Z490 Aorus Master Waterforce: Gigabyte combines mainboard with AiO cooling

GIGABYTE Z490 Motherboards Gear VRM/CPU Liquid Cooling Solution

In addition to the Z490 Aorus Xtreme Waterforce, Gigabyte will offer the Z490 Aorus Master Waterforce, another Z490 motherboard that is prepared directly ex works with a monoblock for water cooling. However, the cooler of the Master Waterforce does not rely on a custom loop integration, but a complete solution.

The Z490 Aorus Extreme Waterforce remains model

Had Gigabyte with the approximately 1,250 euro expensive Z490 Aorus Xtreme Waterforce already presented at the beginning of May a first Z490 motherboard with a suitable monoblock for the motherboard, follows with the Z490 Aorus Master Waterforce another board for Intel Comet LakeS based on the Z490 chipset, which is delivered with a specially designed water cooler.

Gigabyte Z490 Aorus Master Waterforce

However, the Z490 Aorus Master does not compete directly with the Z490 Aorus Extreme, because Gigabyte distinguishes the two motherboards apart from the range of functions also in the cooler from each other. The Extreme model has a larger and extravagant monoblock in the area than the heat sink in which RGB Leds are located. This cools not only the important components, such as CPU and voltage converter, but also the chipset and an SSD mounted in the first M.2 slot. At the height of the CPU socket, two hose connections (G1/4) are placed over which the monoblock is integrated into existing custom loops. Described by Gigabyte as an all-in-one monoblock, the cooler consists of a typical copper baseplate with an elaborately designed acrylic cover.

CPU VRM monoblock with 360 mm radiator

On the other hand, Gigabyte has designed the Z490 Aorus Master Waterforce. Its specially developed monoblock only covers the processor and the 14-phase power supply around the LGA 1200 socket. Another distinguishing feature is a simpler design of the cooler, which can be accentuated by light-emitting diodes in the typical Aorus orange. In addition, the included all-in-one cooling solution of the Z490 Aorus Master Waterforce, like other compact water coolers, includes a heat exchanger firmly connected to the cooler, which in the case of the Z490 Aorus Master Waterforce comes from the 360 mm class.

Gigabyte Z490 Aorus Master Waterforce - Z490 motherboard with 360 mm Aio cooler ex works

Three fans controlled by PWM signal with a frame width of 120 mm are attached to the 394 119 27 mm (L W H) measuring radiator, which is made of aluminium as usual. By means of addressable RGB Leds in the rotor hub, the fans can glow brightly. According to Gigabyte, the complete solution of the Z490 Aorus Master Waterforce should reduce the temperature of the voltage converters by up to 23 percent. The measured values were obtained with a Core i9 10900K overclocked to 5.2 Ghz on all cores under continuous load compared to an unspecified air cooler.

According to Gigabyte, the Z490 Aorus Master Waterforce should be available immediately. A non-binding price recommendation is not known so far.In local retail the new Z490 motherboard has not yet appeared.