This article covers Gigabyte Z490 Gaming X AX (LGA 1200.

Overview

The Gigabyte Z490 Gaming X AX is an ATX motherboard designed for 10th Gen Intel Core processors, built around the Z490 chipset. It features an 11+1 phase digital VRM with DrMOS for stable power delivery, integrated Intel WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5, and dual M.2 slots with one thermal guard. Positioned as a mid-to-high-end gaming board, it offers a balanced mix of connectivity and overclocking support without breaking the bank.

Compatibility Guide

CPU socket is LGA1200, compatible exclusively with Intel 10th Gen Core series (Comet Lake) and related Pentium/Celeron parts. Memory support extends to DDR4-2933 natively, with overclocking profiles for higher speeds across four DIMM slots (max 128 GB). The board follows the standard ATX form factor, so it fits most mid-tower and full-tower cases. Storage includes six SATA 6Gb/s ports and two M.2 slots (both support PCIe 3.0 x4 and SATA); the primary M.2 slot includes a thermal guard. Expansion slots are two PCIe 3.0 x16 (electrical x16/x4 when both occupied) and two PCIe 3.0 x1.

Product Info

Released around May 2020, the Z490 Gaming X AX originally launched at roughly ¥25,000–¥30,000, though current pricing hovers near ¥50,000 due to limited availability. Warranty is standard three years from Gigabyte. The board uses a conventional 24-pin ATX plus 8-pin CPU power connector, with the VRM capable of handling a fully loaded Core i9-10900K even under sustained loads. It sits comfortably in the mid-range Z490 tier, standing out for its integrated WiFi 6 and robust VRM design.

Best Use Cases

Gamers building a 10th Gen Intel rig who want solid VRM performance and onboard WiFi 6 for low-latency online play without extra adapters. The dual M.2 slots allow a fast NVMe OS drive plus a game library drive. Content creators who need stable multi-threaded CPU performance; the 11+1 phase VRM can sustain long rendering or encoding sessions with an eight-core i7 or i9. * Users building a reliable workhorse PC for daily productivity, office tasks, and occasional light gaming, where the board’s extra features like Q-Flash Plus and Smart Fan 5 add convenience. ## Alternatives
Main rivals in the LGA1200/Z490 space include the ASUS TUF GAMING Z490-PLUS and MSI Z490-A PRO. The ASUS TUF board emphasizes durability and military-grade certification, but typically lacks built-in WiFi 6. The MSI Z490-A PRO is cheaper but uses a 10+1 phase VRM, which may limit overclocking headroom. The Gigabyte Z490 Gaming X AX strikes a better balance with its 11+1 phase VRM and integrated WiFi 6, making it a more complete package for the same money.

Things to Consider

This motherboard supports only 10th Gen Intel CPUs; it is not compatible with 11th Gen (Rocket Lake) or newer processors. Memory is limited to DDR4, so if you plan to move to DDR5 in the future, this board will not carry over. The PCIe slots are Gen3 only, meaning a PCIe 4.0 GPU or SSD will not achieve full Gen4 speeds. Additionally, the CPU power connector is a single 8-pin; aggressive overclocking on a Core i9 may benefit from an additional 4-pin EPS header (not present on this board). As availability becomes scarce, prices on the used market may be high, so compare with newer LGA1200 boards or consider a B560/Z590 alternative if WiFi is a priority.

Product Disclosure (Amazon)

  • Manufacturer: GIGABYTE
  • Seller: Reg shop
  • Fulfilled by: Reg shop
  • ASIN: B08CS2CRK1
  • Note: This article covers a manufacturer-made product based on Amazon listing details.