ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero
LGA1700 · Z790
MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi
LGA1851 · Z890 · Wi-Fi 7 · USB4
MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero lands at 90 and MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi at 91. That puts MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi ahead by 1 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero if…
- ✓PCIe 5.0 support
- ✓Current-gen networking
- ✓Modern I/O
Pick MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi if…
- ✓Dual USB4 ports
- ✓Strong memory training
- ✓Solid BIOS
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate testVRM quality
MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFiCompared on the VRM quality sub-score
MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi leads on vrm (92 vs 90).
Features
MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFiCompared on the features sub-score
MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi leads on features (94 vs 88).
BIOS
MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFiCompared on the BIOS quality sub-score
MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi leads on bios (90 vs 86).
Value for money
MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFiSpecdex score per dollar at MSRP
MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi more score per dollar ($529 vs $629).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero | MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1700 | LGA1851 |
| Chipset | Z790 | Z890 |
| RAM slots | — | 4× DDR5-9000+ |
| PCIe | — | 1× PCIe 5.0 x16 |
| Networking | — | 2.5 GbE + Wi-Fi 7 |
ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero
- +PCIe 5.0 support
- +Current-gen networking
- +Modern I/O
- −Firmware updates on launch
- −DDR5 required
- −Pricing varies week to week
MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi
- +Dual USB4 ports
- +Strong memory training
- +Solid BIOS
- −Only 2.5 GbE
- −Heat spreader fit issues
- −Audio codec dated
FAQ: ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero vs MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi
Which is better, ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero or MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi? +
MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi scores 91 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 1. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero worth the price? +
At $629, ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero delivers a Specdex score of 90 — strongest in vrm.
Is MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi worth the price? +
At $529, MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi delivers a Specdex score of 91 — strongest in features.
Does ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero or MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.
Which is better for VRM quality, ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero or MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi? +
MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi — leads on vrm (92 vs 90). Compared on the VRM quality sub-score.
Which is better for features, ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero or MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi? +
MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi — leads on features (94 vs 88). Compared on the features sub-score.