Z790 vs Z690: Which is the better choice for Intel 13th-gen chips?

Z790 motherboards were introduced alongside the Intel 13th gen Raptor Lake chips. The boards are comparatively pricier, but they are similar to the Z690 motherboards in many ways.

With the latest BIOS update, every Z690 motherboard introduced last year will support Intel 13th gen Raptor Lake chips. Because of this, users looking for a new board in the market may be confused between the two generations.

Users should note that the 700-series Intel motherboards pack some new features as compared to the last-gen products. However, last-gen options have dropped in price following the introduction of Raptor Lake and new motherboards.

This article will explore the differences between the two generations of motherboards.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the opinions of the writer

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The Z790 motherboards are quite similar to their last-gen counterparts

Newly launched ASUS Z790 motherboards (Image via ASUS)

The new high-end motherboard chipset from Intel packs a couple of improvements over the last-gen Z690. They have faster DDR5 RAM support and more I/O ports, but apart from these changes, the new motherboards are almost similar to the last-gen options.

However, it is worth noting that the new Z-series boards are much more expensive than last-gen boards. The same goes for the B760 options, which despite being almost similar to the last-gen B660 options, are costlier.

The new high-end Intel motherboards support DDR5 memory running at up to 6,800 MT/s. This is an improvement over the 6,400 MT/s limit on the Z690 boards. However, the current-gen Intel processors only support up to DDR5-5600 memory. Thus, the upgrade will not create a noticeable difference in performance.

The Z790 motherboards can now support a maximum of five USB 3.2 Gen 2 x2 ports. However, the number of ports largely depends on the manufacturer and the price. Lower-end options still pack four or fewer USB 3.2 ports, so the difference is negligible.

	Z690	Z790
Intel Socket	LGA 1700	LGA 1700
12th Gen Support	Yes	Yes
13th Gen Support	Yes (with BIOS update)	Yes
Support Overclocking	Yes	Yes
Max RAM speed	6400	6800
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
Total PCIe Lanes	28	28
PCIe Gen 5 Lanes	20	20
PCIe Configurations	1x16+1x4 or 2x8+1x4	1x16+1x4 or 2x8+1x4
Max USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Ports	4	5
Max USB 3.2 Gen 2×1 Ports	10	10
Max USB 3.2 Gen 1×1 Ports	10	10
Max USB 2.0 Ports	14	14

Raptor Lake processors will not face performance issues on the older Z690 motherboards, and there are some high-quality options from last year that pack every feature you could possibly expect in a motherboard. Because of this, it makes more sense to opt for the older Z690 options if you're going for a high-end Intel-based build.

The extra money could be spent on a faster processor or even a more capable GPU. These alterations will create a far bigger performance difference compared to opting for Z790 over the Z690. In almost every scenario, there is barely any performance difference between these motherboards.

The new Z790 motherboards support Thunderbolt ports across more variants. However, users can also find last-gen Z690 boards with Thunderbolt connectivity. If you have a specific use case for a Thunderbolt port but can't find a Z690 option within your budget, then it makes sense to opt for a Z790 board.

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Conclusion

The new high-end Intel motherboards only offer minor improvements over the last-gen, and very few users will even notice the differences. However, the Z790-based boards come at a higher price point. Irrespective of the build, it's a better choice to opt for a high-end Z690 motherboard instead of buying a more expensive motherboard based on the latest chipset.