ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero Z590 Review

On a quick note, ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero Z590 Motherboard is designed to pair with the 11th Generation Intel Core Processor perfectly. Moreover, the feature of two-way noise cancelation helps to ensure crystal clear communication in games or calls. And the teamed power design maintains exemplary performance in deep power-saving mode. And high-end networking is made possible by onboard Wi-Fi 6E, ASUS LAN Guard, and dual Intel 2.5 Gb Ethernet.

Furthermore, it has four M.2 slots, of which two offer PCIe 4.0 to make it compatible with high-speed SSDs and the latest GPUs. Moreover, the integrated ROG system is much excellent than competing models. Above all, the USB 3.2 Geb 2×2 connector is provided to make it the latest compatible to enable fast data transfer.

ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero Z590

Mathew Bradford

Features
Compatibility
Performance
4.7

ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero Z590 Specifications

BrandASUS
SeriesROG
Model NumberROG Maximus XIII Hero
ChipsetZ590
CPU SocketLGA 1200
PlatformWindows 10
Form FactorATX
RAM Memory TechnologyDDR4
Memory Speed5333 MHz
Memory Storage128 GB
Memory Slots04
Graphic Card InterfacePCI-E
BIOSAMI UEFI BIOS
Voltage Regulator16 Phase
Wi-Fi Generation6E
Audio Channel7.1 Channels
CompatibilityIntel 10th and 11th Generation Processors
Wireless Type802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 802.11ax
Weight6.69 Pounds
Dimensions14.57 x 12.28 x 4.25 inches

Maximus XIII Hero Z590 – Design

To come up, ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero Z590 Motherboard is carved in black and white color, which is not a different thing by any means. The background is kept black with white writing for all the buttons and ports to give a classy look. And the incorporated RGB lighting adds up in the existing feel as it arrays vertically in a fashion that multi-colors look amazing on the upper part of this board. Moreover, the top half of the board is significantly covered by massive heatsinks. Plus, on the right of the socket area, the four memory slots are placed in the gun metal-colored capacitors. Moreover, the bottom left side of the board contains an audio section that lies under the plastic shroud. Whilst the PCIe or M.2 slots are placed at the middle of the board. Several buttons and headers are also added at the bottom part, such as USB ports, fan headers, and many more.

ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero Z590 Motherboard - front view

See: Best RGB motherboards for Gaming

ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero Z590 – Features

ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero Z590 Motherboard comes with almost all the gaming features as this board has an optimized thermal design, so the heatsinks accompany a major portion. To proffer extra cooling, enlarged VRM heatsinks are incorporated along with the high conductive thermal pad, aluminum I/O cover, and quad M.2 heatsinks with embodied backplates and ROG water cooling zone. This cooling mechanism is excellent to keep on the built-in performance.

ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero Z590 Motherboard - Features list

Moving on, the four DRAM slots are incorporated, which are capable of supporting up to 128 GB of RAM. In addition, it can support speed up to DDR4 5333 MHz, but your mileage may vary depending on the connected devices. For more ease, four Q-LEDs, including CPU, DRAM, VGA, and Boot, are added, which remain ON during the boot process. So, if you encounter any issue during POST, the destined LED will remain lit and help you to locate the exact position of the problem.

In order to add some flare to an existing design, the RGB and ARGB headers are placed across the bottom edge to let you get the exact outcome. Below these headers, the large start button to power ON the PC and the small FlexKey button is placed. This can reboot the system in the default setting, but you can customize it to activate the safe boot or configure the Aura lighting. Plus, the 24-pin ATC power connector can be found at the bottom-right edge, whilst the USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C front panel header is kept below the connector to make it compatible with the latest technology.

Ahead of the curve, the 14-phase teamed VRM configuration is enabled for ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero Z590 Motherboard, where each channel feeds two phases. However, the most stunning feature of this motherboard is the availability of 14 Texas Instrument NexFET 90A smart power stages, which permit the CPU to utilize up to 1260A. You might haven’t seen such a high value before in any model. Another thing is that you wouldn’t get wrong on the way of extreme overclocking.

ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero Z590 Motherboard - side view

Hero XIII has reserved the major marketplace when it comes to audio quality, which is the major concern for many users. This studio-grade audio quality is maintained by incorporating a premium Realtek ALC4082 codec and Japanese audio capacitors that are field-proven. Moreover, the ESS DAC/Amp is provided to drive your headphones efficiently. Overall, the onboard audio solution offers above than sufficient quality for most of the users. Whilst, a single HDMI port is there to handle video output when making use of integrated graphics.

Discussing the slots, ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero Z590 Motherboard arrives with three full-length PCIe slots and one x1 slot. Interestingly, the two topped PCIe slots are wired to the CPU and intended to hold up PCIe 4.0 when you pair it with the 11th Generation Intel processor. Actually, these two slots can support NVIDIA two-way SLI to let you take an excellent mileage out of it. Whilst the bottom slot operates at PCI2 3.0 x2 mode and tends to disable the SATA ports. Moreover, four M.2 sockets are provided, which are mixed up the PCIe slots.

To dig around, ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero arrives with a pre-installed rear IO panel, which is the most loved feature among high-end gamers. Stunningly, a total of 10 USB ports are embodied, of which two are USB 2.0, six USB 3.2 Gen-2 Type-A, and two Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports to ensure ultra-swift USB storage. Other amazing things you’re going to get are the two 2.5 GbE ports and two Wi-Fi 6E antenna sockets to maintain smooth performance during any online gaming process. Above all, there’s a BIOS flashback button to let you flash without any CPU and a clear CMOS button.

What has been Upgraded?

We will look at why ASUS ROG Z590 Maximus XIII Hero is better than the previously existing ASUS ROG Z490 Maximus XII Hero. We want to clear in general that the Hero XIII is the latest model, and hence you can expect to be with you when coming across advanced connectivity. Furthermore, hero XII is compatible with 10th Generation Intel’s Processor only, while the newest Hero XIII is equally useful for Intel 10th and 11th Generation.

The backward compatibility of this model makes it an excellent choice for almost all users. Another good mileage which you will get in this model is the price range. It’s hard to believe that the advanced Z590 XIII Hero is cheaper than Z490 XII Hero, and this is all planned to stay strong in the competitive market.

Although the storage capacity of both models is the same, which is 128 GB, you will get a bit higher memory speed of around 5333 MHz in Hero XIII, which was only 4800 MHz in the Hero XII. Other handy things which you’ll get are the Thunderbolt 4 and NVME SSD support to provide you with the best.

But the previous model, Hero XII comes with a 5 Gbps LAN, whist Hero XIII has a dual 2.5 Gb LAN. But keep in mind that the Maximus Hero XII has more control over RGB lighting. Above all, the Wi-Fi connectivity has been upgraded to 6E in Hero XIII from Wi-Fi 6 in Hero XII.

See: Best gaming motherboards with Wi-Fi

Don’t Buy it if

Although, ASUS ROG Z590 Maximus XIII Hero does a great job with the 11th Gen processor, and it also found backward compatible with the 10th Generation. But if you are holding the 10th generation Intel processor and don’t plan to upgrade it to the 11th Generation, then this model isn’t perfect for you. As the 10th Gen CPUs will not be able to take advantage of PCIe 4.0. Moreover, the upper M.2 slot will be disabled if you don’t have an 11th Gen processor.

Moreover, if you don’t plan to install a heatsink before installing the gaming SSD, you might stick as the lower M.2 slot doesn’t any screws to hold it down. So, if you don’t have the skills to install screws by yourself, it could be challenging for you.  

Buy it if;

Grounded in fact, if you are a high-end gamer, then ASUS ROG Z590 Maximus XIII Hero is perfect for you. Specially, you might love to grab it if you spend most of the time playing online games. This is all due to advanced 6E Wi-Fi connectivity, which is excellent for maintaining online gaming performance without interruption.

Furthermore, if you wish to add a better RGB flare to your system, then your dreamy needs will be accomplished here. This model has a variety of RGB light and numerous RGB and ARGB headers to let you add more lighting to meet your needs.

Improvements Needed

The one major improvement must be made by making all slots functional even when using it with the 10th Generation processor, as many users are finding it hard. Furthermore, ECC RAM support and CrossFire support features must be added in this price range to offer the latest choices for users.

Reasons to Buy

  • 10 USB ports, with a Thunderbolt 4
  • Four M.2 sockets and enhanced bandwidth
  • RGB lightings with plenty of RGB headers
  • Separate AIO and water pump headers
  • Handy BIOS flashback and clear CMOS keys

Reasons to Avoid

  • A bit pricier
  • M.2 is disabled for 10th Gen
  • No support for CrossFire

Final Verdict

Keeping the long story short, ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero Z590 Motherboard is moderately priced and comes with almost all the essential features you can expect from a Z590 model. We highly recommend this model for the users who hold an 11th Gen processor, as it can deliver better performance. Overall, the memory size, speed, number of available memory slots, USB ports, and advanced Wi-Fi connectivity make it an ideal choice for high-end gamers and professional users. We’ve explained all the nitty-gritty of this model to assist you in finalizing any decision!

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Mathew Bradford

Hey! Mathew Bradford Here, A proud member of GamingExpert Team. I love playing games with new gaming gadgets. Our team is here to help you find the best gaming products, reviews of videos games and to help you decide which one is best for your. You can contact me if you need further assistance.