The Intel LGA 1700 platform was launched three years ago in 2021 and it has since seen a total of 3 generations of CPUs, Alder Lake (12th Gen), Raptor Lake (13th Gen), and Raptor Lake Refresh (14th Gen). We have seen at least three generations of motherboards, first with the 600-series which had Z690 as the top SKU, and then two generations of 700-series based on the top Z790 chipset which included a soft refresh for the 14th Gen lineup.
Intel has now introduced its next-generation 800-series chipsets and with the Core Ultra 200S CPU series, the company is also launching a brand new socket called LGA 1851. Today, we will be taking a look at the latest motherboards based on the Z890 chipset.
We received a load of motherboards from various manufacturers so let's start by taking a look at these updated designs. For this review, we will be testing Biostar's Z890A SILVER which is an entry-level design priced at $220 US.
The Intel LGA 1851 Platform
For its Arrow Lake lineup, Intel is introducing a brand new socket which ends the reign of the LGA 1700 series after a little over three years. The new socket from now onward will be LGA 1851 and this will be first featured on the new 800-series motherboards.
The 800-series chipsets will include several SKUs but the one we are getting today is the top-tier Z890. This platform offers a total of 48 PCIe lanes of which 20 are PCIe Gen 5.0 and these come from both the CPU and the PCH. The Z890 PCH features up to 24 PCIe 4.0 lanes, up to 4 eSPI, up to 10 USB 3.2 ports including 5 20G, 10 10G, and 10 5G options, up to 14 USB 2.0 links & up to 8 SATA III links.
The new platform is further enriched with the latest features which include:
Integrated I/O:
- Up To 2 Thunderbolt 4 ports
- Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6E (Gig+)
- Bluetooth 5.3 (LE)
- 1 GbE
Discrete I/O:
- Up To 4 Thunderbolt 5 ports
- Intel Killer Wi-Fi 7 (5 Gig)
- Bluetooth 5.4 (LE)
- 2.5 GbE
In terms of memory support, the new Z890 motherboards will offer up to DDR5-6400 (native) capabilities and expanded speeds over 8000 MT/s with XMP. The platform will support up to 48 GB DIMMs in the dual-channel mode for up to 192 GB capacities in UDIMM, CUDIMM, SODIMM, and CSODIMM flavors.
Lots of Goodies For Overclockers!
Finally, we have the new overclocking goodness which comes in the form of new functionalities for tuners with fine grain control.
These features include:
- Granular core clock - Top turbo frequency in 16.6 MHz steps for P-Cores and E-Cores
- Dual base clock - Run an independent BCLK for SOC and compute tiles
- Tile-to-Tile & fabric OC - Can apply a static/BIOS ratio and supports dynamic ratio changes for fabric
- DLVR bypass - Bypass the internal voltage management using an external supply for extreme OC
- Intel eXtreme tuning utility - New features including automated OC enhancements
- Memory overclocking - New memory controller supports new XMP and CUDIMM DDR5
- P & E-core overclocking - P-core per-core V/f control, and E-Core per cluster V/f control
- Low-temperature overvolting - Increasingly bypass voltage limits as the chip gets colder
The cooler operation of the chips also provides higher headroom for overclockers. As for the TJmax, Arrow Lake-S "Core Ultra 200S" will have a peak operating temperature of 105C.
Cooler Compatibility With LGA 1851 Socket
The Intel LGA 1851 socket is compatible with LGA 1700 socketed coolers though some coolers might require an offset kit for proper thermal load balance. The new socket also has a revised ILM called RL-ILM which uses a spacer between the loading mechanism to ensure proper pressure for the new Arrow Lake CPUs.
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 |
The Biostar Z890A Silver motherboard comes inside a standard box with silver and grey colors. The packaging lists Core Ultra Series 2 CPU support on the front along with the chipset.
The backside of the package lists the specifications and special features of the motherboard. The main highlights include support for DDR5 memory, PCIe 5.0 devices, PCIe 5.0 M.2 SSDs, USB 3.2 Type-C, the Smart BIOS Update feature, and the VIVID LED DJ RGB system.
The accessories can be found below the motherboard cardboard tray.
Following is the full list of accessories bundled with the motherboard:
- 2 x SATA Cable
- 1 x I/O Shield
- 1 x Cable for WiFi Antenna
With all the accessories done, it's time to put that box aside and take the motherboard out of its package. The Biostar Z890A Silver is a standard ATX offering that measures 244x305mm (W x L).
The motherboard comes in a white color scheme with some black accents. The PCB is also colored white. The board uses the LGA 1851 socket to support Intel Core Ultra 200S "Arrow Lake" processors. At launch, the LGA 1851 socket will only support the Arrow Lake CPUs though we can expect a brand new family in the coming years.
Next to the socket are four DDR5 DIMM slots that can support up to 256 GB of dual-channel (24/48/64 GB modules) memory.
These slots are rated to support XMP profiles up to 9066 MT/s (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 full QVL list can be found here.
The Biostar Z890A Silver motherboard features a 12+1+1 (VCore/ VccGT/VccAUX) phase design with Digital PWMs. All phases are rated at 60A.
The VRMs and power delivery solution are scattered around the LGA 1851 socket. The VRMs are cooled by two sets of heatsinks which are individually placed on the horizontal and vertical section of the VRMs.
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. Intel's Arrow Lake "Core Ultra 200S" Desktop CPUs can sip up to 250W of power by default. These connectors are placed on the right-hand side, making them a little easier to access.
Expansion slots include two PCI Express x16 (1 x Gen 5.0 x16, 1 x Gen 5.0 x8), a single PCIe 4.0 x4 slot and 8 M.2 slots.
- 1 x PCIe 5.0 x16 Slot (x16 mode) from CPU
- 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16 Slot (x4 mode) from Chipset
- 2 x PCIe 3.0 x1 Slot (x1 mode) from Chipset
The motherboard also has a vast array of M.2 slots, of which two are featured under dedicated heatsinks.
Following is the full list of M.2 ports and their details on the Biostar Z890A Silver motherboard:
- 1 x M.2 (M Key) Socket (M2M_CPU_1):
Supports M.2 Type 2280 SSD module
Supports PCIe 5.0 x4 (128Gb/s) - NVMe SSD - 1 x M.2 (M Key) Socket (M2M_CPU_2):
Supports M.2 Type 2280 SSD module
Supports PCIe 4.0 x4 (64Gb/s) - NVMe SSD
Intel Z890 Chipset - 1 x M.2 (M Key) Socket (M2M_SB_1):
Supports M.2 Type 2280 SSD module
Supports PCIe 4.0 x4 (64Gb/s) - NVMe SSD - 1 x M.2 (M Key) Socket (M2M_SB_2):
Supports M.2 Type 2280 SSD module
Supports PCIe 4.0 x4 (64Gb/s) - NVMe SSD
The Z890 PCH is housed beneath a heatsink which features the "Biostar" logo and has a silver color scheme.
Storage options include four SATA III ports rated to operate at 6 GB/s. These can support 4 different storage devices at once. There are also 4 USB 2.0, 4 USB Type-A (5 Gbps), 2 USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A, and 1 USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C front panel connectors.
Other IO includes 1 USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port, 7 USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A ports, and RealTek RTL8125D 2.5GbE Ethernet LAN. Audio is powered by the Realtek ALC1220 7.1 Channel audio jack on the back of the motherboard.
The full list of connectors on the motherboard is listed as follows.
- 4 x SATA III Connector (6Gb/s)
- 1 x M.2 (E Key) Socket: Supports 2230 type Wi-Fi & Bluetooth module and Intel GEN2 CNVi
- 1 x USB 3.2 (Gen2) Type-C Header (each header supports 1 USB 3.2 (Gen2) Type-C port)
- 1 x USB 3.2 (Gen2) Header
- (each header supports 2 USB 3.2 (Gen2) ports)
- 2 x USB 2.0 Header
- (each header supports 2 USB 2.0 ports)
- 2 x 8-pin Power Connector
- 1 x 24-pin Power Connector
- 1 x CPU Fan Connector
- 1 x CPU water cooling connector (CPU_OPT)
- 4 x System Fan Connector
- 1 x Front Panel Header
- 1 x Front Audio Header
- 1 x Internal Stereo Speaker Header
- 1 x Clear CMOS Header
- 1 x COM Port Header
- 1 x TPM Header
- 1 x Thunderbolt Header
- 4 x LED Header (5V)
- 1 x LED Header (12V)
- M.2 (E Key) Wi-Fi card is not provided
There's no wireless connectivity on the motherboard by itself but users can purchase a separate M.2 WIFI card for those purposes. The IO shield is bundled with the motherboard and needs to be attached before installing the motherboard in your chassis. The full list of IO connectors on the back include:
- 2 x WIFI Antenna Ports
- 1 x HDMI Port (HDMI2.1)
- 1 x HDMI Port (HDMI1.4b)
- 1 x DP Port (DP1.2)
- 1 x USB 3.2 (Gen2) Type-C Port
- 7 x USB 3.2 (Gen2) Ports
- 1 x 2.5 Gigabit LAN port
- 3 x Audio Jack
- 1 x SMART BIOS UPDATE Button
- 1 x SMART BIOS USB Port
For testing, I used the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K CPU which was sent to us by Intel on a range of Z890 motherboards.
Intel LGA 1851 "Z890" Motherboard Test Platform:
| Processors | Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (Extreme Profile) |
|---|---|
| Motherboard | Gigabyte Z890 AORUS Elite DUO X (F2) Maxsun iCraft Z890 Arctic (1.1) ASRock Z890 Taichi OCF (2.17) ASRock Z890 Taichi Aqua (2.12) ASRock Z890 Taichi (2.08) ASRock Z890 Taichi LITE (2.08) ASRock Z890 PG Nova (2.08) MSI MEG Z890 Unify-X (7E20v1A1) MSI MPG Z890 Carbon (7E17v1A1) MSI MPG Z890 Edge TI (7E19v2A2) MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk (7E32v1A3) Gigabyte Z890 AORUS Master (F9) |
| Power Supply | FSP Hydro G 1200W PSU |
| Solid State Drive | Crucial T700 2 TB Gen5 SSD |
| Memory | T-Force Delta RGB DDR5-7200 (CL34 2 x 16 GB) |
| Video Cards | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition |
| Cooling Solutions | Arctic Liquid Freezer III 420mm AIO |
| OS | Windows 11 64-bit |
Our test rig includes the Crucial T700 2 TB Gen5 SSD that boots up our main OS. In addition to these, we are running an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition graphics card and an FSP Hydro G 1200W PSU. For this specific review, we used the V-Color Manta DDR5-9466 MT/s (48 GB) memory kit running at CL46 timings.
All Z890 Motherboards Memory Support (Official Rating)
The Intel Z890 motherboards are listed with some of the highest-listed DDR5 memory support out of the box. The new platform supports the latest DDR5 CUDIMM memory kits, offering over 9000 MT/s speeds. Following is how each of the motherboards we tested stacks up in terms of frequency support:
Max DDR5 Speed Support In MT/s (Higher is Better)
3DMark CPU Profile Benchmark
Instead of producing a single number, the 3DMark CPU Profile shows you how your CPU's performance changes and scales with the number of cores and threads used. The 3DMark CPU Profile has six tests that help you benchmark and compare CPU performance for gaming and other activities.
3DMark CPU Profile (Max Threads) (Higher is Better)
Blender
Blender is a free and open-source 3D creation suite. It supports the entirety of the 3D pipeline—modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing and motion tracking, and even video editing and game creation.
Blender 2.8 (Lower is Better)
Cinebench 2024
Cinebench 2024 utilizes the power of Redshift, Cinema 4D's default rendering engine, to evaluate your computer's CPU and GPU capabilities. Cinebench 2024 is designed to accommodate a broad range of hardware configurations - while it seamlessly supports x86/64 architecture (Intel/AMD) on Windows and macOS.
Cinebench 2024 (Higher is Better)
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.
Cinebench R23 (Higher is Better)
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, chipset, Memory type, size, timings, and module specifications (SPD), and Real-time measurement of each core's internal frequency, memory frequency.
CPU-z (Higher is Better)
Geekbench 6
Geekbench 6 is a cross-platform benchmark that measures your system's performance with the press of a button.
Geekbench 6 (Higher is Better)
HandBrake
HandBrake is a tool for converting video from nearly any format to a selection of modern, widely supported codecs.
Handbrake (Higher is Better)
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.
PCMark 10 (Higher is Better)
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.
POV-Ray 3.7 (Higher is Better)
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.
SuperPi 32M (Lower is Better)
WinRAR
WinRAR is a powerful archive manager. It can back up 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.
Winrar (Lower is Better)
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.
Battlefield V (2K)
Battlefield V (2K) 5.6 GHz All-Core OC
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 consistent.
DOOM (2K)
DOOM (2K) 5.6 GHz All-Core OC
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.
GTA V (2K)
GTA V (2K) 5.6 GHz All-Core OC
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.
Metro Exodus (2K)
Metro Exodus (2K) 5.6 GHz All-Core OC
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 shows the power of its graphics engine in the latest title.
Shadow of The Tomb Raider (2K)
Shadow of The Tomb Raider (2K) 5.6 GHz All-Core OC
Intel's Arrow Lake "K" SKUs come with a default TDP of 125W and a PL2 rating of 250W for the Ultra 9 285K and 159W for the 245K. The chips can be set to performance or extreme mode using the BIOS software from each respective motherboard vendor.
Power Consumption - Stress Test (Full System)
Power Consumption - Gaming Test
The Intel Core Ultra 200S "Arrow Lake" Desktop CPUs come with a slightly modified IHS which is equipped over the tiled CPU die. This IHS is soldered with gold plating underneath to ensure good heat dissipation and thermal conductivity. The socket also features a revised ILM mechanism called RL-ILM (Reduced-Load) to provide optimal pressure for the socket and the CPU.
Temperatures (Stock)
Temperatures (5.6 GHz OC) Cinebench Test
Biostar's Z890A Silver is a good entry-level product that checks all the requirements of being a useful gaming and productivity motherboard. The board comes with a 14-phase VRM that's going to be more than enough for the masses out there and you can even get a similar OC albeit at higher temperatures due to the limited capacity of the heatsinks.
For IO, you get a single 2.5 GbE LAN port and 15 USB ports of which 11 are USB 3.2 Gen 2 in spec. There's also a full PCIe 5.0 x16 slot and four M.2 slots of which two are cooled by dedicated heat-sinks along with four SATA III ports. That's a decent amount of IO you're getting, what's missing is wireless connectivity and while there's the option to get a WIFI card separately, you'll have to pay extra for that. IO also not being pre-installed is a bummer though one is included in the package so you'll have to do it yourself. On the back, you also get a BIOS Update button and inside, you can find a smart BIOS USB port.
Price-wise, the motherboard retails for $220 US which is an entry-level point for the Z890 series which starts at $190 US. There's only one more white option in this price category and that's the MSI PRO Z890-S WIFI which has one less M.2 slot but gets WIFI7 support and USB4 (TB4.0). That board retails for $10 US less so it's up to the user to decide which motherboard suits his needs the most.
The things we loved about the Biostar Z890A Silver:
- Good Performance
- Faster Memory Support (9066 MT/s+)
- The white design looks great
- 15 USB ports including 11 USB 3.2 Gen2
- Four M.2 slots, two with dedicated cooling
- Full-length PCIe 5.0 x16 slots
Things that you may not like:
- No pre-installed IO Shield
- VRM Cooling not the best
- No WIFI solution at this price
In our opinion, the Biostar Z890A Silver is still a recommended motherboard for budget Intel PC builders who want to try out the new Arrow Lake CPUs.
Contents
About the author: A Software Engineer by training and a PC enthusiast by passion, Hassan Mujtaba serves as Wccftech's Senior Editor for hardware section. With years of experience in the industry, he specializes in deep-dive technical analysis of next-generation CPU and GPU architectures, motherboards, and cooling solutions. His work involves not only breaking news on upcoming technologies but also extensive hands-on reviews and benchmarking.
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