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When it comes to motherboards, it might be difficult to understand the product names of hardware providers unless you have extensive knowledge of chipsets and brand names in your head. Most of the time, exciting words like “Extreme” and “FTW” are used in place of significant names and numbers (extra credit to MSI for “Godlike”).

The ASUS  Prime Z690-P D4 Motherboard Supply ($299.99) is the modest name of Asus’ most recent Intel motherboard, which doesn’t reveal anything other than the chipset, which is the most advanced one for 12th Generation CPUs.

The “A” designation is reserved for the highest model in a given series, and Asus marketing its Prime boards as all-purpose platforms. Given that the Prime is priced competitively, we’re delighted to report that it cruises “Alder Lake” without going overboard. But it also fails to wow us.

The motherboards of the ASUS Prime series are skillfully designed to maximize the performance of 12th Generation Intel processors. The ASUS Prime Z690-P D4 Motherboard Supply offers users and PC DIY builders a variety of performance tuning options via easy software and firmware features. It has a reliable power design, extensive cooling solutions, and intelligent tuning options.

ASUS Prime Z690-P D4 Motherboard Supply Specs & Overall look

The ASUS Prime Z690-P D4 Motherboard Supply is a low-cost alternative to the costly Z690 platform, delivering space shuttle styling combined with adequate cooling and power delivery. On its Z690 SKUs, Asus made cosmetic changes to the Z590 Prime boards of the previous generation, upgraded connections, and enhanced power delivery. The result, specifically with the Prime Z690-P, is an ATX motherboard for your Alder Lake processor that is well-equipped and reasonably priced.

The Prime Z690-P has a 20 Gbps Type-C interface, 2.5 GbE, four M.2 sockets with Q-Latch, compatibility for PCIe 5.0 and DDR5, a last-generation flagship audio codec, but no integrated Wi-Fi. It’s a full-featured motherboard at a fair $279 price, although some people might not like the space-shuttle design or the few (six) USB Type-A ports on the rear IO.

In most tests, the Prime Z690-P performed average to slightly above average. Both the RAM tests with AIDA and our gaming benchmarking results were standard. Even though you probably won’t notice it on your electric bill, power utilization was lower than it was for the majority of the Z690 boards we examined.

In other words, during our testing, performance on the Prime wasn’t a problem. In keeping with this, overclocking worked flawlessly with this budget board running our premium Core i9-12900K processor way outside of specifications with a few BIOS adjustments. Continue reading to learn more about the board’s characteristics, our assessment based on testing and use, and how it compares to the finest motherboards. Here is a full list of the Asus Prime Z690-P D4 Motherboard Supply specifications, taken from the Asus website.

CPU	Intel Socket LGA1700 for 12th Gen Intel Core, Pentium Gold, and Celeron Processors 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 type.
Chipset	Intel Z690 Chipset
Memory	4 x DIMM, Max. 128GB, DDR4 5333(OC)/5133(OC)/5000(OC)/4800(OC)/4600(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 Non-ECC, Un-buffered Memory*Dual Channel Memory ArchitectureSupports Intel Extreme Memory Profile (XMP)OptiMem II*Actual Memory data rate depends on the CPU types and DRAM modules.
Graphics	1 x DisplayPort**1 x HDMI Port****Graphics specifications may vary between CPU types.Supports max. 4K@60Hz as specified in DisplayPort 1.4.*** Supports 4K@60Hz as specified in HDMI 2.1.
Expansion Slots	Intel 12th  Gen Processors* 1 x PCIe 5.0/4.0/3.0 x16 slot Intel Z690 Chipset** 1 x PCIe 4.0/3.0 x16 slot (supports x4 mode)2 x PCIe 3.0 x16 slots (supports x4 mode)1 x PCIe 3.0 x1 slot * Please check the PCIe bifurcation table on the support site. ** Supports Intel® Optane Memory H Series on PCH-attached PCIe slot
Storage	Total supports 3 x M.2 slots and 4 x SATA 6Gb/s ports* Intel® 12th Gen ProcessorsM.2_1 slot (Key M), type 2242/2260/2280/22110- Intel 12th Gen processors support PCIe 4.0 x4 mode.Intel Z690 Chipset**M.2_2 slot (Key M), type 2242/2260/2280 (supports PCIe 4.0 x4 mode)M.2_3 slot (Key M), type 2242/2260/2280/22110 (supports PCIe 4.0 x4 & SATA modes)4 x SATA 6Gb/s ports* Intel® Rapid Storage Technology supports NVMe RAID 0/1/5, SATA RAID 0/1/5/10.** Intel Rapid Storage Technology supports Intel® Optane Memory H Series on PCH attached M.2 slots
Ethernet	1 x Realtek 2.5Gb Ethernet
Wireless & Bluetooth	V-M.2 slot only (Key E, CNVi & PCIe)** Wi-Fi module and vertical M.2 Key E bracket set are purchased separately.
USB	Rear USB (Total 6 ports)1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 port (1 x USB Type-C®)1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 port (1 x Type-A)2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (2 x Type-A)2 x USB 2.0 ports (2 x Type-A)  Front USB (Total 9 ports) 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 connector (supports USB Type-C)2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 headers support additional 4 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports2 x USB 2.0 headers support additional 4 USB 2.0 ports** USB_E1 port, USB_E2 port, USB_E3 port and USB_E4 port share the bandwidth.
Audio	Realtek 7.1 Surround Sound High Definition Audio CODEC- Supports: Jack-detection, Multi-streaming, Front Panel Jack-retasking- Supports up to 24-Bit/192 kHz playback Audio Features– Audio Shielding- Rear optical S/PDIF out port- Premium audio capacitors- Dedicated audio PCB layers
Back Panel I/O Ports	1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 port (1 x USB Type-C)1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 port (1 x Type-A)2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (2 x Type-A)2 x USB 2.0 ports (2 x Type-A)1 x DisplayPort1 x HDMI® port1 x V-M.2 slot (Key E)1 x Realtek 2.5Gb Ethernet port5 x Audio jacks1 x Optical S/PDIF out port1 x PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse combo port
Internal I/O Connectors	Fan and Cooling related1 x 4-pin CPU Fan header1 x 4-pin CPU OPT Fan header1 x 4-pin AIO Pump header3 x 4-pin Chassis Fan headers Power related1 x 24-pin Main Power connector1 x 8-pin +12V Power connector1 x 4-pin +12V Power connector Storage related 3 x M.2 slots (Key M)4 x SATA 6Gb/s portsUSB1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 connector (supports USB Type-C®)2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 headers support additional 4 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports2 x USB 2.0 headers support additional 4 USB 2.0 ports Miscellaneous 3 x Addressable Gen 2 headers1 x AURA RGB headers1 x Clear CMOS header1 x COM Port header1 x Front Panel Audio header (AAFP)1 x SPI TPM header (14-1pin)1 x 20-5pin System Panel header1 x Thunderbolt header
Special Features	ASUS 5X PROTECTION III– DIGI+ VRM (- Digital power design with DrMOS)- LANGuard- Overvoltage Protection- SafeSlot- Stainless-Steel Back I/O ASUS Q-Design– Q-DIMM- Q-SlotASUS Thermal Solution– Flexible M.2 heatsink- VRM heatsink design ASUS EZ DIY– ProCoolAURA Sync– AURA RGB header- Addressable Gen 2 headers
Software Features	ASUS Exclusive SoftwareArmoury Crate- AURA Sync- Fan Xpert 4AI Suite 3- Performance And Power Saving Utility  TurboV EVO  EPU  DIGI+ VRMASUS CPU-Z Norton Anti-virus software (Free Trial version)WinRAR UEFI BIOS ASUS EZ DIY- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3- ASUS EZ Flash 3- ASUS UEFI BIOS EZ Mode
BIOS	192 (128+64) Mb Flash ROM, UEFI AMI BIOS
Manageability	WOL by PME, PXE
Accessories	Cables2 x SATA 6Gb/s cables Miscellaneous1 x I/O Shield1 x M.2 Rubber Package2 x M.2 SSD screw packages Installation Media1 x Support DVD Documentation 1 x User guide
Operating System	Windows® 11 64-bit, Windows 10 64-bit
Form Factor	ATX 30.5cm x 23.4cm

Conclusion on ASUS Prime Z690-P D4 Motherboard Supply 

The ASUS Prime Z690-P D4 Motherboard Supply is a board that offers platform enhancements such as support for Alder Lake processors and PCIe 5.0 for graphics. It is largely full-featured. Four PCIe 4.0 x4 M are included with the board’s $279.99(opens in new tab) price.

Two sockets, 2.5 GbE (no Wi-Fi), a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 (20 Gbps) Type-C connector, a flagship audio codec from the most recent generation, improved power supply, and a redesigned design. Overclocking wasn’t an issue, and performance on our Prime board was normal to above average. Overall, it’s a strong SKU that offers a number of upgrades over the Z590 variant.

That is not to suggest that it is without flaws. The Prime color palette might be divisive, to start. You’ll need to search elsewhere if you don’t want white in your construction theme. Outside of that, it appears to be a less expensive motherboard because the shrouds and heatsinks don’t completely enclose the bottom of the board like they do on more expensive models.

The absence of USB ports on the rear IO is the other drawback. There are only six Type-A ports, despite the fact that you gain access to a 20 Gbps Type-C port and a second 10 Gbps Type-C port. You may not agree with me, but I could use all of those right now. Additionally, you’ll need an add-in card if you want to use more than four SATA ports. Not to mention, other boards with comparable prices include wifi connectivity, whereas this one does not.

The ASUS Prime Z690-P D4 Motherboard Supply is a good choice if you want to buy a Z690 motherboard for less than $300 and don’t want Wi-Fi or more than four SATA ports. But at this price, it’s not the most complete.

The Prime Z690-A is a good choice if you need Wi-Fi but don’t need more than four SATA ports or a Z690 motherboard for less than $300. However, it isn’t the most complete at this price range.

Is ASUS Prime Z690-P D4 Motherboard good?

The ASUS Prime Z690-P D4 Motherboard is a board that offers platform enhancements such support for Alder Lake CPUs and PCIe 5.0 for graphics. It is largely full-featured. Two sockets, 2.5 GbE (no Wi-Fi), a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 (20 Gbps) Type-C connector, a flagship audio codec from the most recent generation, improved power supply, and a redesigned design. Performance on our Prime board was regular to above average, and overclocking wasn’t a problem. Overall, it’s a solid product with a number of improvements over the Z590 model.

Overall, the ASUS Prime Z690-P D4 Motherboard performs a lot of things well and very few things incorrectly. It is an excellent recipe for success for many builders. You could do much worse if you want a strong and reliable board that meets your needs without overwhelming you with options.

Sadly, that comes out as damning with scant praise. We wish to support the ASUS Prime Z690-P D4 Motherboard since we frequently choose general-purpose motherboards over specialized gaming versions for custom setups, but it fell short of our expectations. Although good, its storage connectivity is not noticeably superior than those of boards with comparable prices.

For fans of cooling, it offers a lot of fan headers, although their arrangement isn’t perfect. Although it lacks Wi-Fi, it isn’t considerably more expensive than boards that do. The single RGB lighting strip doesn’t seem to be a part of the design plan at all, more like something that was added to check a box. Although the abundance of USB ports on the back panel is positive, will this influence your choice to buy?

The ASUS Prime Z690-P D4 Motherboard is a good choice if you want to buy a Z690 motherboard for less than $300 and don’t want Wi-Fi or more than four SATA ports. Yet at this price, it’s not the most complete.

Is ASUS Prime Z690-P D4 Motherboard good for gaming?

Our test machine has been upgraded to Windows 11 64-bit OS as of October 2021 with all updates installed. The Asus TUF RTX 3070(opens in new tab) video card from our prior testing platforms was preserved, however the driver was upgraded to version 496.13. Also, as seen in the table below, we updated our assortment of games. Unless otherwise stated, we utilize the most recent motherboard BIOS that is not in beta.

We’ve updated our game testing as of the Z690 chipset’s release. Far Cry: New Dawn has been upgraded to Far Cry 6, and F1 2020 has been replaced with F1 2021. The games are played at 1920 x 1080 resolution using the Ultra setting (details listed above). The influence of the CPU tends to decrease as the resolution increases.

We want to evaluate whether there are any performance variations using these settings at the most widely used resolution with settings that most people use, or at least attempt to use. The majority of the board-to-board variations in these tests ought should be within the margin of error. In order to improve gameplay and immersion, we’ve also set a minimum FPS number.

One of the fastest sets of data we have is the ASUS Prime Z690-P D4 Motherboard F1 2021 average of 165 frames per second with minimums of 141 frames per second (bested only by 142/166 results). The Far Cry 6 test board recorded an average frame rate of 136 fps and a minimum of 116 fps. The minimal outcomes are among the slowest ones that we’ve observed.

Our simulated benchmarks continue to show no discernible differences amongst Z690 boards. On the lower end of average, The Prime scored 14,452 on 3DMark Time Spy and 16,769 on Fire Strike Extreme. Again, there is not much of a difference between the tested DDR5 boards.

Which slots does ASUS Prime Z690-P D4 Motherboard have?

A total of five PCIe slots are included for PCIe compatibility, including one full-length PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, one full-length PCIe 4.0 x4 slot, two full-length PCIe 3.0 x4 slots, and one smaller PCIe 3.0 x1 slot. There are three PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slots for storage, one of which supports SATA SSDs as well. ASUS Prime Z690-P D4 Motherboard feature four straight-angled SATA ports that can handle RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 arrays. ASUS has also included four memory slots, each with a capacity of up to DDR4-5333 and a total capacity of up to 128 GB.

Can you overclock with ASUS Prime Z690-P D4 Motherboard?

Because of the hybrid core arrangement, overclocking with Alder Lake is a little different than we’re accustomed to. You may now overclock the P and E cores individually, even though they share the same voltage domain. There is some flexibility because you may press one and not the other, or both.

To that purpose, we overclocked all P-cores to 5.1 GHz and all E-cores to 4.1 GHz. This results in a 200 MHz increase for the P-cores and a 400 MHz increase for the E-cores. We’ve exhausted the P-cores, owing mostly to temperature, but the more efficient E-cores still have some wiggle space.

The flagship 8+8-core/24-thread i9-12900K and our ASUS Prime Z690-P D4 Motherboard overclocked rather easily. Because our first evaluation helped us determine the necessary voltage, we plugged in the 1.25V figure for Vcore, changed LLC to Mode 6 (up from the Asus-recommended LLC4), and successfully tested it with little vdroop. Considering that the voltage was 1.23V according to CPUz, utilizing LLC6 significantly reduced the vdroop.

How much power does ASUS Prime Z690-P D4 Motherboard use?

In order to test for power usage, we utilized AIDA64’s System Stability Test with Stress CPU, FPU, and Cache enabled. The Kill-A-Watt meter is used to obtain the wattage reading from the wall in order to measure the complete Computer without the monitor. All other components are the same; the motherboard is the only variance.

The ASUS Prime Z690-P D4 Motherboard used 64W when at rest, placing it in the center of our findings. One of the lowest load values evaluated, the max load wattage was 288W. In terms of power use, the Prime is just somewhat better than average. Most of the time, it would be difficult to tell the difference between most of these boards in your power bill.

The maximum VRM temps on our Prime during stock testing and when overclocked were both near to 55 degrees Celsius. Another board that consumes more power at stock speeds than when we set our overclock is the ASUS Prime Z690-P D4 Motherboard. VRM temperatures were a little bit higher than average. They are, nonetheless, performing admirably within their limits. About the VRMs, you shouldn’t be concerned.