With the launch of Z690 chipset, Intel introduced the support for DDR5 RAM. As a result, Intel got the edge against AMD. Unfortunately, the pricing for DDR5 RAM is so high at the moment that most of the PC builders are still preferring Z690 motherboards with DDR4 support instead of DDR5. Note that the latencies for DDR5 RAM are not impressive as well. In this post, we’ll compare ASUS ROG STRIX Z690-A GAMING WIFI D4 vs TUF GAMING Z690-PLUS WIFI D4 motherboard.
Currently, ASUS offers only three Z690 DDR4 WiFi motherboards (check the list below):
- ROG STRIX Z690-A GAMING WIFI D4 (Check Price & Availability)
- TUF GAMING Z690-PLUS WIFI D4 (Check Price & Availability)
- PRIME Z690-P WIFI D4 (Check Price & Availability)
Both ASUS ROG STRIX Z690-A GAMING WIFI D4 and TUF GAMING Z690-PLUS WIFI D4 come in ATX form factor and differ in terms of power architecture, expansion slots, connectivity, etc. In terms of similarities, both Z690 motherboards support DDR4 RAM (up to 128 GB), 4x M.2 slots, Intel WiFi 6, 1x Intel 2.5Gb, and some other vital features.
Neither of these motherboards come with “onboard” Thunderbolt slots. Fortunately, there is a TB header on these motherboards via which you can install the ThunderboltEX 4 AIC to access Thunderbolt 4 ports.
Take a look at the specifications comparison table below to quickly find out the differences.
Asus ROG STRIX Z690-A GAMING WIFI D4 vs TUF GAMING Z690-PLUS WIFI D4 Motherboard Specifications Comparison
| ROG STRIX Z690-A GAMING WIFI D4 | TUF GAMING Z690-PLUS WIFI D4 | |
|---|---|---|
| CPU Socket | LGA1700 | LGA1700 |
| Chipset | Z690 | Z690 |
| Form factor | ATX | ATX |
| Power Architecture | 16+1 (80A) | 14+1 (80A) |
| DDR5 / DDR4 | DDR4 | DDR4 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 128GB (4 x DIMM) | 128GB (4 x DIMM) |
| Max RAM Speed | 5333(OC) | 5333(OC) |
| OptiMem | OptiMem III | OptiMem II |
| Graphics output | DP 1.4/HDMI 2.1 | DP 1.4/HDMI 2.1 |
| Expansion Slots | 1 x PCIe 5.0 x16 (x16) 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16 (x4) – 1 x PCIe x1 | 1 x PCIe 5.0 x16 (x16) 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16 (x4) 1 x PCIe 3.0 x4 2 x PCIe x1 |
| Thunderbolt 4 | 1 x TB Header | 1 x TB Header |
| M.2 Slots | 2 x 22110 (PCIe 4.0 x4) 1 x 2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4) 1 x 2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4 & SATA) | 2 x 22110 (PCIe 4.0 x4) 1 x 2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4) 1 x 2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4 & SATA) |
| SATA 6Gb/s | 6 | 4 |
| Connectivity | 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C (Rear: 1 x Type-C), Front: (1x Type-C) 3x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Rear: 2x Type-A, 1x Type-C) 6x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Rear: 4x Type-A), Front: 2x Type-A) 6x USB 2.0 (Rear: 4x Type-A), (Front: 2x Type-A) | 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C 3x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Rear: 2x Type-A), (Front: 1x Type-C) 7x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Rear: 4x Type-A, 1x Type-C) (Front: 2x Type-A) 4x USB 2.0 (Rear: 4x Type-A) |
| Wireless | Intel Wi-Fi 6 | Intel Wi-Fi 6 |
| Ethernet | 1 x Intel® 2.5Gb | 1 x Intel® 2.5Gb |
| Audio Codec | Realtek ALC 4080 | Realtek ALC 897 |
| Impedance sense | Yes | N/A |
| DAC/AMP | Savitech SV3H712 | N/A |
| Audio Cover | Yes | Yes |
| LED audio jacks | N/A | N/A |
| Audio effects | Sonic Studio III Sonic Studio Virtual Mixer Sonic Suite Companion Sonic Radar III DTS® Sound Unbound | DTS Audio Processing |
| Onboard Fan headers | 8 | 7 |
| M.2 Backplate | 1 | N/A |
| Heatsinked M.2 | 4 | 3 |
| AI Overclocking | Yes | N/A |
| AI Cooling | Yes | N/A |
| AI Networking (GameFirst VI) | Yes | N/A |
| Two-Way AI Noise-Cancelation | Yes | Yes |
| M.2 Q-Latch | Yes | Yes |
| PCIe Slot Q-Release | Yes | N/A |
| PCIe 5.0 SafeSlot | Yes | Yes |
| SafeDIMM | Yes | Yes |
| Pre-mount I/O Shield | Yes | Yes |
| Aura Sync | Yes | Yes |
| RGB Header | 3x ARGB 1x RGB | 3x ARGB 1x RGB |
| CPU Power Connector | 8-pin + 8-pin | 8-pin + 4-pin |
| COM | N/A | 1 |
| SPI / TPM | 1x SPI-TPM header (14-1 pin) | 1x SPI header (14-5 pin) |
| Price & Availability | Check Current Price & Availability | Check Current Price & Availability |
In terms of power architecture, USB connectivity, audio codec, and thermal performance, the ROG STRIX Z690-A GAMING WIFI D4 is a better choice. If you won’t be overclocking much and you own an audio interface, you’ll be fine with either of these motherboards. The TUF GAMING Z690-PLUS WIFI D4 on the other side offers additional PCIe 3.0 x4 and PCIe x1 expansion slots.
Overall, the ASUS ROG STRIX Z690-A GAMING WIFI D4 offers more features than TUF GAMING Z690-PLUS WIFI D4 but it costs more for the same. If you’re on a budget, go for the TUF model. I’d personally recommend going for the ROG.
Recommended Z690 DDR4 WiFi motherboard from ASUS: ROG STRIX Z690-A GAMING WIFI D4
