Description
What The GIGABYTE Z390 AORUS Elite Is
The GIGABYTE Z390 AORUS Elite is a full size ATX gaming motherboard for Intel’s LGA1151 socket using the Z390 chipset. The product name spells out the essentials, which is unusually helpful: LGA1151, Z390, ATX, two M.2 sockets, Realtek ALC1220 audio and RGB Fusion lighting. GIGABYTE also gives the board dimensions directly in the description as 305 by 244 mm, which is exactly the ATX standard.
AORUS Elite sits in the middle of GIGABYTE’s gaming range, above the value boards and below the AORUS Master and Extreme tiers. Compared with the Z390 AORUS MASTER it trims the power delivery and the heatsink coverage while keeping the same socket and chipset, and against a competing board of the same generation such as the ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming 4 it puts more emphasis on audio and power delivery.
Processor Support And Power Delivery
GIGABYTE states support for 9th and 8th generation Intel Core processors. As with every other board in this catalog, that is the full extent of the compatibility information given. No individual processor list appears, no BIOS version is mentioned and nothing is said about whether a BIOS update is needed for any particular chip. On a socket that spanned multiple generations, checking the GIGABYTE support page against the exact processor model is a necessary step.
The power delivery is quoted as a 12+1 phase digital voltage regulator using DrMOS, paired with what GIGABYTE describes as an advanced thermal design with screw mounted heatsinks. Screw mounting is a small detail with real meaning: it applies consistent pressure across the thermal pad, where push pin mounting can loosen. Twelve phases on the core rail is a solid arrangement for a mid tier Z390 board and is aimed at sustaining a high core count processor under load rather than at record overclocking.
Memory
Memory is four DDR4 DIMM slots running dual channel, non ECC and unbuffered. The specification table lists memory speed as 4400 MHz, which on a Z390 board is an overclocked ceiling reached through a memory profile rather than a default operating speed. The listing does not state a maximum supported capacity, so that has to come from the manufacturer, and any specific memory kit should be checked against the qualified vendor list.
Storage, Audio And Connectivity
Two ultra fast NVMe PCIe Gen3 x4 M.2 sockets are fitted, and GIGABYTE notes a single thermal guard heatsink, so one of the two sockets is covered rather than both. That matters because sustained writes on a fast NVMe drive can cause thermal throttling, and the covered socket is the one to use for the drive that works hardest. The board is also listed as Intel Optane Memory Ready, although the description spells it Octane.
Audio is the standout feature at this tier. The Realtek ALC1220-VB codec is quoted with a 114 dB signal to noise ratio on the rear output and 110 dB on the front, using WIMA audio capacitors. Networking is Intel Gigabit LAN with cFosSpeed traffic shaping software. Lighting is RGB Fusion with multi zone LEDs and support for both addressable and standard RGB LED strips, and a front panel USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C header is provided. Cooling control is Smart Fan 5 with multiple temperature sensors and hybrid fan headers including a fan stop mode, and the board ships with an integrated input and output shield.
One more note on the integrated input and output shield. On older boards the rear panel shield was a separate stamped metal plate that had to be fitted into the case before the board, and forgetting it meant removing everything and starting again. An integrated shield is attached to the board at the factory, which removes that step and improves the fit around the ports. It is a small convenience that builders notice.
Highlights
- LGA1151 socket with the Z390 chipset.
- Full ATX at 305 by 244 mm.
- Support listed for 9th and 8th generation Intel Core processors.
- Four DDR4 DIMM slots, dual channel and unbuffered.
- 12+1 phase digital VRM with DrMOS.
- Screw mounted heatsinks.
- Two NVMe PCIe Gen3 x4 M.2 sockets.
- Realtek ALC1220-VB audio with WIMA capacitors.
- Intel Gigabit LAN with cFosSpeed.
- RGB Fusion with addressable and standard LED strip headers.
- Integrated input and output shield and Smart Fan 5.
Things To Consider
The specification table lists Wireless Type as 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, which implies onboard Wi-Fi. Nothing in the product name or GIGABYTE’s description mentions wireless, and the networking described is Intel Gigabit LAN only. Anyone who needs Wi-Fi should assume this board does not include it and plan on a card or adapter. Elsewhere the physical fields are wrong in the usual way: item weight is listed as 1 pound and product dimensions as 13.18 by 10.62 by 3.14 inches, both of which describe the packaging rather than the 305 by 244 mm board GIGABYTE states in its own text.
- The wireless field appears to be wrong. No onboard Wi-Fi is described anywhere else.
- Supported processor models and BIOS requirements are not listed.
- Only one of the two M.2 sockets has a thermal guard heatsink.
- M.2 sockets are PCIe Gen3, not Gen4.
- SATA port count, USB port count and PCIe slot layout are not stated.
- LGA1151 and DDR4 at this tier form a retired platform with no upgrade path.
- Weight and dimensions in the specification table describe the box.
Who Should Buy It And Who Should Not
This board makes sense for someone building or rebuilding around an 8th or 9th generation Intel processor who wants strong onboard audio, two M.2 sockets and a power delivery arrangement that will not limit a high core count chip. The ALC1220-VB codec with WIMA capacitors is genuinely better than the entry level audio on cheaper boards, which matters for anyone using headphones directly from the rear jack.
It is the wrong board for a new build, where a current chipset with PCIe 4.0 or 5.0 and DDR5 offers a longer life. Builders starting fresh should look at boards such as the ASUS TUF Gaming Z690-Plus WiFi and current processors like the Intel Core i7-14700. Anyone working within the same generation on a smaller budget should compare the GIGABYTE B365 HD3, and the full motherboards category covers both platforms.
