Asus STRIX Z590-I GAMING WIFI User’s Manual

ROG STRIX Z590-I GAMING Series

<![if ! IE]>

<![endif]>Motherboard

E17708

First Edition

January 2021

Copyright © 2021 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved.

No part of this manual, including the products and software described in it, may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form or by any means, except documentation kept by the purchaser for backup purposes, without the express written permission of ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (“ASUS”).

Product warranty or service will not be extended if: (1) the product is repaired, modified or altered, unless such repair, modification of alteration is authorized in writing by ASUS; or (2) the serial number of the product is defaced or missing.

ASUS PROVIDES THIS MANUAL “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL ASUS, ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF USE OR DATA, INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS AND THE LIKE), EVEN IF ASUS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES ARISING FROM ANY DEFECT OR ERROR IN THIS MANUAL OR PRODUCT.

SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL ARE FURNISHED FOR INFORMATIONAL USE ONLY, AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE, AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY ASUS. ASUS ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS OR INACCURACIES THAT MAY APPEAR IN THIS MANUAL, INCLUDING THE PRODUCTS AND SOFTWARE DESCRIBED IN IT.

Products and corporate names appearing in this manual may or may not be registered trademarks or copyrights of their respective companies, and are used only for identification or explanation and to the owners’ benefit, without intent to infringe.

ii

Contents

Safety information......................................................................................................	iv
About this guide...........................................................................................................	v
ROG STRIX Z590-I GAMING Series specifications summary.................................	vi
Package contents.......................................................................................................	xi
Installation tools and components...........................................................................	xii

Chapter 1:		Product Introduction
1.1	Before you proceed....................................................................................		1-1
1.2	Motherboard layout....................................................................................		1-2
Chapter 2:		Basic Installation
2.1	Building your PC system...........................................................................		2-1
	2.1.1	CPU installation...........................................................................	2-1
	2.1.2	Cooling system installation..........................................................	2-3
	2.1.3	DIMM installation.........................................................................	2-5
	2.1.4	M.2 installation.............................................................................	2-6
	2.1.5	Motherboard installation............................................................	2-10
	2.1.6	ATX power connection...............................................................	2-11
	2.1.7	SATA device connection............................................................	2-12
	2.1.8	Front I/O connector....................................................................	2-13
	2.1.9	Expansion card installation........................................................	2-14
	2.1.10	Wi-Fi moving antenna installation..............................................	2-15
2.2	BIOS update utility....................................................................................		2-16
2.3	Motherboard rear and audio connections..............................................		2-18
	2.3.1	Rear I/O connection...................................................................	2-18
	2.3.2	Audio I/O connections................................................................	2-19
2.4	Starting up for the first time....................................................................		2-22
2.5	Turning off the computer.........................................................................		2-22
Chapter 3:		BIOS and RAID Support
3.1	Knowing BIOS.............................................................................................		3-1
3.2	BIOS setup program...................................................................................		3-2
3.3	EZ Update....................................................................................................		3-2
3.4	ASUS EZ Flash 3.........................................................................................		3-3
3.5	ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3............................................................................		3-4
3.6	RAID configurations...................................................................................		3-5
Appendix
Notices	.....................................................................................................................		A-1
Warranty...................................................................................................................			A-8
ASUS contact information....................................................................................			A-10

iii

Safety information

Electrical safety

•To prevent electrical shock hazard, disconnect the power cable from the electrical outlet before relocating the system.

•When adding or removing devices to or from the system, ensure that the power cables for the devices are unplugged before the signal cables are connected. If possible, disconnect all power cables from the existing system before you add a device.

•Before connecting or removing signal cables from the motherboard, ensure that all power cables are unplugged.

•Seek professional assistance before using an adapter or extension cord. These devices could interrupt the grounding circuit.

•Ensure that your power supply is set to the correct voltage in your area. If you are not sure about the voltage of the electrical outlet you are using, contact your local power company.

•If the power supply is broken, do not try to fix it by yourself. Contact a qualified service technician or your retailer.

Operation safety

•Before installing the motherboard and adding devices on it, carefully read all the manuals that came with the package.

•Before using the product, ensure all cables are correctly connected and the power cables are not damaged. If you detect any damage, contact your dealer immediately.

•To avoid short circuits, keep paper clips, screws, and staples away from connectors, slots, sockets and circuitry.

•Avoid dust, humidity, and temperature extremes. Do not place the product in any area where it may become wet.

•Place the product on a stable surface.

•If you encounter technical problems with the product, contact a qualified service technician or your retailer.

•Your motherboard should only be used in environments with ambient temperatures between 0°C and 40°C.

iv

About this guide

This user guide contains the information you need when installing and configuring the motherboard.

How this guide is organized

This guide contains the following parts:

•Chapter 1: Product Introduction

This chapter describes the features of the motherboard and the new technology it supports. It includes description of the switches, jumpers, and connectors on the motherboard.

•Chapter 2: Basic Installation

This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to perform when installing system components.

•Chapter 3: BIOS and RAID Support

This chapter tells how to boot into the BIOS, upgrade BIOS using the EZ Flash Utility and support on RAID.

Where to find more information

Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and software updates.

1.ASUS website

The ASUS website (www.asus.com) provides updated information on ASUS hardware and software products.

2.Optional documentation

Your product package may include optional documentation, such as warranty flyers, that may have been added by your dealer. These documents are not part of the standard package.

Conventions used in this guide

To ensure that you perform certain tasks properly, take note of the following symbols used throughout this manual.

CAUTION: Information to prevent damage to the components and injuries to yourself when trying to complete a task.

IMPORTANT: Instructions that you MUST follow to complete a task.

NOTE: Tips and additional information to help you complete a task.

v

ROG STRIX Z590-I GAMING Series specifications summary

	Wi-Fi support is only available on Wi-Fi models.
		Intel® Socket LGA1200 for 11th Gen Intel® Core™ processors & 10th Gen
		Intel® Core™, Pentium® Gold and Celeron® Processors
		Supports Intel® 14 nm CPU
CPU		Supports Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 and Intel® Turbo Boost Max
		Technology 3.0**
		* Refer to www.asus.com for CPU support list.
		** Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 support depends on the CPU types.
Chipset		Intel® Z590 Chipset
		2 x DIMM, Max. 64GB, DDR4 5133(OC) / 5000(OC) / 4800(OC) /
		4700(OC) / 4600(OC) / 4500(OC) / 4400(OC) / 4266(OC) / 4133(OC) /
		4000(OC) / 3866(OC) / 3733(OC) / 3600(OC) / 3466(OC) / 3400(OC) /
		3333(OC) / 3200 / 3000 / 2933 / 2800 / 2666 / 2400 / 2133 MHz Non-
		ECC, Un-buffered Memory*
		Dual Channel Memory Architecture
Memory		Supports Intel® Extreme Memory Profile (XMP)
		OptiMem II
		* 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i7/i9 processors support 2933 / 2800 / 2666 / 2400 / 2133
		natively, others will run at the maximum transfer rate of DDR4 2666MHz.
		* 11th Gen Intel® Core™ processors support 3200 / 2933 / 2800 / 2666 / 2400 /
		2133 natively.
		* Refer to www.asus.com for the Memory QVL (Qualified Vendors Lists).
		Memory frequency support depends on the CPU types.
		1 x HDMI™ 2.0**
		1 x Intel® Thunderbolt™ 4 port (USB Type-C®) supports DisplayPort 1.4
Graphics		and Thunderbolt™ video outputs
		* Graphics specifications may vary between CPU types.
		** Supports HDMI™ 2.0 with max. resolution of 4K@60Hz. Please refer to www.
		intel.com for any updates.
		Intel® 11th &10th Gen Processors
		1 x PCIe 4.0/3.0 x16 slot(s)*
Expansion Slots		- Intel®11th processors support PCIe 4.0 x16 mode
		- Intel®10th processors support PCIe 3.0 x16 mode
		* Supports PCIe bandwidth bifurcation for RAID on CPU function.
		Total supports 2 x M.2 slots and 4 x SATA 6Gb/s ports
		Intel® 11th Gen Processors
Storage		M.2_1 slot (Key M), type 2242/2260/2280
		- Only Intel® 11th Core™ processors support PCIe 4.0 x4 mode, this slot
		will be disabled for other CPUs.
		(continued on the next page)

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ROG STRIX Z590-I GAMING Series specifications summary

		Intel® Z590 Chipset
		M.2_2 slot (Key M), type 2242/2260/2280
		(supports PCIe 3.0 x4 & SATA modes)
		4 x SATA 6Gb/s ports
	Storage	Raid function for PCIe mode SSD in Intel® Rapid Storage Technology is
		available with either 1. Intel® SSDs installed in both CPU-attached and
		PCH-attached slots, or 2. any other 3rd party SSDs installed in PCH-
		attached slots.
		To enable Intel® Optane™ Memory (Hybrid Storage device), it must be
		installed in PCH-attached slots with Intel® Rapid Storage Technology.
	Ethernet	1 x Intel® I225-V 2.5Gb Ethernet
		ASUS LANGuard
		Intel® Wi-Fi 6E
		2x2 Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)
	Wireless & Bluetooth	Supports 2.4/5/6GHz frequency band*
		Bluetooth v5.2 hardware ready**
		* WiFi 6E 6GHz regulatory may vary between countries, and function will be
		ready in Windows 10 build 21H1 or later.
		** Bluetooth 5.2 function will be ready in Windows 10 build 21H1 or later.
		Rear USB (Total 8 ports)
		1 x Thunderbolt™ 4 port(s) (1 x USB Type-C®) with up to 5V/3A, 15W
		charging support
		1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 port(s) (1 x USB Type-C®)
		1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 port(s) (1 x Type-A)
	USB	1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 port(s) (1 x Type-A)
		4 x USB 2.0 port(s) (4 x Type-A)
		Front USB (Total 5 ports)
		1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 connector(s) (support(s) USB Type-C®)
		1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 header(s) support(s) additional 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1
		ports
		1 x USB 2.0 header(s) support(s) additional 2 USB 2.0 ports
		ROG SupremeFX 7.1 Surround Sound High Definition Audio CODEC
		ALC4080
		- Impedance sense for front and rear headphone outputs
		- Supports: Jack-detection, Multi-streaming, Front Panel Jack-retasking
		- High quality 120 dB SNR stereo playback output and 113 dB SNR
		recording input
	Audio	- Supports up to 32-Bit/384 kHz playback
		Audio Features
		- SupremeFX Shielding Technology
		- ALC4080 + Savitech SV3H712 AMP
		- LED-illuminated audio jacks
		- Premium Japanese audio capacitors
		* A chassis with an HD audio module in the front panel is required to support
		7.1 Surround Sound audio output.
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ROG STRIX Z590-I GAMING Series specifications summary

		1 x Thunderbolt™ 4 USB Type-C® port(s)
		1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 port(s) (1 x USB Type-C®)
		1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 port(s) (1 x Type-A)
		1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 port(s) (1 x Type-A)
	Back Panel I/O Ports	4 x USB 2.0 port(s) (4 x Type-A)
		1 x HDMI™ port
		1 x ASUS Wi-Fi Module
		1 x Intel® I225-V 2.5Gb Ethernet port
		3 x LED-illuminated audio jacks
		1 x BIOS FlashBack™ button
		Fan and Cooling related
		1 x 4-pin CPU Fan header(s)
		1 x 4-pin AIO Pump header(s)
		1 x 4-pin Chassis Fan header(s)
		Power related
		1 x 24-pin Main Power connector
		1 x 8-pin +12V Power connector
		Storage related
		2 x M.2 slots (Key M)
		4 x SATA 6Gb/s ports
		USB
	Internal I/O connectors	1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 connector (support(s) USB Type-C®)
		1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 header(s) support(s) additional 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1
		ports
		1 x USB 2.0 header(s) support(s) additional 2 USB 2.0 ports
		Miscellaneous
		1 x AURA Addressable Gen 2 header(s)
		1 x AURA RGB header(s)
		1 x Clear CMOS header
		1 x Front Panel Audio header (AAFP)
		1 x Speaker header
		1 x 10-1 pin System Panel header
		1 x Thermal Sensor header
		Extreme Engine Digi+
		- 5K Black Metallic Capacitors
		ASUS Q-Design
	Special Features	- Q-DIMM
		- Q-LED (CPU [red], DRAM [yellow], VGA [white], Boot Device [yellow
		green])
		- Q-Slot
		(continued on the next page)

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ROG STRIX Z590-I GAMING Series specifications summary

		ASUS Thermal Solution
		- M.2 heatsink backplate
		- M.2 heatsink
		- Skived Fin heatsink
		ASUS EZ DIY
		- BIOS FlashBack™ button
		- BIOS FlashBack™ LED
	Special Features	- ProCool II
		- Pre-mounted I/O shield
		- SafeSlot
		AURA Sync
		- AURA RGB header(s)
		- Addressable Gen 2 RGB header(s)
		ASUS HYDRANODE
		- 1 x Chassis fan support* (CHA_FANP)
		* Visit ASUS Website for the latest compatibility list.
		ROG Exclusive Software
		- RAMCache III
		- ROG CPU-Z
		- GameFirst VI
		- Sonic Studio III + Sonic Studio Virtual Mixer
		- Sonic Radar III
		- DTS® Sound Unbound
		- Overwolf
		- Anti-virus software
		ASUS Exclusive Software
		Armoury Crate
		- AIDA64 Extreme (60 days free trial)
	Software Features	- AURA Creator
		- AURA Sync
		- Two-Way AI Noise Cancelation
		AI Suite 3
		- 5-Way Optimization with AI Overclocking
		TPU
		EPU
		DIGI+ VRM
		Fan Xpert 4
		Turbo app
		- EZ update
		DAEMON Tools
		MyAsus
		WinRAR
		(continued on the next page)

ix

ROG STRIX Z590-I GAMING Series specifications summary

		UEFI BIOS
		MemTest86
		AI Overclocking Guide
	Software Features	ASUS EZ DIY
		- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3
		- ASUS EZ Flash 3
		- ASUS UEFI BIOS EZ Mode
		FlexKey
	BIOS	256 Mb Flash ROM, UEFI AMI BIOS
	Manageability	WOL by PME, PXE
	Operating System	Windows® 10 - 64 bit
	Form Factor	Mini-ITX Form Factor
		6.7 inch x 6.7 inch (17 cm x 17 cm)

• Specifications are subject to change without notice. Please refer to the ASUS website for the latest specifications.

•MyASUS offers a variety of support features such as helping to troubleshoot issues, optimizing product performance, integrating ASUS software, and recovery drive creation. Please scan the QR Code for installation guide and FAQ.

x

Package contents

Check your motherboard package for the following items.

	Motherboard	1 x ROG STRIX Z590-I GAMING WIFI motherboard
		4 x SATA 6Gb/s cables
	Cables	1 x Panel cable
		1 x ROG USB2.0 splitter cable
		1 x ASUS Wi-Fi moving antennas
		1 x Cable ties pack
	Miscellaneous	2 x M.2 SSD screw package(s)
		1 x ROG key chain
		1 x ROG Strix stickers
		1 x ROG Strix thank you card
	Installation Media	1 x Support DVD
	Documentation	1 x User manual

If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer.

xi

Installation tools and components

Phillips (cross) screwdriver

PC chassis

Power supply unit

Intel® LGA 1200 CPU

Intel® LGA 1200 compatible CPU Fan

DDR4 DIMM

SATA hard disk drive

SATA optical disc drive (optional)

Graphics card (optional)

M.2 SSD module (optional)

1 Bag of screws

The tools and components in the table above are not included in the motherboard package.

xii

Product Introduction

1

1.1Before you proceed

Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard components or change any motherboard settings.

•Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any component.

•Before handling components, use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object or a metal object, such as the power supply case, to avoid damaging them due to static electricity.

•Hold components by the edges to avoid touching the ICs on them.

•Whenever you uninstall any component, place it on a grounded antistatic pad or in the bag that came with the component.

•Before you install or remove any component, ensure that the ATX power supply is switched off or the power cord is detached from the power supply. Failure to do so may cause severe damage to the motherboard, peripherals, or components.

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1.2Motherboard layout

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1-2

Chapter 1: Product Introduction

Layout contents		Page
1.	CPU socket	1-4
2.	DIMM slots	1-5
3.	Expansion slots	1-7
4.	Fan and Pump headers	1-8
5.	Power connectors	1-9
6.	M.2 slot	1-10
7.	SATA 6GB/s port	1-11
8.	USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C® Front Panel connector	1-12
9.	USB 3.2 Gen 1 header	1-12
10.	USB 2.0 header	1-13
11.	AURA Addressable Gen2 header	1-14
12.	AURA RGB header	1-15
13.	Clear CMOS header	1-16
14.	Front Panel Audio header	1-17
15.	System Panel header	1-18
16.	Thermal Sensor header	1-19
17.	Q-LEDs	1-19

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1.CPU socket

The motherboard comes with a LGA1200 socket designed for 11th Gen Intel® Core™ processors & 10th Gen Intel® Core™, Pentium® Gold and Celeron® Processors.

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•Ensure that you install the correct CPU designed for LGA1200 socket only. DO NOT install a CPU designed for other sockets on the LGA1200 socket.

•The CPU fits in only one correct orientation. DO NOT force the CPU into the socket to prevent bending the connectors on the socket and damaging the CPU.

•Ensure that all power cables are unplugged before installing the CPU.

•Upon purchase of the motherboard, ensure that the PnP cap is on the socket and the socket contacts are not bent. Contact your retailer immediately if the PnP cap is missing, or if you see any damage to the PnP cap/socket contacts/motherboard components. ASUS will shoulder the cost of repair only if the damage is shipment/ transit-related.

•Keep the cap after installing the motherboard. ASUS will process Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) requests only if the motherboard comes with the cap on the LGA1200 socket.

•The product warranty does not cover damage to the socket contacts resulting from incorrect CPU installation/removal, or misplacement/loss/incorrect removal of the PnP cap.

1-4	Chapter 1: Product Introduction

2.DIMM slots

The motherboard comes with Dual Inline Memory Modules (DIMM) slots designed for DDR4 (Double Data Rate 4) memory modules.

A DDR4 memory module is notched differently from a DDR, DDR2, or DDR3 module. DO NOT install a DDR, DDR2, or DDR3 memory module to the DDR4 slot.

Recommended memory configurations

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Memory configurations

You may install 4 GB, 8 GB, 16 GB, and 32 GB unbuffered and non ECC DDR4 DIMMs into the DIMM sockets.

You may install varying memory sizes in Channel A and Channel B. The system maps the total size of the lower-sized channel for the dual-channel configuration. Any excess memory from the higher-sized channel is then mapped for single-channel operation.

• The default memory operation frequency is dependent on its Serial Presence Detect (SPD), which is the standard way of accessing information from a memory module. Under the default state, some memory modules for overclocking may operate at a lower frequency than the vendor-marked value.

•For system stability, use a more efficient memory cooling system to support a full memory load or overclocking condition.

•Always install the DIMMS with the same CAS Latency. For an optimum compatibility, we recommend that you install memory modules of the same version or data code (D/C) from the same vendor. Check with the vendor to get the correct memory modules.

•Visit the ASUS website for the latest QVL.

1-6	Chapter 1: Product Introduction

3.Expansion slots

Unplug the power cord before adding or removing expansion cards. Failure to do so may cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components.

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Please refer to the following table for the Hyper M.2 configurations.

PCIe bifurcation & M.2 settings in PCIe x16 slots (from CPU)

	Slot Description		Quantity of identifiable Intel M.2 SSD (pcs)
			Situation 1	Situation 2
	1.	PCIe 4.0/3.0 x16_1	3 (x8+x4+x4)	2 (x8+x8)
	-	M.2_1	1 (x4)	1 (x4)

•Hyper M.2 X16 series card sold separately.

•M.2_1 is only supported with Intel® 11th Core™ processors.

•Enable the Hyper M.2 X16 series card under BIOS settings.

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4.Fan and Pump headers

The Fan and Pump headers allow you to connect fans or pumps to cool the system. When an ASUS HYDRANODE fan is connected to a ASUS HYDRANODE fan connector, the ASUS HYDRANODE function will be available.

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•DO NOT forget to connect the fan cables to the fan headers. Insufficient air flow inside the system may damage the motherboard components. These are not jumpers! Do not place jumper caps on the fan headers!

•Ensure the cable is fully inserted into the header.

For water cooling kits, connect the pump connector to the AIO_PUMP header.

CHA_FANP can support ASUS HYDRANODE fans.

Header	Max. Current	Max. Power	Default Speed	Shared Control
CPU_FAN	1A	12W	Q-Fan Controlled	-
CHA_FANP	1A	12W	Q-Fan Controlled	-
AIO_PUMP	1A	12W	Full-Speed	-

1-8	Chapter 1: Product Introduction

5.Power connectors

These Power connectors allow you to connect your motherboard to a power supply. The power supply plugs are designed to fit in only one orientation, find the proper orientation and push down firmly until the power supply plugs are fully inserted.

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Ensure to connect the 8-pin power plug.

•For a fully configured system, we recommend that you use a power supply unit

(PSU) that complies with ATX 12V Specification 2.0 (or later version) and provides a minimum power of 350 W.

•We recommend that you use a PSU with a higher power output when configuring a system with more power-consuming devices. The system may become unstable or may not boot up if the power is inadequate.

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