ASRock has launched two new Z890 Motherboards

ASRock has launched two new Z890 motherboards designed to take advantage of Intel's latest Arrow Lake-S processors. The Z890 Taichi OCF and the Z890 Taichi Aqua both offer unique features and cater to different types of users.

The Z890 Taichi OCF is a motherboard designed for extreme overclocking. It supports up to 128GB of non-ECC DDR5 memory, with overclocking capabilities pushing speeds beyond 10,133 MT/s. This board is a fusion of ASRock's OCF series, known for its water-cooling prowess, and its OC Formula series, built specifically for overclocking. The result is a motherboard that allows enthusiasts to squeeze every bit of performance out of their high-end CPUs.

While the standard Z890 Taichi motherboard supports DDR5-9200, the OCF variant pushes this limit further with overclocking. While the fastest retail memory currently available offers 9,600 MT/s, ASRock expects users to achieve these higher speeds through extensive experimentation and extreme cooling solutions.

The Z890 Taichi Aqua takes a different approach, focusing on connectivity. This motherboard boasts an impressive array of USB-C ports, ditching all USB-A ports on the rear I/O in favor of 10 USB-C ports. The board features two USB4 Type-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports, four USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C ports, and four USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C ports. Additionally, it has provisions for two USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C ports on the front panel, bringing the total number of USB-C ports to a whopping 12.

Despite its heavy reliance on USB-C, the Taichi Aqua doesn't completely abandon USB-A. It still supports four USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A and four USB 2.0 ports on the front panel, resulting in a total of 20 USB ports. This impressive connectivity allows users to connect a vast number of devices to their PC without having to worry about port limitations.

Beyond the unique features, both the Z890 Taichi OCF and Z890 Taichi Aqua offer support for Intel Core Ultra 200S chips, up to 256GB of DDR5-9200 memory, three expansion slots (two PCIe 5.0x16 and one PCIe 4.0x16), and two PCIe Gen5.0 x4 and up to four PCIe Gen4.0 x4 M.2 NVMe SSDs.

ASRock's commitment to innovation with these new motherboards is evident. They have pushed the boundaries of overclocking with the Z890 Taichi OCF, while the Z890 Taichi Aqua provides a future-proof connectivity solution with its abundance of USB-C ports.

ASRock has historically been overshadowed by the larger players in the motherboard market, namely Asus, Gigabyte, and MSI. However, with these bold offerings, ASRock is actively carving its own path and making its mark on the industry. Their dedication to offering unique and powerful features could be a recipe for success, positioning them as a force to be reckoned with in the world of motherboard design.

However, while ASRock is making strides in pushing the boundaries of motherboard innovation, they need to ensure that their commitment to quality and reliability matches their ambition. Their continued success will depend on their ability to maintain a high level of quality across their entire product lineup, especially as they compete with more established and well-regarded brands.

Only time will tell if ASRock can maintain its momentum and carve out a more prominent place for itself in the competitive world of motherboard manufacturing. But with their current trajectory, it certainly seems like they are well-positioned to make a significant impact.