ASRock Z690 Taichi Razer Edition Review: Less Zen, More RGBs

Z690 Taichi Razer Edition sports all of the Taichi's features and specs with more RGBs and Razer Chroma integration for $620.

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ASRock Z690 Taichi Razer Edition
(Image credit: © ASRock)

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Firmware

ASRock’s BIOS for the Taichi Razer is the same as the ‘base’ Taichi except for the background. The background in the Razer firmware has triangular patterns in a brilliant rainbow color that matches the board’s overarching theme of RGB integration. Outside of that, an EZ Mode displays high-level information, including CPU clock speeds and temperatures, fan speeds, storage information, and more. Advanced Mode has several headers across the top that drop down additional options. The BIOS is easy to maneuver in and laid out logically. There is a bit of digging for some options for overclocking, but overall, it’s a user-friendly BIOS with more options than most will ever use.

Joe Shields
Joe Shields
Staff Writer, Components

Joe Shields is a staff writer at Tom’s Hardware. He reviews motherboards and PC components.

7 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Darkbreeze
    The cost of motherboards has become patently ridiculous. You used to be able to get the flagship high end water cooling capable models for like 399, not that long ago, and a very good board like the Hero, Taichi or Gaming 7 for like 150 to 250 dollars, and I mean within the last few years. Now they add a few lights and want three times the price. It's asinine and it's even more so when you consider that the majority of the reason to have ever paid for a top shelf board was for the purpose of overclocking, and now overclocking is mostly either unnecessary or offers only very minimal gains since most CPUs are already pushed to the brink of what they can provide anyhow.

    I can't see the sense in paying more than 200 bucks for a motherboard and I think most anybody who does has more money than brains, aside from the open loop builders that perhaps have at least a bit more reason for doing so.
    Reply
  • Kridian
    $519!?
    Take off the RGB and cut the price in half!
    Reply
  • SkyBill40
    I have the X570 version of that board and while it's nice... I don't know that I would buy it again. I can't get my RAM to color sync as it should and despite having engaged Razer's help, it still won't work. Dunno if someone would have the same issues on this board, but I am still pretty disappointed.
    Reply
  • coromonadalix
    Darkbreeze said:
    The cost of motherboards has become patently ridiculous. You used to be able to get the flagship high end water cooling capable models for like 399, not that long ago, and a very good board like the Hero, Taichi or Gaming 7 for like 150 to 250 dollars, and I mean within the last few years. Now they add a few lights and want three times the price. It's asinine and it's even more so when you consider that the majority of the reason to have ever paid for a top shelf board was for the purpose of overclocking, and now overclocking is mostly either unnecessary or offers only very minimal gains since most CPUs are already pushed to the brink of what they can provide anyhow.


    Same here, that's just stupid in a sense, i hate all the bling bling fuss, i want a board with more sata, an good pci5 nvme/ssd and ddr5 memory, no chipset fan

    I never overclocked any of my cpu's, never ...

    And i put all of this in a closed (non windowed case) loll totally useless loll
    Reply
  • KananX
    There are “creator” and other mainboards for people that don’t care about RGB, I don’t get what the fuss is about. Same as years ago when people complained about “RGB puke” just deactivate it then or set it on a color you like. Same issue here just different senseless complain. Is the board overpriced? Yes, but it has a place
    Reply
  • Geezer760
    Darkbreeze said:
    The cost of motherboards has become patently ridiculous. You used to be able to get the flagship high end water cooling capable models for like 399, not that long ago, and a very good board like the Hero, Taichi or Gaming 7 for like 150 to 250 dollars, and I mean within the last few years. Now they add a few lights and want three times the price. It's asinine and it's even more so when you consider that the majority of the reason to have ever paid for a top shelf board was for the purpose of overclocking, and now overclocking is mostly either unnecessary or offers only very minimal gains since most CPUs are already pushed to the brink of what they can provide anyhow.

    I can't see the sense in paying more than 200 bucks for a motherboard and I think most anybody who does has more money than brains, aside from the open loop builders that perhaps have at least a bit more reason for doing so.
    EXACTLY!
    Reply
  • Geezer760
    Come on Guys: "JUST BUY IT" it's got pretty, pretty Lights, LOL!
    Reply