Z690 Chipset Motherboards and Alder Lake CPU

[AndyKramer]

Actually, it's:
1 x PCIe 5.0/4.0/3.0 x16 slot
1 x PCIe 4.0/3.0 x16 slot (supports x4 mode)
2 x PCIe 3.0 x16 slots (support x4 mode)
1 x PCIe 3.0 x1 slot

Right, and it's got Thunderbolt header on the motherboard; no Thunderbolt connections on the Back Panel I/O Ports.

 

[skroutz999]

I just saw that this motherboard does not have Thunderbolt 3 onboard... damn! What is going on with Gigabyte no Designare or Vision D anymore for Z690 chipset? How are we going to build new hackintoshes w/o TB3 onboard! It's getting more and more difficult for adaptation with the new macOS!

 

[trs96]

What is going on with Gigabyte no Designare or Vision D anymore for z690 chipset? How are we going to build new hackintoshes w/o tb3 onboard! It's getting more and more difficult for adaptation with the new macOS!

It's now called the Aero D. Not available everywhere yet. DDR5 is overpriced and hard to find too. CaseySJ decided to try the Aero G and DDR4 ram first for a build. A Titan Ridge TH3 card can be added quite easily to the Aero G and works well. The Aero D specs look amazing for a hackintosh build but if you can't get DDR5 or it's too expensive it doesn't bode well for the short term.

The Intel Z690 Motherboard Overview (DDR5): Over 50+ New Models

www.anandtech.com

 

[skroutz999]

It's now called the Aero D. Not available everywhere yet. DDR5 is overpriced and hard to find too. CaseySJ decided to try the Aero G and DDR4 ram first for a build. A Titan Ridge TH3 card can be added quite easily to the Aero G and works well. The Aero D specs look amazing for a hackintosh build but if you can't get DDR5 or it's too expensive it doesn't bode well for the short term.

The Intel Z690 Motherboard Overview (DDR5): Over 50+ New Models

www.anandtech.com

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That is a Motherbaord that we need a Golden Build! Amazing specs! Just wow!

 

[dehjomz]

That is a Motherbaord that we need a Golden Build! Amazing specs! Just wow!

It does look beautiful, but there are other z690 motherboards with Thunderbolt onboard from MSI (Ace) and Asus (Hero or ProArt). Given the experience of buggy BIOSes from the Gigabyte Z590 Vision series, we must seriously ask whether to pursue Gigabyte for a Golden build, or consider other options on the market. But from the experience of @CaseySJ, it seems that the Z690 Aero G F4 BIOS (not F2) isn't that buggy, outside of the 1-cycle sleep issue in macOS.

So perhaps the Aero D might be a decent choice but no one can say until we test. But the inclusion of the Aquantia 10 gbps AQC113c is a very nice touch...

 

[CaseySJ]

That is a Motherbaord that we need a Golden Build! Amazing specs! Just wow!

If I choose another Gigabyte board, the forum might run me out of town...

 

[trs96]

If I choose another Gigabyte board

Start a "Next CaseySJ Build" poll and hear from everyone that is interested in the topic.

 

[CaseySJ]

Start a "Next CaseySJ Build" poll and hear from everyone that is interested in the topic.

Sure, when the day draws nearer. If I do this now, everyone will expect it now.

 

[trs96]

Sure, when the day draws nearer. If I do this now, everyone will expect it now.

Everyone needs to slow down, take a few deep breaths and remember this all takes a lot of time. Rome wasn't built in a day. I'm hoping that by latter 2022 things start getting back to "normal" and supply will be able to meet demand and prices will be less insane. Everyone can use what they have now for that short amount of time.

Even Apple, with all it's enormous staff and financial resources can take multiple years to release a Mac Pro refresh. The community shouldn't be putting all the pressure on you. Anyone can write a Golden Build if they put in the time and effort and of course buy all the hardware needed. So I would encourage the readers of this thread to learn from Casey's example, follow the blueprint for a clearly written and accurate guide and see if you might be the author of your first Golden Build, based on the Z690 chipset.

 

[UtterDisbelief]

116 pages already for such new hardware ... That's great support from you @CaseySJ but I get the feeling people are rushing headlong into buying all this highly expensive gear and expecting *you* to give them the support and answers they need.

What @trs96 said +1