ASUS ROG Strix Z490-F Gaming upgrade guide

Updated Oct. 22, 2026 · Written from this device's verified specifications

The ASUS ROG Strix Z490-F Gaming is a good board to upgrade: nothing is soldered, so the memory and processor are all socketed and replaceable. This guide covers what fits in each area, the limits, and the pitfalls to plan around before you spend money.

At a glance

  • RAM: 4 DDR4 DIMM slots, up to 32 GB per stick and 128 GB total, non-ECC unbuffered only.
  • Storage: 2 M.2 slots (both take 2242-22110 drives) plus 6 SATA 6 Gb/s ports, but some ports switch off when M.2 drives are installed.
  • CPU: LGA 1200 socket with 10th Gen Intel Core, Pentium Gold and Celeron. LGA 1200 is end-of-line.
4× DDR4 DIMM, up to 128 GB (4× 32 GB)4 × DDR4 DIMM · up to 128 GB total · 4800 MT/s
2× M.2 Key M (2242–22110) + 6× SATA 6 Gb/s2 × SSD M.2 2242 / M.2 2260 / M.2 2280 / M.2 22110 (NVMe / SATA)
LGA 1200 — 10th Gen Intel Core (Comet Lake)LGA1200 · Ryzen 3000
CPU · LGA12004 × DIMM · DDR4up to 128 GB total2× M.2 Key M (2242–22110) + 6×SATA 6 Gb/s2 × SSD M.2 2242 / M.2 2260 / M.2 2280 /M.2 22110 (NVMe / SATA)
Schematic of the upgradeable slots (not to scale). Check the owner's manual for their exact positions.

Lifecycle and support

A current model: sold new and supported.

20202021202220232024202520262027Today11 · Release · May 2020
Filled dots: dates published by the manufacturer. Hollow dots: estimates from third-party sources.
MilestoneDate
Release
First available to buy.		 May 2020 Estimate Z490 (LGA1200/Comet Lake-S) boards were announced in late April 2020 and reached retail in May 2020; third-party price-comparison listing only, so month precision as an estimate
Source ↗

Dates not listed haven't been published by the manufacturer or a reliable third party.

RAM (memory)

The board has 4 DIMM slots and no soldered memory, so you can start small and add later. It takes 288-pin desktop DDR4 DIMMs only, non-ECC and unbuffered (UDIMM). Server memory (ECC, registered or buffered) and laptop SO-DIMMs do not fit.

Capacity: up to 32 GB per stick and 128 GB in total (4 x 32 GB). The dual-channel design works best with matched pairs, so plan upgrades in twos. Mixed sizes are allowed, but the smaller channel runs in dual-channel and the rest drops to single-channel, which costs you performance.

Speed: native memory speed is set by your CPU. Core i9/i7 chips run DDR4-2933/2800/2666/2400/2133 natively, while i5/i3, Pentium and Celeron are typically limited to DDR4-2666. Everything above that is an overclock and needs an XMP-rated kit with XMP enabled in the BIOS. ASUS's own sources disagree on the ceiling: the spec page lists DDR4-4800 (O.C.) while the manual and product page top out at DDR4-4600 (O.C.). Treat 4600 as the safe advertised maximum and check the QVL on asus.com for the exact kit you want; 4800 is only realistic with hand-picked modules and a strong memory controller.

What to watch out for:
- Buy matched modules with the same CAS latency, ideally the same vendor and version. The manual recommends this explicitly.
- Enable XMP in the BIOS after installing a fast kit, or it will run at a lower default speed. Some overclocking kits default below their rated value.
- Full four-stick loads and overclocking benefit from extra memory cooling.
- A BIOS update may be needed for newer high-density 32 GB dual-rank modules.

Buying tip: pick a kit from the ASUS QVL or a vendor compatibility list, and buy the capacity you need in the fewest, largest sticks that fit your channel plan, so you leave room to add later.

Buying tips

  • Matched kit from the QVL, ordered in pairs for dual-channel.
  • XMP-rated DDR4 if you want more than your CPU's native speed.
  • 32 GB per stick is the ceiling, so 128 GB total is the maximum.

Storage (SSDs and drives)

You get 2 M.2 Key M slots plus 6 SATA 6 Gb/s ports, so there is plenty of room for a bigger or faster drive.

Both M.2 slots accept 2242, 2260, 2280 and 22110 (110 mm) drives, and the board includes M.2 heatsinks. They are not identical:
- M.2_1 supports either PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe or a SATA-protocol M.2 drive.
- M.2_2 is NVMe only. A SATA M.2 drive will not work in it.

Bandwidth sharing matters when you add drives:
- If M.2_1 runs in SATA mode, SATA port 2 is disabled.
- Installing any drive in M.2_2 disables SATA ports 5 and 6.
So with both M.2 slots populated you can end up with only 4-5 of the 6 SATA ports usable. If you need all six, use NVMe drives and keep M.2_1 in PCIe mode.

There is no documented per-drive capacity limit from ASUS, so the practical ceiling is the largest M.2 or SATA drive you can buy. Drive bays are not part of the motherboard: how many 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch drives you can physically mount depends on your case.

Extras worth knowing: Intel RST supports RAID 0/1/5/10 on SATA (switch the BIOS from the default AHCI mode to Intel RST Premium with Intel Optane to build an array), and the board is Intel Optane Memory Ready. The long bottom PCIe slot runs at x4 from the chipset, so a PCIe add-in NVMe card is a reasonable way to add another drive.

Buying tip: decide NVMe versus SATA before you buy, because the slots and the disabled SATA ports depend on it. Check which SATA devices you already have so you do not strand one.

Buying tips

  • NVMe for both slots if you want to keep all six SATA ports.
  • SATA-protocol M.2 drives only fit in slot 1.
  • Both slots take long 22110 drives, which helps with high-capacity models.

CPU (processor)

The processor sits in an LGA 1200 socket with a Z490 chipset, so it is fully replaceable. ASUS's documentation lists 10th Gen Intel Core (Comet Lake), Pentium Gold and Celeron only, and the supported list includes unlocked 125 W K-series parts such as the i9-10900K and i7-10700K.

The one open question is 11th Gen (Rocket Lake) support. Many Z490 boards gained it through a BIOS update, but we cannot confirm it from ASUS's own pages for this model, so check the CPU Support List / QVL on asus.com before buying an 11th Gen chip. Also note that a BIOS update may require a working 10th Gen processor to boot first, so update before you sell or retire your old CPU.

ASUS does not publish an official TDP cap, but the board's VRM is designed for the 125 W K-series chips it lists. Bear in mind that those chips draw far more than 125 W under turbo, so cooling and power supply matter.

There is no upgrade path beyond this socket. LGA 1200 is end-of-line and newer Intel generations use LGA 1700, which this board cannot accept. If you are buying for the long term, get the fastest 10th Gen chip you will need rather than waiting for a later drop-in upgrade.

Buying tip: confirm the exact CPU on ASUS's support list first, and check whether your board's BIOS is new enough to boot it before you install.

Buying tips

  • Check the ASUS CPU Support List before ordering, especially for 11th Gen.
  • Update the BIOS with your current CPU installed first if needed.
  • Good cooling is worthwhile for 125 W K-series chips.

How to upgrade

Before you start

  • Back up your data before touching hardware.
  • Shut down the computer, switch the power supply off and unplug the power cable.
  • Ground yourself to avoid static damage, and work on a non-conductive surface.
  • Open the case and fit the new part. Memory clips into its DIMM slots until the latches close; an M.2 drive sits in its slot and is secured and covered by the board's M.2 heatsink; a CPU goes into the socket with its retention mechanism and cooler refitted.
  • Close the case, reconnect the power and start up. Enter the BIOS to confirm it sees the new part and set the memory profile or storage mode you want.

Steps

  1. General installation outline
    Back up first, then power off and unplug the machine. Ground yourself, open the case and install the part, then close everything up and boot into the BIOS to confirm the hardware is detected. For exact slot locations, screw positions and disassembly details for your specific build, follow the owner's manual rather than guessing.

Good to know

  • LGA 1200 is end-of-line: there is no path to newer Intel CPUs on this board.
  • If you are buying a used board, note that early revisions of the Intel I225-V 2.5 GbE controller had known link-drop issues.

Frequently asked questions

How much RAM can the ASUS ROG Strix Z490-F Gaming take?

128 GB maximum, using 4 x 32 GB DDR4 non-ECC unbuffered DIMMs. Each slot is limited to 32 GB.

What kind of RAM does it use?

288-pin desktop DDR4 UDIMMs, non-ECC and unbuffered. ECC, registered server memory and laptop SO-DIMMs are not compatible. Matched pairs with the same CAS latency are strongly recommended for dual-channel performance.

Does it support DDR4-3600 or faster memory?

Yes, but only as an overclock. Anything above your CPU's native limit (DDR4-2933 on i9/i7, typically 2666 on i5/i3 and lower) needs an XMP-rated kit and XMP enabled in the BIOS. ASUS's pages disagree on the maximum: the spec page lists 4800 (O.C.) while the manual and product page say 4600 (O.C.), so check the QVL for your exact kit.

Does it support NVMe SSDs?

Yes. Both M.2 slots support PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe drives in 2242, 2260, 2280 and 22110 lengths. Only the first slot also accepts SATA-protocol M.2 drives; the second slot is NVMe-only.

Can I use all 6 SATA ports and both M.2 drives at once?

Not quite. If M.2_1 is set to SATA mode it disables SATA port 2, and installing a drive in M.2_2 disables SATA ports 5 and 6. Using NVMe drives with M.2_1 in PCIe mode is how you keep the most SATA ports available.

Can I install an 11th Gen Intel CPU?

Unclear. ASUS's pages for this board list only 10th Gen Core, Pentium Gold and Celeron. 11th Gen support on Z490 usually arrives through a BIOS update, but it is not confirmed in the documents we found, so check the official CPU Support List before buying. You may need a 10th Gen chip installed to run the update.

Official documents and references

This guide was written with AI assistance from the compatibility data PartsPrices verified against the manufacturer's documents. Always check your exact model and the owner's manual before buying or opening your computer.