Finished Looks

Once installed in the open-frame, we can get an idea of how it may look inside an actual computer case. The onboard RGB is kept to a minimum and only on the rear IO section. This of course can be turned off in software if unwanted. Gone are the distinct yellow audio caps next to the M.2 sockets that was a common aesthetic complaint from buyers of the Z690 Dark and Classified motherboards.

A common problem with E-ATX motherboards is power connectors being blocked by the case making routing more difficult. EVGA addresses this by indenting the connectors just enough that now it is flush with the motherboard when everything is connected up. This should please those who had concerns about cable routing not being optimal.

Test System

Supporting Hardware

Testing is performed with the newest available version of the BIOS at the time of review. All BIOS settings related to the CPU are left untouched. XMP is enabled for the memory. However, if the primary, secondary or tertiary memory timings are incorrectly set by the BIOS, it is tested as-is, to mimic a standard user. The same goes for the CPU. Unless it is a bug in the current BIOS—i.e., not present in other versions—any and all CPU boost parameters are left alone.