In line with the recent launch of Intel Core Ultra 200S Plus series processors, GIGABYTE has introduced the Z890 PLUS series motherboards with AORUS ELITE, EAGLE, FORCE and Duo X variants set to be “available in succession” in the near future. (Despite what the branding may suggest, Intel technically didn’t make any updates on the Z890 chipset this time around.)
GIGABYTE Z890 PLUS Series Motherboards
A key feature of the Z890 PLUS series is Ultra Turbo Mode designed specifically for the K-series models, like the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus. The one-click function offers three preset levels – Level 1 Intel 200S Boost (enable by default), Level 2 Turbo Mode, and Level 3 Extreme Mode – which progressively adjusts processor and memory with increasingly aggressive tuning to extract maximum performance out of the available hardware.
GIGABYTE claims up to 40% performance increase with the most aggressive settings, but the setup involved (CU7 270K Plus, DDR5-10266, Hitman 3 with APO enabled) indicates that this is a highly cherry-picked result compared against what seems to be stock hardware with standard DDR5 clock speeds (worth reminding that the Plus processors supports DDR5-7200 by default, with warranties covering up to DDR5-8000), on a game that is especially memory-sensitive. All that is to say, take this figure with a great amount of salt.
The new series also introduces D5 Duo X memory technology on models like the AORUS ELITE Duo X and FORCE Duo X, which allows support for the new CQDIMM standard (a.k.a. 4-Rank CUDIMM) that allows for 64GB capacities per module without sacrificing memory clock speeds. GIGABYTE claims the configuration can reach memory speeds of up to 10266 MT/s through “integration of optimized motherboard circuit layouts, advanced BIOS tuning, and a refined clock driver architecture.”
Pokdepinion: I do wonder if the mid-range B860 will get PLUS refreshes at some point.
