ASRock Z690 Aqua OC Motherboard Review Ft. Corsair’s Hydro X Series Liquid Cooling

Conclusion - ASRock's Best Design To Date

Today, we are taking a look at more Z690 motherboards, this time once again from ASRock as Intel has finally unleashed a sub-10nm (officially the Intel 7 process, which is comparable to TSMC 7nm) desktop CPU with its 12th Gen Alder Lake processors, and the company’s multi-year slippage at 14nm is officially over.

The Alder Lake architecture also features a plethora of innovative changes including a hybrid architecture with big.SMALL design features p and e-cores as well as a new hardware scheduling technology that will go live in Windows 11.

The company has largely been stagnant in the consumer desktop space. The main reason for this stagnation has been Intel's reliance on its 14nm process node and Skylake architecture which has served the desktop space since 2015 up till 2020 (10th Generation Comet Lake) while Intel's 10nm process dilemmas and yields couldn't keep up with Skylake in mainstream desktop space. To build up its 10nm inventory for a mass consumer launch, Intel did release an intermediate platform, the Z590, and the respective 11th Gen Rocket Lake lineup with a new architecture but limited to just 8 cores due to power scaling and inefficiency on the 14nm process node.

One of the issues and an ongoing one is the competitive threat from AMD's Ryzen processors which aren't only tackling Intel in terms of pure core count but also in terms of IPC which has exceeded Skylake levels and also pricing in which AMD has simply made Intel's once iconic Core i5 and Core i7 lineups disappear from the game. Despite the newer architecture, the Rocket Lake CPUs proved not to be competitive in the multi-threaded space and Ryzen 5000 CPUs even offered better gaming performance in several AAA titles.

There's another key department where Intel still holds the lead over AMD which is due to the process maturation of the 14nm node over the years. In terms of clock speeds, Intel has taken the battle to AMD which makes sense in a way since while their remerged rival can beat them in terms of price, cores, they can surely flex their muscles in terms of clock speeds, however, AMD has been knocking the socks off Intel with its impressive gen-over-gen IPC gains which invalidate the clock speed gains that intel has been so proud of. Those clock speeds also come at a big disadvantage on the existing 14nm node and that's power consumption. Intel Desktop CPUs are no longer the king in terms of efficiency.

Intel 12th Gen vs AMD Ryzen 5000 Desktop CPU Prices:

Intel CPU	Cores / Threads	Clocks (Max)	Price (MSRP)	Prices (Newegg) - 01/11/2021	Prices (Newegg) - 01/11/2021	Price (MSRP)	Clocks (Max)	Cores / Threads	AMD CPU
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	$749.99 US	$799 US	4.7 GHz (105W)	16/32	AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
Intel Core i9-12900K	16/24	5.2 GHz (241W)	$589 US (K) $564 US (KF)	$649.99 K $629.99 KF	$559.99 US	$549 US	4.6 GHz (105W)	12/24	AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
Intel Core i7-12700K	12/20	5.0 GHz (190W)	$409 US (K) $384 US (F)	$449.99 K $419.99 KF	$394.99 US	$449 US	4.7 GHz (105W)	8/16	AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
Intel Core i5-12600K	10/16	4.9 GHz (150W)	$289 US (K) $264 US (KF)	$319.99 K $299.99 KF	$309.99 US	$299 US	4.6 GHz (65W)	6/12	AMD Ryzen 5 5600X

So this year, Intel has decided to launch a second architecture overhaul, and oh boy! It's a big one. Enter Alder Lake, a brand new approach to x86 consumer processors which feature two key cores technology and come with a brand new platform that is outfitted with the next-generation features such as DDR5 and PCIe 5.0. The Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake lineup will include the top to bottom i9, i7, i5, and i3 chips.

Main features of Intel's Alder Lake Desktop CPUs include:

• Intel 7 Process Technology
• Performance hybrid architecture, combing P-Cores and E-Cores
• Intel Thread Director
• Core architecture featuring performance improvements
• Up To 19% IPC increase
• Up To 16 Cores (8 P-Cores + 8 E-Cores) and 24 threads
• Increased L2 cache and L3 shared Intel Smart Cache
• DDR5 Support (Up To 4800 MT/s)
• Processor PCIe 5.0 (up to 16 lanes)
• Chiplet PCIe 4.0 (up to 12 lanes)
• Integrated WiFi 16E Support
• Up To 8 DMI 4.0 lanes
•  Core and memory overclocking enhancements
• Enhanced Intel UHD graphics driven by Xe architecture

Their main competitor is still the AMD Ryzen 5000 lineup based on the Zen 3 architecture that was introduced back in Q4 2020 and based on the Zen 3 core architecture. For this review, I'll be putting the Core i9-12900K to test on the ASRock Z690 Aqua OC motherboard along with the Kingston Fury Beast DDR5 memory kit and Corsair's high-end Hydro X series cooling solution.

Intel's Alder Lake-S desktop CPU platform will feature support on LGA 1700 socket which made is a brand new socket design. The Alder Rocket Lake-S processors will be launching alongside the 600-series motherboards and won't be compatible with existing LGA 1200 socket motherboards such as Z590 and Z490. In addition to the flagship Z690 motherboards, B660 motherboards will support memory overclocking which has been highly anticipated by budget PC builders.

Intel Z690 Platform Features:

The 11th gen desktop platform has a range of new features that mainly include:

• Support for LGA 1700 Intel Core / Pentium Gold / Celeron Processors
• TDP Support Up To 125W
• DDR5-4800 / DDR4-3200 Support For Alder Lake Desktop Processors
• Support For Intel Wireless-AX (CNVi)
• Up To 16 PCIe Gen 5.0 Lanes (Discrete GPU via CPU Only)
• Up To 12 PCIe Gen 4.0 Lanes
• Up To 16 PCIe Gen 3.0 Lanes
• 8x SATA III ports (6 Gbps)
• 4x USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 20 Gbps
• 10 USB 3.2 Gen 2x1 10 Gbps
• 10 USB 3.2 Gen 1x1 5 Gbps
• 14 USB 2.0
• x8 DMI Gen 4.0 (CPU-PCH Interconnect)
• IRST 17 for PCIe storage RAID on CPU & PCH Support
• Hardware-Level PCIe Gen 4 Integration from various board vendors
• Optane Memory Ready
• Thunderbolt 4.0
• Integrated Intel 2.5G Base-T Ethernet
• Integrated Intel WiFi 6E Support

Another interesting thing to talk about the Z690 PCH is its process node and dimensions. The Z690 PCH is based on the 14nm node and measures at 98mm2 which is slightly larger than the Z590 PCH featured on LGA 1200 socket motherboards.

Intel Desktop Platform Chipset Comparison

Chipset Name	Arrow Lake-S (ARL-S) PCH / 800 Series (Z890)	Raptor Lake-S (RPL-S) PCH / 700 Series (Z790)	Alder Lake-S (ADL-S) PCH / 600 Series (Z690)	Rocket Lake-S (RKL-S) PCH / 500 Series (Z590)	Comet Lake-S (CML-S) PCH / 400 Series (Z490)	Coffee Lake S (CFL-S) PCH / 300 Series (Z390/H370, B360, Q370, H310)	Coffee Lake S (KBL-R) PCH / Z370 Platform
Process Node	7nm	14nm	14nm	14nm	14nm	14nm	22nm
Processor	24C, 20C, 14C, 12C, TBD)	24,16C,12C,10C,6C,4C	16C,12C,10C,6C,4C (Full corporate/consumer SKU stack at launch)	8C, 6C (Full corporate/consumer SKU stack at launch)	10C, 8C, 6C, 4C, 2C (Full corporate/consumer SKU stack at launch)	8C, 6C, 4C, 2C (Full corporate/consumer SKU stack at launch)	8C, 6C, 4C (6 Consumer SKUs at Launch)
Memory	Up To DDR5-6400 (Native)	Up To DDR5-5600 (Native) Up To DDR4-3200 (Native)	Up To DDR5-4800 (Native) Up To DDR4-3200 (Native)	Up To DDR4-3200 (Native)	Up To DDR4-2933 (Native)	Up To DDR4-2666 (Native)	Up To DDR4-2666 (Native)
Media, Display & Audio	eDP / 4DDI (DP, HDMI) Display Capabilities	eDP / 4DDI (DP, HDMI) Display Capabilities	eDP / 4DDI (DP, HDMI) Display Capabilities	DP 1.2 & HDMI 2.0, HBR3 HDCP 2.2 (HDMI 2.0a w/LSPCON) 12-bit AV1/HEVC & VP9 10-bit Enc/Dec, HDR, Rec.2020, DX12 Integrated Dual-Core Audio DSP With USB Audio offload SoundWire Digital Audio Interface	DP 1.2 & HDMI 1.4 HDCP 2.2 (HDMI 2.0a w/LSPCON) HEVC & VP9 10-bit Enc/Dec, HDR, Rec.2020, DX12 Integrated Dual-Core Audio DSP SoundWire Digital Audio Interface	DP 1.2 & HDMI 1.4 HDCP 2.2 (HDMI 2.0a w/LSPCON) HEVC & VP9 10-bit Enc/Dec, HDR, Rec.2020, DX12 Integrated Dual-Core Audio DSP SoundWire Digital Audio Interface	DP 1.2 & HDMI 1.4 HDCP 2.2 (HDMI 2.0a w/LSPCON) HEVC & VP9 10-bit Enc/Dec, HDR, Rec.2020, DX12 Integrated Dual-Core Audio DSP
I/O & Connectivity	Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20G) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi6E/ 7 BT CNVio) with Gig+ Integrated SDXC 4.0 Controller Thunderbolt 4.0	Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20G) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi6E/ 7 BT CNVio) with Gig+ Integrated SDXC 4.0 Controller Thunderbolt 4.0	Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20G) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi6E/ 7 BT CNVio) with Gig+ Integrated SDXC 4.0 Controller Thunderbolt 4.0	Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20G) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi6E/ BT CNVi) Integrated SDXC 3.0 Controller Thunderbolt 4.0 (Maple Ridge)	Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2 Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi / BT CNVi) Integrated SDXC 3.0 Controller Thunderbolt 3.0 (Titan Ridge) w/ DP 1.4	Integrated USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi / BT CNVi) Integrated SDXC 3.0 Controller Thunderbolt 3.0 (Titan Ridge) w/ DP 1.4	Integrated USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) Thunderbolt 3.0 (Alpine Ridge)
Storage	PCIe 5.0 (CPU Lanes), 8x SATA 3.0	Next-Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 5.0 (CPU Lanes), 6x SATA 3.0	Next-Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 5.0, 6x SATA 3.0	Next-Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 4.0, 6x SATA 3.0	Next-Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 3.0, 6x SATA 3.0	Next Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 3.0, 6x SATA 3.0	Next Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 3.0, 6x SATA 3.0
Max PCH PCIe Lanes	Up To 24 (Gen 4)	Up To 20 (Gen 4) Up To 8 (Gen 3)	Up To 12 (Gen 4) Up To 16 (Gen 3)	Up To 24 (Gen 3)	Up To 24 (Gen 3)	Up To 24 (Gen 3)	Up To 24 (Gen 3)
Max CPU PCIe Lanes	Up To 20 (Gen 5) Up To 4 (Gen 4)	Up To 16 (Gen 5) Up To 4 (Gen 4)	Up To 16 (Gen 5) Up To 4 (Gen 4)	Up To 20 (Gen 4)	Up To 16 (Gen 3)	Up To 16 (Gen 3)	Up To 16 (Gen 3)
Max USB Ports	Up To 5 (USB 3.2 Gen 2z2) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x1) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 1x1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0)	Up To 5 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x2) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x1) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 1x1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0)	Up To 4 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x2) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x1) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 1x1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0)	Up To 3 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x2) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x1) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 1x1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0)	Up To 10 (USB 3.2) Up To 14 (USB 2.0)	Up To 10 (USB 3.1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0)	Up To 10 (USB 3.0) Up To 14 (USB 2.0)
Security	Intel TET Intel Boot Guard	N/A	N/A	N/A	Intel SGX 1.0	Intel SGX 1.0	Intel SGX 1.0
Power Management	C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby	C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby	C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby	C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby	C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby	C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby	C8 Support
Launch	2024	2022	2021	2021	2019	2018	2017

Meet The LGA 1700 Socket - 12th Generation CPU Support

As mentioned earlier, LGA 1200's reign is finally over and the LGA 1700 socket is here now. The new socket adds more pins to the socket and changes the dimensions entirely. The new LGA 1700 socket offers 500 more pin connections to the CPU, allowing for more communication channels with the board itself and accommodating electrical pin configurations that are required to support 12th Gen CPUs.

So as for the socket details, Intel is going with an asymmetrical design which poses since the Alder Lake CPUs are no longer square-shaped. The Alder Lake desktop CPUs will come in a 37.5x45.0mm package and will be supported by the 'V0' socket which we know as LGA 1700. The new socket also changes the mounting positions to a 78x78mm grid rather than a 75x75mm grid. The Z-height has also changed to 6.529mm compared to 7.31mm on the previous LGA 12**/115* sockets.

Specifications
Intel LGA1700 Socket details
IHS to MB Height (Z-Stack, validated range):	6.529 – 7,532 mm
Thermal Solution Hole Pattern:	78 x 78 mm
Socket Seating Plane Height:	2.7 mm
Maximum Thermal Solution Center of Gravity Height from IHS:	25.4 mm
Static Total Compressive Minimum:	534N (120 lbf), Beginning of Life 356 N (80 lbf)
End of life maximum:	1068 N (240 lbf)
Socket Loading:	80-240 lbf
Dynamic Compressive Maximum:	489.5 N (110 lbf)
Maximum Thermal Solution Mass:	950 gm
Important Note:	A Keep In Zone is introduced for LGA17xx-18xx thermal solutions. Two volumes are provided. The Asymmetric volume provides the maximum available design space. The Symmetric volume provides for designs to be rotatable on the board. The thermal solution under load should fit within the volume

What's interesting is that the Alder Lake CPUs use an asymmetrical design and while we don't know how the dies will be positioned under the IHS, we do know from AMD Threadripper that CPUs that carry such design require full IHS coverage and that may be the tricky part when it comes to cooling the brand new Alder Lake CPUs. So far, we know that Alder Lake will be a monolithic yet hybrid CPU design so it remains to be seen how cooling is handled for these 12th Generation chips.

Cooler Compatibility With LGA 1700 Socket

To make their existing coolers compatible with Intel's Alder Lake lineup, many cooling brands have released LGA 1700 upgrade kits which feature mounting hardware for the new socket. But the Intel Alder Lake platform isn't just featuring a brand new mounting design but the CPU dimensions itself have changed too.

The LGA 1700 (V0) socket not only has an asymmetrical design but also comes with a lower Z-stack height. This means that proper mounting pressure is needed to make full contact with the Intel Alder Lake IHS. Certain cooler manufacturers have already been using larger cold plates for Ryzen and Threadripper CPUs to make proper contact with the IHS but these are mostly higher-end and new cooling designs. Those who are still running older AIOs with round cold plates could have trouble maintaining the required pressure distribution which could lead to inadequate cooling performance.

Cooling will play a major role in determining the performance of Intel's Alder Lake CPUs, especially the unlocked lineup, which as per the leaked benchmarks, runs really hot. Users will have to utilize the best of the best cooling hardware to maintain an adequate temperature & more so if they are planning on overclocking the chips.

We know from the official announcement that Intel's 12th Gen Alder Lake Desktop CPUs will be available in two main die configurations. These include an 8+8 (C0) die which will be featured on high-end unlocked and non-K SKUs and a 6+0 (H0) die which will be used for non-K SKUs. All of the dies are based on the 10nm ESF process node (Intel 7) and feature a smaller die size compared to 14nm SKUs.

Intel Alder Lake CPU Dies, Hot Spots & Best Cooling Configurations

The Intel Alder Lake C0 die has a surface area of 215.25mm2 while the H0 die has a surface area of 162.75mm2. This means that as the area shrinks and transistor density increases, heat dissipation will become a major challenge. The CPUs will use a Tin TIM material between the die and IHS along with a soldered design. Just for comparison, the 14nm Rocket Lake CPUs with 8 cores & 16 threads had a surface area of 276mm2.

Since both Alder Lake dies have a different core configuration, their hot spots are also different. As shown in the thermal imagery by MSI, the C0 (8+8) die has its hot spot close towards the center but the H0 (6+0) die has its hot spot slightly towards the left side. So it will be important to use the right cooling configuration based on the SKU you are getting.

For this purpose, MSI has shown some best cooling configurations to use with the Intel Alder Lake CPUs. For starters, it is suggested that copper-based heatsinks are used instead of aluminum ones. The positioning will also play an important role as you are advised to have the heat pipes running parallel to the die and not perpendicular. The parallel configuration will ensure that the heat pipes are making direct contact over the hot spots and not making inefficient contact.

The Intel Alder Lake-S Desktop CPU lineup will include the 12th Gen Core processors. Intel will kick off its lineup with the introductory 'K' and 'KF' chips which will be followed by more mainstream variants in the following weeks (early 2022 around CES).

The architecture has seen several optimizations and key refinements that have led to an increase from 8 cores and 16 threads to 16 cores and 24 threads. The new 10nm ESF (Intel 7) process retains Intel's clock leadership, pushing the chips up to 5.2 GHz.

Intel’s Alder Lake will be built using the company’s new E and P cores, you can read the architectural deep dive over here, and represent a significant evolution in the company’s power efficiency targets. It will be built on the Intel 7 process and scale from 9 watts to 125 watts. DDR5 and PCIe gen5 will be supported (first to market) and feature new technologies like the Intel Thread Director.

Alder Lake will be fully scalable from Desktop (LGA1700) to ultra-mobile. Interestingly, however, while the platform has 8 P-cores and 8 E-cores, only the P-cores will support hyperthreading making for a total of 24 threads available. The integrated GPU will have 96 EUs of Xe architecture (good but nothing to write home about) but the thing that impressed us the most was the fact that Intel is claiming a 19% IPC uplift over Rocketlake – which should handily beat AMD parts if true.

Alder Lake will feature up to 30 MB of noninclusive LL Cache and support DDR5-4800, LP5-5200 along with DDR4-3200, and LP4x-4266. It will also support two times the PCIe bandwidth thanks to its support of PCIe 5 and will be able to provide up to 16 lanes of PCIe Gen5 with up to 64 GB/s. The new design is fully modular and built like lego and should be completely scalable and flexible. The compute fabric interconnect has a bandwidth of 1000 GB/s while the IO fabric has a BW of 64 GB/s. The memory subsystem supports up to 204 GB/s but more importantly can scale memory frequency (and power) according to the need of the SoC

Intel Core i9-12900K 16 Core / 24 Thread Desktop CPU

The Intel Core i9-12900K will be the flagship chip in the 12th Gen Alder Lake Desktop CPU lineup. It will feature 8 Golden Cove cores and 8 Gracemont cores for a total of 16 cores (8+8) and 24 threads (16+8). The P-cores (Golden Cove) will operate at a maximum boost frequency of up to 5.3 GHz with 1-2 active cores and 5.0 GHz with all-cores active while the E-cores (Gracemont) will operate at 3.90 GHz across 1-4 cores and up to 3.7 GHz when all cores are loaded. The CPU will feature 30 MB of L3 cache and TDP values are maintained at 125W (PL1) and 241(PL2).

The CPU is said to feature a 1st stage power limit of 125W which is standard for a flagship Intel SKU and the 2nd stage power limit or PL2 is rated at 241W. This means that when hitting its maximum advertised clock speeds, the CPU could end up pulling even higher wattage from the PSU. Overall performance creation is also seeing a giant leap in performance across the board. Interestingly, however, if you want the same performance as an Intel Core i9 11900k, then you can drop the power consumption by 1/4 to 65W and get the same performance! This is an incredible leap in performance efficiency thanks to the e-cores.

The Intel Core i9-12900K will have an MSRP of $589 US which puts it $40 more expensive than the Ryzen 9 5900X and $210 US cheaper than the Ryzen 9 5950X. The KF variant will be priced even lower at a $564 US MSRP.

Intel Core i7-12700K 12 Core / 20 Thread Desktop CPU

Moving over to the Core i7, Intel will offer 8 Golden Cove cores but cut down the Gracemont cores to 4. This will result in a total of 12 cores (8+4) and 20 threads (16+4). The P-cores (Golden Cove) will operate at a maximum boost frequency of up to 5.0 GHz with 1-2 active cores and 4.7 GHz with all-cores active while the E-cores (Gracemont) will operate at 3.8 GHz across 1-4 cores & up to 3.6 GHz when all cores are loaded. The CPU will feature 25 MB of L3 cache and TDP values are maintained at 125W (PL1) and 228W (PL2).

As for pricing, the Core i7 will also be cheaper than the Core i9 variant at $409 US & $394 US (for the KF) variant. This puts it in the same price category as the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X which offers 8 cores and 16 threads at $449 US.

Intel Core i5-12600K 10 Core / 16 Thread Desktop CPU

Lastly, we have the Intel Core i5-12600K which will be the entry-level unlocked chip within the line. The CPU will carry 6 Golden Cove and 4 Gracemont cores for a total of 10 cores (6+4) & 16 threads (12+4). The P-cores (Golden Cove) will operate at a maximum boost frequency of up to 4.9 GHz with 1-2 active cores and 4.5 GHz with all-cores active while the E-cores (Gracemont) will operate at 3.6 GHz across 1-4 cores & up to 3.4 GHz when all cores are loaded. The CPU will feature 20 MB of L3 cache and TDP values are maintained at 125W (PL1) and 228W (PL2).

Now the main proving ground for this chip against the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X will be its performance to price value. The Ryzen 5 5600X with a $299 US MSRP is slightly higher in terms of pricing when we compare it to its predecessor. The Core i5-12600K on the other hand will be replacing the Core i5-11600K and will retain at $289 US standard and $264 US for the KF variant. This alone is cheaper than the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Based on performance and availability, the Core i5-12600K could indeed become a hot selling chip in the mainstream gaming market. With that said, we also have to take into account the availability of the Core i5-12600K. Technically, mainstream SKUs aren't affected a lot by supply issues as is the case with the Ryzen 5 5600X but a small delay in stock could result in Intel missing an opportunity to create a dent in AMD's Ryzen 5 segment. Consumers have already seen what AMD delivered as a successor to its Ryzen 5 3600X so now it's time to see if Alder Lake can really shake things up in the mainstream gaming segment.

Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake Desktop CPU Specs

CPU Name	P-Core Count	E-Core Count	Total Core / Thread	P-Core Base / Boost (Max)	P-Core Boost (All-Core)	E-Core Base / Boost	E-Core Boost (All-Core)	L3 Cache	TDP (PL1)	TDP (PL2)	Expected (MSRP) Price
Core i9-12900KS	8	8	16 / 24	3.4 / 5.5 GHz	5.2 GHz	2.4 / 3.9 GHz	3.7 GHz	30 MB	150W	260W	$739 US
Core i9-12900K	8	8	16 / 24	3.2 / 5.2 GHz	5.0 GHz	2.4 / 3.9 GHz	3.7 GHz	30 MB	125W	241W	$599 US
Core i9-12900	8	8	16 / 24	2.4 / 5.1 GHz	TBA	1.8 / 3.8 GHz	TBA	30 MB	65W	202W	$489 US $464 US (F)
Core i9-12900T	8	8	16 / 24	1.4 / 4.9 GHz	TBA	1.0 / 3.6 GHz	TBA	30 MB	35W	106W	$489 US
Core i7-12700K	8	4	12 / 20	3.6 / 5.0 GHz	4.7 GHz	2.7 / 3.8 GHz	3.6 GHz	25 MB	125W	190W	$419 US
Core i7-12700	8	4	12 / 20	2.1 / 4.9 GHz	TBA	1.6 / 3.6 GHz	TBA	25 MB	65W	180W	$339 US $314 US (F)
Core i7-12700T	8	4	12 / 20	1.4 / 4.7 GHz	TBA	1.0 / 3.4 GHz	TBA	25 MB	35W	99W	$339 US
Core i5-12600K	6	4	10 / 16	3.7 / 4.9 GHz	4.5 GHz	2.8 / 3.6 GHz	3.4 GHz	20 MB	125W	150W	$299 US
Core i5-12600	6	0	6 / 12	3.3 / 4.8 GHz	4.4 GHz	N/A	N/A	18 MB	65W	117W	$223 US
Core i5-12600T	6	0	6 / 12	2.1 / 4.6 GHz	TBA	N/A	N/A	18 MB	65W	74W	$223 US
Core i5-12490P	6	0	6 / 12	3.0 / 4.6 GHz	TBA	N/A	N/A	20 MB	65W	74W	~$250 US
Core i5-12500	6	0	6 / 12	3.0 / 4.6 GHz	TBA	N/A	N/A	18 MB	65W	117W	$202 US
Core i5-12500T	6	0	6 / 12	2.0 / 4.4 GHz	TBA	N/A	N/A	18 MB	35W	74W	$202 US
Core i5-12400	6	0	6 / 12	2.5 / 4.4 GHz	4.0 GHz	N/A	N/A	18 MB	65W	117W	$192 US $167 US (F)
Core i5-12400T	6	0	6 / 12	1.8 / 4.2 GHz	TBA	N/A	N/A	18 MB	35W	74W	$192 US
Core i3-12300	4	0	4 / 8	3.5 / 4.4 GHz	TBA	N/A	N/A	12 MB	60W	89W	$143 US
Core i3-12300T	4	0	4 / 8	2.3 / 4.2 GHz	TBA	N/A	N/A	12 MB	35W	69W	$143 US
Core i3-12100	4	0	4 / 8	3.3 / 4.3 GHz	TBA	N/A	N/A	12 MB	60W 58W (F)	89W	$122 US $97 US (F)
Core i3-12100T	4	0	4 / 8	2.2 / 4.1 GHz	TBA	N/A	N/A	12 MB	35W	69W	$122 US
Intel Pentium Gold G7400	2	0	2 / 4	3.7 GHz	N/A	N/A	N/A	6 MB	46W	N/A	$64 US
Intel Pentium Gold G7400T	2	0	2 / 4	3.1 GHz	N/A	N/A	N/A	6 MB	35W	N/A	$64 US
Intel Celeron G6900	2	0	2 / 2	3.4 GHz	N/A	N/A	N/A	4 MB	46W	N/A	$42 US
Intel Celeron G6900T	2	0	2 / 2	2.8 GHz	N/A	N/A	N/A	4 MB	35W	N/A	$42 US

Earlier this year, ASRock unleashed its Aqua lineup, featuring the $1299 US standard & $1399 US OC options. Both motherboards are designed to take full advantage of water-cooled PC setups & deliver exceptional overclocking capabilities with a powerful VRM design and lots of features for enthusiasts. ASRock sent us their 'OC' variant of the Z690 Aqua which showcases its overclocking prowess.

The product is ASRock's flagship product & is also priced as such at $1400 US so expect it to be spec'd out accordingly, the ASRock Z690 Aqua OC rocks a 20 Phase VRM with 105 Amp SPS Smart Power Stages. Power to the VRM and the CPU socket is provided through a dual 8-pin connector configuration.

ASRock Z690 Aqua OC Motherboard Features:

• Supports 12th Gen Intel Core Processors (LGA1700)
• 20 Phase SPS Dr.MOS Power Design
• Supports DDR5 7000MHz (OC)
• 2 PCIe 5.0 x16, 1 PCIe 4.0 x16, 1 PCIe 3.0 x1
• Graphics Output Options: HDMI, 2 Thunderbolt Type-C
• Realtek ALC1220 7.1 CH HD Audio Codec, ESS SABRE 9218 DAC, WIMA Audio Caps, Nahimic Audio
• 6 SATA3
• 1 Hyper M.2 (PCIe Gen4 x4)
• 2 Hyper M.2 (PCIe Gen4 x4 & SATA3)
• 2 Thunderbolt 4/USB4 Type-C
• 2 USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Front Type-C
• 2 Rear USB 3.2 Gen2 Type A
• 6 USB 3.2 Gen1 (2 Rear, 4 Front)
• AQUANTIA / Marvell 10G LAN, Killer E3100 2.5G LAN
• Killer AX1675 802.11ax (WiFi 6E) + Bluetooth
• Status OLED + Polychrome SYNC

Designed to unlock the best of Intel 12th Generation Core ‘K Series' processors, the AQUA incorporates almost every leading feature imaginable. Looking as good as it cools, the Z690 AQUA truly stands out from all others.

"After the critical acclaim of our previous AQUA limited-edition motherboard, we're extremely excited to launch the Z690 AQUA, which features our most impressive and innovative tuning and cooling technologies that are designed to break the boundaries of what PC performance is capable of." Said Chris Lee, Vice President of ASRock motherboard and gaming monitor business unit.

ASRock Z690 Aqua OC Motherboard Gallery:

Liquid-cooling, ARGB, and OLED built-in

The Z690 AQUA features a water-cooling mono-block that efficiently cools both CPU and VRM, ensuring maximum performance while keeping the system completely chilled. ASRock includes a digital water leak detector in the package to ensure PC builders can create a legendary water-cooled machine in full confidence. Every PC builder demands addressable RGB effects that sync to their favorite colors and reflects their personal style, and the Z690 AQUA offers ARGB lighting and a built-in informational OLED display that can really draw the eye.

ASRock's Extreme 19+1 phase 105A SPS Dr.MOS VRM design

To complement its impressive water-cooling hardware, underneath, a powerful 19+1 phase VRM design with 105 Amp SPS ensures the Intel 12th Generation Core CPU always has enough power, even when highly overclocked. An unprecedented 12-layer PCB with 2oz copper layers ensures the Z690 AQUA is a flagship-grade motherboard through-and-through.

Extensive connectivity including Thunderbolt4

Ensuring maximum performance beyond the motherboard, two Thunderbolt4 ports give 40Gbps of performance are available, plus not just one, but two USB 3.2 Gen2x2 front panel connectors give an extra 20Gbps USB connectivity at the front of a PC chassis. Featuring 10Gbps AQUANTIA LAN, plus 2.5Gbps LAN and WiFi 6E, the Z690 AQUA ensures the widest variety of the fastest multi-gigabit connectivity is on hand to use, whatever your home networking needs.

ASRock Z690 AQUA OC – Next-level design to break extreme OC records

Building on the epic foundations of the Z690 AQUA, the Z690 AQUA OC is a limited edition motherboard designed expressly for extreme overclocking. In addition to the 12-layer PCB, 19+1 Digi Power Phase with 105A SPS, an external clock generator boosts OC potential. The two DIMM layouts – one DIMM per channel – ensure optimum signal routing to unlock maximum DDR5 OC potential. With only 500 units of this incredible motherboard available – each with its own production number - get ready to get your hands on one of the world's most exclusive flagship motherboards!

The ASRock Z690 Aqua OC being a premium motherboard comes in a rather huge box. The front is themed in a white and blue color theme. The front side also lists down support for Intel's 12th generation Core processors and DDR5 memory. The Aqua emblem is engraved on the inner layer of the package in the same color theme as the box.

The backside of the package lists down the specifications and special features of the motherboard such as the Reinforced DIMM Slot and DDR5 memory design, PCIe Gen 5 with surface mount tech, and a 20 Phase Smart power stage design.

Flipping over the front cover reveals an inner layer with the Aqua emblem and a greeting message saying 'Meet The Aqua'. The motherboard also comes with a special signed card which has our own 'Wccftech' logo imprinted on it. The naming is only for media and consumers will get standard 500 numbered variants of the board. There are only going to be 500 variants of the Aqua OC produced throughout its life cycle.

Underneath the motherboard tray is the accessories area and I like how ASRock has given each specific accessory its own label.

There are several accessories included in the package such as a Wi-Fi antenna module, four SATA III cables, screws for the M.2 storage devices,  a driver disk, a manual for the board, and even a few stickers. Following is the full list of accessories in the package:

• - Quick Installation Guide, Support CD
• - 4 x SATA Data Cables
• - 1 x Digital Leak Detector
• - 1 x ASRock WiFi 2.4/5/6 GHz Antenna
• - 1 x Thermal Compound
• - 9 x Spare Thermal Pads
• - 4 x Spare Screws for MOS
• - 4 x Spare Screws for CPU Sockets
• - 3 x Screws for M.2 Sockets

The most interesting accessory within the package is the Water Leaking detector which features a digital pressure gauge and air pump and offers a fast and safe way to test whether there is leakage in your water cooling system. Before filling with water, just install the digital leak detector into your water cooling system, pressurize the system with an air pump, and keep the system in a closed state. If the pressure is kept constant, there is no leakage. ASRock is also supplying the board with extra pair of M.2 thermal pads and a thermal syringe for application on the CPU.

With all the accessories done, it's time to put that box aside and open up the top holder that contains the Z690 Aqua OC.

The ASRock Z690 Aqua OC is a surprisingly good-looking motherboard. It stands out from the rest with its futuristic styling and a design that looks like something straight out of NASA!

The ASRock Z690 Aqua OC is themed in silver, grey, and black colors. This is a flagship product that retails at over $1000 US. The motherboard comes in the E-ATX form factor, measuring 30.5 x 26.7 cm, and is jam-packed with features.

Taking a look at the front of the motherboard, we see a design that would look great with almost any PC build. The silver looks with metallic and brushed metal accents look great. Despite being a overclocking-geared motherboard, this is the most streamlined designed I have yet to see from several offerings.

The back of the motherboard comes with a reinforced backplate that offers both durability and cooling. It also features a brushed metallic accent and has a separate backplate for the IO cover.

The board uses the LGA 1700 socket to support Intel Core processors. The socket is compatible only with Intel's 12th Generation core family. The socket has a protective cover on top of it that points out the exclusivity with Alder Lake 12th Gen CPUs & refrains users from running an older 11th and 10th generation CPUs as they won't fit in the socket at all and forcing them in the socket is only going to cause permanent damage to your motherboard.

Do note that to access the CPU socket, you would have to unscrew the whole VRM/CPU water block from the back of the motherboard. But doing so isn't a complicated process and requires removing four screws from the backplate and the water block can be twisted off the motherboard with ease.

Next to the socket are two DDR5 DIMM slots that can support up to 64 GB of dual-channel memory. These slots are rated to support XMP profiles up to 7000 MHz (OC Plus). Each slot is labeled, making it easier to install DIMMs in the proper orientation. DDR5 memory comes with a different latch position so forcing a DDR4 module into a DDR5 slot will cause permanent damage. Each slot is also combined with a reinforced design to make sure signal integrity remains good while keeping the slots durable for long-term usage.

The use of two DDR5 DIMM slots makes the signaling better and is generally regarded as a better approach to memory overclocking than using quad DIMM motherboards. You do get restricted to just 64 GB of memory.

The ASRock Z690 Aqua OC packs a 20+2 phase power delivery configuration that makes use of the 105A Smark Power Stages. The motherboard also makes use of a high-end 12 layer PCB with a 2oz copper design.

As you can see, the VRMs are getting ample cooling from the whole water block. We will detail the water block in a bit.

The CPU is supplied power through an 8+8 pin power connector configuration. This will feed the CPU with up to 300 Watts of power. The Intel 12th Gen Unlocked CPUs are very power-hungry with the maximum turbo power rated at 241W for the Core i9-12900K and more if you are planning to overclock these chips.

The whole heatsink design is based on ASRock's XXL Aluminum alloy implementation and is part of their 'Aqua Cooling' armor.

The ASRock Z690 Aqua OC comes with a stainless steel water block with machined cuts on the front to expose the aluminum skeleton within it. The water block provides cooling to both the CPU & the VRMs and features micro-channel fins for increased heat dissipation. The base plate comes with a removable film that should be removed before screwing the block back on the CPU socket. Treads used by the water block are G1/4 so compatibility shouldn't be an issue with most water-cooling PC setups.

The Z690 & Aqua logos are laser-etched on both heatsinks and provide a nice aesthetic for the motherboard. Since this is a specialized media sample, the board comes with our own 'Wccftech' logo.

Expansion slots include three PCI Express x16 (1 Gen 5 x16 / 1 Gen 5 x8/ 1 Gen 4 x4), and a single Gen 3 x1 slot. There are also triple Hyper M.2 ports, all of which are Gen 4x4 compliant, offering up to 64 GB/s transfer speeds.

• - 1 x Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_1, Key M), supports type 2260/2280 PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) mode
• - 1 x Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_2, Key M), supports type 2260/2280 SATA3 6.0 Gb/s & PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) mode
• - 1 x Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_3, Key M), supports type 2242/2260/2280/22110 SATA3 6.0 Gb/s & PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s)

ASRock is using a metallic cover on the sides of the PCIe Gen 5.0 expansion slots as a part of its Surface-Mount Tech which provides protection to some extent. It adds more retention and shearing resistance by reinforcing the slots with metal plates. Aside from adding more protection, they are also said to offer ideal signal flow.

The triple M.2 slots are cooled off by the thermal pad and aluminum baseplate cooling. This is part of ASRock's M.2 heatsink cooling technology and ensures stable operation for M.2 storage devices. The thermal adhesive has a plastic cover over them which needs to be removed before using them with the storage devices. Two of the M.2 slots run between the PCIe slots while the third one runs next to the DDR5 DIMM slots.

The Z690 PCH is housed beneath a large heatsink with the Aqua logo on top of it and the 'Wccftech' logo on the mirror plate. The design on the heatsink cover is just for aesthetic since it has several RGB LEDs running on ASRock's Poly-Chrome Sync RGB technology.

The whole futuristic vibe that the Aqua throws at you is just stunning and doesn't overwhelm you with flashy RGB or color schemes. It is a very professional-looking motherboard, designed for serious users.

You have the option to disable all RGB LEDs on the ASRock Z690 Aqua OC board too.

Storage options on the ASRock Z690 Aqua OC include six SATA III ports rated to operate at 6 GB/s. These can support six different storage devices at once. There are also dual USB 3.2 (2x Gen 2 / 2x Gen 1) front panel connectors. Many fan headers and jumpers can be found beneath the storage ports.

ASRock is using its Audio system for audio which is a combination of hardware, software audio solutions. 7.1 CH HD audio with the latest Realtek ALC1220 audio codec, ESS SABRE9218 DAC & Wima capacitors (for front outputs).

The full list of connectors on the ASRock Z690 Aqua OC motherboard is listed as follows.

• - 1 x SPI TPM Header
• - 1 x Power LED and Speaker Header
• - 1 x RGB LED Header
• - 3 x Addressable LED Headers
• - 1 x CPU Fan Connector (4-pin)
• - 1 x CPU/Water Pump Fan Connector (4-pin) (Smart Fan Speed Control)
• - 6 x Chassis/Water Pump Fan Connectors (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 12V Power Connector (Hi-Density Power Connector)
• - 1 x Front Panel Audio Connector (15μ Gold Audio Connector)
• - 2 x USB 2.0 Headers (Support 4 USB 2.0 ports) (Supports ESD Protection)
• - 2 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Headers (Support 4 USB 3.2 Gen1 ports) (ASMedia ASM1074 hub) (Supports ESD Protection)
• - 2 x Front Panel Type C USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Headers (20 Gb/s) (Supports ESD Protection)
• - 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™: 4-set of onboard voltage measurement points laid
• - Rapid OC Buttons: +/- buttons to adjust OC frequency
• - 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

ASRock is using Intel's Wi-Fi 6E to power wireless connectivity such as 802.11ax WiFi (2.4G WiFi) and Bluetooth 5.2. In terms of Ethernet, the motherboard rocks an Aquantia AQC113CS controller that's powering the 10GbE and a Killer E3100G controller that powers the 2.5GbE LAN ports.

The I/O plate comes with an I/O cover with ASRock's iconic gear design that rotates in real-time embedded within it. Following is the full list of I/O on the ASRock Z690 Aqua OC motherboard:

• - 2 x Antenna Ports
• - 1 x PS/2 Mouse/Keyboard Port
• - 1 x HDMI Port
• - 2 x DisplayPort 1.4 Input
• - 1 x Optical SPDIF Out Port
• - 2 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A Ports (10 Gb/s) (ReDriver) (Supports ESD Protection)
• - 2 x USB4 Thunderbolt 4 Type-C Port (40 Gb/s for USB4 protocol; 40Gb/s for Thunderbolt protocol) (Supports ESD Protection)
• - 2 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A Ports (Supports ESD Protection)
• - 2 x RJ-45 LAN Ports with LED (ACT/LINK LED and SPEED LED)
• - 1 x Clear CMOS Button
• - 1 x BIOS Flashback Button
• - HD Audio Jacks: Rear Speaker / Central / Bass / Line in / Front Speaker / Microphone (Gold Audio Jacks with LED)

Another cool feature of the motherboard is the OLED display that shows the status of the motherboard, the content can also be configured in the BIOS for a more user-friendly application.

Users are greeted with an Aqua splash screen before they get more useful and real-time metrics such as voltages, temperatures, fan speeds, clocks, etc. Once again, this screen can be customized fully and gives a good experience if you are an overclocker looking for these measurements close to you.

There aren't the only OC-specific feature that you get on the motherboard. The Aqua OC features its own unique OC button design which includes Rapid OC buttons (+/- to adjust OC frequency), a slow mode switch, an LN2 mode switch, and three separate buttons which include OC profiles from ASRock's renowned overclocker, NickShih himself.

ASRock Z690 Aqua OC RGB Gallery:

Since the ASRock Z690 Aqua OC is an all-water-cooled motherboard, we reached out to Corsair to get hands-on with their latest Hydro X series equipment. We couldn't thank Corsair enough for shipping out all the necessary components. Following is the list of equipment we received from Corsair.

We had to get our hands on a good performing and a good looking Reservoir and Corsair just happened to come out with their latest Hydro X series XD7 RGB pump and reservoir combo. It comes with a universal 360mm distribution system and as the name suggests, it features the reservoir and pumps integrated into one complete unit. The pump is a Xylem D5 PWM design that uses G1/4" port threads and operates at 4800 RPM.

The whole thing features a nice Acrylic chamber material and comes with embedded RGB LEDs and has a max draw power of 12V (30W).

Moving on, we have the Corsair Hydro X series XR7 360mm radiator which features triple 120mm fan mounts on either side for extreme cooling and comes with a 54mm thickness in a premium copper construction. Once again, the radiator is compliant with G1/4" threads.

We also got our hands on a few kits of the Hydro X series XF compression fittings which feature a high-quality brass finish.

In addition to that, Corsair was kind enough to send us their latest Hydro X Series XC7 RGB PRO CPU water block. This water block is fully compatible with the LGA 1700 socket and since we already have a water-cooled setup ready, we can also see how their implementation performs.

For testing, I used the Intel Core i9-12900K which was sent to us by Intel. The motherboard used included the ASRock Z690 Aqua OC.

Processors	Intel Core i9-12900K
Motherboard	ASRock Z690 Aqua OC ASRock Z690 Taichi ASRock Z690 PG Veloctia Z690 AORUS Master MSI MEG Z690 ACE MSI MPG Z690 CARBON WIFI MSI MAG Z690 Tomahawk WIFI
Power Supply	ASUS ROG THOR 1200W
Solid State Drive	Samsung SSD 980 PRO M.2 (1 TB)
Memory	G.SKILL Trident Z5 32 GB (2 x 16GB) CL36 6000 Mbps
Video Cards	MSI GeForce RTX 3090 SUPRIM X
Cooling Solutions	Corsair Hydro X Series Custom-Cooling Kit MSI MEG S360 AIO Cooler Noctua NH-D15 Chromax Black (LGA 1700 Mounting Kit) Corsair H115i (With LGA 1700 Mounting Kit)
OS	Windows 11 64-bit

Our test rig includes the Samsung 980 Pro 1 TB SSD that boots up our main OS while a 2 TB Seagate HDD is used for the storage of games and applications. In addition to these, we are running an MSI GeForce RTX 3090 SUPRIM X graphics card, an ASUS ROG Thor 1200W power supply. For this specific review, we used the Kingston Fury Beast DDR5 (16 GB x 2/6000 Mbps) memory kit.

For cooling, we used a variety of different coolers such as the pre-equipped water block on the Z690 Aqua OC, the Hydro XC7 RGB water block from Corsair, the MEG S360 AIO from MSI, and a Noctua NH-D15 Chromax Black.

3DMark Time Spy CPU Performance

3DMark Time Spy is a widely popular video card benchmark test for Windows that is designed to measure your PC’s gaming performance. While the overall benchmark is great, the utility also provides a good indication of the CPU performance.

Blender

Blender is the free and open-source 3D creation suite. It supports the entirety of the 3D pipeline—modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing and motion tracking, even video editing and game creation.

Cinebench R15

CINEBENCH is a real-world cross-platform test suite that evaluates your computer’s performance capabilities. CINEBENCH is based on MAXON’s award-winning animation software CINEMA 4D, which is used extensively by studios and production houses worldwide for 3D content creation. MAXON software has been used in blockbuster movies such as Iron Man 3, Oblivion, Life of Pi or Prometheus, and many more.

Cinebench R20

Cinebench is a real-world cross-platform test suite that evaluates your computer’s hardware capabilities. Improvements to Cinebench Release 20 reflect the overall advancements to CPU and rendering technology in recent years, providing a more accurate measurement of Cinema 4D’s ability to take advantage of multiple CPU cores and modern processor features available to the average user.

Cinebench R23

Cinebench is a real-world cross-platform test suite that evaluates your computer’s hardware capabilities. Improvements to Cinebench Release 20 reflect the overall advancements to CPU and rendering technology in recent years, providing a more accurate measurement of Cinema 4D’s ability to take advantage of multiple CPU cores and modern processor features available to the average user.

CPU-Z

CPUz is a freeware that gathers information on some of the main devices of your system such as the Processor name and number, codename, process, package, cache levels, Mainboard, and chipset, Memory type, size, timings, and module specifications (SPD), and Real-time measurement of each core's internal frequency, memory frequency.

Geekbench 5

Geekbench 5, the latest major upgrade to Primate Labs’ easy-to-use cross-platform benchmark, is now available for download. Geekbench 5 allows you to measure your system’s power more accurately than ever before.

HandBrake

HandBrake is a tool for converting video from nearly any format to a selection of modern, widely supported codecs.

PCMark 10

PCMark 10 is a complete PC benchmarking solution for Windows 10. It includes several tests that combine individual workloads covering storage, computation, image and video manipulation, web browsing, and gaming. Specifically designed for the full range of PC hardware from netbooks and tablets to notebooks and desktops, PCMark 10 offers complete Windows PC performance testing for home and business use.

POV-Ray

The POV-Ray package includes detailed instructions on using the ray-tracer and creating scenes. Many stunning scenes are included with POV-Ray so you can start creating images immediately when you get the package.

SuperPI

Super PI is used by many overclockers to test the performance and stability of their computers. In the overclocking community, the standard program provides a benchmark for enthusiasts to compare “world record” pi calculation times and demonstrate their overclocking abilities. The program can also be used to test the stability of a certain overclock speed.

WinRAR

WinRAR is a powerful archive manager. It can backup your data and reduce the size of email attachments, decompress RAR, ZIP, and other files downloaded from the Internet, and create new archives in RAR and ZIP file format.

X264 HD Encode Benchmark

This benchmark measures the encoding performance of the processor. It offers a standardized benchmark for the clip as well as the encoder used is uniform.

y-Cruncher Compute Benchmark

y-cruncher is a program that can compute Pi and other constants to trillions of digits. It is the first of its kind that is multi-threaded and scalable to multi-core systems. Ever since its launch in 2009, it has become a common benchmarking and stress-testing application for overclockers and hardware enthusiasts. Do note that the single-thread test makes use of AVX-512 instructions while the multi-thread test relies on memory & SMT performance as well.

Battlefield V

Battlefield V brings back the action of the World War 2 shooter genre. Using the latest Frostbite tech, the game does a good job of looking gorgeous in all ways possible. From the open-world environments to the intense and gun-blazing action, this multiplayer and single-player FPS title is one of the best-looking Battlefields to date. The game was tested at max settings at 1440p.

DOOM Eternal

DOOM Eternal brings hell to earth with the Vulkan-powered idTech 7.  We test this game using the Ultra Nightmare Preset and follow our in-game benchmarking to stay as consistent as possible.

GTA V

GTA V is one handsomely optimized title for the PC audience. It's scalable across various PC configurations and delivers an impressive frame rate. Rockstar did an amazing job with the PC build of GTA V and it comes with a large array of settings that can be configured by PC gamers. We tested the title at 1440P with everything set to Ultra and 4x MSAA.

Metro Exodus

Metro Exodus continues the journey of Artyom through the nuclear wasteland of Russia and its surroundings. This time, you are set over the Metro, going through various regions and different environments. The game is one of the premier titles to feature NVIDIA’s RTX technology and does well in showcasing the ray-tracing effects in all corners. The game was tested at Ultra setting with RTX settings turned off at 1440p.

Shadow of The Tomb Raider

Sequel to The Rise of the Tomb Raider, Shadow of The Tomb Raider is visually enhanced with an updated Foundation Engine that delivers realistic facial animations and the most gorgeous environments ever seen in a Tomb Raider Game. The game is a technical marvel and really shows the power of its graphics engine in the latest title.

Sid Meier's Civilization VI

Civilization VI is the pinnacle of the series. It's featured huge, sweeping changes, and nothing was left out. Everything has found a purpose, they all work together in tandem but also have a reason to stand alone. It uses a more fleshed-out engine that now supports DirectX 12 capabilities. We tested the game with every setting maxed out (4x MSAA, 4096x4096 shadow textures) at 1440P in DirectX 12.

Watch Dogs Legion

Watch Dogs: Legion is a 2020 action-adventure game published by Ubisoft and developed by its Toronto studio. It is the third installment in the Watch Dogs series and the sequel to 2016's Watch Dogs 2. Set within a fictionalized representation of a futuristic, dystopian London, the game's story follows the hacker syndicate DedSec as they seek to clear their names after being framed for a series of terrorist bombings

Ashes of The Singularity (4K)

Stardock's Ashes of the Singularity RTS title is a new take on the historical genre. The game incorporates several things that many pc gamers have been curious about and anxious to try for themselves such as Explicit Multi-Adapter Support and full Asynchronous Compute under DirectX 12 API. We tested the game at 4K with 4x MSAA on Crazy Settings under DirectX 12.

The Intel Alder Lake CPUs feature the brand new hybrid architecture approach composed of Golden Cove and Gracemont cores. The chip also relies on a brand new 10nm Enhanced SuperFin process node which delivers up to 5.2 GHz clock speeds on the flagship Core i9-12900K. The faster clocks along with the addition of more cores should lead to more power consumption but Intel is also touting increased efficiency per watt thanks to the overall performance increases we get this generation.

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In terms of packaging, Intel's Alder Lake Desktop CPUs ship with a Solder TIM interface and higher-quality gold-plating under the IHS.

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The reason why we didn't include the VRM temperatures for the rest of the Z690 Aqua OC configs is that the motherboard, unlike other ones, doesn't come with separate VRM heatsinks. The pre-equipped water block offers to cool for the VRMs hence it is the only solution you'll end up using on this motherboard. But using the other cooling solutions does prove the potential advantage that AIO and Custom-loop solutions have over standard air cooling solutions. The Hydro XD7 provided by Corsair with its integrated pump and reservoir configuration provided a nice testing kit for the Z690 Aqua OC and the numbers are evident of that.

Let me put this out first, the Z690 Aqua OC is unlike any ASRock motherboard that I have tested before. It is a very professionally designed motherboard and it looks like the designer had a really fun time when working on this project. It's pure craftsmanship and an elegant piece of hardware.

ASRock Z690 Aqua OC - ASRock's Best Creation Yet!

In terms of design, the motherboard has a beautiful silver color filled with grey and mirror grey accents. The front Aqua armor and the brushed aluminum backplate really add a lot of weight in addition to the mighty CPU/VRM water block. The water block is equipped with support for G1/4" threads which makes compatibility with most custom-cooled PCs possible. Even our Corsair kit was fully compatible with the motherboard and offered great cooling.

The ASRock Z690 Aqua OC is bestowed with a  powerful 20 VRM for overclocking, top-notch DDR5 memory support, dual PCIe Gen 5.0 slots, and a couple of M.2 slots featuring their own heatsinks. Everything about this board reeks premium and best of all, the RGB isn't even a slight bit overdone. There are just enough amount of slots to keep the enthusiast within you fed while an auxiliary 6-pin connector offers more juice to those PCIe lanes in case you are going crazy with those Gen 5 expansion options.

Since this is a more OC-specific motherboard, it comes with just two DDR5 DIMM slots with 64 GB capacity support but offers higher clock rates at 7000 Mbps (OC+). For those who want extra DRAM capacity, there's the standard non-OC version available for $100 US less. Overclocking the memory on the motherboard was a charm and hitting DDR5-6666 with CL39 timings took some effort but it was mostly stable throughout my benchmarking spree. It's also the highest speeds I've hit with the DDR5 standard so far and explains why Kingston's DDR5 Fury Beast DIMMs are so popular among overclockers.

As for thermals, the VRM heatsinks did a good job in keeping temps under control at stock and while they did get warm at overclocked loads, they are still under the maximum threshold. The difference that an AIO made over a high-end air-cooler was around 5-8C but the custom-looped solutions dropped it by around 15C which is impressive given the higher overclock of 5.3 GHz all-core that I was pushing. The water block that ASRock ships the Aqua with is very impressive but it takes away the option to put 3rd party cooling solutions due to the lack of separate VRM heatsinks. It looks like overclockers will easily find a way over this by putting some heavy-duty thermal sinks and fans over the VRMs during intense OC sessions. Plus those going the LN2 route on this board may call it a day without even using separate cooling for VRMs.

The Corsair XD7 kit does provide a good use case for such beastly motherboards, offering an integrated reservoir and pump combo that takes up less space compared to traditional closed looping setups.

The ASRock Z690 Aqua OC also offers a strong suite of I/O with lots of USB 3.2 Gen 2/1 ports and even Thunderbolt 4 ports. There are 6 SATA III ports which are standard of all Z690 motherboards. All triple M.2 slots are Gen 4x4 compliant and come with their own thermal-padded heatsinks. The LAN options include a 10G and 2.5GbE port along with superb WiFi 6E capabilities. Additionally, the OLED display and the OC buttons featured on the Z690 Aqua OC are going to impress enthusiasts & overclockers alike. ASRock has truly outdone themselves with this motherboard and while the $1399 US may be a high price for the Z690 Aqua but given its impressive performance, overclocking capabilities, and feature list, it's totally worth it and explains why this beast of a motherboard has just 500 units available across the globe!

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