In preparation for the launch of Intel's Z490 chipset and Intel's 10th generation Comet Lake desktop processors, Z490 motherboards are now available to pre-order from various retailers. For entry-level models, pricing starts at just $150, with the more premium and expensive flagships models, notably the GIGABYTE Z490 Aorus Xtreme WaterForce, can cost a mouth-watering $1299.

We analyzed every Z490 motherboard we were told about
in our initial announcement coverage.
You can read that here. It includes the new pre-order pricing.

With every major chipset announcement, comes swathes of models catering to many different markets, including the entry-level, mid-range, content creators, gamers, and so forth. With the release of Intel's 10th gen desktop processors and the supporting Z490 motherboard chipset looming closer, various retailers have put up listings for the majority of Z490 models on pre-order in anticipation of launch day on 20/05. Here are a select few.


GIGABYTE Z490 Aorus Xtreme WaterForce ($1299, and Xtreme ($799)

Some of the most notable models from the Z490 product stack are the GIGABYTE Z490 Aorus Xtreme WaterForce ($1299) and Z490 Aorus Xtreme ($799), which represents the difference between over the top, and flagship status models. Another example is also ASRock with its equally impressive Z490 Aqua ($1100) which compared to the previous X570 Aqua, has been updated with an OLED display and a pack of hardline fittings within the accessories bundle.

At present MSI's flagship model the MEG Z490 Godlike is a reasonably priced flagship when compared to other vendors, and includes 10 G + 2.5 G Ethernet at $750. The most interesting models from MSI, the MEG Z490 Unify and Z490I Unify haven't been announced at present. The EVGA Z490 Dark has a whopping price tag of $926, which does include a U.2 port, but is focused more towards hardened enthusiasts and extreme overclockers with its range of features including two memory slots on an E-ATX PCB for better memory overclocking and performance.


ASRock Z490 Phantom Gaming-ITX/TB3 is available to preorder for $280 at Newegg

The release of Intel's 10th gen Comet Lake processors and Z490 motherboards are expected in May. Every model due for launch is currently on pre-order at various retailers around the world including Newegg in the US, and Scan Computers in the UK, with more retailers expected to list more Z490 for purchase over the coming days. A number of retailers are stating a release date of 5/20 for the motherboards.

Related Reading

Comments Locked

32 Comments

View All Comments

  • iranterres - Wednesday, May 6, 2020 - link

    Intel never fails to impress me, down the sinkhole.
  • TresNugget - Wednesday, May 6, 2020 - link

    That $900 Z490 Dark isn't a Z490, it's a Z390 from a Newegg reseller that's selling it for double it's MSRP. Z490 Dark will probably be $500. Maybe $600 at most.
  • 1_rick - Wednesday, May 6, 2020 - link

    Yeah, when you search for a product, it's good to make sure the result is what you were actually looking for and not something "close".
  • Hulk - Wednesday, May 6, 2020 - link

    Would be nice to know what the CPU's that go into these mobo's will cost.
  • willis936 - Thursday, May 7, 2020 - link

    It’s linked in the article.

    https://www.anandtech.com/show/15758/intels-10th-g...
  • croc - Thursday, May 7, 2020 - link

    I am rather stuck between a rock and a hard place.... I need about 48 pcie lanes for my next build IFF I go dual graphics and 32 if I don't (PCIe Raid card = 16 lanes). AMD supports the number of lanes I need, but that means threadripper CPUs And they are hot, don't OC too well, slower than I would like. Intel has the CPU speeds I would like, but not the PCIe lanes for even my minimum spec of 32 lanes. AMD has PCIe gen 4, but there aren't really any SSDs that take advantage of that. (I am sure that will change sooner than AMD producing speedy CPUs or Intel producing more PCIe gen 4 lanes...) Faster next-gen RAM would be a plus, but RAM is not really a bottleneck at the moment Just ranting
  • The_Assimilator - Thursday, May 7, 2020 - link

    If you need 48 PCIe lanes then AMD is your only option, so stop kvetching about irrelevancies like the CPUs being hot and being bad OC'ers - especially when Intel CPUs have the same problems but worse.
  • fogifds - Monday, May 11, 2020 - link

    Intel X-series has the PCIE lanes you need.
  • brucethemoose - Thursday, May 7, 2020 - link

    That was the generatiob they introduced the Z naming scheme, IIRC. The P67 boards didnt support IGPs, but the Z boards had it all.
  • drexnx - Thursday, May 7, 2020 - link

    which is why I bought a Z68 board back then ;)

Log in

Don't have an account? Sign up now