Asus, a renowned leader in the motherboard industry, has recently unveiled its latest creation, the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore. This motherboard, designed with overclocking enthusiasts in mind, has been listed for sale overseas with a price tag exceeding $850.
The ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore is a testament to Asus’ commitment to delivering high-performance hardware for the most demanding users. Equipped with the high-end Z790 chipset, it promises to unlock the full potential of Intel’s upcoming 14th Generation Raptor Lake Refresh processors. With an LGA1700 socket, it seamlessly integrates with these powerful CPUs, ensuring peak performance right out of the box.
One of the standout features of the Encore, according to the leaked renders from Benchlife, is its return to the classic black and silver color scheme, a familiar sight to enthusiasts who have come to associate it with the Apex series. This marks a departure from its predecessor, the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex, which featured a striking full-white theme. While opinions were divided on the previous aesthetic shift, Asus has opted to revisit the roots of the Apex line with the Encore.
The previous iteration of the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex was not without its issues, notably the problem of PCB flexing around the power delivery subsystem due to the substantial heatsink. This design flaw did not go unnoticed by the community, prompting concerns among owners. With the Maximus Z790 Apex Encore, Asus has taken steps to rectify this issue, demonstrating a dedication to improving user experience and product quality.
The Encore boasts a 24-stage power design, matching its predecessor in terms of power delivery capabilities. This ensures that even the most demanding processors, like the anticipated Core i9-14900K, have access to the ample power required for extreme overclocking scenarios.
In the memory department, the Encore maintains the Apex tradition of offering two DDR5 slots, supporting data rates up to DDR5-8000 and potentially beyond. While this limits the maximum capacity to 96GB, it provides ample room for high-speed, high-capacity memory configurations.
In terms of connectivity, the Encore maintains its predecessor’s commitment to wired and wireless excellence. The inclusion of a single 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port powered by the Intel I225-V Ethernet controller ensures robust wired networking capabilities. Meanwhile, the upgrade to Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 from the previous generation’s Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 represents a substantial leap in wireless performance.
The ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore is listed on Proshop (via Harukaze5719) for $879 and $881 in its Finnish and Norwegian online stores, respectively. After subtracting the VAT, this translates to a price of approximately $700, aligning with the $699.99 MSRP of the original ROG Maximus Z790 Apex.
Raptor Lake Refresh is rumored to launch on October 17, indicating that the release of the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore is imminent.
Journalist