Get ready for 12th Gen Intel CPUs with these new Z690 motherboards from ASUS

Asus Z690 Motherboards (Image credit: ASUS)

What you need to know

ASUS announced a new stack of Z690 motherboards today.
All of the motherboards support 12th Gen Intel processors and Windows 11.
The Z690 series is currently available to preorder.

ASUS announced new Z690 motherboards today that support 12th Gen Intel processors, which look to be among the best CPUs on the market. The motherboards feature DDR5 memory module support and PCIe 5.0 slots for video cards and storage. The ASUS Z690 platform includes ROG Maximus, ROG Strix, TUF Gaming, ProArt, and Prime motherboards. The new motherboards from ASUS are available for preorder starting today.

The ASUS Z690 motherboards support 12th Gen Intel Core processors, which come with up to 16 cores and 24 threads. They feature PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots, NVME RAID, Thunderbolt 4, 10 Gb Ethernet, and Wi-Fi6E on select motherboards.

Normally, DDR5 is limited to a maximum of 1.1 volts. ASUS bypasses this restriction in its Z690 motherboards with a combination of circuitry and firmware. PC owners can apply manual tweaks or enable ASUS Enhanced Memory Profile (AEMP) in the BIOS. ASUS explains that it worked with Adata, Corsair, Crucial, Geil, G.SKILL, Kingston, Klevv, and Teamgroup to ensure compatibility and stability.

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Every ASUS Z690 motherboard natively supports Windows 11, affording people an optimized experience when opting for the latest operating system from Microsoft.

All of the Z690 motherboards from ASUS also feature mounting holes that are compatible with CPU coolers designed for the LGA 1200 or LGA 1700 sockets.

The Newegg listings for the ASUS Z690 motherboards state a release date of November 4, 2021.

ASUS Z690 motherboards

These new motherboards from ASUS support 12th Gen Intel CPUs, PCIe 5.0, and Windows 11.

Sean Endicott is a news writer and apps editor for Windows Central with 11+ years of experience. A Nottingham Trent journalism graduate, Sean has covered the industry’s arc from the Lumia era to the launch of Windows 11 and generative AI. Having started at Thrifter, he uses his expertise in price tracking to help readers find genuine hardware value.

Beyond tech news, Sean is a UK sports media pioneer. In 2017, he became one of the first to stream via smartphone and is an expert in AP Capture systems. A tech-forward coach, he was named 2024 BAFA Youth Coach of the Year. He is focused on using technology—from AI to Clipchamp—to gain a practical edge.