FRONTPAGE CES 2021: ASUS Z590 ROG Maximus XIII, ROG Strix, TUF Gaming, and Prime Launch

[Overclockers.com]

With CES 2021 ramping up this week, we are seeing lots of new releases including the array of six new Z590 motherboards from ASUS. You'll see support for new Rocket Lake processors from familiar faces like ROG, TUF, and Prime. Check out the press release from ASUS Blog below for more details on the full lineup.

Click here to view the article.

 

[BugFreak]

The TUF looks great. The rest not so much. ASUS really needs to lay off all the guards/heatsinks whatever they want to call all those covers. They make installing the board and drives too much of a PITA and just look ridiculous. There comes a point where its too much and for the most part these are well over that point. TUF has a nice sleek but strong look though.

 

[Blaylock]

They like to call it Armor. Occasionally it is actually a beneficial heatsink, other times it's just for aesthetics.

Check out the EVGA Z590 Dark. That's one sexy Mother.

 

[BugFreak]

Yea both eVGA 590 boards shown on their site look great. Still has that armor bs but at least it isn't all flashy like the ASUS boards. Hopefully one day we will get past this damn RGB phase we are in and get back to some nice looking top-end motherboards. Seems like eVGA kept the RGB to a minimum and all that copper on the dark is a nice touch.

I wanted to try an eVGA motherboard but when I was putting this build together none were in stock. Doubt I'll be buying a 590 series but maybe next round I'll give them a shot. I'm an ASUS loyalist though but the way eVGA handled the queue for the 3000 was very impressive.

 

[Blaylock]

Agreed. I wish EVGA would start working with AMD. I'm no Phan-boi, but generally choose whichever has the best performance per dollar. That tends to put me on team Red more often than not but I was very pleased with my 8th gen Intel, until it gave up the magic smoke. I would have replaced it with either another 8th or even 9th gen i7 but the Ryzen 3000 series was doing a great job keeping Intel in the corner and on the ropes.

My next major upgrade will wait until DDR5 becomes readily available.

 

[EarthDog]

I dont know... I like all the heatsinks and shrouds... pcbs aren't pretty!

As far as rgb... I'm nit a huge fan either and if they are too much, you can shut them off.

The TUF series today almost feels like a fall from grace to me. They are solid budget boards but they used to be tanks with all the shrouds and vrm, etc. Mounting any board, even with shrouds is easy... they never cover the holes. As far as m.2 drives.....thank God it's typically an install and leave it alone... otherwise its a couple of screws to get the heatsink off. Nkt something done daily/weekly or monthly even.

Evga boards are awesome! Just let them mature a bit.

 

[BugFreak]

Mounting any board, even with shrouds is easy... they never cover the holes...

I can't stand mounting boards with all the shrouds. Yes, most of the holes are not impacted but the holes by the I/O plate are always a pita for me. I always lose a screw in those little slots they give to put the screw in. In fact my current Z490-E has a lose one in there still. It fell between the big shroud around the I/O area and the motherboard. I already had my entire w/c setup in and tested and all the other parts in when installing the motherboard for this build so tipping it upside down to get it out wasn't happening. Especially considering its an Enthoo Primo which weighs as much as small house to begin with. I just left the damn thing in there. I had the same problem with my last Sabertooth build too, it wasn't quite as invasive though.

 

[EarthDog]

I always lose a screw in those little slots they give to put the screw in.

Ahh yes... that used to happen to me too. Then I bought magnetic tipped drivers.

That's always a terrible feeling when you lose a screw like that (especially when you can't find it, lolol).

 

[Super Nade]

For low cost, efficient high performance VRM (low temps) and adequate options, the TUF boards are a great option! I bought one for work (X570). Admittedly it was a newegg refurb, but for $114...!! They included accessories for an Intel board, but I don't use any of that junk anyway.

I would love to see a < $250 board with at least 1x10Gbe + 1x2.5GBe, 2xThunderbolt, 2xNVMe. Probably not going to happen, but hey!

 

[Culbrelai]

The TUF looks great. The rest not so much. ASUS really needs to lay off all the guards/heatsinks whatever they want to call all those covers. They make installing the board and drives too much of a PITA and just look ridiculous. There comes a point where its too much and for the most part these are well over that point. TUF has a nice sleek but strong look though.

I agree wholly. I hate the heat shields and several times they have been proven to raise temperatures.

Hero doesn't look too bad. Usually gigabyte doesn't do too much of the armor. Love the way my Gaming 7 looks.