Gigabyte Z890 AORUS Elite DUO X Motherboard Review – CQDIMM-Ready!

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.

In late 2024, Intel introduced its next-generation 800-series chipsets, and with the Core Ultra 200S CPU series, the company also launched a brand new socket called LGA 1851. Today, we will be taking a look at the latest motherboard based on the high-end 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 out Gigabyte's newest Z890 AORUS Elite DUO X, a powerful motherboard with forward-looking CQDIMM DDR5 memory support.

The Intel LGA 1851 Platform

For its Arrow Lake lineup, Intel introduced a brand new socket, which ends the reign of the LGA 1700 series after a little over three years. The new socket was LGA 1851, and this was first featured on the 800-series motherboards.

The 800-series chipsets 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.

In terms of memory support, the Z890 motherboards offer up to DDR5-6400 (native) capabilities and expanded speeds over 8000 MT/s with XMP. The platform supports up to 48 GB DIMMs in the dual-channel mode for up to 192 GB capacities in UDIMM, CUDIMM, SODIMM, and CSODIMM flavors.

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 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.

The Gigabyte Z890 AORUS ELITE DUO X motherboard comes in a standard cardboard package. The front features the large AORUS "EAGLE" logo along with a very robotic design. The packaging also lists support for PCIe 5.0 (GPU/NVMe), DDR5, and Ultra Turbo mode.

The backside of the package lists the specifications and special features of the motherboard, such as the VRM Thermal Armor Advanced heatsink solution, a 16+1+2 Phase Digital VRM, DIY-Friendly design, 5GbE LAN, WIFI7 & WIFI EZ Plug.

Inside the package is another box that contains the accessories and is located right below the box holder for the board itself.

You get a Quick Installation Guide, an AORUS case badge, 2 SATA cables, a G-Connector for easy front-panel cable installation, and a few RGB cables.

With all the accessories done, it's time to put that box aside and take the motherboard out of its package. The Gigabyte Z890 AORUS Elite DUO X motherboard is a standard ATX offering that measures 305x244 mm.

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Being part of the Elite series, the motherboard carries an all-black color scheme with a few white hints. Despite being an Elite series motherboard, the DUO X is designed as a high-end option with extreme OC capabilities for the memory side.

The board uses the LGA 1851 socket to support Intel Core Ultra 200S "Arrow Lake" processors. So far, the LGA 1851 socket will only support the Arrow Lake CPUs and the Core Ultra 200S Plus lineup.

Next to the socket are two DDR5 DIMM slots that can support up to 256 GB of dual-channel memory.

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These slots are rated to support EXPO/XMP profiles up to 10,266 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. The full QVL list can be found here.

The motherboard offers full support of the next-gen JEDEC memory standard called CQDIMM, which enables 4-Rank memory compatibility. This allows the motherboard to support up to 128 GB DIMMs per slot, enabling 256 GB capacities on a 2-DIMM design, while supporting super-fast speeds. And if you do not have CQDIMM, the motherboard is backwards compatible with CUDIMM memory.

The Gigabyte Z890 AORUS ELITE DUO X motherboard features a 16+1+2 (VCore/ VccGT/VccAUX)  phase (8+8) power delivery that utilizes the Richtek RT3678BE "GOW" PWM controller and Onsemi NCP 30215 PWM controller (Dr.MOS 60A) stages for the VCore. The VRMs and power delivery solution are scattered around the AM5 socket. The board uses a 6-layer PCB with 2x copper and a 56% lower dissipation factor, which helps improve signal integrity.

The VRMs receive ample cooling from the VRM Thermal Armor Advanced solution. These include the primary VRM heatsinks and small cooling vents on the IO bracket, which the company claims to offer up to 7 °C lower temperatures. Gigabyte uses 5 W/mk thermal pads, and the use of an RL-ILM socket further helps drop temperatures by 4 °C.

The CPU is supplied power through an 8+8-pin power connector configuration. This will feed the CPU with up to 600 Watts of power. Intel's Arrow Lake "Core Ultra 200S & 200S Plus" Desktop CPUs can sip up to 250W of power running at maximum turbo power.

Expansion slots include three PCI Express x16 (1 x Gen 5.0 x16 / 2 x Gen 4.0 x4) and five M.2 slots.

• CPU:
  - 1 x PCI Express x16 slot, supporting PCIe 5.0 and running at x16 (PCIEX16)
• Chipset:
  - 2 x PCI Express x16 slots, supporting PCIe 4.0 and running at x4 (PCIEX4_1, PCIEX4_2)

The motherboard utilizes a full metallic slot and comes with an ultra-durable PCIe armor on the back side to enhance the durability of the PCIe slot. The M.2 slot features an EZ-Latch design that makes it easy to remove graphics cards.

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There are a total of five M.2 slots on the motherboard, which include one PCIe Gen5 x4 M.2 slot and four PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 slots. Two of these slots are cooled by M.2 heatsinks. All M.2 slots on the motherboard are cooled by dedicated heatsinks featuring an easy-to-access toolless design. The primary slot features an M.2 EZ-Flex mechanism for up to 12C lower temperatures, while the Thermal Guard Ext. and M.2 Thermal Guard L heatsinks provide optimized heat dissipation.

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Following is the full list of M.2 ports and their details on the Gigabyte Z890 AORUS ELITE DUO X motherboard:

CPU:

• 1 x M.2 connector (Socket 3, M key, type 25110/22110/2580/2280 PCIe 5.0x4/x2 SSD support) (M2A_CPU)
• 1 x M.2 connector (Socket 3, M key, type 22110/2280 PCIe 4.0 x4/x2 SSD support) (M2B_CPU)

Chipset:

• 2 x M.2 connectors (Socket 3, M key, type 22110/2280 PCIe 4.0 x4/x2 SSD support) (M2Q_SB) (M2L_SB)
• 1 x M.2 connector (Socket 3, M key, type 22110/2280 SATA and PCIe 4.0x4/x2 SSD support) (M2M_SB)
• 4 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors

The motherboard offers two RGB LED zones, one on the IO plate and one under the PCH heatsink. You also get three Gen2 ARGB headers and a single RGB header.

Storage options include four SATA III ports rated to operate at 6 GB/s. These can support 4 different storage devices at once. For the front IO, you get a total of 17 ports, which include 1 USB4 Type-C, 1 USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C, 2 USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A, 5 USB 3.2 Gen1, and 8 USB 2.0 ports.

The full list of connectors on the motherboard is as follows.

• 1 x 24-pin ATX main power connector
• 2 x 8-pin ATX 12V power connectors
• 1 x CPU fan header
• 1 x CPU fan/water cooling pump header
• 3 x system fan headers
• 1 x system fan/water cooling pump header
• 3 x addressable RGB Gen2 LED strip headers
• 1 x RGB LED strip header
• 5 x M.2 Socket 3 connectors
• 4 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors
• 1 x front panel header
• 1 x front panel audio header
• 1 x USB Type-C header, with USB 3.2 Gen 2 support
• 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 header
• 2 x USB 2.0/1.1 headers
• 1 x Trusted Platform Module header (For the GC-TPM2.0 SPI V2 module only)
• 2 x Thunderbolt add-in card connectors (For GIGABYTE Thunderbolt 5 add-in card only)
• 1 x reset jumper
• 1 x Clear CMOS jumper

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AORUS is using the latest WIFI 7 "BE200NGW" Module with a full 320MHz wireless channel to power wireless connectivity and Bluetooth 5.4. In terms of Ethernet, there is a single LAN port powered by a 5GbE Realtek LAN controller. Audio comes in the form of a Realtek ALC1220 CODEC with audiophile-grade capacitors.

The motherboard comes with the following I/O connectors:

• 1 x reset button
• 1 x power button
• 1 x Clear CMOS button
• 1 x Q-Flash Plus button
• 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports (red)
• 1 x DisplayPort (Note)
• 4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports
• 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
• 1 x USB4 USB Type-C port (DisplayPort (Note))
• 2 x antenna connectors (2T2R)
• 1 x RJ-45 port
• 1 x optical S/PDIF Out connector
• 2 x audio jacks

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 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:

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.

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.

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 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, chipset, Memory type, size, timings, and module specifications (SPD), and Real-time measurement of each core's internal frequency, memory frequency.

Geekbench 6

Geekbench 6 is a cross-platform benchmark that measures your system's performance with the press of a button.

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 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 formats.

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

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.

GTA V

Counter-Strike 2 is the latest addition to Valve's CS series with a complete visual overhaul, bringing the FPS to a new generation of gamers.

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 settings 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 shows the power of its graphics engine in the latest title.

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.

The Intel Core Ultra 200S "Arrow Lake" Desktop CPUs come with a slightly modified IHS that 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.

Gigabyte's refreshed Z890 motherboard lineup features the company's brand new Ultra Turbo Mode, enabling faster performance by fine-tuning the system components. Gigabyte offers these 1-Click Turbo modes across its Intel Core Ultra 200S Plus & AMD Ryzen 9000 lineups.

This is an enhanced version of the 200S Boost mode by Intel, which the company launched with its previous 800-series offerings. This time, the solution is not only better, but Gigabyte has made it much more useful through BIOS and software-side revamps. In our tests, the CPU sees an average 10-15% uplift in app and around 5-8% improvement in games using the Core Ultra 9 285K CPU. That's a strong uplift & you get to see improvements on both fronts, which is great. Furthermore, the 19 Phase VRM with 16 60A phases from the CPU is solid enough, and DDR5-10466 memory support is just mindblowing.

The Gigabyte motherboard division is known for implementing forward-looking technologies on its boards before widespread adoption. As such, the Duo X gets CQDIMM support, which was announced for 200S Plus CPUs, but we haven't seen a whole lot of motherboards offering support for the standard. While Gigabyte knows that DDR5 memory prices are out of control, they still want enthusiasts to try out these DIMMs and their capabilities early on.

Five M.2 slots and three PCIe slots, both featuring a dedicated Gen5 option, are great. The EZ-Latch design on the PCIe slots and M.2 slots is DIY Friendly. WIFI7+BT5.4, along with 5GbE LAN, enables future-proof connectivity and wireless technologies, while the full list of USB (17 in total) options includes:

• CPU:
  - 1 x USB4 USB Type-C port on the back panel
  Chipset:
  - 1 x USB Type-C port with USB 3.2 Gen 2 support, available through the internal USB header
  - 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports (red) on the back panel
  - 5 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (3 ports on the back panel, 2 ports available through the internal USB header)
  
• Chipset+2 USB 2.0 Hubs:
  - 8 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports (4 ports on the back panel, 4 ports available through the internal USB headers)

Our Pros/Cons of the Gigabyte Z890 AORUS Elite DUO X include:

• +Great Design
• +Great Performance
• +Best Memory Support (10466 MT/s)
• +Intel 200S Plus Support Out-of-the-box
• +17 USB Ports, including USB4
• +Five M.2 slots (all heatsink cooled)
• +Toolless M.2 Installation
• +WIFI 7 + BT5.4 + 2.5GbE LAN
• +Pre-Installed LAN Drivers
• - CQDIMM, while impressive, is out of reach due to stupendous prices
• -60A VRMs, though decent is a bit mainstream for a high-end price

The motherboard supports built-in RGB lighting and external RGB support through 3 ARGB & 1 RGB headers (all controllable through the RGB Fusion software). The motherboard itself has two RGB accent zones.

The 64 MB BIOS also ensures that users not only have enough firmware flash storage for future AGESA BIOS updates, but it also comes packed with built-in drivers for WIFI, which means that you don't have to worry about installing WIFI drivers to get internet working when building a new PC.

So based on our test, we found Gigabyte's Z890 AORUS DUO X motherboard a solid first look at the next-generation CQDIMM memory options while retaining absolutely fantastic features, which the ELITE series is known for. You can expect full performance out of Intel's 200S Plus CPUs running the board, and you will be backed with lots of overclocking headroom and an endless list of IO options.

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