Testing
The following system was used to test the motherboard:
– CPU: Intel 9900K @ 5.0 GHz
– RAM: Ballistix Tactical Tracer 16GB DDR4 @ 2666MHz
– GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Founder’s Edition
– HDD: WD 1TB Blue
– SSD: Samsung 840 EVO 120GB
– PSU: Seasonic Snow Silent 750W Platinum
– CPU Cooler: Cooler Master MasterLiquid 240
– Case: Phanteks Enthoo Luxe
– OS: Windows 10 64-Bit (After April Update)
The processor was used with the stock turbo frequency of 3.6 GHz and overclocked to 5 GHz with a core voltage of 1.298. The overclocking starts at 4 GHz and with each motherboard I try to achieve the highest safe overclocking possible. The RAM memory was used at its default frequency
Software used for testing the motherboard:
– 3D Mark – FireStrike, CloudGate, IceStorm.
– CineBench r11.5
– SuperPi mod 1.5
– Metro Exodus
– Shadow of the Tomb Raider
– Grand Theft Auto V
– The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
3D Mark
Overall Score
Fire Strike
CineBench r15
SuperPi mod 1.5
Grand Theft Auto V
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Metro Exodus
Shadow Of The Tomb Raider
Final thoughts
The ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming X is the definition of a modern flagship motherboard, with an overbuilt VRM system and many features and options integrated, with technologies that are still new to the market. The Phantom Gaming X has everything you’d want and more in terms of features, starting with three LAN ports, eight USB ports and an integrated Dual Band Wi-Fi 6 network card with the included antenna.
The performance of the motherboard is very good across the board, pun intended, with stable voltages for the CPU and memory. The gaming performance is good and occurred minimal frame drops in some games.
When overclocking and with an ambient temperature of 26°C, the VRM components reached a temperature of 65 degrees, measured on the heatsink surface, and 87 degrees measured on the surface of the VRM.
In conclusion, the Phantom Gaming X is a true flagship motherboard, with an overbuilt VRM system and high-quality components, available for a hefty price of 300 US Dollars. This motherboard is also one of the first motherboards to implement and support Wi-Fi 6, while not yet popular, this new Wi-Fi standard will soon become the go to for everyone, and the Phantom Gaming X is one of the first do have it.
