The ASRock Z490 Taichi is a worthy successor in the long-running Taichi family. Featuring full coverage M.2 heatsinks, an integrated rear I/O shield, a great RGB LED implementation, and a great neutral aesthetic, the ASRock Z490 Taichi has the looks. With a plethora of additional storage controllers, it also has the connectivity I have come to expect from ASRock. All that remains is the performance.

Out of the box, performance was quite good. Memory overclocking was great as well, as I reached 3900 MHz CL16 stable with my Trident Z Neo quad-channel kit. For CPU overclocking, I was able to achieve 5.3 GHz on all cores. The largest limitation to overclocking with Z490 is going to come down to dealing with the heat produced by the incredibly dense Intel Core i9-10900K.

When it comes to VRM thermals, the ASRock Z490 Taichi did very well. However, the aggressive stock fan curve for the three VRM cooling fans made the Taichi louder than I would have liked in my VRM torture testing. While the board was silent during all standard testing, it quickly ramped up the fans after hitting 50 °C. Testing with the fans disabled proved that a much more subtle fan curve is perfectly feasible.

The active VRM cooling might be a turn-off for some, but it is flexible and has more than enough thermal room to be tuned to the user's liking. The ASRock Z490 Taichi is a solid board with good aesthetics, performance, and overclocking. If you are shopping for a high-end Z490 board with lots of connectivity, the ASRock Z490 Taichi is a great choice.