Maxsun iCraft Z890 Arctic Motherboard Review – White Aesthetics Straight Outta North Pole

Conclusion - Great For Gamers!

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 the Maxsun iCraft Z890 Arctic which is priced at around $300 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 Maxsun iCraft Z890 Arctic motherboard comes in a stylish box with blue and white colors. The packaging lists out 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 such as the 20+1+1 SPS power system, a 3.4-inch full color LCD, dual USB 4.0 ports and PCIe 5.0 lanes.

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

You get:

• 4 x SATA Data Cables
• 1 x WiFi 2.4/5/6 GHz Antenna
• 1 x ARGB Splitter Cable

With all the accessories done, it's time to put that box aside and take the motherboard out of its package.

The Maxsun iCraft Z890 Arctic motherboard is an ATX offering that measures 245 x 305 mm. The motherboard carries a white color scheme with reflective patterns on the various heatsinks and shields.

The Maxsun Z890 Arctic is part of the iCraft lineup which is a premium segment featuring very nice aesthetics.

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 8800 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 motherboard supports 4800 MT/s natively. The 8800 MT/s apply to 1DCP (1 Rank) configurations.

The Maxsun iCraft Z890 Arctic motherboard features a 20+1+1 (VCore/ VccGT/VccAUX)  phase SPS VRM power delivery that utilizes the Renesas RAA 229130 PWM controller, and R2209004 HBD (110A) stages for the VCore. All capacitors are labeled with 20K "270C E31" ratings.

The VRMs and power delivery solution are scattered around the LGA 1851 socket. The board uses an 8-layer server-grade PCB with 2oz Thickened copper in a low-loss design, retaining signal integrity for stable CPU and memory operations.

The VRMs receive ample cooling from the Composite VRM heatsink solution which covers the VRMs, M.2 slots, and the PCH.

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.

Coming to the cooling solution, we first have the Arctic Cooling Armor which covers the VRMs and the M.2 slots The heatsink features a heat pipe solution that connects the heatsinks, offering a larger surface for thermal dissipation. There's also a LCD on the front panel IO plate which offers statistics in real-time.

Underneath the VRM heatsink are Thermal pads which transfer heat from the VRMs to the heatsink.

Expansion slots include four PCI Express x16 (1 x Gen 5.0 x16, 1 x Gen 5.0x8 or Gen 4.0x4 & 2 x Gen 4.0 x4) and four M.2 slots.

• 1 × PCIe 5.0 x16 slot (configurable as x8/x8, x8/x4, x4/x4)
• 1 × PCIe x16 slot (physical size x16, supports PCIe 5.0 x8 or PCIe 4.0 x4)
• 2 × PCIe x16 slots (supporting PCIe 4.0 x4)

The motherboard utilizes a full metallic slot and Maxsun also implements its Graphics Card E-touch release mechanism which allows easy removal of graphics cards without having to release the PCIe lock manually.

The motherboard also has a vast array of M.2 slots, all of which are featured under dedicated M.2 Arctic Cooling M.2 heatsinks.

Following is the full list of M.2 ports and their details on the Maxsun iCraft Z890 Arcrtic motherboard:

• 1 × M.2 slot, supporting PCIe 5.0 x4/x2 mode, compatible with 2242/2280/2280K lengths
• 3 × M.2 slots, supporting PCIe 4.0 x4/x2 mode, compatible with 2242/2280/22110 lengths
• 4 × SATA 6Gb/s ports

The Z890 PCH is housed beneath a large heatsink with a stylish Maxsun iCraft accent plate that features a reflective surface and also has the iCraft/Maxsun logo embedded into it.

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 1 USB 3.2 and 2 USB 2.0 front panel connectors are also included which offers up to 3 USB 5G and 2 USB 2.0 ports. There's also a single USB 4.0 Type-C header.

Maxsun uses a 5.1 CH HD audio design with the latest Realtek ALC1220 CODEC, providing up to 130db SRN. There is a large selection of connectors on the motherboard such as the Power On/Off, Reset buttons, a DEBUG LED, and more.

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

• 1 × 24-pin ATX Power Connector
• 2 × 8-pin +12V Power Connectors
• 2 × 3-Pin ARGB Headers
• 1 × 4-Pin NRBG Header
• 1 × COM Port Header
• 1 × CLR_CMOS Reset Button
• 1 × 4-Pin CPU Fan Header
• 1 × 4-Pin PUMP Header (supports DC and PWM modes)
• 4 × 4-Pin System Fan Headers

Maxsun is using the latest WIFI 7 (BE200) Module to power wireless connectivity with a 320MHz channel bandwidth and Bluetooth 5.4. In terms of Ethernet, there is a single 5 GbE (RTL8126) chip.

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:

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 format.

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 consistent.

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 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 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.

Maxsun rolls out its iCraft Z890 lineup with a surprisingly strong product in the form of the Arctic motherboard.

Compared to the last-gen Z790 boards, the Z890 Arcitc is an upgrade across the board. It features a much more capable VRM design with 110A SPS power delivery versus 90A, support for 8800 MT/s memory versus a peak of 7600 MT/s, and 17 USB ports including dual USB4 which is impressive, and the quad M.2 slots with Gen5 PCI slots are an upgrade.

In terms of performance, the Maxsun iCraft Z890 Arctic motherboard delivered great results in both CPU and memory testing. The VRMs and M.2 slots are cooled by the new Arctic Cooling heat dissipation system which also looks great and the added LCD on the IO panel is a delight to see on this mainstream-priced product.

The things we loved about the Maxsun iCraft Z890 Arctic:

• Good VRM Design (110A SPS)
• Faster Memory Support (8800 MT/s+)
• Great Design & IO Plate LCD In-Built
• Lots of USB ports (Including Dual USB4)
• Four M.2 slots with heatsinks
• Latest WIFI7 & BT5.4 Support
• EZ Toolless Design For GPU
• ATX Form Factor
• Good Pricing (Close to $300)

Things that we would have liked to see:

• Default BIOS that is not set to Unlimited mode out of the box
• More Audio Jacks
• A Dual LAN design
• EZ Release Mechanism for the primary M.2 slot

Maxsun's Z890 motherboard is a solid option for those who plan to build systems using the Intel Core Ultra 200S CPUs. The iCraft Z890 Arctic in particular costs around $300 US and offers some features that are only available in motherboards that are priced at $100+ so it's great to see the manufacturer going the cost-effective route without sacrificing the list of features.

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