so we have had a chance to try various settings, multiple BIOS/UEFI versions, and the unique OCF features.

Let’s begin with a long list of specifications and features, and later, we will focus on the most outstanding features, performance, and overclocking.

 

Specifications and Features of the ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF

Taichi series flagship motherboard features top-tier hardware spec, robust power design, Thunderbolt™ 4 Type-C, and DIY-friendly functionality. It’s built for high-end gamers, offering luxury aesthetics and powerful performance.

ASRock Taichi Logo; Source: ASRock
ASRock Taichi Logo; Source: ASRock

Built for Extreme Overclocking

Z890 Taichi OCF is the pinnacle of ASRock’s commitment to extreme overclocking. Engineered to meet the demands of professional overclockers, this motherboard delivers unparalleled precision, overclocking capability, and performance. As part of the Taichi family, it sets a new standard for those who push their systems to the limit.

 

A New Era of Taichi

ASRock’s flagship motherboard lineup is undergoing a major overhaul, unifying water cooling, extreme overclocking, and all-around flagship models into a powerful Taichi family.

This expansion incorporates the highly acclaimed OCF series water-cooling motherboards and OC Formula series overclocking motherboards, resulting in the Taichi OCF for custom water cooling, Taichi OCF for extreme overclocking, and the all-around flagship Taichi/Taichi Lite.

This transformation refines product positioning, centralizing ASRock’s flagship offerings under the Taichi brand to meet the diverse needs of high-end PC enthusiasts. This strategic combination enhances the brand’s impact, delivering exponential synergy and reinforcing its status as a premier flagship motherboard brand.

 

Unleashing Extreme Performance

Designed for hardcore overclockers, this motherboard is engineered to push your system beyond its limits with LN2 cooling. Experience unprecedented performance and stability under extreme conditions, giving you the ultimate edge in breaking records and maximizing hardware potential.

 

ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF; Source: ASRock
ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF; Source: ASRock

Key Features

  • Supports Intel® Core™ Ultra Processors (Series 2) (LGA1851)
  • 22+1+2+1+1 Power Phase, 110A SPS for VCore
  • 2 x DDR5 DIMMs
    Supports Dual Channel, up to 12527+ (OC)*
  • 2 PCIe 5.0 x16, 1 PCIe 4.0 x4
  • Graphics Output Options: 2 Thunderbolt™ 4 Type-C
  • Realtek ALC4082 7.1 CH HD Audio Codec, Nahimic Audio
  • 4 SATA3
    1 Blazing M.2 (PCIe Gen5 x4)
    3 Hyper M.2 (PCIe Gen4 x4)
    2 Hyper M.2 (PCIe Gen4 x4 & SATA3)
  • 2 Thunderbolt™ 4 Type-C (Rear)
    2 USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C (1 Rear, 1 Front)
    4 USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A (Rear)
    5 USB 3.2 Gen1 (1 Rear, 4 Front)
    3 USB 2.0 (Front)
  • 5G LAN
  • 802.11be Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth
  • Supports BIOS Flashback, Memory OC Shield, 20K Caps with 1000uF Capacitance
  • Professional Overclocking Toolkit

 

 

Intel Z890 Chipset Specifications

 

Intel Z890 Chipset

Intel® Core™ Ultra desktop processors (Series 2) are the foundation of the AI PC, and Intel® Z890 chipsets are designed to enable their intelligent performance and next-gen connectivity. For everything from elite gaming rigs to enthusiast creator PCs, the Intel® Z890 chipset maximizes the peripheral and connectivity experience.

Intel Z890 Chipset – Source: Intel
Intel Z890 Chipset – Source: Intel

The Z890 is the flagship Intel chipset for the new desktop processors so that we can expect the best device support and features. Below, you can see the simplified chipset diagram with marked new features. We have more PCIe lanes and M.2 SSD PCIe lanes in general, an integrated sensor hub, higher DDR5 support – up to 6400MT/s and CUDIMM support (overclocking frequencies are much higher), better support for AI technologies and two Thunderbolt 4 ports, which were available on earlier motherboards, but as an additional option.

Z890 Chipset Diagram – Source: Intel
Z890 Chipset Diagram – Source: Intel

 

ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF Specifications

CPU Support– Supports Intel® Core™ Ultra Processors (Series 2) (LGA1851RL-ILM)
– Supports Intel® Hybrid Technology
– Supports Intel® Turbo Boost Max 3.0 Technology
– Supports Intel® Thermal Velocity Boost (TVB)
– Supports Intel® Adaptive Boost Technology (ABT)
– Integrated NPU for dedicated AI acceleration
– Supports ASRock Hyper BCLK Engine
Chipset– Intel® Z890
Memory– Dual Channel DDR5 Memory Technology
– 2 x DDR5 DIMM Slots
– Supports DDR5 non-ECC, un-buffered memory up to 12527MHz+(OC)*
– Supports Clocked Unbuffered DIMM (CUDIMM)
– Max. capacity of system memory: 128GB
– Supports Intel® Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) 3.0x

*1DPC 1R Up to 12527+ MHz (OC), 6400 MHz Natively.
1DPC 2R Up to 6800+ MHz (OC), 6400 MHz Natively.
Onboard Graphics
– Intel® Xe LPG Graphics Architecture
– 2 x Intel® Thunderbolt™ 4, support HDCP 2.3 and max. resolution up to 8K 60Hz / 5K 120Hz*

* Intel® UHD Graphics Built-in Visuals and the VGA outputs can be supported only with processors which are GPU integrated.
Supports two 4K displays or one 8K display
Only the CPU’s embedded graphics can be displayed through Thunderbolt™ ports.
If you want to display to a Thunderbolt™ monitor, please use CPU models with embedded graphics.
Audio– 7.1 CH HD Audio with Content Protection (Realtek ALC4082 Audio Codec)
– Nahimic Audio
LAN
– 5 Gigabit LAN 10/100/1000/2500/5000 Mb/s
– Realtek RTL8126
Wireless Communications Module– 802.11be 2×2 Wi-Fi 7 Module
– Supports IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax/axe/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

* Wi-Fi 7 (6GHz band) will be supported by Microsoft Windows® 11.
The availability will depend on the different regulation status of each country and region.
It will be activated (for supported countries) through Windows® Update and software updates once available.
Expansion Slots
CPU:
– 1 x PCIe 5.0 x16 Slot (PCIE2), supports x16 mode*
– 1 x PCIe 5.0 x16 Slot (PCIE3), supports x8 mode*
Chipset:
– 1 x PCIe 4.0 x4 Slot (PCIE1), supports x4 mode*
– 1 x Vertical M.2 Socket (Key E), supports type 2230 WiFi/BT PCIe WiFi module
– Supports AMD CrossFire™
– 15μ Gold Contact in VGA PCIe Slots (PCIE2 and PCIE3)

* PCIE3 supports PCIe riser cards to extend one x8 slot to x4/x4 slots.
Supports NVMe SSD as boot disks
Storage Interface
CPU:
– 1 x Blazing M.2 Socket (M2_1, Key M), supports type 2280 PCIe Gen5x4 (128 Gb/s) mode*
– 1 x Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_2, Key M), supports type 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) mode*
Chipset:
– 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 SATA3 6.0 Gb/s & PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) modes*
– 1 x Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_5, Key M), supports type 2260/2280 SATA3 6.0 Gb/s & PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) modes*
– 1 x Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_6, Key M), supports type 2260/2280 PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) mode

* ASMedia ASM1061: 4 x SATA3 6.0 Gb/s Connectors
Supports Intel® Volume Management Device (VMD)
Supports NVMe SSD as boot disks
– Supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and RAID 10 for M.2 NVMe storage devices
USBCPU:
– 2 x Thunderbolt™ 4 Type-C (Rear)
Chipset:
– 2 x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C (1 Rear, 1 Front)
– 4 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A (Rear)
– 5 x USB 3.2 Gen1 (1 Rear, 4 Front)
– 3 x USB 2.0 (Front)

* All USB ports support ESD Protection
Internal I/O Connectors– 2 x Thermistor Cable Headers
– 1 x Power LED and Speaker Header
– 4 x Addressable LED Headers*
– 2 x CPU Fan Connectors (4-pin) (Smart Fan Speed Control)**
– 4 x Chassis Fan Connectors (4-pin) (Smart Fan Speed Control)**
– 1 x AIO Pump Fan Connector (4-pin) (Smart Fan Speed Control)**
– 1 x 24 pin ATX Power Connector (Hi-Density Power Connector)
– 2 x 8 pin 12V Power Connectors (Hi-Density Power Connector)
– 1 x 6 pin Graphics 12V Power Connector (Hi-Density Power Connector)
– 1 x Front Panel Audio Connector (15μ Gold Audio Connector)
– 2 x USB 2.0 Headers (Support 3 USB 2.0 ports)
– 2 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Headers (Support 4 USB 3.2 Gen1 ports)
– 1 x Front Panel Type C USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Header (20 Gb/s)
– 1 x Heater Header
– 1 x ElmorLabs OCP Header
– 1 x Dr. Debug with LED
– 1 x Power Button with LED
– 1 x Reset Button with LED
– 1 x Retry Button
– 1 x Safe Boot Button
– V-Probe™: 11-set of onboard voltage measurement points laid
– Rapid OC Buttons: +/- buttons to adjust OC frequency
– 6 x OC Switches
– 1 x Slow Mode Switch
– 1 x LN2 Mode Switch
– 1 x NickShih’s OC Profile 1 Button with LED
– 1 x NickShih’s OC Profile 2 Button with LED
– 1 x NickShih’s OC Profile 3 Button with LED

* Support in total up to 5V/3A, 15W LED Strip
** CPU_FAN1 supports the fan power up to 1A (12W).
CPU_FAN2, CHA_FAN1~4 and AIO_PUMP support the fan power up to 3A (36W).
CPU_FAN2, CHA_FAN1~4 and AIO_PUMP can auto detect if 3-pin or 4-pin fan is in use.
Back Panel Connectors
– 2 x Antenna Ports
– 1 x PS/2 Keyboard Port
– 1 x PS/2 Mouse Port
– 1 x Optical SPDIF Out Port
– 2 x Thunderbolt™ 4 Type-C Ports (40 Gb/s for USB4 protocol; 40Gb/s for Thunderbolt™ protocol)*
– 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C Port (20 Gb/s)
– 4 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A Ports (10 Gb/s)**
– 1 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Port
– 1 x RJ-45 LAN Port
– 1 x Clear CMOS Button
– 1 x BIOS Flashback Button
– 1 x BIOS Selection Switch
– 1 x Line Out Jack (Gold Audio Jack)
– 1 x Microphone Input Jack (Gold Audio Jack)

* Supports USB PD 3.0 up to 5V@3A (15W) charging
** USB32_45 support Ultra USB Power.
Unique Features
Superb Productivity
– PCIe Gen5 (Graphics, M.2)
– Dual Channel DDR5
– Thunderbolt™ 4 Type-C Ports (40 Gb/s)
– 6 x M.2 Sockets
Rock-Solid Durability
– Server-Grade Low-Loss PCB
– 22+1+2+1+1 Power Phase, 110A SPS for VCore with Enlarged Heatsink Armor
– Memory OC Shield
– Flexible Integrated I/O Shield
– 20K Long-lasting Black Caps (high quality and conductive polymer capacitors)
Ultrafast Connectivity
– 5G LAN, 802.11be Wi-Fi 7 Module
Professional Overclocking
– ASRock Hyper BCLK Engine
– 6 x OC Profiles
– Heater
– ElmorLabs OC Panel
EZ Update
– BIOS Flashback Button
– ASRock Auto Driver Installer
Software and UEFI
Software
– ASRock Formula Drive
– ASRock Polychrome SYNC*
UEFI
– ASRock EZ Mode
– ASRock Full HD UEFI
– ASRock My Favorites in UEFI
– ASRock Auto Driver Installer
– ASRock Instant Flash

*These utilities can be downloaded from ASRock Live Update & APP Shop.
OS Support– Microsoft Windows® 11 64-bit
Accessories
– 4 x SATA Data Cables
– 1 x ASRock WiFi 2.4/5/6 GHz Antenna
– 1 x ARGB Splitter Cable
– 2 x Thermistor Cables
– 1 x Screw for M.2 Socket
– 1 x Standoff for M.2 Socket
Form Factor– ATX Form Factor: 12.0-in x 9.6-in, 30.5 cm x 24.4 cm
– 10 Layer PCB
– 2oz Copper PCB

 

As expected, the ASRock OCF has the best power delivery in class, with a robust 22+1+2 VRM design, but also premium server-grade, 10-layer PCB, 20k capacitors, and all other features that make it great for overclocking and sustained high load. It also gives us three fast M.2 sockets and the latest Realtek ALC4082 audio codec. Barely any ITX motherboard has three M.2 sockets, and most new motherboards use older ALC1220 series audio codecs, so even these two features give an advantage to the little ASRock motherboard. The list of advantages is longer.

ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF Features and Specifications; Source: ASRock
ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF Features and Specifications; Source: ASRock

The motherboard supports all desktop Core Ultra processors and DDR5 RAM up to 9866MT/s+. Anything above 8600MT/s will use the clock driver, so in other words, it will be CUDIMM. We could run quick tests at 9866MT/s, but our test components showed instability. On the other hand, 9733MT/s was fully stable, and the motherboard with the tested official BIOS has a RAM OC profile at 9733MT/s, which works perfectly stable. The motherboard acts like it could handle over 10000MT/s, but finding a strong enough processor won’t be easy. The OCF’s product website shows that overclocking can get us above 12000MT/s, but with current components, this is reserved only for LN2 cooling.

The power design is strong enough to handle every desktop CPU at much higher voltages than standard. However, this is an extreme overclocking scenario that only a few users will consider.
We couldn’t hear any coil whine or other noises from the motherboard under high load. All voltages were perfectly stable, and the CPU overclocked slightly better than on other motherboards. The ambient cooling limited it, but we could see that tests could pass at a slightly lower voltage, making it easier to reach a maximum frequency.

ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF Features and Specifications; Source: ASRock
ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF Features and Specifications; Source: ASRock

The Z890 OCF offers six M.2 sockets. One, called Blazing, works up to PCIe 5.0 x4 mode (connected to the CPU), and five work up to PCIe 4.0 x4. M.2 sockets don’t share the bandwidth with the first PCIe x16 slot and are no other limitations. RAID modes are also supported, up to RAID 10. PCIe slot bifurcation is available in the BIOS setting.

The new Intel series doesn’t have native USB4 controllers compared to new AMD motherboards. However, all Z890 motherboards have Thunderbolt 4, which supports USB4 devices. Thunderbolt 4 is a better option for some users, providing more functionality, but most users won’t see a difference.

The OCF has a BIOS flashback button on the back I/O, a clear CMOS button, and a switch between BIOS A and B. One more unique feature is PS/2 ports, which are already dead on modern motherboards. Still, overclockers find them better for extreme scenarios where a specific operating system is in use or USB ports don’t want to work.

ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF Features and Specifications; Source: ASRock
ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF Features and Specifications; Source: ASRock

I’m happy that ASRock decided to keep all the high-end controllers like 5Gbps LAN, WiFi 7, and Bluetooth, as well as USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports and all the related functionality. Extreme overclocking motherboards usually have these controllers limited, while the OCF is a perfect all-arounder that should satisfy all kinds of users.

 

ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF Features

22+1+2+1+1 Power Phase, 110A SPS

Dr.MOS design features the latest SPS (Smart Power Stage) technology. It’s optimized for monitoring current and temperature of each phase, thus delivering smoother and neater power to the CPU with enhanced performance and OC capability.

Extreme Memory Overclocking

 

Derived from the “built for stable and reliable” designing concept, ASRock does not compromise on any details. This motherboard is built with high quality materials, enthusiasts are able to enjoy the boost of DDR5 memory overclocking performance by enabling the pre-tested profiles. Make sure the memory modules are Intel® XMP/AMD EXPO™ capable and overclocking can be made so affordable, satisfying and absolutely no sweat at all.

*There are certain risks involved with memory overclocking and may affect your system’s stability. Please realize that overclocking should be done at your own risk and expense. EXPO/XMP profile support may vary by different system configuration, memory modules and motherboard models. Please refer to Memory QVL for the completed support list.

Memory OC Shield

ASRock’s exclusive Memory OC Shield is a patented feature engineered to reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI) that could affect memory overclocking. By shielding memory modules from EMI noise and optimizing the layout, the Memory OC Shield enhances stability and reliability during high-frequency operations, enabling users to push their systems to the maximum potential.

Overclocking Toolkit

OC Buttons

6 x OC Profiles

You can customize six OC Switch functions via the BIOS. Users can control BIOS overclocking settings with physical buttons, making overclocking faster and more intuitive, greatly enhancing personalization.

Professional Overclocking

ElmorLabs OC Panel Header

It supports the ElmorLabs OC Panel to enable precise temperature monitoring, voltage adjustments, and enhanced system control.

Dual Thunderbolt™ 4 Type-C

It enables lightning-fast data transfer up to 40Gbps and connects versatile devices with a single Thunderbolt™ 4 cable.

Premium PCB Solution

Server-Grade Ultra Low-Loss PCB

Deluxe 6xM.2 Sockets

Supports up to 6xNVMe M.2 SSDs and one of which is able to accommodates the latest PCI Express 5.0 standard

DIY Friendly Design

Ultra-Fast Networking

Dual USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C (1 Rear, 1 Front)

The latest USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C delivers up to 20 Gbps data transfer rate which is 2x as fast as previous generation, providing a blazing fast data transfer interface with reversible USB Type-C design that fits the connector either way.

BIOS Flashback

Get the most convenient BIOS flashing with just a simple click. Users can easily achieve the latest BIOS support with a USB and power supply, No CPU, RAM or other components required.

The list of Key Features is also available on ASRock’s website.

Even though overclocking series motherboards are usually more about performance than looks, the OCF is probably the most eye-catching ASRock motherboard in the new series. Not only does it look great, but it also includes easy-release M.2 sockets and a main PCIe slot. It also shares other DIY features that we can find in other ASRock Taichi motherboards, such as RGB illumination and, of course, the premium and unique OCF overclocking features that make it so special.

Retail Packaging and Accessories

The motherboard arrived in a retail package. The package design and contents are the same as those in stores. The box is typical for an ATX motherboard but large enough to protect everything well.

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Inside the box is everything we need for the installation, including a WiFi antenna, SATA data cables, two thermal sensor cables, an M.2 screw and standoff, an RGB extension/splitter cable, a Taichi series key-cap, ASRock Powered sticker/badge, and a quick user’s guide (an extended version of the manual is available on the website).

 

A Closer Look at the ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF

The Z890 OCF has a unique design and doesn’t share the PCB with any other model. Everything looks very clean, and all components are easily accessible. Even if we occupy all slots and sockets, we can quickly replace anything we want.

ASRock used large heatsinks without interfering with possible cooling options or other devices. Installing a large AIO cooler with an LCD is not a problem, which is not surprising as the motherboard is designed to handle large LN2 pots.
Like all new ASRock motherboards, the OCF has the “MEMORY OC SHIELD.” It is between a CPU socket and RAM slots and promises better RAM overclocking and stability. Considering the very high RAM support, it seems like it works well. The main difference is that the OCF has it on both sides of the PCB, while other models have it only on the top.

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The motherboard is standard ATX size, so it should fit every popular ATX case. Some overclockers would consider it blasphemy to hide the OCF in a PC case as it would limit access to the OC Toolbox and some connectors. However, the overclocking community nowadays is not as extreme as it used to be, and most users will probably buy this motherboard to use with a custom water loop or AIO CPU cooler. The OCF is as well equipped as top gaming motherboards, so why not get one even if we are not extreme overclockers but still love premium components and wish to play with options not available on regular gaming motherboards?

The motherboard has seven fan headers, which can be controlled in the BIOS or ASRock software. The CPU fan headers are rated 1A/12W, while the chassis and pump headers can handle 3A/36W. It’s enough for a large cooling setup and dual-pump custom water cooling with multiple radiators.

The OCF uses large heatsinks and high-performance thermal pads. Even then, ASRock decided to use a fan under the largest VRM heatsink to lower the temperatures while overclocking. The fan is very quiet, so it’s hard to notice it’s there.

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The motherboard also has an aluminum backplate with thick thermal pads on the back of the VRM area. Although unnecessary for regular work, the backplate affects the temperatures under load and may improve overclocking results during extended high load.

The motherboard has six M.2 sockets in total, which makes it capable of a large RAID setup. However, only one socket is PCIe 5.0 x4 standard. Taming more PCIe 5.0 SSDs would be difficult, as they still run hot. All the M.2 heatsinks have thermal pads.
We have tested the ADATA 970 Pro PCIe 5.0 x4 SSD, which is probably the hottest M.2 SSD on the market. The passive heatsink on the OCF’s M.2 PCIe socket yielded much better results than the ADATA SSDs cooling with a loud fan. It’s easy to say that the heatsinks on the OCF are everything you may need for M.2 SSDs.
All but one of the M.2 sockets have the easy release mechanism, but on the remaining one, ASRock used the anti-drop screws, so it’s still good.

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The Z890 chipset has a single-die design and doesn’t generate much heat, so a small heatsink can efficiently cool it. The OCF’s chipset heatsink is connected to the M.2 heatsink with a thermal pad, and nothing is overheating with the installed PCIe 5.0 M.2 SSD, which confirms it doesn’t require any exceptional cooling for complete stability.

Below are additional close-ups of the ICs on the motherboard. It’s a bit of a surprise that the OCF gives us the same set of controllers as other top models and even the same high-end audio, even though it’s not mentioned in the key features like on other Taichi motherboards. I’m glad to see that regardless of whether we are into extreme overclocking or mixing overclocking with gaming, we still get the best options for everything we may do. All our needs can be covered by one ASRock Z890 OCF motherboard.

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UEFI BIOS and Software

BIOS/UEFI

The new motherboard series BIOS/UEFI is similar to the last generation, and it’s still user-friendly. The Z890 BIOS is kept in colors to match the motherboard design. The motherboard arrived with the latest BIOS version on the day of shipping, but before we started tests, there were already newer releases, including the 2.18 OC29 BIOS, which we used for the review.
The BIOS has two modes: an easy mode for all those who are okay with basic settings and an advanced mode for those who like to adjust everything or need specific settings for their work. In the case of the OCF, I assume the easy mode wouldn’t be required, but who knows what users decide to buy it?

Easy Mode

ASRock Z890 OCF - BIOS/UEFI
ASRock Z890 OCF – BIOS/UEFI

Advanced Mode

ASRock Z890 OCF - BIOS/UEFI
ASRock Z890 OCF – BIOS/UEFI

Advanced Mode – OC Tweaker

Advanced Mode – Advanced

Advanced Mode – Tool

Advanced Mode – H/W Monitor

Advanced Mode – Security

ASRock Z890 OCF - BIOS/UEFI
ASRock Z890 OCF – BIOS/UEFI

Advanced Mode – Boot

ASRock Z890 OCF - BIOS/UEFI
ASRock Z890 OCF – BIOS/UEFI

Advanced Mode – Exit

ASRock Z890 OCF - BIOS/UEFI
ASRock Z890 OCF – BIOS/UEFI

As you probably noticed, the OCF gives us some unique options. The list of available voltages and other options to perfectly tune our setup is long. There is also LN2 mode, which can be locked if the motherboard runs at ambient temperatures.
We can also find a new microcode switch option. So far, I have seen it only on some ASRock Z890 motherboards. The OCF with the latest BIOS gives us the whole list of microcodes up to the 113 version released just before the review publication with the 2.23 BIOS/UEFI, so it’s not included in the screenshots above. The 114 version was already announced for the upcoming weeks and promises performance improvements.

In the OCF BIOS, we can find additional gaming CPU and optimized RAM profiles, which are probably the most interesting for overclockers. The latest BIOS gives us up to 10400MT/s and multiple tight-timing profiles at lower frequencies. Not every CPU and RAM will handle it, but the OCF motherboard can make even more.

 

ASRock Software

ASRock adds its software, which includes RGB adjustment, fan control, overclocking and diagnostic options, memory settings details, and software/firmware updates. We wish to see it as one application, but sadly, it’s only available in multiple separate applications.

The RGB worked with the most popular RAM brands, like G.Skill and Kingston. Less popular, like KLEVV or V-Color, also worked fine.

ASRock Z890 OCF – Software

Fan control works without issues and can be easily managed by the software.
Most overclocking options, like the CPU ratio, won’t require a PC’s restart, which is rare in other motherboard brands but common for all tested ASRock motherboards.

 

Test Setup and Performance of the ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF

Test System Components

MotherboardsASRock Z890 Taichi OCF / Core Ultra 7 265K
ASRock Z890I NOVA / Core Ultra 7 265K
ASRock X870E Taichi / Ryzen 7950X
ASRock X870 Riptide / Ryzen 7950X
Biostar X870E Valkyrie / Ryzen 7950X
Gigabyte Z890 AORUS Master / Core Ultra 7 265K
Gigabyte X870E AORUS Pro ICE / Ryzen 7950X
Gigabyte B650E AORUS Master / Ryzen 7950X
ASUS Crosshair X670E Gene / Ryzen 7950X
Gigabyte X570 Ultra / Ryzen 5900X
MSI Z790 Ace MAX / 14900K
CPUsAMD Ryzen 9 7950X
AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
Intel Core i9 14900K
CPU CoolerCustom liquid cooling
MemoryDDR5: Kingston Renegade RGB 2x48GB@DDR5-6400 CL32 (auto sub-timings) / Hynix M-die
DDR4: Acer Predator 2x8GB DDR4-3600 CL14@XMP / Samsung B-die
SSDAcer Predator GM7000 2TB NVMe SSD (OS + Applications), Team Group GC PRO 2TB NVMe SSD for CrystalDiskMark
Power SupplyFSP  Hydro PTM Pro 1200W 80+ Platinum PSU
Video CardColorful RTX4080 Advanced OC 16GB
Operating SystemWindows 11 Pro x64

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CPU and Memory Performance

AIDA64 Cache and Memory Benchmark – Raw Data
Motherboard / CPUReadWriteCopyLatency
ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF / CU7 265K101054945569916480,1
ASRock Z890I NOVA / CU7 265K99904940889879581,2
AORUS Z890 Master / CU7 265K100031941129806082,5
ASRock X870E Taichi / R9 7950X82461868797624272,4
ASRock X870 Riptide / R9 7950X81124860457587974,9
Biostar X870E Valkyrie / R9 7950X79984848727388476,4
AORUS X870E PRO ICE / R9 7950X87846941248183462,1
AORUS B650E Master / R9 7950X88054939488070860,1
CROSSHAIR X670E GENE / R9 7950X88328924868092464,2
AORUS X570 Ultra / R9 5900X54136532594880560,2
MSI Z790 Ace MAX / i9 14900K10137310035710142765,2

 

ASRock Z890 OCF - AIDA64 Memory Tests
ASRock Z890 OCF – AIDA64 Memory Tests

Synthetic memory tests show high performance compared to other Z890 motherboards. The only weak point of the new Intel series is memory latency, which is about 15ns worse than we wish. The OCF still has slightly better results at the XMP profile than other Z890 motherboards we tested.
For comparison purposes, all the results were made on the 6400MT/s memory kit, so we can count on much better bandwidth if we use high-frequency CUDIMM. The motherboard supports all available CUDIMM memory kits, up to 10000MT/s+. The only problem is availability: in stores, we can barely see any options, and those we can buy are almost only 8400MT/s or 8800MT/s.
RAM scales well on the new Intel generation up to at least 8800-9000MT/s, which is the limit for Gear 2 on most popular motherboards. On ASRock motherboards like Z890I NOVA or Z890 OCF, we could reach even 9200MT/s Gear 2, which is impossible on most competitive motherboards and also the ASRock 4-slot series we tested so far.

 

AIDA64 CPU Benchmark – Raw Data
Motherboard / CPUPhotoZlibAESSHA3
ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF / CU7 265K655241990,12181589062
ASRock Z890I NOVA / CU7 265K654971987,42182209058
AORUS Z890 Master / CU7 265K654361980,22181669050
ASRock X870E Taichi / R9 7950X529712485,638624811246
ASRock X870 Riptide / R9 7950X532442474,638344811245
Biostar X870E Valkyrie / R9 7950X527892452,838187711098
AORUS X870E PRO ICE / R9 7950X539742476,738587011214
AORUS B650E Master / R9 7950X542472458,538437311136
CROSSHAIR X670E GENE / R9 7950X532422471,238347910805
AORUS X570 Ultra / R9 5900X208221342,92104635296
MSI Z790 Ace MAX / i9 14900K656612344,82867398265

 

ASRock Z890 OCF - AIDA64 CPU Benchmarks
ASRock Z890 OCF – AIDA64 CPU Benchmarks

AIDA64 CPU tests show that the Z890 OCF performs slightly better than other Z890 motherboards. The difference isn’t significant, but it confirms the motherboard works well and the CPU boosts up to expected frequencies.

 

AIDA64 FPU Benchmark – Raw Data
Motherboard / CPUJuliaMandelSinJuliaFP64 RT
ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF / CU7 265K178912840741284715824
ASRock Z890I NOVA / CU7 265K178888841021278915724
AORUS Z890 Master / CU7 265K178901840191274215782
ASRock X870E Taichi / R9 7950X2587241384873375834278
ASRock X870 Riptide / R9 7950X2568461391123368834316
Biostar X870E Valkyrie / R9 7950X2571121371843351234088
AORUS X870E PRO ICE / R9 7950X2578691376393368934059
AORUS B650E Master / R9 7950X2630301398733364334141
CROSSHAIR X670E GENE / R9 7950X2560271301703325733775
AORUS X570 Ultra / R9 5900X155039851571956612843
MSI Z790 Ace MAX / i9 14900K168473841241949318234

 

ASRock Z890 OCF - AIDA64 FPU Benchmarks
ASRock Z890 OCF – AIDA64 FPU Benchmarks

AIDA64 FPU tests suggest that all Z890 motherboards perform similarly. The Taichi OCF again looks slightly better, but it’s not significant.

 

Cinebench R23, POVRay, 7Zip – Raw Data
Motherboard / CPUR23 (S)R23 (M)POV-Ray7Zip
ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF / CU7 265K217435768276842158,224
ASRock Z890I NOVA / CU7 265K217735772276912155,88
AORUS Z890 Master / CU7 265K217535758276523156,752
ASRock X870E Taichi / R9 7950X201638852282146216,48
ASRock X870 Riptide / R9 7950X198938684274164214,45
Biostar X870E Valkyrie / R9 7950X194838142271879212,12
AORUS X870E PRO ICE / R9 7950X201338360285767216,18
AORUS B650E Master / R9 7950X200438384267130202,382
CROSSHAIR X670E GENE / R9 7950X200238340279272219,22
AORUS X570 Ultra / R9 5900X159820983288281117,115
MSI Z790 Ace MAX / i9 14900K217936600228088213,144

 

ASRock Z890 OCF - Cinebench R23, POV-Ray, 7-Zip
ASRock Z890 OCF – Cinebench R23, POV-Ray, 7-Zip

The results of additional tests show differences at the edge of the error margin. At the same time, the performance is as high as expected.

 

PCMark 10 Applications – Raw Data
Motherboard / CPUWordExcelPowerPointEdge
ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF / CU7 265K8516365681598715918
ASRock Z890I NOVA / CU7 265K8520365981592815938
AORUS Z890 Master / CU7 265K8460364271584615942
ASRock X870E Taichi / R9 7950X11046378161742216312
ASRock X870 Riptide / R9 7950X10848372891740416112
Biostar X870E Valkyrie / R9 7950X10546373841718916080
AORUS X870E PRO ICE / R9 7950X11011378191741516234
AORUS B650E Master / R9 7950X10924376941739816197
CROSSHAIR X670E GENE / R9 7950X10914377121740216194
AORUS X570 Ultra / R9 5900X11180316851790812932
MSI Z790 Ace MAX / i9 14900K9618380171841216357

 

ASRock Z890 OCF - PCMark 10 Applications
ASRock Z890 OCF – PCMark 10 Applications

The PCMark 10 Applications benchmark results are very close to those of the previously reviewed Z890I NOVA or Gigabyte Z890 Master.

 

Gaming Performance

Gaming benchmarks show about the same results on all Z890 motherboards. Differences are close to the margin of error, so the user’s experience will be similar in all cases. However, once again, the OCF gives us slightly higher scores than other Z890 motherboards.

ASRock Z890 OCF - 3DMark Fire Strike Extreme
ASRock Z890 OCF – 3DMark Fire Strike Extreme

 

ASRock Z890 OCF - 3DMark Time Spy
ASRock Z890 OCF – 3DMark Time Spy

 

ASRock Z890 OCF - Games at 1440p
ASRock Z890 OCF – Games at 1440p

Used processors greatly affect popular games. The Core Ultra series isn’t the fastest option, but the results are still pretty good. Once again, all the Z890 motherboards have similar results. Hopefully, the upcoming microcode will improve game results, as the new Intel processors are not bad, but for many users, they are still disappointing in some tasks.

 

Storage Performance

M.2 SSD

ASRock Z890 OCF - CrystalDiskMark, M.2 SSD performance
ASRock Z890 OCF – CrystalDiskMark, M.2 SSD performance

The M.2 performance has been tested using the ADATA 970 PRO 2TB NVMe PCIe 5.0 x4 SSD. The maximum bandwidth is around 11.7GB/s, which is typical for Innogrit-based SSDs. On the other hand, low queue random operations are up to 20% faster than we can see on motherboards with AMD chipsets, passing 101MB/s in the random read test. Overall, the M.2 performance is as high as expected.

 

USB

ASRock Z890 OCF - CrystalDiskMark, USB/TB4 performance
ASRock Z890 OCF – CrystalDiskMark, USB/TB4 performance

Since the Z890 chipset doesn’t have a native USB4 controller, we use Thunderbolt 4 with USB4 tunneling to perform USB tests. Our USB SSD performs well, and longer tasks have no problems.

 

Network Performance

LAN

ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF - TamoSoft LAN Test
ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF – TamoSoft LAN Test

The Z890 OCF uses the same Realtek 5Gbps LAN as all high ASRock models. Our results are as high as expected. Since reaching or passing the maximum throughput is impossible, around 4800Mbps looks like an excellent result. We also had no problems with the connection stability during longer work.

 

WiFi

WiFi results depend heavily on the environment, and the test room is far from perfect: it has thick walls and multiple networks, which limit the bandwidth.

ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF - SpeedTest WiFi Test
ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF – SpeedTest WiFi Test

The direct internet bandwidth is over 930Mbps on average, using a 1Gbps connection, which is pretty good and similar to other ASRock Z890 and X870/E motherboards reviewed in the previous weeks.

 

Power Consumption

ASRock Z890 OCF - Power Usage
ASRock Z890 OCF – Power Usage

Above, you can see our results for the whole test rig. It’s a typical high-end PC. The OCF uses slightly more power than the recently reviewed NOVA. This is probably due to additional controllers and the size of the motherboard.

Overclocking with the ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF

Intel Core Ultra processors don’t overclock as high as the last Intel generation, and we can count on about 5.6GHz P-cores and 5.0GHz E-cores for an average CPU. Above-average CPUs will give us about 100MHz more. We had no problems reaching 5.6GHz P-cores and 5.0GHz E-cores on the average quality processor, and the performance is proportionally better than at stock settings.

As expected, the OCF has no issues with overclocking or stability, and we couldn’t hear the so-called coil whine before or after overclocking.

ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF - Overclocking
ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF – Overclocking

RAM overclocking is much more interesting on the new Intel series as we get DDR5 modules with a clock driver, which boosts memory frequency and helps with stability. However, it’s not as great as we may think, as the new series still works on memory controller ratios called gears. The best performance gives us Gear 2, but then memory is limited to 9000MT/s on higher series motherboards. The OCF gives us one more step as we could reach even 9200MT/s on the better CPU.

ASRock Z890 OCF - RAM OC - 9200 Gear 2
ASRock Z890 OCF – RAM OC – 9200 Gear 2

Once we switch to Gear 4, we can go much higher. However, in this case, we can be limited by memory controllers or RAM. The OCF runs fine up to over 10000MT/s, but we must be lucky with other components to reach that. On the test platform, we could push our Kingston 8800MT/s kit up to 9866MT/s and even make it boot at 10000MT/s, but complete stability couldn’t be maintained over 9600MT/s. On the other hand, we could use quite tight memory timings.
You can be sure we will be back to RAM overclocking once more CUDIMM memory kits arrive for review, and I can already share that something is on the way to us.

ASRock Z890 OCF - RAM OC - 9600MT/s CUDIMM Gear 4
ASRock Z890 OCF – RAM OC – 9600MT/s CUDIMM Gear 4

Those users who aren’t lucky enough to use CUDIMM can overclock regular modules with excellent results. Below is a Hynix A-die-based Predator Hera 32GB DDR5-8000 kit, which runs without issues at 8600MT/s CL40.

ASRock Z890 OCF - RAM OC - 8600MT/s UDIMM Gear 2
ASRock Z890 OCF – RAM OC – 8600MT/s UDIMM Gear 2

ASRock OCF is the best motherboard I tested and the best motherboard for overclockers who wish to use the Intel Arrow Lake series processors. Even if we aren’t extreme overclockers, the OCF covers all the needs of gamers, content creators, and even more professional users.

Conclusion

The ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF is probably the best motherboard for Intel Arrow Lake processors. I would say it is the best for overclockers, but it offers so much more than overclocking potential that it wouldn’t be right to label it as only a product for this small group of users. It doesn’t change the fact that we won’t find any better motherboard if we expect top performance and a variety of settings to tune up our PC.
All the special features, OC toolbox, top RAM compatibility, toolless device installation, optimal layout, and outstanding performance make it a top choice regardless of whether you are an extreme overclocker, gamer, or a PC enthusiast.

ASRock motherboards are fully compatible with most RGB devices, such as fans, LED strips, water cooling components, RAM modules, etc. There were also no problems with various RAM kits, regular UDIMMs, or new CUDIMMs. Both series overclocked well.

ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF costs $526 in the Newegg online store. It’s not cheap, but we get all the best, and the price is still significantly lower than for all competitive motherboards. I’m sure anyone who decides to spend this money counting on a top motherboard will be delighted.

ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF is a fantastic motherboard. It has become my favorite, so I can recommend it to anyone without hesitation. One more great motherboard from ASRock that receives our Approved Stamp!

 

 

Click the stamp for an explanation of what this means.

 

Bartosz Waluk – Woomack

 

 

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Avatar of Thunder83
Thunder83

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Probably the best motherboard for current Intel CPUs

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SF101

The Printer Guru

1,743 messages 62 likes

Would have been cool if they put back in the NickShi Memory OC profiles like the Z77 OCF had i always thought that was the coolest thing as a working starting point.
Select the Mem Type and it would change most of the timings/sub timings that typically work at those frequency's and you could attempt the boot if it was stable you could start tightening things down a bit or bump the voltage to stabilize it.
On my old Z77 OCF i Ran a bunch of different kits and most of them just worked and often i could tighten them down far past the more Expensive kits that sold officially at those speeds.
It really made it so much simpler and with the range of DDR5 speeds / and chip capability's out there now it would be such a insanely good feature.

They also had a Water-cooled cmos/phase cooler on that board but it doesn't seem necessary now with how efficient they are now.

Heh if i was up for a new Intel setup I'd probably jump on this mobo.

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Woomack

Benching Team Leader

14,067 messages 3,550 likes

Would have been cool if they put back in the NickShi Memory OC profiles like the Z77 OCF had i always thought that was the coolest thing as a working starting point.
Select the Mem Type and it would change most of the timings/sub timings that typically work at those frequency's and you could attempt the boot if it was stable you could start tightening things down a bit or bump the voltage to stabilize it.
On my old Z77 OCF i Ran a bunch of different kits and most of them just worked and often i could tighten them down far past the more Expensive kits that sold officially at those speeds.
It really made it so much simpler and with the range of DDR5 speeds / and chip capability's out there now it would be such a insanely good feature.

They also had a Water-cooled cmos/phase cooler on that board but it doesn't seem necessary now with how efficient they are now.

Heh if i was up for a new Intel setup I'd probably jump on this mobo.

There are various profiles, including raw MHz for 10k+ clock, G2, G4 profiles, and some additional options. The OCF has multiple of them, while other models have fewer, like 1-2.
If you love older OCFs, you will love the new one, too. There are even more settings than in the previous series. Nick Shih is still responsible for these top models. I don't know the details of his work nowadays, but I was exchanging some emails with him while testing the Z890 OCF for review.

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SF101

The Printer Guru

1,743 messages 62 likes

That's so great he's still involved contributing.
Kind of wish they had a AMD OCF

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Woomack

Benching Team Leader

14,067 messages 3,550 likes

I already said that in another thread, but even though AMD is the first choice of gamers who generally flood the web, it's still not the first choice in general and not for hardware manufacturers. Intel still has over 60% market shares, and "new" brands like Qualcomm or other ARM-based devices take some % nowadays.
The same is with other motherboard brands, because high-end AMD motherboards don't sell well. Mid/high AMD CPUs are usually sold with low/mid mobos. The same is with other brands. There is no AMD ASUS Apex, no Gigabyte Tachyon (on open market), no MSI Unify (anymore as they released it for one chipset gen), and no ASRock OCF. There are also no other special series like ASRock AQUA, ASUS and Gigabyte skipped their top models too. On the other hand, there are also fewer enthusiast ITX models with the latest AMD chipsets. I guess we will see something more with the upcoming B series chipsets.
I'm still not complaining, as ASRock X870/X870E motherboards are well-designed and can still max out available CPUs and RAM. At least overclocking and support out-of-the-box are not limited by motherboards.

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