There is an outside chance that you are unaware that NZXT sells motherboards, in which case you might find our previous N7 Z590 review useful so do please take a look. The main appeal of NZXT motherboards is that they look immaculate inside NZXT cases such as the H7 Flow, however here at KitGuru we also demand features and performance. Did the NZXT N5 Z690 really make me smile or is that a grimace of pain?
Key features of NZXT N5 Z690
- Designed with Intel Z690 Chipset
- Compatible with Intel 12th Generation Core i9, Core i7, Core i5 processors
- 8+1 DrMOS Power Phase Design
- Intel Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity and Bluetooth V5.2
- Four M.2 connectors for storage devices
- Supports DDR4 memory overclocking speeds of up to 5000MHz and XMP
- 8-channel high-definition audio
Specification NZXT N5 Z690
- Socket LGA 1700 for Intel 12th Generation Core i9/ Core i7/ Core i5 Processors
- Supports Intel Turbo Boost Max 3.0 Technology
- Chipset Intel Z690
- Memory 4 x DIMM slots, Max. 128GB, Dual-channel
- Supports DDR4 Non-ECC, Unbuffered Memory up to 5000+ (OC)
- 8+1 50A DrMOS Power Phase Design, Richtek RT3628AE controller
Expansion Slots:
- 3 x PCIe ×16 slots (Gen 5 ×16, Gen 4 ×4, Gen 3 ×1)
- 2 x PCIe Gen 3 ×1 slots
- Supports AMD Quad CrossFireX and CrossFireX
- 1 x M.2 Socket (Key E), supports Type 2230 Wi-Fi/BT module, Intel CNVio
Storage:
- 3x M.2 2280 Gen 4 x4
- 1x M.2 22110 Gen 4 x4
- 4x SATA 6Gbps
Networking:
- Realtek 2.5G LAN
- Wi-Fi 6E Dual Band
Rear I/O:
- 1x HDMI
- 2x USB 2.0
- 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C
- 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
- 4x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
- Surround sound audio jacks
Internal I/O:
- 7x fan headers
- 2x NZXT RGB, 1x 5V ARGB, 1x 12V RGB
- 2x USB 2.0 headers (up to four Type-A ports)
- 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 header (up to two Type-A ports)
- 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 header (for Type-C)