Gigabyte prices white Intel Micro ATX board at $209
The Z890M Aorus Elite WiFi7 Ice offers full heatsink coverage and PCIe 5.0 support in a compact package for white-themed PC builds.
By Carmen Wojcik ·
Gigabyte has listed the Z890M Aorus Elite WiFi7 Ice on Amazon for $209. The board is a Micro ATX model designed for Intel processors that packs most features of the larger ATX version into a smaller frame.
The board targets Intel Core Ultra 200S Plus processors. It provides three M.2 sockets and four SATA ports for storage. Networking includes 2.5 GbE and Wi-Fi 7, though the wireless chip is limited to 160 MHz channels. Audio uses a Realtek ALC897 codec, which the reviewer notes is sufficient for general use but basic for audio production.
Heatsink coverage is a key design element. The board includes full coverage on the lower half, a feature often omitted in this price range. A large heatsink is mounted on the primary M.2 socket. Two RGB lighting zones are located near the VRMs and under the chipset.
Connectivity includes six 4-pin fan headers, each capable of delivering up to 2A or 24W. The primary M.2 socket runs at PCIe 5.0 x4 speeds via the CPU. The other two M.2 slots operate at PCIe 4.0 x4 through the chipset, with one slot accepting modules up to 110mm in length. RAID support for NVMe drives includes levels 0, 1, 5, and 10.
The board features two full-length PCIe slots. The primary slot is reinforced and runs at PCIe 5.0 x16. The secondary slot operates at up to PCIe 4.0 x4. The reviewer notes that large graphics cards may obstruct access to the second slot.
Power delivery consists of 15 phases, with 12 dedicated to Vcore. Dual 8-pin EPS connectors feed 60A DrMOS parts, providing a total of 720A. This setup supports the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus, Core Ultra 5 250K Plus, and Core Ultra 9 285K. The reviewer advises against heavy overclocking on the higher-end chips and recommends good case airflow.
Memory support extends to DDR5-9200 in overclocked mode. Testing showed that a DDR5-8800 kit did not function properly, while a DDR5-8200 kit ran without issues. The reviewer suggests using the memory qualification vendor list for stable results.
Rear I/O includes nine USB ports: four USB 2.0, four USB 3.2 Gen 1, and one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A. A single Type-C port supports USB4 at 40 Gbps with DisplayPort output. A separate DisplayPort 2.1 output is also present. A front-panel HDMI port is available for secondary displays.
Performance testing yielded average results. The board performed well in 3DMark and gaming benchmarks. It includes AI Perfdrive, a feature that allows users to apply one-click CPU presets via the BIOS. The box contains two white SATA cables, a rubber pad, an extra M.2 thermal pad, an EZ front panel connector, and an installation guide. The board features tool-free mounting options for M.2 drives and front panel headers.
The product is currently available on Amazon. The reviewer identified the appearance as a major strength, calling it one of the better-looking Micro ATX options for white builds.
