The Box and Packaging
Inside the box and packaging, you’ll find 3 x M.2 screws for SSDs, 2 packs of SATA data cables, SLI bridge connector, I/O shield, AC wifi antenna, drivers disc, software setup guide and the instruction manual.
The Z390 Phantom Gaming 9 Motherboard
Like all motherboards from ASRock’s Phantom Gaming series, the motherboard does have gaming feel to it. It comes in a black and red design and features a nice mat finish. I do like the I/O hood which features RGB lighting. The hood also helps protect the connectors too.
A Closer Look
If you take a look at the photos below … you’ll know what I mean when I say that this motherboard is packed features. There’s a total 8 x SATA ports, 3 x PCIE x16 slots, 3 x Ultra M.2 slots for SSDs (with 1 full coverage heatsink). Also, notice the onboard power-on and reset buttons, along with the diagnostic LEDs as well as the 4-pin RGB headers.
Connectivity is king here. Just look at the I/O. Starting from the left, you’ll see a clear CMOS button, 2 x antenna connectors for AC wifi, PS/2 mouse/keyboard port, DisplayPort , HDMI, and a total of 8 x USB ports, USB 3.1 gen.2 (both Type-A and Type-C). The red LAN port is the Realtek 2.5GB/s ethernet, while the two other are Intel’s gigabit ethernet LAN ports. And finally, there’s the usual array of connectors for 7.1 HD audio.
