SuperMicro C9Z390-CG-IW Z390 Motherboard Review

Final Thoughts

How Much Does it Cost?

Unfortunately, at the time of writing, we didn’t have up to date pricing for this motherboard. It should hit retail today though, so we will update this as soon as possible.

Overview

For the Z390 launch, we’ve seen plenty of impressive motherboards hitting the market. We’ve seen some new records set for a few benchmarks too. While the SuperMicro C9Z390-CG-IW Z390 didn’t break any records today, it’s certainly not without merit. If I was running a 9900K at stock and wanted a mini-ITX build, this motherboard is certainly an attractive option. However, overclocking such an extreme CPU on such a small form-factor clearly isn’t ideal.

Performance

For the 9th Gen CPU launch, you’re spoilt for choice with motherboards, and there are over 50 launching! The latest from SuperMicro performs well for a mini-ITX motherboard though. Keep in mind it was only a single 8-pin header and has to have smaller VRM coolers vs the ATX boards we tested. The i9-9900K runs very hot, and there’s only so much this board can do at the extreme end. However, for day-to-day gaming and processing, it’s no slouch. Cramming in good audio, loads of storage options, and durable build quality doesn’t go unnoticed though. It’s certainly a versatile motherboard.

Added Value

If the price is right, you do get a lot out of this motherboard. Support for both 8th and 9th gen processors means you can upgrade your board now and CPU can be updated at a later date. With built-in Gigabyte LAN and 802.11n Wi-Fi you’ve got great networking too. For GPU-free systems, you also have the DP and HDMI ports. However, it’s also got four USB Gen 2 ports, including Type-C, as well as USB Gen 1 for good measure.

Should I Buy One?

Compact, very well made, and with the reliability that Super Micro is renowned for, this is a great mini-ITX board. It may not have the guts to take down the bigger and more expensive motherboards, but that’s hardly a surprise. However, for mini-ITX, it’s capable of dealing with the new flagship Intel CPUs; very impressive!