ASRock Z790ILIGHTNINGWIFI LGA1700 Mini-ITX Motherboard — main product image

ASRock Z790ILIGHTNINGWIFI LGA1700 Mini-ITX Motherboard

ASRock

ASRock Z790ILIGHTNINGWIFI LGA1700 Mini-ITX Motherboard

Name: ASRock Z790ILIGHTNINGWIFI LGA1700 Mini-ITX Motherboard
Brand: ASRock
SKU: Z790ILIGHTNINGWIFI

★★★★★4.3 (77 reviews)

USB 3.2USB 2.0DisplayPort

Full Intel 14th-Gen platform performance — PCIe 5.0, DDR5-8600, and Wi-Fi 6E — compressed into a 170×170mm Mini-ITX footprint without cutting power delivery corners.

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Overview

The ASRock Z790I Lightning WiFi is a Mini-ITX motherboard on Intel's Z790 chipset, targeting builders who refuse to accept platform compromises in exchange for a small footprint. The 14+1+1 phase power delivery with 110A Smart Power Stages is the lead specification — on a board this size, that VRM configuration means a Core i9-14900K can run at its full thermal design power without the board becoming the bottleneck, which is not a given in this form factor. Memory support extends to DDR5-8600 in XMP/EXPO profiles across two DIMM slots for up to 96GB, and the single expansion slot is a full PCIe 5.0 x16, providing GPU bandwidth parity with full-size ATX builds. The two Hyper M.2 slots at PCIe Gen4 x4 each support drives up to roughly 7,000 MB/s sequential read — fast enough that no current consumer NVMe drive will outrun them.

This board is built for one specific builder profile: someone who wants a high-performance Intel gaming or workstation system in the smallest viable enclosure, and is willing to accept the storage port ceiling (2 M.2 + 3 SATA) and dual-DIMM memory constraint that come with the territory. The 802.11axe Wi-Fi 6E and 2.5G LAN combination means the compact chassis doesn't compromise the network stack, which matters for competitive gaming rigs and streaming builds alike. Nahimic audio processing is included via Realtek ALC897, providing software-enhanced audio without a discrete card. For the power user, the critical planning consideration is case selection — the PCIe 5.0 GPU and M.2 drives share close physical proximity, so a case with active M.2 cooling or adequate GPU clearance is not optional.

Key Features

System Compatibility Note: This Mini-ITX form factor (6.7-in x 6.7-in) is designed for small form factor (SFF) cases; please verify chassis specifications before purchase.

Dedicated Support: Please contact us directly through Amazon for any product questions or assistance you may require.

Flagship Intel Mini-ITX Platform: Supports 14th, 13th & 12th Gen Intel Core processors (LGA1700) with a server-grade low-loss PCB, delivering uncompromising performance in a compact 6.7"x6.7" form factor.

Extreme Power Design: 14+1+1 phase power design with 110A SPS for VCore+GT and enlarged heatsink armor, providing absolute stability for extreme overclocking.

Blazing-Fast DDR5 Memory: 2 x DDR5 DIMM slots support dual-channel configurations and overclocked speeds up to 8600+ (OC), with support for Intel Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) 3.0.

PCIe 5.0 Ready: Features one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot with 15µ gold contact for next-generation graphics cards, ensuring maximum bandwidth for your compact build.

Dual Hyper M.2 Storage: Equipped with 2 x Hyper M.2 slots supporting PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe SSDs and 3 x SATA3 ports, offering flexible high-speed storage configurations. Supports RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 for NVMe drives.

Phantom Gaming 2.5G LAN & Wi-Fi 6E: Features Phantom Gaming 2.5G LAN and 802.11axe Wi-Fi 6E module with Bluetooth 5.3, delivering ultra-fast wired and wireless networking for lag-free gaming.

Comprehensive USB Connectivity: Offers rear USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A and Type-C ports (10 Gb/s), front USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C header, plus additional USB 3.2 Gen1 and USB 2.0 ports for all peripherals.

Premium Audio & Display Outputs: 7.1 CH HD Audio with Realtek ALC897 codec and Nahimic Audio enhancement, plus HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 outputs supporting up to 8K 60Hz.

Specifications

Brand

ASRock

Model

Z790ILIGHTNINGWIFI

Form Factor

Mini-ITX (170 x 170mm)

Socket

LGA1700

CPU Support

12th, 13th, 14th Gen Intel Core

Memory Slots

2 x DDR5 DIMM (Dual Channel)

Max Memory

96GB

Memory Speed

Up to DDR5-8600+ (OC)

Power Phases

14+1+1 Phase, 110A SPS (VCore+GT)

PCIe Slots

1 x PCIe 5.0 x16

M.2 Slots

2 x Hyper M.2 (PCIe Gen4 x4)

SATA Ports

2 x SATA3

LAN

2.5G (Phantom Gaming NIC)

Wireless

802.11axe Wi-Fi 6E + Bluetooth

Audio

7.1 CH HD (Realtek ALC897), Nahimic Audio

Rear USB

1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C, 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A, 4x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A

Front USB Headers

1x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C, 2x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A, 2x USB 2.0

Video Output

1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort

ASIN

B0D3S7Z3YG

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

14+1+1 phase VRM with 110A SPS stages provides power delivery capable of sustaining K-series CPUs at high TDP — rare at this price point in Mini-ITX.
PCIe 5.0 x16 slot delivers full-bandwidth GPU connectivity with no lane splitting or compromises from the compact form factor.
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11axe) with Bluetooth adds the full 6GHz band, reducing wireless congestion in dense environments compared to Wi-Fi 6 boards.
Two PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 slots eliminate the storage compromise typically associated with Mini-ITX designs.
2.5G LAN (Phantom Gaming NIC) provides wired throughput that saturates most home and prosumer network infrastructure.

👎 Cons

Only two DDR5 DIMM slots — maximum 96GB ceiling means no upgrade path beyond two 48GB sticks, and dual-channel requires populating both slots.
Mini-ITX layout forces PCIe 5.0 GPU installation adjacent to M.2 slots, which can complicate airflow and NVMe thermals in tight cases.
Three SATA ports total limits traditional drive arrays — builders needing more than two M.2 plus three 2.5"/3.5" drives will hit a storage port ceiling quickly.
Single front-panel USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C header offers less front I/O flexibility than ATX alternatives with dual or Gen2 front headers.
Rear I/O provides one USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C and one Type-A Gen2 — workloads requiring simultaneous high-speed peripheral connections may find the rear port count tight.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Intel processor generations does the Z790I Lightning WiFi support?

The board supports 12th, 13th, and 14th Gen Intel Core processors on the LGA1700 socket. All three generations share the same physical socket, so a 12th-Gen system can be upgraded to a 14th-Gen CPU without a board swap, provided BIOS is up to date.

What does the 14+1+1 phase power design mean for overclocking headroom?

The 14+1+1 configuration with 110A Smart Power Stages on VCore and GT means each phase carries a high current budget, which reduces thermal stress per stage under sustained load. For a Mini-ITX board, this is an unusually robust VRM — it provides meaningful headroom for running a 13th or 14th-Gen K-series CPU at elevated power limits without voltage instability or thermal throttling from the delivery circuit.

Will this board bottleneck a PCIe 5.0 NVMe drive or GPU?

No. The single PCIe 5.0 x16 slot runs at full gen5 bandwidth for a GPU, and the two Hyper M.2 slots are PCIe Gen4 x4 — which tops out around 7,000 MB/s per slot. At the time of this board's release, Gen4 x4 is not a storage bottleneck for any consumer workload.

How much RAM can this board actually support, and what speed is realistic?

Two DDR5 DIMM slots support up to 96GB total (two 48GB sticks). XMP/EXPO profiles are supported up to DDR5-8600, though real-world stability at that speed depends on the memory kit's ICs. DDR5-6000 to DDR5-6400 represents the sweet spot for performance-per-dollar on this platform.

Does the Wi-Fi 6E antenna need to be installed externally?

Yes. The 802.11axe (Wi-Fi 6E) module uses external antenna connectors on the rear I/O. The antenna(s) must be connected for full signal strength; operating without them in a metal case will degrade wireless performance significantly.