PRIME Z390-A

Intel LGA 1151 ATX motherboard with AI Overclocking, DDR4 4266 MHz, Dual M.2, HDMI, Intel Optane memory ready, SATA 6Gb/s, USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C

AI overclocking: Quickly optimizes your CPU performance based on the CPU and cooler, achieving results that are extremely close to manual tuning by experts.
OptiMem II: Careful routing of traces and vias, plus ground layer optimizations to preserve signal integrity for improved memory overclocking
Enhanced power solution: Premium components provide better power efficiency
UEFI BIOS: New UEFI options include a search function that allows you to find settings easily
Industry-leading cooling options: Comprehensive controls for fans and AIO pimp, via Fan Xpert 4 or the acclaimed UEFI
M.2 heatsink: Ultra-efficient heatsink reduces M.2 SSD temperatures by up to 20°C for unthrottled transfer speeds and enhanced reliability
Next-gen connectivity: Supreme flexibility with Intel Optane memory ready, Intel® RST support, Thunderbolt 3 header and dual M.2 support
ASUS Aura Sync: Controllable onboard RGB lighting easily syncs with an ever-growing portfolio of Aura-capable hardware

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Awards

The 2023 Readers’ Choice Award for Best Motherboard Brand goes to…ASUS. Not only has the brand been a favourite of our readers year-on-year, but this year’s results have been their highest in the last decade, surpassing their previous high of 62% in 2020’s Awards.

Can anyone beat ASUS in the PC DIY scene?

ASUS is highly regarded for quality components as well; its motherboards often the choice of enthusiasts, overclockers and gamers for their durability and performance.

With a commanding 62% share of the votes, ASUS is once again the winner of this Readers’ Choice category.

EHA Reader Awards 2024 These are the winners!

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Experience ultimate gaming with Galaxy eSports Center and ASUS

ASUS announced that Vien Son Technology Company Limited (MicroStar) is the official distributor of motherboards and graphics cards.

Experience the Ultimate Configuration from ASUS at the Galaxy E-Sports Center

ASUS Vietnam authorized the distribution of motherboards and graphics cards for Vien Son

Tune it your way
Cool and Reliable
Ultrafast connectivity
Visual Beauty
Upgrade to unrivalled audio

Dressed in professional attire, the Prime Z390 series caters to daily users and content creators with well-rounded specs and features. Combining the benefits of the latest processors with essential ASUS design and engineering, Prime Z390 provides a wealth of options for performance tuning via intuitive software and firmware features.

Tune it your way

Prime Z390 simplifies CPU overclocking with software and extensive tweaking options that give beginners and seasoned overclockers alike the tools to build well-tuned machines. A new memory trace layout provides stability and compatibility for both traditional DIMMs and RGB-infused memory, letting you pair a broad choice of DRAM kits with your build.

AI Overclocking

ASUS AI Overclocking makes automatic tuning faster and smarter than ever before. Available in Windows or directly through the UEFI, it profiles the CPU and cooling to predict the optimal configuration for each individual system.

CPU Potential We created a proprietary algorithm that evaluates the capabilities of your CPU

Cooling Capability The onboard intelligence also watches system vitals like temperatures, fan speeds, and power draw to gauge cooling performance

AI Overclocking Utilizes onboard intelligence to perform automated clocking and provides target frequency and voltage estimations for savvy veterans that prefer manual tuning

5-way Optimization

Overclocking Intelligence

Take care of complex tuning with just one click. ASUS 5-Way Optimization is a system-wide tuning utility that overclocks the processor and tunes fan speeds to ensure the best balance between cooling and acoustics. The automated CPU tuning feature of 5-Way Optimization leverages the same onboard intelligence as AI Overclocking, but goes further by running a Prime95 based stress test to deliver a result that's well-tuned from the get-go.

CPU performance boost

The TurboV Processing Unit (TPU) provides AI Suite 3 with the intelligence needed to automatically fine-tune voltages, monitor system stats, and adjust overclocking settings. We have upgraded this tool to provide AI Overclocking prediction values for users who want more insight when experimenting with different settings.

All-round energy efficiency

The Energy Processing Unit (EPU) enables system-wide power efficiency to automatically optimize power consumption to maximize energy savings. This tool now features temperature regulation that adjusts the CPU frequency according to processor temperatures. Users can now set a threshold to balance temperature and performance.

Flexible cooling controls for air or liquid

With Prime Z390-A you have comprehensive control over fans via Fan Expert 4 or our media-acclaimed UEFI. Whether you're cooling with air or water, Auto-Tuning mode intelligently configures all parameters with a single click. There's also an Extreme Quiet mode, which reduces all fan speeds to below the default minimum — keeping your system whisper-quiet when performing light tasks.

Precise digital power control

Digi+ delivers real-time control over voltage droop, switching frequency and power -efficiency settings, allowing you to fine-tune CPU voltage regulation for ultimate stability and performance.

App specific optimization for professionals and gamers

Whether you're a professional designer or hardcore gamer, you'll feel the benefit of the ASUS-exclusive Turbo App every day. This intuitive tool allows you to define CPU overclocking, apply fan profiles, prioritize network data and optimize audio settings at app level, meaning your Prime Z390-A system is perfectly optimized for what you're doing.

Media-acclaimed UEFI BIOS

The UEFI BIOS is an early waypoint on any PC-building journey, and Prime Z390-A offers one of the best in the business.

AI Overclocking Guide The AI OC Guide allows you to enable the AI Overclocking or view a quick guide.

Prediction AI Overclocking monitors system vitals like power draw, temperatures, and fan speeds to gauge overclocking performance.

Learn more

EZ mode

Intuitive graphical fan control Fine-tune individual fans simply by dragging a curve with the mouse.

EZ XMP Improve your DRAM performance with a click.

SATA Information Display SATA port details that help you easily recognize drives.

Fast Clock Adjustment Use mouse controls to change the time and date.

Advanced mode

Search Function Quickly and easily find the option or setting you're looking for.

ASUS BIOS Profile Save BIOS settings for migration to new BIOS version or system.

EZ Tuning Wizard Rapidly configure a RAID array for faster data retrieval and backups.

My Favorites Quickly discover tuning options and add preferred tools to the list.

GPU POST View recommendations for multi-VGA configurations and detailed information for selected ASUS graphics cards.

Last Modified Log Track the last change and save preferred profiles onto a USB drive.

SATA Port Renaming Rename SATA ports for easy identification.

OptiMem II

DDR4 OC 4266+MHz

To provide Intel's latest processors' unfettered access to memory bandwidth, we've reimagined motherboard trace routing from the ground up. Our OptiMem II tech carefully maps memory signal pathways across different PCB layers to reduce vias and also adds shielding zones that significantly reduce crosstalk. And to further enhance overclocking headroom for fully stacked memory configurations, we've employed a highly customized T-Topology layout that delivers time-aligned signaling.

Top layer – ground ring to prevent lateral interference

ASUS OptiMem II advantage:

ASUS OptiMem II

P2P : 14.8mV

Reference design

P2P : 48.6mV

69%

Reduction in crosstalk

ASUS OptiMem II benefits:

Improved memory stability and compatibility
Allows lower memory latencies at equivalent voltages
Improved memory frequency margin

Tested by using Synopsys HSPICE simulation software

MemOK! II

Automated Recovery

MemOK! II automatically fixes boot failures that arise due to memory overclocking and instability. When a DRAM-related POST error occurs, the motherboard adjusts memory parameters until the system is able to start.

Back to Tune it your way
↑

Cool and Reliable

Prime Z390-A is designed for builders who want essential ASUS reliability and performance. More CPU cores create power-delivery challenges, so Prime Z390-A has extra power phases and comprehensive cooling features for optimal performance.

Cooler by Design

Power Delivery
Enhancements

Build to Last

Cooler by design

Prime Z390-A features the most comprehensive cooling controls ever, configurable via Fan Xpert 4 or the UEFI BIOS.

Each header can dynamically reference three thermal sensors, and via Fan Xpert 4 you can even map the temperature of supported ASUS graphics cards to optimize cooling for GPU and CPU-intensive tasks.

A dedicated header that supplies over 3A for high-performance PWM or DC water pumps, plus a second dedicated header for AIOs.

Each onboard header supports auto-detection of PWM or DC fans.

Includes three additional DC or PWM fan headers, plus three thermal-probe headers.

A dedicated integrated circuit protects each fan header from over-temperature and over-current.

M.2 heatsink

Keep your SSD cooler

Prime Z390-A has an ultra-efficient heatsink to reduce M.2 SSD temperatures by up to 20°C — and that means optimal storage performance and improved SSD longevity.

DR. MOS

The Prime Z390-A's CPU VRM utilizes Dr. MOS power stages that combine high-side and low-side MOSFETs and drivers into a single package, delivering the power and efficiency that Intel's latest processors demand.

ProCool power connector

Compared with traditional power inputs, ProCool sockets are built to tight specifications to ensure flush contact with the PSU power lines. This lowers impedance, which helps to prevent hotspots and connector failure.

SafeSlot

Protect your graphics card investment

SafeSlot is the PCIe slot reinvented by ASUS and engineered to provide superior retention and shearing resistance. Manufactured in a single step using a new insert-molding process, SafeSlot integrates the slot with fortifying metal for an inherently stronger slot, which is then firmly anchored to the PCB through additional solder points.

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Built to Last

ASUS motherboards are exhaustively tested for compatibility with more than 1,000 components and devices, and each new model undergoes a minimum of 8,000 hours of strict validation — offering the peace of mind of knowing that your ASUS motherboard is fit for all environments and applications.

Protection III

Hardware safeguards to ensure long-term durability.

520+

DDR4 compatibility

Industry-leading DDR4 memory compatibility for best flexibility and reassurance.

1000+

compatible devices

Compatibility with a range of CPUs, memory modules, graphics cards and more.

8000+

validation hours

Extensive testing with latest components for enhanced reliability, compatibility and safety.

Learn more

Prime series motherboards are engineered with industry-leading 5X Protection III, employing the finest components, excellent circuit design, and exacting standards to guarantee the quality and long-term durability of your motherboard.

SafeSlot Core

Fortified PCIe slot prevents damage

SafeSlot Core is the ASUS-exclusive PCIe slot. Featuring a fortified design that's anchored to the motherboard by a special hook, Safeslot Core provides 1.6X-stronger retention and 1.3X-greater shearing resistance than standard expansion slots.

LANGuard

Pumped-up throughput, 2.5X-higher surge tolerance

ASUS LANGuard is hardware-level networking protection that employs signal-coupling technology and premium anti-EMI surface-mounted capacitors to ensure a more reliable connection and better throughput.

Overvoltage Protection

World-class circuit-protecting power design

An exclusive circuit design with built-in voltage regulators to protect your motherboard from damage caused by unexpected high-level voltages from unstable or inferior power supplies.

DIGI+ VRM

Precision control for stable power

ASUS-exclusive DIGI+ VRM intelligently delivers power to the processor based on real-time demands, reducing energy waste and improving system stability.

DRAM Overcurrent Protection

Short-circuit damage prevention

Onboard resettable fuses prevent overcurrent and short-circuit damage. This extends beyond I/O ports to DRAM to safeguard the lifespan of your system and connected devices.

Stainless-Steel Back I/O

3X corrosion-resistance for greater durability

Corrosion-resistant stainless-steel back I/O panels bonded with chromium oxide have a lifespan that's three times longer than ordinary panels.

ESD Guards

Electrostatic discharge protection

ASUS ESD Guards prevent damage from electrostatic discharge, up to +/- 10kV for air discharge and +/- 6kV for contact discharge, arranged in an active-protective-circuit design that prolongs the life of components

1000+

Compatible devices and components

The Prime Z390 series provides superior compatibility with thousands of components and our Qualified Vendor List (QVL) identifies memory compatibility, giving you more choices for worry-free PC-building experiences.

8000+

VALIDATION HOURS

Every ASUS motherboards is subjected to more than 8,000 hours of stringent tests, including burn-in, environmental, compatibility, software and safety tests to confirm their durability. ASUS reliability surpasses industry standards, ensuring that every component is designed to function flawlessly in any environment.

Temperature and humidity tests

Ensures components withstand extreme conditions.

Thermal measurement tests

Ensures that the system remains cool and stable under the heaviest loads.

Insertion tests

Every port and connector is put through repeated installation cycles.

Aging tests

Up to 48-hour aging test ensures reliability.

Power-consumption tests

Checked for world-class energy efficiency.

Temperature and DC margin tests

Ensures that the motherboard is capable of coping with voltages fluctuations caused by varying temperatures.

Thermal-shock tests

Ensures ability to survive temperature changes during transportation.

Non-operation shock tests

Built to withstand jolts that may occur during shipping.

Burn-in tests

Every component is checked to ensure flawless operation.

Installation tests

Connector placement is double-checked to ensure hassle-free installation.

Drop tests

Drop tests from various heights ensure durability.

Salt and spray tests

Tested for I/O reliability, prolonged lifespan and rust-resistance.

Back to Cool and Reliable
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Ultrafast connectivity

M.2

Speed up with onboard M.2 up to 32Gbps

With x4 PCI Express 3.0/2.0 bandwidth, M.2 supports up to 32Gbps data-transfer speeds. It's the perfect choice for an operating system or application drive, providing fast access to data.

IRST

Upgrade your RAID

Use the CPU's PCIe lanes to unleash the Intel^® Rapid Storage (IRST) feature with the addition of an ASUS Hyper M.2 X16 Card V2* that allows you to attach up to three PCIe^® 3.0 x16 M.2 drives — for a total bandwidth of up to 96Gbps.

*ASUS Hyper M.2 x16 Card V2 sold separately

Intel Optane memory

Intel Optane memory ready

Intel Optane™ is a revolutionary non-volatile memory technology supported by Prime Z390-A. Intel Optane memory modules accelerate attached storage to reduce boot and load times, so everything feels faster and more responsive.

Learn more >

USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A & Type-C

Ultimate-speed 10Gbps with USB 3.1 Gen 2 onboard

With backward-compatible USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A™ and reversible USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C™ ports, you'll experience ultimate connection flexibility and blazing data-transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps.

ThunderboltEX 3 Card

Experience blistering ThunderboltTM 3 speeds and any-way-up connectivity

Prime Z390-A supports ThunderboltEX 3, an Intel-certified Thunderbolt™ 3 add-on card that enables bi-directional speeds of up to 40Gbps through a single cable. Thunderbolt 3 also supports daisy-chaining up to six devices, has a reversible USB-C connector for USB 3.1 compatibility, and supports USB Power Delivery for fast, high-power charging of up to 36W.

*ThunderboltEX 3 card available separately for purchase.

Learn more >

Intel Ethernet

Faster data transfers, lower CPU usage

Prime Z390-A features the very latest Intel Ethernet. Intel's LAN has the advantage of reducing CPU overhead and offering exceptionally high TCP and UDP throughput for faster, smoother data transfer.

Lower CPU workload

High TCP & UDP throughput

Turbo LAN

Network-optimization software for customizable packet prioritization

Turbo LAN with cFosSpeed traffic-shaping technology allows you to configure application priority via an intuitive interface, and reduces network lag.

Visual beauty

Aura Sync

Outshine the competition

A well-tuned enthusiast system deserves a matching aesthetic. ASUS Aura offers full RGB lighting control with a variety of functional presets for the built-in RGB LEDs as well as strips connected to the onboard RGB headers.* And it can all be synced with an ever-growing portfolio of Aura-capable ASUS hardware.

Learn more >

Static

Breathing

Strobing

Rainbow

Color cycle

Comet

Flash &
dash

Wave

Glowing
Yo Yo

Starry
night

Music
effect

CPU
temperature

* The Aura RGB-strip header supports 5050 RGB LED strips with a max power rating of 3A (12V). For maximum brightness, strip length should not exceed 3m.
** RGB LED Extension cables are included. LED Strips and Aura-compatible devices are sold separately.

Upgrade to unrivalled audio

Outstanding audio

Realtek codec and unique design features for pristine, powerful audio

Prime Z390-A utilizes a unique audio codec designed in close collaboration with Realtek — the Realtek S1220A. It also features an unprecedented 120dB signal-to-noise ratio for the stereo line-out and a 113dB SNR for the line-in, providing pristine audio quality. Additionally, a new impedance-sensing circuit automatically adjusts gain to ensure the optimal volume range for your headphones.

DTS Headphone:X^TM Surround sound

Immersive 3D surround-sound technology provides incredible audio experiences.

Crystal Sound 3

Flawless audio that immerses you in the game

Power pre-regulator

Reduces power-input noise to ensure consistent performance.

Audio shielding

Separates analog/digital signal domains, significantly reducing multi-lateral interference.

Separate layer for left and right tracks

Ensures minimal crosstalk between audio paths.

Integrated amplifier

Capable of driving high-impedance headphones, without rolling-off high or low frequencies.

De-pop circuit

Reduces start-up popping noise to all audio outputs.

Premium Japanese audio capacitors

Premium parts provide an immersive sound signature, with exceptional fidelity.

Intel Z390 chipset The Intel^® Z390 is a single-chipset design that supports Socket 1151 for 9th Gen and 8th Gen Intel^® Core™, Pentium^® Gold and Celeron^® processors. It provides improved performance by utilizing serial point-to-point links, allowing increased bandwidth and stability. Additionally, the chipset provides a maximum of six USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports, four USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports, and 32Gbps M.2 and PCIe 3.0 lane speed support, for faster data retrieval. Intel Z390 also supports integrated-graphics, so you'll enjoy the very latest in graphics performance.

Ready for Socket 1151 for 9th / 8th Gen Intel^® Core™, Pentium^® Gold and Celeron^® processors This motherboard supports Socket 1151 for 9th Gen and 8th Gen Intel^® Core™, Pentium^® Gold and Celeron^® processors, with integrated graphics, memory and PCI Express controllers to support onboard graphics output with dedicated chipsets, dual-channel (4-DIMM) DDR4 memory and 16 PCI Express 3.0/2.0 lanes for great performance.