The ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore boasts a sleek all-black design robust appearance upgraded power solution and an onboard PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot for lightning-fast storage. Meanwhile the ROG Memory Fan Kit offers active cooling to let tinkerers push DDR5 to the limit. And support for Intel Core 14th generation processors lets users set new benchmarks for the wealth of activities that demand peak performance. This motherboard is the ultimate choice for enthusiasts and overclockers seeking style and power in their gaming setup.ROG OVERCLOCKING TECHNOLOGIESTried and tested OC features offer extensive control over system performance for seasoned veterans and new recruits alike. Leverage onboard intelligence to automatically adapt CPU performance or get a headstart on manual tuning and then utilize advanced tools and utilities to stay on the pulse and push boundaries.AI OVERCLOCKINGTuning is now faster and smarter than ever before. ASUS AI Overclocking profiles the CPU and cooling to predict the optimal configuration and push the system to its limits. Predicted values can be engaged automatically or used as a launching ground for further experimentation.OVERCLOCKER'S TOOLKITThe ROG Overclockers Toolkit is a powerful set of hardware-level controls to enhance your overclocking experience. Some are quick and easy time savers while others offer masterful functionality to help you smash benchmarks and break records.DIFFERENTIAL SENSINGConventional motherboards use single-ended sensing tapped from a location that isn't ideal leading to a large disparity between the actual voltage fed to the CPU and the value reported to software. The ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore features a differential-sensing circuit and delicate IC that simplify overclocking and tuning by allowing you to track voltages more accurately.CONDENSATION DETECTIONSpecialized circuitry allows ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore to detect when condensation occurs on the back of the board. Divided into three distinct sections CPU DRAM and PCIe the feature provides a useful warning when an area may be at risk of short-circuiting.TEAMED POWER ARCHITECTUREToday's CPU architectures place incredible demands on motherboard power design by transitioning from deep power-saving modes going from lower-power mode to full load in an instant. The latest ROG VRM architecture rises to the challenge by utilizing teamed power stages to rapidly swing current while maintaining exemplary thermal performance.A BRIEF HISTORYASUS became the first manufacturer to implement phase-doublers with the A8N32-SLI Deluxe motherboard back in 2005. The board's VRM was lauded for elegantly overcoming the power handling capabilities of components that were available at the time while also reducing voltage ripple. Those benefits led to phase-doublers becoming universally accepted in the industry and they are still used for similar purposes today.A SHIFT IN CPU DEMANDSModern CPUs pack more cores than their predecessors and the latest instruction sets allow them to crunch computationally dense workloads at an incredible pace. In addition they consume less power at idle and can transition between load states much more quickly. These improvements necessitate a re-evaluation of power-design priorities because phase-doublers add a propagation delay that hampers transient response.BUCKING THE TRENDFortunately the latest integrated power components can handle higher currents than the devices of yesteryear making it possible to implement a simple circuit topology that isn't hamstrung by the processing lag of phase-doublers. That's why the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore utilizes teamed power stages to deliver higher burst current per phase while maintaining the thermal performance of phase-doubled designs.THERMAL PERFORMANCEEach VRM component serves a specific purpose. PWM controllers and phase-doublers control the circuit and the power stages do the heavy lifting from an electrical and thermal standpoint. The power stages feature low RDSON to reduce switching and conduction losses helping to improve overall thermal headroom.MEMORYComprehensive memory tuning options are the cornerstone of ROG motherboards. With the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore you can extract all of the potential out of your DDR5 modules regardless of if they're from an extreme-speed kit or an entry-level set that would otherwise be locked.DDR5 DOMINATIONROG has a long legacy of flexing the fastest memory performance and DDR5 is no outlier. Thanks to improved signal routing now enthusiast-grade kits have been driven as far as 8 GT/s on the Maximus Z790 Apex Encore and who knows how far future DIMMs can go? Seasoned veterans can test their mettle by tinkering with the extensive array of tuning options in the UEFI.The ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore is also equipped with the ROG Memory Fan Kit a cooling solution to solidify DDR5 stability and unleash memory overclocking. With the ROG Memory Fan Kit your DDR5 modules can push the boundaries and reach overclocking speeds of 8400+ MT/s. Experience superior cooling performance and unlock the full potential of your memory with ease.DIMM FLEXDIMM Flex provides enthusiasts with a powerful new way to overclock their DDR5 memory modules. It employs specialized circuitry that can boost performance or address potential stability issues depending on temperature readings. When temperatures are nominal it can use the extra headroom to increase speeds and efficiency. And when temperatures increase it can adjust memory behavior downward to maintain stability.AEMP IIASUS Enhanced Memory Profile II (AEMP II) is an exclusive firmware feature that allows users to achieve supreme memory performance and compatibility with optimized clock speeds even when they're using PMIC-restricted memory modules that do not provide an XMP or EXPO profile. Developed through a flexible training method AEMP II simplifies the process of fine-tuning memory settings beyond the baseline configuration all while ensuring system stability. This applies whether you are maximizing the potential of an entry-level module or preparing a high-speed kit for ultimate performance.Now AEMP II offers even more flexibility. With the latest firmware update AEMP II allows users to optimize the performance of a four-DIMM DDR5 RAM configuration even with a mixture of different brands and dies. Increasing the memory capacity of your build by adding additional DIMMs has never been easier with AEMP II you can get optimized memory performance even when all four memory modules are not an exact match provided that all four DIMMs have the same capacity.Cooler by DesignVRM HEATSINK ARRAYVRM heatsinks on the MOSFETs and chokes are connected by an embedded heatpipe to increase mass and surface area for dissipation.M.2 HEATSINKS AND BACKPLATESThree onboard M.2 slots are thoroughly cooled with heatsinks and backplates for maximum cooling performance.ROG DIMM.2 CARD HEATSINKTwo additional M.2 slots are kept cool with the DIMM.2 card's hefty heatsinks.EXTENDED VRM AND M.2 HEATSINKAn extended heatsink helps further cool the VRM along with an M.2 drive.THERMAL MANAGEMENTAn extensive array of headers allows for precise cooling control and monitoring.MULTIPLE TEMPERATURE SOURCESEach header can be set to monitor and react to three user-configurable thermal sensors for workload-based cooling and all settings can be easily managed by Fan Xpert 4 or UEFI.4-PIN FAN HEADERSEvery onboard header supports auto-detection of DC or PWM fans.AIO PUMP HEADERA dedicated PWM/DC header for self-contained water-cooling setups.ROG WATER-COOLING ZONEDual water-temperature headers and a flow-rate header feed information straight into Armoury Crate allowing you to track coolant temperatures and the flow rate of the entire loop.Water pump+A dedicated header can supply over 3 amps to a high-performance PWM or DC water pumps.Water in/outA dedicated header enables monitoring of temperatures at the input/output points of any component.Water flowA dedicated header enables constant monitoring of flow rate throughout the entire loop.COOLER COMPATIBILITYASUS AIO coolers offer robust performance high overclocking potential bold aesthetics and customizable functionality for new Z790 motherboards empowering you to build your dream gaming rig.WiFi 7Next-gen WiFi 7* chipset introduces all-new ultrawide 320 MHz channel bandwidth in the 6 GHz band and 4096 QAM delivering up to 2.4X ultra-fast WiFi speeds**. The revolutionary Multi-Link Operation (MLO) provides a more stabl