The TurboV Processing Unit (TPU) is an intelligent utility that automatically adjusts voltages, monitors system statistics, and tunes overclocking parameters for optimal performance.

The ASUS Fan Xpert 4 software provides comprehensive control over fans, water pumps, and all-in-one (AiO) coolers.

There is also the Extreme Quiet mode that reduces all fan speeds below the default minimum limit, keeping your system silent during light tasks. Fans, water pumps, and AiO coolers can also be controlled via the UEFI BIOS.

The Turbo App allows you to set CPU overclocking, apply fan profiles, prioritize network data, and optimize audio settings on an application level, so your system is tuned exactly as needed.

AI Cooling can be easily activated through the Fan Xpert 4 dashboard in Armoury Crate. Once activated, it will override all manual controls.

An intuitive advanced feature offered through UEFI allows you to take full control. An integrated search function makes it easy to find options, and various advanced features allow you to make smart and detailed adjustments, so you can tune the performance exactly as you want.

The EZ mode displays vital settings and statistics and also offers guides, drag-and-drop functions, and one-click application of important settings, all to help you get your rig up and running in no time.

Two M.2 heatsinks take care of the three M.2 slots, preventing throttling that can occur with M.2 storage during continuous transfers.

The two VRM heatsinks of the Prime Z690-A are significantly larger than those found on previous Z590 motherboards.

Together with the thermal pads, they improve heat transfer from the MOSFETs and chokes for better cooling performance.

A dedicated connector provides over 3 amps for high-performance PWM or DC water pumps, as well as a second dedicated header for AIOs.

Each integrated connection supports automatic detection of PWM or DC fans.

The connectors enhance the connection of the motherboard with the power supply with 8+8 pin connectors that pass 12 volts of power directly to the processors. Each socket features solid terminals that can handle more current than connectors with hollow terminals.

• A special circuit on the motherboard safely bypasses the limitations of the DDR5 memory PMIC, allowing you to exceed the default 1.1-volt limit and maximize frequency and timings.
• Typically, an unlocked PMIC requires a full system power cycle each time the memory voltage is adjusted. The Prime Z690-A leverages built-in hardware and firmware to intelligently bypass this annoying limitation, allowing voltage adjustments to be applied through the same soft system reset process used for previous generations of DDR memory.

The Prime Z690-A offers a total of four M.2 slots that support data transfer speeds of up to 64 Gbps via PCIe 4.0, allowing for faster boot and application load times with operating system or application drives.

Intel 13th and 12th generation processors bring PCIe 5.0 support to the market. PCIe 5.0 offers double the data transfer speed compared to PCIe 4.0, making it robust enough to handle new tasks with large data volumes. PCIe 5.0 also brings other advantages, such as electrical changes to improve signal integrity, backward-compatible CEM connectors for add-in cards, and backward compatibility with previous versions of PCI Express.

The Prime Z690-A features Thunderbolt 4 support through an onboard connection. With the latest Intel-certified add-on card ASUS ThunderboltEX 4, it can enable bidirectional speeds of up to 40 Gbps on a single cable. Additionally, this card features a daisy-chain function for connecting multiple displays and supports up to an 8K resolution display. It can also provide up to 100 Watts of power for fast device charging.

The Intel Ethernet I225-V connection reduces CPU load and offers extremely high TCP and UDP performance for faster and smoother data transfer.

ASUS LANGuard is a hardware-level network protection feature that incorporates advanced signal coupling technology and top-tier anti-EMI surface-mounted capacitors to enhance performance and ensure a more reliable connection.

A well-tuned system of enthusiasm deserves a corresponding aesthetic. ASUS Aura offers full control of RGB lighting with a variety of functional presets for the built-in RGB LEDs, as well as for strips and devices connected to the built-in RGB headers - and all of these can be synchronized with an ever-growing portfolio of Aura-capable hardware.

Three addressable RGB Gen 2 headers are capable of detecting the number of LEDs in second-generation addressable RGB devices, allowing the software to automatically adjust lighting effects to specific devices. The new headers also offer backward compatibility with existing Aura RGB devices.

The innovative Q-Latch makes it easy to install or remove an M.2 SSD without the need for special tools. The design uses a simple locking mechanism to secure the drive and eliminates the screws that were previously necessary.

FlexKey is a connection for the front of the computer that allows you to customize the reset button to provide quick access to Aura lighting controls, DirectKey, which gives access to the UEFI BIOS, or system reset.