Biostar Racing Z490GTN motherboard review: A mediocre Mini-ITX board with a high asking price
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Last resortBiostar Racing Z490GTN motherboard review: A mediocre Mini-ITX lath with a high request toll
Not quite the ultimate compact Biostar Intel battle station. 
Source: Rich Edmonds / Windows Fundamental
I'm a fan of modest course factor (SFF) PC builds. It'southward always an experience with a stiff sense of accomplishment when cramming in an amazing corporeality of functioning and functionality in such a meaty platform. Mini-ITX boards can be pricey since manufacturers take to cram most of the gubbins from a standard-sized motherboard onto a smaller package.
Biostar is a familiar brand in the lower end of the toll segment for Mini-ITX boards. The Racing Z490GTN is the visitor'southward respond for anyone looking to build a compact system with 10th and 11th Gen Intel processors. Information technology makes good use of Intel's Z490 chipset, though you will discover some omissions compared to premium total-sized boards.
The Racing Z490GTN came in at $200 at launch, though you tin easily find one for much less. The cost is a little high even though it rocks the Z490 chipset. It's possible to find a Mini-ITX for a niggling less if yous are on a strict budget and don't mind slightly downgrading to the Intel B460 chipset.
Today, nosotros're going to exist looking at the Biostar Racing Z490GTN to see if this mid-range Mini-ITX motherboard is worth because for a meaty PC build.
Finishing Mid-table
Biostar Racing Z490GTN
Bottom line: It'south good, but Biostar falls a little short of the competition with the Racing Z490GTN. The sub-par sound codec, lack of any 2.5Gb LAN, requirement to purchase a dissever Wi-Fi adapter, single Thousand.2 slot, and space issues make this a tough buy unless on auction.
Pros
- Expert arrangement stability
- Allows for some overclocking
- Small-scale and compact
- Subtle design
- Piece of cake-to-use UEFI BIOS
Cons
- Wi-Fi six PCIe not included
- Tight spacing between RAM and CPU socket
- Underwhelming compared to the competition
Biostar Racing Z490GTN tech specs
Source: Rich Edmonds / Windows Fundamental
Biostar's Racing Z490GTN has a lot going for it since it's rocking Intel'southward best generation chipset. Since it's Mini-ITX, y'all've only got two DIMM slots for a maximum of 64GB of RAM. There'southward a full-sized PCIe 3.0 x16 slot, a single Grand.2 slot (as well as a secondary one for Wi-Fi/Bluetooth cards), iv SATA ports, and plenty of USB ports on the rear with all the usual I/O.
| Category | Biostar Racing Z490GTN |
|---|---|
| Size | Mini-ITX |
| CPU | Intel 10th & 11th Gen |
| Socket | LGA1200 |
| RAM | 2x DDR4 DIMM (up to DDR4 4400) |
| Chipset | Intel Z490 |
| Expansion | 1x PCIe 3.0 x16 slot |
| Storage | 4x SATA (6Gbps) 1x Grand.2 (PCIe three.0 x4/SATA SSD support) 1x M.two for Wi-Fi/Bluetooth module |
| Audio | Realtek ALC892 |
| Rear ports | 2x Wi-Fi PS/2 1x VGA 1x HDMI 2x USB 2.0 4x USB 3.2 Gen ane ports 1x 1Gb 3x audio jacks |
| NVIDIA SLI | - |
| AMD CrossFire | - |
| Launch price | $200 |
Yous may find the specification list above a little limiting, especially if you lot plan on overclocking a beefy Intel Cadre i9 processor and want to build the most capable enthusiast system possible. There'due south simply a single PCIe slot, just iv SATA ports, and a vi+ii power phase commitment pattern. The Z490GTN isn't the most capable board around, simply it's a solid mid-tier solution on paper.
Biostar Racing Z490GTN blueprint and features
The Biostar Racing GTN series of Mini-ITX motherboards aren't premium by any means, and as such, you won't be rocking a striking design and RGB lighting if you go with the Z490GTN. It has a more subtle pattern with a nice black PCB and black/gray elements for the various shielding and components.
Biostar managed to cram plenty onto the Racing Z490GTN motherboard, only information technology can go a little likewise tight.
If you want some RGB in your PC gaming life, at that place are the usual 5v and 12v LED headers for all your favorite RGB accessories. Also equally the more subdued styling, the motherboard itself is rather clutter-free. The M.2 slot is on the rear to aid aid space. You may find things to get a fiddling tight, specially if you plan on using larger CPU coolers like the be tranquillity! Dark Stone Pro 4.
I tried to install the aforementioned libation and ran into issues every bit the spacing between the DIMM slots, and Intel socket is pretty much non-existent with such a large heatsink. AIO solutions and smaller air coolers are a must, the former especially so if y'all plan on using more than powerful Intel Core i7 or i9 processors.
Source: Rich Edmonds / Windows Cardinal
The Biostar Racing Z490GTN is powered using 8-pivot 12v and 24-pivot ATX connections. Access to these ports is a breeze, thanks to the configuration of the board itself. In that location are three fan headers (consisting of CPU, CPU_OPT, and SYS_FAN), so fan splitters volition be required if you program on using this board inside a PC example with more than a single fan.
It's also worth noting that the single organisation fan header may be challenging to use if you programme on installing a thick GPU since information technology's positioned direct above the one PCIe x16 slot. Four SATA ports are located near the internal USB 3.0 header and all the front console connections. Information technology's a make clean-looking board that's easy to use and will allow for some effective cable routing.
Biostar Racing Z490GTN stability and functioning
In recent decades, motherboards take come so far that it'southward now difficult to find ones that do not perform well enough for gaming or even certain enthusiast tasks. I put together an Intel test rig with the Biostar Racing Z490GTN with mixed expectations. Intel'south Cadre i7-10700K seemed ideal for this platform.
One shouldn't wait outstanding results with such a Mini-ITX motherboard equally the Z490GTN. It'south a mid-tier solution that volition yield equivalent results, particularly if y'all plan on overclocking. The lath makes use of a 6+ii phase delivery design for the CPU, which isn't terrible, only information technology falls short of what's offered by premium Intel motherboards.
Performance is good enough for a compact media center PC build or small gaming rig.
Cooling for the VRMs is okay, allowing the Cadre i7-10700K to overclock slightly without causing organisation instability. In some synthetic testing to come across how the CPU performed at stock settings, I managed to obtain 7,487 in PC Mark 10 and 5,706 and 571 in CPU-Z. This was every bit expected, coming in a lilliputian under the Gigabyte Z490 AORUS ULTRA.
I fired up Path of Exile, Tomb Raider, GTA V, and Ashes of a Singularity for gaming. Each title performed well enough, given the hardware installed on the test bench. Overclocking the CPU (to 5.0GHz) allowed for a slight increase in organization performance for both productivity and gaming. CPU temperatures were recorded at 87C (189F), so things can get a little toasty.
Biostar'south UEFI BIOS is actually prissy to use. My favorite solution is from ASUS, and Biostar is correct up there with the Z490GTN. It's easy-to-use, has a good-looking UI with a nighttime colour palette, and allows you to conveniently switch betwixt bones and advanced modes, depending on what yous wish to accomplish.
It's not going to allow you to tweak absolutely everything, but should yous but wish to make your CPU and RAM become a little faster and activate some RGB lighting using the available headers, the BIOS is a great tool that takes just minutes to learn.
Biostar Racing Z490GTN Things you'll dislike
The most annoying part most unboxing the Biostar Racing Z490GTN is how you need to separately purchase the Wi-Fi 6 PCIe card. Information technology's non bundled with the lath, which isn't cracking if you plan on installing everything on the solar day of arrival to become online immediately. These cards aren't pricey, simply it would have been proficient to have one included.
Spacing on the motherboard tin can evidence an issue, peculiarly if you plan on using a bulky CPU libation, which tin knock against your RAM modules or a beefy GPU with a substantial shroud. This isn't a problem limited to this motherboard merely is worth bearing in mind equally you plan out your PC build.
Lastly, yous may not relish having the Realtek ALC892, especially since a motherboard like the ASRock Z490M-ITX/air conditioning comes with a improve codec (and a second M.2 slot, likewise equally integrated wireless and ii.5Gb LAN) for about the aforementioned cost. It makes this a harder sell.
Should you purchase the Biostar Racing Z490GTN?
Source: Rich Edmonds / Windows Central
Who it'southward for
- If you demand an Intel Z490 motherboard
- If you lot plan on using a tenth or 11th Gen Intel CPU
- If you want to salve money for other PC parts
- If yous want a subtly designed motherboard
- If you want to build a compact PC
Who it isn't for
- If you accept a ninth Gen Intel CPU
- If you want to really push your CPU beyond its limits
- If you want the best Intel motherboard platform
Is the Biostar Racing Z490GTN ane of the best motherboards you can find correct at present? Unfortunately not. It'south likewise non one of the best Mini-ITX motherboards either. If Biostar priced this at $125 or somewhere thereabouts at launch, it would have made more sense, but at $200, it's a tough purchase.
Luckily, yous tin buy i for less than $150 without looking besides hard, which makes the pill a fiddling easier to swallow. You will yet need to buy a Wi-Fi half dozen adapter for wireless connectivity, but at least the savings on the board itself can be used to offset this boosted cost. If yous don't mind a slightly weaker audio experience, there'southward no significant drawback to choosing the Racing Z490GTN for a mini PC build.
Information technology's fast with enough grunt to handle even an overclocked Intel Core i7-10700K processor, though you lot may find the spacing between the socket and DIMM slots to be a petty tight for installing a more capable CPU cooler to handle the excess heat. This motherboard won't win any races (contrary to the branding) merely volition manage to ability your ITX PC if y'all don't listen missing out on certain features.
Finishing Mid-table
Biostar Racing Z490GTN
Consider if on sale
Nosotros'd recommend the Racing Z490GTN if Biostar puts information technology on auction. This motherboard is good but non quite good plenty to warrant the original $200 request price.
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Rich Edmonds
Rich Edmonds is a word conjurer at Windows Central, covering everything related to Windows, gaming, and hardware. He'southward been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or ii about the magic inside a device chassis. You can follow him over on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.
Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/biostar-racing-z490gtn-review
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