ASUS
ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero
LGA1700 · Z790
90
/ 100
From $629
VS
MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi wins by 1
MSI
MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi
LGA1851 · Z890 · Wi-Fi 7 · USB4
91
/ 100
From $529
Specdex verdict
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
ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero 90
vs 91 MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi
Score breakdown
ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero
90 vrm 90
features 88
bios 86
value 84
MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi
91 vrm 92
features 94
bios 90
value 88
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
Pros
- +PCIe 5.0 support
- +Current-gen networking
- +Modern I/O
Cons
- −Firmware updates on launch
- −DDR5 required
- −Pricing varies week to week
MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi
Pros
- +Dual USB4 ports
- +Strong memory training
- +Solid BIOS
Cons
- −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.