Motherboard - ASUS Z690-PLUS WIFI TUF Gaming Edition

ASUS naturally is the brand that offers TUF motherboards as a basis for this type of build. The Ultimate Force SKUs are usually current-generation mid-range products, so having a TUF Z690 makes perfect sense. The Z690-Plus WiFi TUF Gaming Edition motherboard is meant to provide all the core features one would need for a modern gaming rig without all the extra bells and whistles some of the super high-end ASUS SKUs include. The full-color package of the motherboard is quite compact, featuring the board on the front and a detailed layout of what elements are embedded on the PCB on the back.


The same trend of a focus on the necessities for a modern system continues with the extras packaged with the ASUS Z690-Plus WiFi TUF Gaming Edition. You receive screws, two SATA cables, and a wireless antenna alongside a manual, driver disk, and TUF stickers. The other element that sticks out is a TUF Edition Certificate of Reliability meant to signify the rigorous testing done on the unit. While that is nice, odds are all ASUS motherboards end up going through the same testing regime at some stage of the design or manufacturing process.


Out of the box, the motherboard sports the usual black and orange colors we have come to expect from a TUF product. All the sizable heatsinks are black and not quite as bulky as some we have seen on the ultra high-end boards out there, once again striking a balance between what is useful and functional vs. going all out. On the back, ASUS has continued the design pattern with various black screws securely holding all the heatsinks in place.


The firmly attached I/O plate is also clearly branded as TUF. Once again, the mix of connectivity reflects the target audience and market segment of this product, with multiple display outputs, plenty USB-A type connectors, two USB-C plugs, of which one is capable of 20 Gbps, and the usual dual wireless and a single 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port, as well as the audio jacks. Other boards may offer even more with dual Ethernet or more USB Type-A ports, but odds of needing more are pretty slim, which again underscores the balance this motherboard strikes.


Two long heatsinks cover a total of three NVMe connectors, while the third is exposed. This allows you to install an ARGB drive in clear view for maximum visual effect. This is great as those drives tend to sport their own heatsink anyway.


In terms of branding, the chipset heatsink, audio cover, and CPU socket cover all have TUF logos to make sure anyone looking at the motherboard immediately knows which product family it belongs to. While the chipset heatsink is fairly large, ASUS once again prioritizes useful functionality vs. over-the-top features by omitting ARGB elements here.


Small additional tidbits are two TUF logos along the edge of the board by exposing the PCB layer underneath the black paint.