The eye-watering prices of Asus’ new Intel Arrow Lake Z-series motherboards will set you back even more in an already expensive new computer generation
Asus’ new range of Intel Arrow Lake gaming motherboards have just been unveiled (unofficially, so take a grain of salt here), and they suggest that the days when motherboards were among the cheaper components of your new gaming rig are over.
The flagship Asus ROG Maximus Z890 Extreme is expected to cost $1,112 (£887, about AU$1,723), with the cheapest of the new series costing $268 (£214, about AU$415).
If you’re planning on buying one of the new Intel Core Ultra 9 285 Arrow Lake desktop CPUs, you’ll definitely have to factor in the extra cost of one of ASUS’ next-generation Z-series motherboards. This is because Intel’s new Arrow Lake processors require their LGA1851 sockets.
The prices were revealed by X user @momomo_uswith a series of screenshots showing the prices of the entire range. American retailer HSSL has also created a list the following Arrow Lake motherboard prices for its US market.
At $1,112, the most expensive board on the list, the Asus ROG Maximus Z890 Extreme, costs about $100 more than its predecessor, the Z790 Extreme. The Z890 Extreme is perfect for high-performance builds and is prepared for future upgrades. Expect a plethora of connectivity options, DDR5 memory support, insane overclocking capabilities, PCIe Gen 5 and Wi-Fi 7.
Lots of features, lots of dollars
Designed for extreme overclocking (especially memory), the Asus ROG Z890 Apex only features two stability-enhancing DIMM slots. Although the price is still high (about $812), it is second only to the Maximus. It is most ideal for overclocking enthusiasts who want to break overclocking records. Of all of Asus’s next-gen Z-series boards, which see an increase of around $100 over their respective predecessors, the Z890 Apex sees an increase of $200 over the ROG Z790 Apex. This is an indication that it will support Intel’s next-generation Arrow Lake processors, as well as Wi-Fi 7 and extended PCIe Gen 5 support.
It’s not all doom and gloom and more room in your wallet, though, as the lineup at least includes some more affordable options. Asus introduces its new Z890 Max Gaming WiFi 7 line, priced at $268 (£213.93, about AU$415). This is presumably Asus’ way of ensuring that customers can get one of the latest Intel CPUs without paying for the less necessary features of the premium ROG series. Thanks to Wi-Fi 7 capabilities, consumers can enjoy faster and more reliable wireless connectivity.
Whichever motherboard you choose, even the “budget-friendly” Max Gaming Wi-Fi 7 still costs quite a bit, so be prepared for a very expensive upgrade if you decide it’s time to finally buy a new CPU for your system.
