Packaging and Contents

The front of the ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Hero box has a matte black finish with red accents in the truest of ROG fashion statements. The product name is in embossed foil to give it that extra premium look. Across the bottom, some important tidbits are shown, such as Windows 11, WiFi 6E, PCIe 5.0, and DDR5 logos. Even mention of LGA 1700 is made, which refers to the Intel socket, a nice bonus for those who leave confused between all the ROG Maximus products.

On the back of the box, a few features are highlighted, such as the included Hyper M.2 Card, USB 3.2 2x2 Type-E header for the case, and Polymo Lighting. Below the depiction of the motherboard is a list of specifications, which is always welcome. However, nothing about PCIe 5.0 and the slot configurations is mentioned at all on the back, which means you will need to visit the ASUS website to get the details if you are in a store.


The accessories are on point. Once you have removed the motherboard, two sections are presented. The left holds all the screws, manual, WiFi antenna, anti-sag graphics card adapter, and other goodies. The right has the Hyper M.2 PCIe card and a USB flash drive that is used for driver and software installation. Gone is the CD. When is the last time you had a DVD/CD drive? Better yet, what was the last computer case you used that came with a 5.25" bay? It isn't as common as it once was.

The full list of accessories includes:

• ARGB RGB extension cable
• 4x Braided SATA 6 Gb/s cables
• ASUS Wi-Fi moving antennas
• M.2 SSD screw package(s)
• Spare Q-connector
• ROG Hyper M.2 PCIe card
• ROG key chain
• ROG graphics card holder
• ROG stickers
• ROG thank you card
• User manual and Support USB drive