Asus PRIME Z690M-PLUS D4 User manual

Motherboard
PRIME Z690M-
PLUS D4

ii
E18711
First Edition
August 2021
Copyright © 2021 ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. All Rights Reserved.
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ASUS PROVIDES THIS MANUAL “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS
OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF
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Products and corporate names appearing in this manual may or may not be registered trademarks or
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owners’ benefit, without intent to infringe.

iii
Contents
Safety information...................................................................................................... iv
About this guide.......................................................................................................... v
PRIME Z690M-PLUS D4 specifications summary ................................................... vi
Package contents........................................................................................................ x
Installation tools and components........................................................................... xi
Chapter 1: Product Introduction
1.1 Before you proceed ...................................................................................1-1
1.2 Motherboard layout....................................................................................1-2
Chapter 2: Basic Installation
2.1 Building your PC system...........................................................................2-1
2.1.1 CPU installation........................................................................... 2-1
2.1.2 Cooling system installation..........................................................2-3
2.1.3 DIMM installation......................................................................... 2-6
2.1.4 M.2 installation ............................................................................ 2-7
2.1.5 Motherboard installation.............................................................. 2-9
2.1.6 ATX power connection.............................................................. 2-11
2.1.7 SATA device connection........................................................... 2-12
2.1.8 Front I/O connector ................................................................... 2-13
2.1.9 Expansion card installation ....................................................... 2-14
2.2 Motherboard rear and audio connections ............................................. 2-16
2.2.1 Rear I/O connection .................................................................. 2-16
2.2.2 Audio I/O connections............................................................... 2-17
2.3 Starting up for the first time.................................................................... 2-20
2.4 Turning off the computer ........................................................................2-20
Chapter 3: BIOS and RAID Support
3.1 Knowing BIOS ............................................................................................3-1
3.2 BIOS setup program .................................................................................. 3-2
3.3 ASUS EZ Flash 3 ........................................................................................ 3-3
3.4 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3............................................................................3-4
3.5 RAID configurations ..................................................................................3-5
Appendix
Notices .................................................................................................................... A-1
Warranty................................................................................................................... A-6
ASUS contact information...................................................................................... A-8
Service and Support ............................................................................................... A-8

iv
Safety information
Electrical safety
• To prevent electrical shock hazard, disconnect the power cable from the electrical
outlet before relocating the system.
• When adding or removing devices to or from the system, ensure that the power cables
for the devices are unplugged before the signal cables are connected. If possible,
disconnect all power cables from the existing system before you add a device.
• Before connecting or removing signal cables from the motherboard, ensure that all
power cables are unplugged.
• Seek professional assistance before using an adapter or extension cord. These
devices could interrupt the grounding circuit.
• Ensure that your power supply is set to the correct voltage in your area. If you are not
sure about the voltage of the electrical outlet you are using, contact your local power
company.
• If the power supply is broken, do not try to fix it by yourself. Contact a qualified service
technician or your retailer.
Operation safety
• Before installing the motherboard and adding devices on it, carefully read all the
manuals that came with the package.
• Before using the product, ensure all cables are correctly connected and the power
cables are not damaged. If you detect any damage, contact your dealer immediately.
• To avoid short circuits, keep paper clips, screws, and staples away from connectors,
slots, sockets and circuitry.
• Avoid dust, humidity, and temperature extremes. Do not place the product in any area
where it may become wet.
• Place the product on a stable surface.
• If you encounter technical problems with the product, contact a qualified service
technician or your retailer.
• Your motherboard should only be used in environments with ambient temperatures
between 0°C and 40°C.

v
About this guide
This user guide contains the information you need when installing and configuring the
motherboard.
How this guide is organized
This guide contains the following parts:
• Chapter 1: Product Introduction
This chapter describes the features of the motherboard and the new technology it
supports. It includes description of the switches, jumpers, and connectors on the
motherboard.
• Chapter 2: Basic Installation
This chapter lists the hardware setup procedures that you have to perform when
installing system components.
• Chapter 3: BIOS and RAID Support
This chapter tells how to boot into the BIOS, upgrade BIOS using the EZ Flash Utility
and support on RAID.
Where to find more information
Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and software
updates.
1. ASUS website
The ASUS website (www.asus.com) provides updated information on ASUS hardware
and software products.
2. Optional documentation
Your product package may include optional documentation, such as warranty flyers,
that may have been added by your dealer. These documents are not part of the
standard package.
Conventions used in this guide
To ensure that you perform certain tasks properly, take note of the following symbols used
throughout this manual.
CAUTION: Information to prevent damage to the components and injuries to
yourself when trying to complete a task.
IMPORTANT: Instructions that you MUST follow to complete a task.
NOTE: Tips and additional information to help you complete a task.

vi
PRIME Z690M-PLUS D4 specifications summary
CPU
Intel®Socket LGA1700 for 12th Gen Intel®Core™, Pentium®Gold and
Celeron®Processors*
Supports Intel®Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 and Intel®Turbo Boost Max
Technology 3.0**
* Refer to www.asus.com for CPU support list.
** Intel®Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 support depends on the CPU types.
Chipset Intel®Z690 Chipset
Memory
4 x DIMM, Max. 128GB, DDR4 5333(OC)/5133(OC)/5000(OC)/4800(OC)/
4600(OC)/4400(OC)/4266(OC)/4133(OC)/4000(OC)/3866(OC)/
3733(OC)/3600(OC)/3466(OC)/3400(OC)/3333(OC)/3200/3000/2933/
2800/2666/2400/2133 MHz Non-ECC, Un-buffered Memory*
Dual Channel Memory Architecture
Supports Intel®Extreme Memory Profile (XMP)
OptiMem II
* Actual Memory frequency support depends on the CPU types and DRAM
modules, for more information refer to www.asus.com for the Memory QVL
(Qualified Vendors Lists).
Graphics
1 x DisplayPort**
1 x HDMI®port***
* Graphics specifications may vary between CPU types. Please refer to
www.intel.com for any updates.
** Support 4K@60Hz as specified in DisplayPort 1.4.
*** Support 4K@60Hz as specified in HDMI®2.1.
Expansion Slots
Intel®12th Gen Processors*
1 x PCIe 5.0 / 4.0 / 3.0 x16 slot
Intel®Z690 Chipset**
1 x PCIe 4.0/3.0 x16 slot (supports x4 mode)
2 x PCIe 3.0 x1 slots
* Please check PCIe bifurcation table in support site.
** Supports Intel®Optane Memory H Series on PCH-attached PCIe slot.
Storage
Total supports 3 x M.2 slots and 4 x SATA 6Gb/s ports*
Intel®12th Gen Processors
M.2_1 slot (Key M), type 2242/2260/2280
- Intel®12th Gen processors support PCIe 4.0 x4 mode
Intel®Z690 Chipset**
M.2_2 slot (Key M), type 2260/2280
(supports PCIe 4.0 x4 mode)
M.2_3 slot (Key M), type 2242/2260/2280
(supports PCIe 4.0 x4 & SATA modes)
4 x SATA 6Gb/s ports
* Intel®Rapid Storage Technology supports NVMe RAID 0/1/5, SATA RAID
0/1/5/10.
** Intel®Rapid Storage Technology supports Intel®Optane Memory H Series on
PCH attached M.2 slots.
Ethernet 1 x Intel®1Gb Ethernet
Wireless & Bluetooth M.2 slot only (Key E, CNVi & PCIe)*
* Wi-Fi module is purchased separately.
(continued on the next page)

vii
PRIME Z690M-PLUS D4 specifications summary
USB
Rear USB (Total 8 ports)
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 port (1 x USB Type-C®)
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 port (1 x Type-A)
4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (4 x Type-A)
2 x USB 2.0 ports (2 x Type-A)
Front USB (Total 7 ports)
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 connector (supports USB Type-C®)
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 header supports additional 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
2 x USB 2.0 headers support additional 4 USB 2.0 ports*
* USB_E1 port, USB_E2 port, USB_E3 port and USB_E4 port share the
bandwidth.
Audio
Realtek 7.1 Surround Sound High Definition Audio CODEC*
- Supports: Jack-detection, Multi-streaming, Front Panel Jack-retasking
- Supports up to 24-Bit/192 kHz playback
Audio Features:
- Audio Shielding
- Premium audio capacitors
- Dedicated audio PCB layers
* A chassis with an HD audio module in the front panel is required to support
7.1 Surround Sound audio output.
Back Panel I/O Ports
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 port (1 x USB Type-C®)
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 port (1 x Type-A)
4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (4 x Type-A)
2 x USB 2.0 ports (2 x Type-A)
1 x DisplayPort
1 x HDMI®port
1 x Intel®1Gb Ethernet port
3 x Audio jacks
Internal I/O Connectors
Fan and cooling related
1 x 4-pin CPU Fan header
1 x 4-pin CPU OPT Fan header
1 x 4-pin AIO_Pump header
3 x 4-pin Chassis Fan headers
Power related
1 x 24-pin Main Power connector
1 x 8-pin +12V Power connector
1 x 4-pin +12V Power connector
Storage related
3 x M.2 slots (Key M)
4 x SATA 6Gb/s ports
USB
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 connector (supports USB Type-C®)
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 header supports additional 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
2 x USB 2.0 headers support additional 4 USB 2.0 ports
(continued on the next page)

viii
PRIME Z690M-PLUS D4 specifications summary
Internal I/O Connectors
Miscellaneous
3 x Addressable Gen 2 headers
1 x AURA RGB header
1 x Clear CMOS header
1 x COM Port header
1 x Front Panel Audio header (AAFP)
1 x M.2 slot (Key E)
1 x S/PDIF Out header
1 x SPI TPM header (14-1pin)
1 x 20-3 pin System Panel header with Chassis intrude function
1 x Thunderbolt™ header
Special Features
ASUS 5X PROTECTION III
- DIGI+ VRM (- Digital power design with DrMOS)
- LANGuard
- Overvoltage Protection
- SafeSlot
- Stainless-Steel Back I/O
ASUS Q-Design
- Q-DIMM
- Q-Slot
ASUS Thermal Solution
- VRM heatsink design
ASUS EZ DIY
- ProCool
AURA Sync
- AURA RGB header
- Addressable Gen 2 headers
Software Features
ASUS Exclusive Software
Armoury Crate
- AURA Sync
- Fan Xpert 4
AI Suite 3
- Performance And Power Saving Utility
TurboV EVO
EPU
DIGI+ VRM
ASUS CPU-Z
Norton Anti-virus software (Free Trial version)
WinRAR
UEFI BIOS
ASUS EZ DIY
- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3
- ASUS EZ Flash 3
- ASUS UEFI BIOS EZ Mode
(continued on the next page)

ix
PRIME Z690M-PLUS D4 specifications summary
BIOS 192 (128+64) Mb Flash ROM, UEFI AMI BIOS
Manageability WOL by PME, PXE
Operating System Windows®11 64-bit
Windows®10 64-bit
Form Factor mATX Form Factor
9.6 inch x 9.6 inch (24.4 cm x 24.4 cm)
Specifications are subject to change without notice. Please refer to the ASUS website for
the latest specifications.

x
Package contents
Check your motherboard package for the following items.
Motherboard 1 x PRIME Z690M-PLUS D4 motherboard
Cables 2 x SATA 6Gb/s cables
Miscellaneous
1 x I/O Shield
2 x M.2 screw packages*
* The package including 2 screws and 1 nut is for installing an M.2 WIFI
module into the M.2 WIFI slot and an M.2 SSD module into the M.2_2 slot.
Installation Media 1 x Support DVD
Documentation 1 x User Guide
If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer.

xi
Installation tools and components
Phillips (cross) screwdriver
PC chassis Power supply unit
Intel®LGA 1700 CPU Intel®LGA 1700 compatible CPU Fan
DDR4 DIMM SATA hard disk drive
SATA optical disc drive (optional) Graphics card (optional)
M.2 SSD module (optional) 2 Bags of screws
The tools and components in the table above are not included in the motherboard
package.

xii

PRIME Z690M-PLUS D4 1-1
Chapter 1
Product Introduction
1
Chapter 1: Product Introduction
• Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any component.
• Before handling components, use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded
object or a metal object, such as the power supply case, to avoid damaging them due
to static electricity.
• Hold components by the edges to avoid touching the ICs on them.
• Whenever you uninstall any component, place it on a grounded antistatic pad or in
the bag that came with the component.
• Before you install or remove any component, ensure that the ATX power supply is
switched off or the power cord is detached from the power supply. Failure to do so
may cause severe damage to the motherboard, peripherals, or components.
1.1 Before you proceed
Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard components or
change any motherboard settings.

1-2 Chapter 1: Product Introduction
Chapter 1
1.2 Motherboard layout
DDR4 DIMM_A1 (64bit, 288-pin module) DDR4 DIMM_A2 (64bit, 288-pin module) DDR4 DIMM_B1 (64bit, 288-pin module) DDR4 DIMM_B2 (64bit, 288-pin module)
DIGI+
VRM
CHA_FAN2
CPU_FAN
CHA_FAN3
AIO_PUMP
CPU_OPT
CLRTC
SATA6G_34
M.2_2(SOCKET3)M.2_3(SOCKET3)
PANEL
TPM
AAFP
TB_HEADER
SATA6G_2SATA6G_1
128Mb
BIOS
64Mb
BIOS
ATX_12V_1ATX_12V_2
LGA1700
ATX_PWR
USB_E34USB_E12
U32G1_78
Intel®
Z690
ASM
1442K
BATTERY
LAN_U32G1_34
HDMI
DP
USB_1112
AUDIO
Super
I/O
COM_DEBUG
M.2_1(SOCKET3)
2280 2260 2242
2280 2260
2280
2260
2230
2242
PCIEX1(G3)_1
PCIEX1(G3)_2
PCIEX16(G4)
PCIEX16(G5)
SPDIF_OUT
RGB_HEADER
ADD_GEN 2_1
ADD_GEN 2_2
ADD_GEN 2_3
COM
CHA_FAN1
U32G2_9
U32G1_56
U32G2X2_C1
24.4cm(9.6in)
24.4cm(9.6in)
M.2_1(SOCKET3)
PCIE SATA IRST
4.0 X4 X V
PCIE SATA IRST
4.0 X4 X V
PCIE SATA IRST
4.0 X4 V V
M.2(WIFI)
Ethernet
Audio
Codec
U32_10
M.2_2(SOCKET3)
M.2_3(SOCKET3)
9
8
4
6
18
5
1415 17
5 21 4 11
74 11 13 20 191012
7
3
3
4
6
16

PRIME Z690M-PLUS D4 1-3
Chapter 1
Layout contents Page
1. CPU socket 1-4
2. DIMM slots 1-5
3. Expansion slots 1-7
4. Fan and Pump headers 1-8
5. Power connectors 1-9
6. M.2 slots (SOCKET 3) 1-10
7. SATA 6Gb/s ports 1-11
8. USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C®Front Panel connector 1-12
9. USB 3.2 Gen 1 header 1-12
10. USB 2.0 headers 1-13
11. Addressable Gen 2 headers 1-14
12. AURA RGB header 1-15
13. Clear CMOS header 1-16
14. COM Port header 1-17
15. Front Panel Audio header 1-17
16. M.2 slot (Key E) 1-18
17. S/PDIF Out header 1-18
18. SPI TPM header (14-1pin) 1-19
19. System Panel header 1-20
20. Thunderbolt™header 1-21

1-4 Chapter 1: Product Introduction
Chapter 1
1. CPU socket
The motherboard comes with a LGA1700 socket designed for 12th Gen Intel®Core™,
Pentium®Gold and Celeron®Processors.
LGA1700
• Ensure that you install the correct CPU designed for LGA1700 socket only. DO NOT
install a CPU designed for other sockets on the LGA1700 socket.
• The CPU fits in only one correct orientation. DO NOT force the CPU into the socket
to prevent bending the connectors on the socket and damaging the CPU.
• Ensure that all power cables are unplugged before installing the CPU.
• Upon purchase of the motherboard, ensure that the PnP cap is on the socket and
the socket contacts are not bent. Contact your retailer immediately if the PnP cap
is missing, or if you see any damage to the PnP cap/socket contacts/motherboard
components. ASUS will shoulder the cost of repair only if the damage is shipment/
transit-related.
• Keep the cap after installing the motherboard. ASUS will process Return
Merchandise Authorization (RMA) requests only if the motherboard comes with the
cap on the LGA1700 socket.
• The product warranty does not cover damage to the socket contacts resulting from
incorrect CPU installation/removal, or misplacement/loss/incorrect removal of the
PnP cap.

PRIME Z690M-PLUS D4 1-5
Chapter 1
2. DIMM slots
The motherboard comes with Dual Inline Memory Modules (DIMM) slots designed for DDR4
(Double Data Rate 4) memory modules.
A DDR4 memory module is notched differently from a DDR, DDR2, or DDR3 module. DO
NOT install a DDR, DDR2, or DDR3 memory module to the DDR4 slot.
DIMM_B1 DIMM_B2
DIMM_A1 DIMM_A2
Recommended memory configurations
DIMM_A2
DIMM_A1
DIMM_A2
DIMM_B2
DIMM_A2
DIMM_B1
DIMM_B2

1-6 Chapter 1: Product Introduction
Chapter 1
Memory configurations
You may install 4 GB, 8 GB, 16 GB, and 32 GB unbuffered and non-ECC DDR4 DIMMs into
the DIMM sockets.
You may install varying memory sizes in Channel A and Channel B. The system maps
the total size of the lower-sized channel for the dual-channel configuration. Any excess
memory from the higher-sized channel is then mapped for single-channel operation.
• The default memory operation frequency is dependent on its Serial Presence Detect
(SPD), which is the standard way of accessing information from a memory module.
Under the default state, some memory modules for overclocking may operate at a
lower frequency than the vendor-marked value.
• For system stability, use a more efficient memory cooling system to support a full
memory load or overclocking condition.
• Always install the DIMMS with the same CAS Latency. For an optimum compatibility,
we recommend that you install memory modules of the same version or data code
(D/C) from the same vendor. Check with the vendor to get the correct memory
modules.
• Visit the ASUS website for the latest QVL.

PRIME Z690M-PLUS D4 1-7
Chapter 1
3. Expansion slots
Unplug the power cord before adding or removing expansion cards. Failure to do so may
cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components.
1
2PCIEX16(G4)
PCIEX16(G5)
Recommended VGA configuration
Slot Slot Description Single VGA Dual VGA
1. PCIEX16(G5) x16 x16
2. PCIEX16(G4) - x4
Connect a chassis fan to the chassis fan connectors when using multiple graphics cards
for better thermal environment.
Please refer to the following tables for the recommended VGA configuration.

1-8 Chapter 1: Product Introduction
Chapter 1
4. Fan and Pump headers
The Fan and Pump headers allow you to connect fans or pumps to cool the system.
FAN PWM
FAN IN
FAN PWR
GND
FAN PWM
FAN IN
FAN PWR
GND
GND FAN PWR FAN IN FAN PWM
CPU_FAN
AIO_PUMP
CPU_OPT
CHA_FAN2
CHA_FAN3
CHA_FAN1 GND
FAN PWR
FAN IN
FAN PWM
A F
B
C
D
E
E
A B C
D
F
• DO NOT forget to connect the fan cables to the fan headers. Insufficient air flow
inside the system may damage the motherboard components. These are not
jumpers! Do not place jumper caps on the fan headers!
• Ensure the cable is fully inserted into the header.
Header Max. Current Max. Power Default Speed Shared Control
CPU_FAN 1A 12W Q-Fan Controlled -
CPU_OPT 1A 12W Q-Fan Controlled -
CHA_FAN1 1A 12W Q-Fan Controlled -
CHA_FAN2 1A 12W Q-Fan Controlled -
CHA_FAN3 1A 12W Q-Fan Controlled -
AIO_PUMP 1A 12W Full-Speed -