Description
Asus ROG MAXIMUS XII HERO Z490 WIFI LGA 1200 Motherboard
- Intel LGA 1200 socket: Designed to unleash the maximum performance of 10th Gen Intel Core processors
- Robust Power Solution: 14+2 power stages with ProCool II power connector, high-quality alloy chokes and durable capacitors to provide reliable power even when push the CPU performance to the limit
- Optimized Thermal Design: Except comprehensive heatsink, heatpipe and fan headers, features low-noise AI cooling to balance thermals and acoustics by reducing fan speeds and maintaining a 5 Celsius delta
- Fastest Gaming Connectivity: Dual Ethernet with 5Gb and gigabit Ethernet, LANGaurd, 3 M.2, USB 3.2 Gen 2, and Intel WiFi 6 AX201 (802.11 ax)
- Industry-leading Gaming Audio: High fidelity audio with the SupremeFX S1220 codec, DTS Sound Unbound and Sonic Studio III draws you deeper into the game action
- Unmatched Personalization: ASUS-exclusive Aura Sync RGB lighting, including RGB headers and Gen 2 addressable headers
- DIY Friendly Design: Pre-mounted I/O Shield ESD Guards
Brand | ASUS |
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Series | ROG |
Model | MAXIMUS XII HERO (WI-FI) |
CPU Socket Type | LGA 1200 |
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CPU Type | Intel Socket 1200 for 10th Gen Intel Core, Pentium Gold and Celeron processors* * Refer to www.asus.com for CPU support list. |
Supported CPU Technologies | Supports Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 and Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0** ** Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 support depends on the CPU types. |
Chipset | Intel Z490 |
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Number of Memory Slots | 4×288pin |
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Memory Standard | DDR4 4800(O.C.)/ 4700(O.C)/ 4600(O.C)/ 4500(O.C)/ 4400(O.C)/ 4266(O.C.)/ 4133(O.C.)/ 4000(O.C.)/ 3866(O.C.)/ 3733(O.C.)/ 3600(O.C.)/ 3466(O.C.)/ 3400(O.C.)/ 3333(O.C.)/ 3200(O.C.)/ 3000(O.C.)/ 2933/ 2800/ 2666/ 2400/ 2133 MHz Non-ECC, Un-buffered Memory * * 10th Gen Intel Core i9/i7 CPUs support 2933/ 2800/ 2666/ 2400/ 2133 natively, Refer to www.asus.com for the Memory QVL (Qualified Vendors Lists). |
Maximum Memory Supported | 128GB |
Channel Supported | Dual Channel |
PCI Express 3.0 x16 | Intel 10th Gen Processors* 2 x PCIe 3.0 x16 slots (support x16 or x8/x8 modes) Intel Z490 Chipset 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16 slot (supports x4 mode)** * Support PCIe bifurcation for RAID on CPU function. ** The PCIEX16_3 shares bandwidth wih M.2_2. The PCIEX16_3 will be disabled when M.2_2 runs x4 mode. |
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PCI Express x1 | 3 x PCIe 3.0 x1 slots |
SATA 6Gb/s | 6 x SATA 6Gb/s |
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M.2 | M.2_1 slot (Key M), type 2242/2260/2280/22110 (supports PCIe 3.0 x4 & SATA modes) M.2_2 slot (Key M), type 2242/2260/2280 (supports PCIe 3.0 x4 mode)* M.2_3 slot (Key M), type 2242/2260/2280/22110 (supports PCIe 3.0 x4 & SATA mode)** * M.2_2 shares bandwidth with PCIEX16_3. When M.2_2 runs x4 mode, PCIEX16_3 will be disabled. When M.2_2 runs x2 mode, PCIEX16_3 runs x1 mode. ** M.2_3 shares bandwidth with SATA6G_56. When M.2_3 is populated SATA6G_56 will be disabled. |
Intel Optane Ready | Yes |
SATA RAID | 0/1/5/10 |
Audio Chipset | ROG SupremeFX High Definition Audio CODEC S1220 |
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Audio Channels | 8 Channels * Due to limitations in HDA bandwidth, 32-Bit/192kHz is not supported for 8-Channel audio. |
LAN Chipset | Aquantia AQC111C |
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Second LAN Chipset | Intel I219V |
Max LAN Speed | 5Gbps + 10/100/1000Mbps |
Wireless LAN | Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 2×2 Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax) support 1024QAM/OFDMA/MU-MIMO Supports up to 2.4Gbps max data rate Support 2.4/5GHz Dual-Band Supports channel bandwidth: HT20/HT40/HT80/HT160 Supports CNVI interface |
Bluetooth | Bluetooth v5.1* * BT 5.1 function will be ready in Windows 10 build 19041 or later. |
Back I/O Ports | 1 x ASUS Wi-Fi Module 1 x Clear CMOS button 5 x Gold-plated audio jacks 1 x HDMI 1.4b port 1 x Intel I219V 1Gb Ethernet 1 x Marvell AQtion AQC111C 5Gb Ethernet 1 x Optical S/PDIF out 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (3 x Type-A + 1 x USB Type-C) 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (4 x Type-A) 2 x USB 2.0 ports (2 x Type-A) 1 x USB BIOS FlashBack button |
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Onboard USB | 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 front panel connector (suppports USB Type-C) 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 header supports additional 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports 2 x USB 2.0 headers support additional 4 USB 2.0 ports |
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Other Connectors | Fan and cooling related 1 x 4-Pin CPU fan header 1 x 4-Pin CPU OPT fan header 1 x 4-Pin AIO Pump header 3 x 4-Pin Chassis fan headers 1 x 4-Pin H_AMP fan header 1 x W_PUMP+ header 1 x 2-pin Water in header 1 x 2-pin Water out header 1 x 3-pin Water flow header Miscellaneous 2 x AURA addressable Gen 2 headers 2 x AURA RGB headers 1 x FlexKey button 1 x Front panel audio header (AAFP) 1 x ReTry button 1 x Speaker header 1 x Start button 1 x 10-1 System panel header 1 x Thermal sensor header 1 x Thunderbolt header |
Form Factor | ATX |
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LED Lighting | RGB |
Power Pin | 1 x 24-pin main power connector 1 x 8-pin +12V power connector 1 x 4-pin +12V power connector |
Features | Multi-GPU Support: Supports NVIDIA 2-Way SLI Technology Supports AMD 3-Way/2-Way CrossFireX Technology Special Features: Software Features: BIOS: Manageability: Operating System: |
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Package Contents | Accessories: Cables 1 x Addressable RGB extension cable 1 x RGB extension cable 4 x SATA 6Gb/s cables Additional Cooling Kit 1 x Fan bracket 1 x ROG assistant fan (40mm) Miscellaneous 2 x M.2 Rubber Packages 2 x M.2 SSD screw packages 1 x Q-connector 1 x ROG key chain 1 x ROG logo plate sticker 1 x ROG stickers 1 x ROG thank you card 1 x ASUS 2×2 dual band Wi-Fi moving antennas Installation Media 1 x Support DVD Documentation 1 x User manual |
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Media
ROG Maximus XII Hero is the perfect foundation to the Republic of Gamers. It’s a motherboard that packs substantial power, smart cooling and faster memory support under a stealthy skin. Loaded with renowned ROG features, from AI overclocking and AI cooling to attention-grabbing Aura Sync illumination, Maximus XII Hero is ready to perform and crafted for customization.

Our ROG engineers developed and extensively-tested intelligent software solutions to ensure your system stays in optimal condition.
Tuning is now faster and smarter than ever before. AI Overclocking profiles the CPU and cooling to predict the optimal configuration for each system.
AI Cooling automatically manages and controls motherboard connected fans, ensuring the most efficient settings depending on the current system load and temperature.
GameFirst VI optimizes and organizes network bandwidth, effectively reducing jitter and eliminating spike lag to ensure smooth online gameplay.
Performance
Extreme Power & Performance

② 14+2 POWER STAGE
③ MULTI-GPU SLI®/ CFX SUPPORT
- 2 x PCIe 3.0 x16 Safeslots (x16, x8/x8)
- 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16 slot (x4)
④ INTEL® SOCKET LGA 1200
- 10th Gen Intel® Core™, Pentium® Gold and Celeron® processors
- OPTIMEM III
- Dual channel
⑥ 3 X M.2 SOCKET
- 1 x M.2 22110 supports PCIe 3.0 x4 & SATA mode
- 1 x M.2 2280 supports PCIe 3.0 x4
- 1 x M.2 22110 supports PCIe 3.0 x4 & SATA mode
Comprehensive Cooling

② TRIPLE M.2 HEATSINKS
- W_FLOW tachometer
- W_IN/OUT T-sensor
④ MULTIPLE 4-PIN PWM FAN HEADERS
Total Gaming Immersion

② SupremeFX S1220 CODEC
- ESS® ES9023P High Definition DAC
- 120 dB SNR stereo playback output
- 113 dB SNR recording input
- Gold-plated Audio Jacks
SONIC STUDIO III
- Sonic Studio Virtual Mixer
SONIC RADAR III
DTS® SOUND UNBOUND
④ 2 X 3-PIN ADDRESSABLE GEN 2 RGB HEADERS
⑤ PCH ZONE AURA LIGHTING
Full Connectivity

② CLEAR CMOS butoon
③ 1 x HDMI™ 1.4b
④ 2 x USB 2.0
⑤ 4 X USB3.1 Gen 1
⑥ Intel® I219-V 1Gb Ethernet
⑦ Marvell® AQtion AQC111C 5 Gb Ethernet
- 1 x USB Type-C®
⑨ Intel® Wi-Fi 6 AX201
⑩ OPTICAL S/PDIF OUT
⑪ 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2
- Front Panel Connector
⑫ 6 x SATA 6 Gb/s
⑬ Thunderbolt header

② ESD GUARDS
Greater electrostatic protection than the industry standard. ESD Guards cover the USB, audio and LAN ports.
③ TRUEVOLT USB
USB power supplies rock-steady 5V to all USB ports, minimizing power fluctuations for minimal data loss.
④ 2 x SAFESLOT
Provides stronger PCIe device retention and greater shearing resistance.
The Q-Code LED design provides you with a 2-digit error code that displays the system status.
⑥ 4 x Q-DIMM
One sided clips for super-simple, super-secure handling of memory modules.
⑦ FLEXKEY
At its default, the FlexKey functions as a system reset button, but it can also be easily set to quickly turn Aura lighting on or off, activate Safe Boot or enter the BIOS.
⑧ Q-CONNECTOR
Sorts all front-panel cables.

Teamed Power Architecture
Today’s CPU architectures place incredible demands on motherboard power design by transitioning from deep power saving modes, going from lower-power mode to full load in an instant. Our latest VRM architecture rises to the challenge by utilizing teamed power stages to rapidly swing current, while maintaining exemplary thermal performance.
We became the first manufacturer to implement phase-doublers when we shipped our A8N32-SLI Deluxe motherboard, back in 2005. The board’s VRM was lauded for elegantly overcoming the power handling capabilities of components that were available at the time and also reducing voltage ripple. Those benefits led to phase-doublers becoming universally accepted in the industry, and they are still used for similar purposes today.
Power Stage Design

Phase-doubled Design

However, today’s CPUs now pack more cores than their predecessors, and the latest instruction sets allow them to crunch computationally dense workloads at an incredible pace. In addition, they consume less power at idle and can transition between load states much more quickly. These improvements necessitate a re-evaluation of power-design priorities because phase-doublers add a propagation delay that hampers transient response.
While doublers help extend the number of effective phases, they do so at the cost of a processing delay.
Power Stage Design

Phase-doubled Design

Fortunately, the latest integrated power components can handle higher currents than the devices of yesteryear, making it possible to implement a simple circuit topology that isn’t hamstrung by the processing lag of phase-doublers. That’s why ROG Maximus XII Hero utilizes teamed power stages to deliver higher burst current per phase, while maintaining the thermal performance of phase-doubled designs.
The teamed architecture allows two power stages to work in tandem to provide more power to the CPU.
Power Stage Design

Phase-doubled Design

Each VRM component serves a specific purpose. PWM controllers and phase-doublers control the circuit, and the power stages do the heavy lifting from an electrical and thermal standpoint. That’s why ROG Maximus XII Hero utilizes 16 power stages. The power stage sits at the top of Infineon’s lineup and features a low RDSON to reduce switching and conduction losses, helping to improve overall thermal headroom.
The MOSFETs within the power stages generate the most heat as they are responsible for voltage conversion and delivery to the CPU from the 12V EPS connector.
Power Stage Design

Phase-doubled Design

ASUS Optimem III
Boasting proprietary memory trace layout tweaks that improve signal integrity and mitigate noise, ASUS OptiMem III is more compatible with 3600 MHz+ memory kits, allowing them to run at higher frequencies. You can opt to optimize memory for high frequency settings, or low latency settings. With higher capacity memory kits, OptiMem III enables you to run at maximum frequency, whereas other motherboards will trade off frequency for capacity. Stack Maximus XII Hero with your favorite modules and maximize throughput of the new 10th Generation Intel® Core™ Comet Lake-S processor for applications that demand massive bandwidth.
CL 18
No OptiMem III CL 19
Lower the data is better
Cooling Heatsinks

A VRM heatsink is placed on the MOSFETs and chokes, and the embedded heatpipe connects to the aluminum I/O cover.
② Large diameter heatpipe
The U-shaped design provides rapid and even heat transfer from the VRM to the extended VRM heatsink.
③ M.2 heatsink
A dedicated heatsink keeps the triple M.2 SSDs at the optimum operating temperature for consistent performance and reliability.
The high-quality thermal pad improves overall heat transfer from the system by bridging the heat generated by the power stages to the heatsink.
⑤ Extended VRM heatsink
The extended heatsink at the end of heatpipe increases thermal mass to offset the additional heat generated by high power consumption.
⑥ Chipset heatsink
A dedicated chipset heatsink draws heat away to maintain optimum operating temperatures.
Cooler by design
ROG Maximus XII Hero features the most comprehensive cooling options ever.
Dual water-temperature headers and a flow-rate header feed information straight into the AI Suite utility, allowing you to track coolant temperatures and the flow rate of the entire loop.
Performance Level Up
The dashboard-style control panel of AI Suite 3 lets you fine-tune almost every aspect of your ROG Maximus XII Hero system with ease. Get the best balance between performance, cooling, stability, and efficiency via one simple and intuitive interface.
UEFI BIOS
The renowned ROG UEFI (BIOS) provides everything you need to configure, tweak, and tune your rig. It offers intelligently simplified options for newcomers to PC DIY, as well as comprehensive features for seasoned veterans.
When you’re ready for a deeper dive, delve into the UEFI’s Advanced mode and take complete control. Advanced mode enables full control over every aspect of the motherboard, and a built-in search function helps you quickly find the setting you need.
My Favorites
Quickly find tuning options and add preferred tools to the list.
EZ Flash 3
Flash the latest BIOS via the internet from within the BIOS.
S.M.A.R.T.
Check your storage device Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology (S.M.A.R.T.) logs to gauge reliability and identify potential failures.
GPU POST
Automatically detect selected ASUS graphics cards to view detailed information.
Secure Erase
Restore your SSDs and NVMe storage to factory settings.
Last Modified Log
Track the last change and save preferred profiles to a USB drive.
SATA Port Renaming
Rename SATA ports for easy identification.
ASUS User Profile
Port configuration settings between different BIOS versions or share them with friends.
Q-Fan control
Configure the fan’s operating speed manually or use pre-configured fan profiles to quickly select Standard, Silent, Turbo or Full Speed modes. By default, system fans will automatically switch to full speed if the temperature reaches 75°C.
Designed to simplify setup, EZ mode presents vital settings and stats on a single page. With guided wizards, drag-and-drop functionality, and one-click application of important settings, your rig will be up and running in no time.
Intuitive graphical fan controls
Fine-tune individual fans simply by dragging a curve with the mouse.
SATA information
View SATA port details for easy device recognition.
Fast and easy clock adjustment
Use the mouse to quickly change time and date settings.
Aura On/Off mode (Stealth)
Easily enable or disable Aura RGB lighting or every onboard LED, for a more subdued aesthetic.
Accurate Voltage Monitoring
Conventional motherboards use single-ended sensing tapped from a location that isn’t ideal, leading to a large disparity between the actual voltage fed to the CPU and the value reported to software. Maximus XII Hero features a differential-sensing circuit and delicate IC that simplify overclocking and tuning by allowing you to track voltages more accurately.

Onboard WiFi 6 (802.11ax) supports ultrafast wireless-networking speeds, improved capacity and better performance in dense WiFi environments, providing exceptional online gaming experiences. *
Pair your motherboard with ASUS WiFi 6 routers to fully experience the networking potential of WiFi 6.

With up to 5X the bandwidth of standard gigabit Ethernet, you’ll enjoy streaming uncompressed 4K UHD videos, backups and file transfers that are faster than ever before. Hero supports intermediate 2.5 Gbps connectivity, allowing you to step up to faster networks for maximum flexibility. Choose the bandwidth that meets your needs and enjoy ultra-low latency at any speed.**
ROG Maximus XI Hero features Intel® Gigabit Ethernet for faster, smoother gaming. Intel Ethernet controllers have a natural synergy with their processors and chipsets, reducing CPU overhead and offering exceptionally high TCP and UDP throughput, so there’s more power for games and other tasks.
**Minimum Category 5e network cables required for 5 Gbps operation.
SupremeFX
ROG SupremeFX audio technology has levelled up, delivering an exceptional 113 dB signal-to-noise ratio on the line-in connection to provide best-ever recording quality. There’s also a low-dropout regulator for cleaner power delivery to the SupremeFX S1220 codec, an ESS® ES9023P digital-to-analog converter for superior front-panel output, and a Texas Instruments® RC4580 op amp for high gain with low distortion — all to deliver audio that envelops you as never before.
Grow your gaming world