The Intel halo board
MEG Z890 Godlike
The most fully equipped Z890 money can buy: extreme-overclocking power delivery, multiple Thunderbolt 4 ports, 10 GbE, Wi-Fi 7 and a 4-inch LCD.
Our verdict
The Godlike is Intel's halo board: eight M.2 slots, 15 rear USB ports, 10G LAN and overclocking-grade power delivery. Every reviewer reached the same verdict - magnificent, and unjustifiable unless money simply is not a factor. For $650 less, the Z890 Taichi Lite covers everything most builders will actually use.
Best for: Money-no-object LGA1851 workstations and extreme-overclocking benches.
Skip it if: You expect $1,050 of motherboard to make games faster - it will not.
Chipset
Z890
Socket
LGA1851
Form factor
EATX
RAM
4x DDR5 to 192GB
Full specifications
| CPU Support | Intel Core Ultra Processors (Series 2) |
|---|---|
| Socket | LGA 1851 |
| Chipset | Intel Z890 |
| Power / VRM | 30-phase design, 26x 110A Smart Power Stages for Vcore (dual 8-pin EPS) |
| Memory | 4x DDR5 UDIMM (CUDIMM supported), max 256GB, dual channel |
| Memory Speed | Up to DDR5-9200+ (OC); 6400-4800 JEDEC |
| Expansion Slots | 1x PCIe 5.0 x16 (CPU), 1x PCIe 5.0 x8 (CPU), 1x PCIe 4.0 x4 (chipset) |
| M.2 Slots | 8 total: 6 onboard (2x PCIe 5.0 x4, 4x PCIe 4.0 x4, one with SATA mode) + 2x PCIe 5.0 x4 via included M.2 XPANDER-Z SLIDER GEN5 card |
| SATA | 4x SATA 6Gb/s |
| Rear USB | 15 ports: 1x Thunderbolt 4 (40Gbps) Type-C, 1x USB 20Gbps Type-C, 5x USB 10Gbps Type-C, 8x USB 10Gbps Type-A |
| LAN | Marvell AQC113CS 10G LAN + Intel Killer E5000B 5G LAN |
| WiFi / Bluetooth | Intel Killer BE1750x Wi-Fi 7 (320MHz, up to 5.8Gbps), Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Audio | Realtek ALC4082 codec + ESS ES9219Q Combo DAC/HPA, 7.1-channel, S/PDIF out |
| Form Factor | E-ATX, 277mm x 304.8mm |
Transcribed from the manufacturer's official spec sheet - always confirm details there before buying.
Why buy it
- Eight M.2 sockets (incl. expander card) and 15 rear USB ports
- 30-phase power delivery built for extreme overclocking
- 10G + 5G dual LAN, Wi-Fi 7, and a premium accessory bundle
Think twice if
- The price is the con: reviewers struggle to justify it against cheaper boards
- E-ATX: needs a big case
- Few onboard PWM fan headers - most builds need the included hub
What reviewers say
Tom's Hardware
4/5 starsCalled it 'arguably the most well-equipped motherboard for Intel's latest platform' - praising the seven rear Type-C ports, included Thunderbolt 5 card, eight M.2 sockets, and incredibly robust power delivery - but its only listed con was the 'almost mythological' price point.
Full review ↗Hardware Asylum
Said the board 'performed extremely well' and praised the industrial design, DDR5 overclocking, and eight M.2 slots, but criticized the dark UEFI navigation, the limited number of onboard PWM fan headers (the separate hub is required for most builds), and an EZ-Bridge feature that felt unfinished.
Full review ↗Overclocking.com
Silver awardPraised the excessive connectivity, premium bundle, design, and memory overclocking capability, but concluded the asking price is very hard to justify, undermining its value versus cheaper alternatives.
Full review ↗Build around it
A full build starting from this board - picks computed from our live catalog, matched to the board's budget class.
CPU
Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus
The strongest gaming CPU we track for LGA1851 - score 93/100 at ~$312.
GPU
NVIDIA RTX 5090
The ceiling pairing - a board this far up the stack deserves the fastest card we track. Score 99/100 at ~$3,600.
RAM
Kingston FURY Renegade DDR5-6400 CL32 32GB (2x16GB)
DDR5-6400 CL32, 2x16GB - the cheapest kit on the Z890 sweet spot at ~$278. Faster kits are mostly wasted money here.
Case
This is an E-ATX board and E-ATX support is NOT a given - many mid-towers stop at ATX. Filter for cases that explicitly list it.
Find an E-ATX case →Frequently Asked Questions
What CPUs does the MEG Z890 Godlike support?
It uses the Intel Z890 chipset on the LGA1851 socket. That means Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) desktop CPUs. Check any specific pairing with our free bottleneck checker before you buy.
What RAM should I put in the MEG Z890 Godlike?
It takes DDR5 in 4 slots (up to 192GB). The sweet spot on Z890 is DDR5-6400 - faster kits cost more for little real-world gain. Our RAM advisor picks a kit for your exact use.
Will the MEG Z890 Godlike fit my case?
It is an EATX board. E-ATX needs a case that explicitly lists E-ATX support - many mid-towers do not. Our case finder filters cases by the form factors they actually take.
How much does the MEG Z890 Godlike cost?
As of our last price check it was $1,053.99. The price on the retailer page is the real one.
Prices are from our latest first-party retailer check and change constantly - always confirm on the product page. Reviewer citations are attributed and linked; we summarize, they tested. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.