- The Gigabyte Z890 AORUS motherboard is capable of 256 GB DDR5-7200 memory
- The motherboard requires two 128GB CQDIMM modules instead of four smaller sticks
- Optimized BIOS and motherboard design ensures stability at extreme memory frequencies
Gigabyte has introduced the Z890 AORUS Tachyon ICE CQDIMM Edition motherboard at CES 2026, aimed at high-performance consumer applications.
The motherboard relies on two DIMM slots rather than the traditional four, requiring users to install the more expensive 128GB modules to reach a total of 256GB of memory.
The innovation centers on CQDIMM hardware combined with optimized BIOS tuning.
CQDIMM technology
The motherboard circuitry reduces memory channel loading, which improves signal integrity and supports stable operation at full capacity.
The BIOS architecture controls timing, voltage and signal synchronization, enabling DDR5-7200 frequencies even with high-capacity modules.
These hardware and firmware optimizations overcome long-standing capacity, frequency, and stability trade-offs that have historically limited consumer-grade DDR5 memory.
By using two 128GB CQDIMM modules instead of four 64GB CUDIMMs, the motherboard achieves 256GB at DDR5-7200 without compromising on performance.
Traditional configurations require four modules, forcing frequencies down to DDR5-4400 due to electrical and signaling limitations.
Gigabyte’s approach streamlines the system layout, reduces channel loading and allows higher stable frequencies at extreme capacities.
Professional testing, including CPU-Z verification, confirms that the motherboard boots and operates reliably under these conditions, setting an industry milestone for consumer platforms.
Gigabyte has partnered with major memory manufacturers including Adata, Kingston and TeamGroup to co-develop compatible CQDIMM modules.
These collaborations aim to ensure maximum compatibility and performance across the growing high-capacity, high-frequency memory ecosystem.
Through these partnerships, CQDIMM technology achieves higher frequencies and stability, meeting the demands of AI computing, content creation, and other data-intensive workloads.
We still don’t know how much the Gigabyte Z890 AORUS Tachyon ICE CQDIMM Edition motherboard will cost.
However, it will likely carry a high premium given the memory configuration it requires, as 64GB DDR5 modules currently sell for around $10 per/GB, so 128GB sticks can easily cost a lot more.
This means two 128GB modules can total around $5,000 just for the RAM.
Given the potential cost of this device, some observers note that it might make more sense to buy a Threadripper Pro system and fill it with cheaper 64GB modules to achieve the same total capacity.
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