Gigabyte lists $209 white micro ATX motherboard with full heatsink coverage
The Z890M Aorus Elite WiFi7 Ice brings Wi-Fi 7 and 2.5 GbE to compact Intel builds, though reviewers note a limited wireless channel width and a single Type-C port on the rear panel.
By Isabel Moretti ·
Gigabyte has listed the Z890M Aorus Elite WiFi7 Ice on Amazon for $209. The micro ATX board targets Intel Core Ultra 200S Plus processors and aims to package features from Gigabyte's larger ATX models into a smaller form factor. It is designed for users building white-themed systems who want comprehensive cooling without the space requirements of a full-size board.
The board features three M.2 sockets and four SATA ports for storage. The primary M.2 slot connects to the CPU via PCIe 5.0 x4, while the other two use PCIe 4.0 x4 connections through the chipset. One of the chipset-fed slots accepts modules up to 110mm in length. NVMe RAID levels 0, 1, 5, and 10 are supported. Networking includes 2.5 GbE Ethernet and Wi-Fi 7, although the wireless chip is restricted to 160 MHz channels. Audio is handled by a Realtek ALC897 codec.
Heatsink coverage extends to the lower half of the board, a design choice that differentiates it from several budget competitors. A large heatsink covers the primary M.2 slot. Two RGB lighting zones are located near the VRMs and beneath the chipset heatsink. Six 4-pin fan headers provide up to 2A or 24W each. Power delivery consists of 15 phases, with 12 dedicated to the processor core, driven by 60A DrMOS parts and dual 8-pin EPS connectors.
Memory support is rated up to DDR5-9200 in overclocked configurations. During testing, a DDR5-8800 kit failed to function properly, while a DDR5-8200 kit operated without issues. The reviewer recommends checking the qualified vendor list for compatibility. The board includes two full-length PCIe slots: a reinforced PCIe 5.0 x16 slot for the GPU and a PCIe 4.0 x4 slot for expansion, though large graphics cards may obstruct the second slot.
The rear I/O panel 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 USB4 Type-C port offers 40 Gbps speeds and DisplayPort output, alongside a dedicated DisplayPort 2.1 output. A front-panel HDMI port is also available. The reviewer notes the single Type-C port as a limitation compared to higher-end models.
Performance testing showed average results, with strong scores in 3DMark and gaming benchmarks. The board supports AI Perfdrive, which provides BIOS presets for CPU tuning. The package includes two white SATA cables, a rubber pad, an extra M.2 thermal pad, an EZ connector for front panels, and an installation guide. Tool-free mounting features like EZ-Latch and EZ-Click are included for easier assembly.
Source: Tom's Hardware
