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Manufacturer: ASUS Last updated: September 11, 2026
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ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero Review
The ROG Maximus XIII Hero was ASUS's flagship LGA1200 board for 11th/10th Gen Intel processors, notable for including onboard Thunderbolt 4 well before it became common on mainstream boards.
Power delivery uses a 14+2 power stage design, giving it strong headroom for i9-11900K and i9-10900K chips at sustained overclocked settings. Four DDR4 DIMM slots support overclocked speeds rated up to DDR4-5333, among the higher-rated DDR4 OC speeds available on LGA1200. Expansion includes a PCIe 4.0 x16 slot for the GPU. Storage covers four M.2/NVMe SSD slots. Dual 2.5Gb LAN controllers handle wired networking, paired with Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, and onboard Thunderbolt 4. Audio uses ASUS's Aura RGB-enabled SupremeFX implementation. As the flagship LGA1200 board in this batch, the Maximus XIII Hero offers the highest DDR4 OC rating and the only onboard Thunderbolt 4 among the LGA1200 boards here, positioning it for builders who want the best possible 11th/10th Gen Intel platform.
Power Delivery and VRM Design
Power delivery uses a 14+2 power stage design, giving it strong headroom for i9-11900K and i9-10900K chips at sustained overclocked settings.
Memory Support
Four DDR4 DIMM slots support overclocked speeds rated up to DDR4-5333, among the higher-rated DDR4 OC speeds available on LGA1200.
Expansion and Storage
Expansion includes a PCIe 4.0 x16 slot for the GPU. Storage covers four M.2/NVMe SSD slots.
Connectivity
Dual 2.5Gb LAN controllers handle wired networking, paired with Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, and onboard Thunderbolt 4. Audio uses ASUS's Aura RGB-enabled SupremeFX implementation.
Comparison to Alternatives
As the flagship LGA1200 board in this batch, the Maximus XIII Hero offers the highest DDR4 OC rating and the only onboard Thunderbolt 4 among the LGA1200 boards here, positioning it for builders who want the best possible 11th/10th Gen Intel platform.
Our verdict
Reviewed by Burooj Alam. Rated by us, not by users.
Best for
- Builders who want the best available 11th/10th Gen Intel board with Thunderbolt 4
- Enthusiasts completing a high-end LGA1200 system
Not for
- New builds better served by a current-generation Intel or AMD platform
- Budget-first LGA1200 builds
Specifications
What these specs meanIdentity
| Model Number | ROG Maximus XIII Hero (WiFi 6E) |
|---|---|
| Form Factor | ATX |
Platform and CPU compatibility
| Platform | Intel |
|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1200 |
| Chipset | Z590 |
| Newest CPU Family Supported | Core 13th Gen |
| Oldest CPU Family Supported | Core 10th Gen |
| CPU Overclocking Supported | Yes |
Memory
| Memory Type | DDR4 |
|---|---|
| Memory Slots | 4 |
| Memory Channels | 2 |
| Max Memory Capacity | 128 GB |
| Max Rated Memory Speed | 5333 MT/s |
| ECC Memory Support | None |
Expansion & Connectivity
| M.2 Slots | 4 |
|---|---|
| PCIe 5.0 Support | No |
| Wi-Fi Onboard | Yes |
M.2 storage
| M.2 Slots Onboard | 4 |
|---|---|
| M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots | 1 |
Other storage
| SATA Ports | 6 |
|---|
PCIe expansion
| PCIe x16 Slots | 3 |
|---|---|
| Primary Graphics Slot Gen | PCIe 4.0 |
Rear USB
| Rear USB4 or TB Ports | 2 |
|---|---|
| Rear USB 10Gbps Ports | 6 |
| Rear USB 2.0 Ports | 2 |
Internal headers
| Fan and Pump Headers | 7 |
|---|---|
| ARGB Headers | 3 |
Power delivery
| Vcore Power Stages | 14 |
|---|---|
| EPS 12V Configuration | Two 8-pin |
Network and audio
| Max Ethernet Speed | 2.5 Gbps |
|---|---|
| Ethernet Port Count | 2 |
| Wi-Fi Standard | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Audio Codec | Realtek ALC4082 |
FAQs
What are the key specifications of the ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero (LGA1200/Intel Z590/ATX/14+2 Power Stages/Thunderbolt 4/Wi-Fi 6E)?
Key specs for the ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero: Chipset Z590, Socket LGA1200, Socket Type LGA1200, Max Memory Capacity 128 GB, Form Factor ATX, VRM 14+2 power stages.
Will the ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero (LGA1200/Intel Z590/ATX/14+2 Power Stages/Thunderbolt 4/Wi-Fi 6E) work with my current setup?
The ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero (LGA1200/Intel Z590/ATX/14+2 Power Stages/Thunderbolt 4/Wi-Fi 6E) lists Socket is LGA1200. Check that against the hardware you already own before buying, since this is the field that most often decides whether a part fits.
Who is the ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero (LGA1200/Intel Z590/ATX/14+2 Power Stages/Thunderbolt 4/Wi-Fi 6E) best suited to?
Best suited to: Builders who want the best available 11th/10th Gen Intel board with Thunderbolt 4; Enthusiasts completing a high-end LGA1200 system.
What are the drawbacks of the ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero (LGA1200/Intel Z590/ATX/14+2 Power Stages/Thunderbolt 4/Wi-Fi 6E)?
Not the best fit for: New builds better served by a current-generation Intel or AMD platform; Budget-first LGA1200 builds.
Compare and read more
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