
In 2021 Intel launched the 12th Generation of their Core range, and with it came a new socket. Since then LGA 1700 has been a mainstay of PC DIY. We’ve had the 12th, 13th and 14th generation of Intel Core CPU’s on an (approximately) yearly release cycle. We’ve used them extensively on the channel, with Matt’s personal PC using an i9 14900K. If a balanced approach to building is taken and the CPU and GPU are matched up correctly the 14th gen processors have been absolute powerhouses. If you’re using a 12th/13th/14th gen CPU then you’ll likely be fine with it for a while yet. With that said it’s time for reinvention, time for Intel to build a new platform to move the industry forwards. We will be sad to see some of the LGA 1700 motherboards removed from circulation over time, and inevitably be less present on the channel - there are some absolute beauties! Today Intel bring to the table their Core Ultra Series 2 CPU’s. It will take us a while to get used to the naming, they’ve been using the ‘i’ prefix for 15 years.
With the launch of the Core Ultra range, Intel has updated the CPU socket, which can only mean new motherboards! We decided to start out strong, with a brand new, top end, enthusiast motherboard. Enter the ROG Maximus Z890 APEX. This beast is designed for overclocking and maxing out performance. Its design is super clean, with tasteful accents and RGB.
We’ve had an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K land in the studio to build with. Though there are interesting small form factor questions for the Core Ultra Series to answer (I’ll get into that later), we’ve decided to go all out with this one!
CPU Overview

Now let’s get things straight from the off, we’re not here to go on a deep dive into the tech specs, after all there are plenty of places that specialise in that. There are a few interesting aspects to be discussed though. It seems the performance output of the Core Ultra range matches that of its equivalent previous generation CPU. So the question is why have they bothered then?
There are many meaningful reasons including: it being built for AI - the current tech buzzword; Intel Arc integrated graphics included with most of the range (U9 285K, U7 265K & U5 245K) which should give a bump during graphics heavy tasks such as editing; but where I feel the step forward is most impactful and impressive is efficiency. Intel claims a max power saving of 165w, which is huge. With a power saving should come a sizeable and noticeable reduction in temperature. This should go some way to overcoming the thermal issues that became infamous during the Core 14th gen. It also leads to a likelihood of being able to cool the top end Ultra Core CPUs more easily, and perhaps lead to more powerful CPUs in smaller builds. If this plays out in the way that it’s supposed to, I’ll be a very happy chappy! It’s also going to be interesting to see how far the Core Ultra 9 285K can be pushed through overclocking. It already looks like it should run cooler than the i9 14900K, so we wonder how far it can go.
If you look at the modest performance upgrade and the power saving and thermal reductions from a distance, I feel it fair to say the shift to LGA 1851 and the new architecture are the building blocks of something big. They’ve given themselves a lot of headroom for the next generation, and we’re hoping to see a real leap!
Motherboard Overview
You’ll find all of the expected perks of a Z890 here such as 2 PCiE Gen 5 slots, 2 Thunderbolt 4 USB C ports and WiFi 7. Where the ROG Maximus Z890 APEX differs is it’s overclocking ability, and given that the CPUs supported seem made for overclocking, the sky's the limit. To establish a baseline for overclocking ASUS ROG have made it simple with the inclusion of AI overclocking, ASUS says this ‘profiles the CPU and cooling to predict the optimal configuration and push the system to its limits’. The user can then probe further from there. Of course you can also take a fully manual route if that’s your thing! There is a full suite of hardware toggles and buttons such as: a Safe Boot button, to immediately reboot into safe move; and RSVD switch to help the PC boot at high temperature and even an LN2 mode to allow for liquid Nitrogen cooling! To go alongside that there are condensation sensors on the back of the board, just in case it cools quickly and condensation forms, risking a short circuit. To list all of the boards overclocking features would take an age, have a look at the ASUS ROG website for a full breakdown.

From an MML point of view, we love the motherboards capabilities, but equally important to us is aesthetics. ASUS ROG has absolutely nailed the design! Right from the pebble grey PCB, to the white main panels and silver accents this board is screaming to be looked at. Even the ARGB accents are subtle but really effective!
Parts List

Build Overview

Regular readers might have noticed I’ve entirely skipped over the case overview. This is for the sake of brevity, the Hyperion is one of our favourite MASSIVE cases, and by now most are familiar with it. The case breakdown was very simple, the glass doors on either side just lift up and off the case and the top panel requires a pull on a tab to release. Under the door on the rear of the motherboard is another panel that needs 2 captive screws loosened to open a door which covers the cable management.
Building the motherboard was super simple. ASUS has brought to the table some ‘EZ DIY’ features to this motherboard, the M.2 Q-Release allows for tool-less removal of the M.2 heatsink and the new sliding latch to secure the drive in place caught us by surprise but worked well. We were happy that LGA 1700 mounting hardware works for LGA 1851 with the ROG Ryujin III: we’re not sure if specifically designed and updated versions will come in future, but the AIO fit without issue.
Once everything was fitted it was on to cable management. Due to the size of the Hyperion it was pretty smooth sailing, cable slack is always lesser when they need to get further. The channel which runs down the back of the case is fairly large and didn’t cause any issues that couldn’t be solved. It took about 20 minutes to get it all ironed out on looking tidy.
Airflow
We’ve done airflow on the Hyperion before, so this was exactly as expected. The 3 x 140mm on the front drew in air at a rapid rate. The lower fans pushing air to the graphics card, over the motherboard and out of the rear 140mm fan. The top and some of the middle intake fans kept the 360 radiator on the top well fed with cool air. We were happy with how it all turned out.

Roundup
It is always exciting to get hands on with new hardware. The information about the efficiency gains of the Core Ultra’s has given us reason to be optimistic for the future. We hope that the efficiency gains will also translate to increased overclocking on the CPU. Building with the ROG Maximus Z890 Apex was a pleasure. It really is a beast of a motherboard, and has more features than the average user would take advantage of. There are a few bios kinks that still need to be worked out, but we’ve had word from ASUS that they’ll be pushed out shortly. It all resulted in a system that should be a performance beast and remain so for years to come!
Check out the full build video below.
Blog post written by Sam Thwaytes
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UK Links
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