Intel 900 Series Chipset Lineup Leaked: Next-Gen Nova Lake Platform Detailed
Intel's upcoming 900 series chipset lineup for mid- to high-end motherboards has reportedly been leaked, introducing five new tiers for the LGA-1954 platform and Nova Lake-S processors (Core Ultra 400 Series). This new platform is expected to power Intel's next-generation desktop CPUs.
The New 900 Series Lineup
The leaked lineup details five distinct chipsets: the Z990, Z970, B960, W980, and Q970. Notably, there is no H-series chipset in this leaked information, with the B960 appearing to cover the entry-level segment within this mid- to high-end range. The new naming scheme marks a shift, introducing multiple options at the high-end, a strategy reminiscent of AMD's current nomenclature.
Chipset Tiers at a Glance
Each chipset is designed to cater to specific market segments, offering tailored features and capabilities:
- Z990: Positioned as the flagship, offering enhanced I/O capabilities and complete hardware tuning.
- Z970: Retains multiplier-unlocked CPU overclocking (OC) but with fewer I/O features than the Z990.
- B960: A mainstream option, replacing the B860.
- W980: Targets workstations, likely for Nova Lake-based Xeon processors.
- Q970: Designed for commercial desktop needs.
In-Depth Features by Chipset
Z990: The Flagship Performer
As the top-tier offering, the Z990 is designed for maximum performance and expandability. It features an impressive 48 PCIe lanes, with 12 of these operating at cutting-edge Gen 5 speed. Connectivity is robust, including two USB 4/Thunderbolt 4 ports, eight SATA 3 ports, and support for up to five USB 3.2 20Gb/s ports. For enthusiasts, the Z990 provides full overclocking support, encompassing memory OC, BCLK OC, and AI OC. CPU-chipset communication is handled by a high-bandwidth Gen 5 x4 DMI link.
Z970: High-End Overclocking Potential
The Z970 offers a strong feature set for high-performance builds. It provides 34 PCIe lanes, though none are at Gen 5 speed. Connectivity options include one USB 4/Thunderbolt 4 port, four SATA 3 ports, and support for up to two USB 3.2 20Gb/s ports. While it supports memory OC and AI OC, users should note that the Z970 lacks BCLK OC capabilities, differentiating it from the Z990.
W980: Professional Workstation Powerhouse
The W980 is engineered for professional environments, sharing many core I/O capabilities with the Z990 but optimized for stability and specialized tasks. Key features include vPro manageability, PCIe RAID, and ECC memory support, which are critical for data integrity and remote administration. To ensure professional reliability, overclocking features are removed from this chipset.
Q970: Enterprise-Ready Commercial Solution
Comparable to the W980, the Q970 is tailored for commercial desktop needs, prioritizing business-centric features. It makes some adjustments from the W980, specifically reducing four PCIe 5 lanes and removing ECC support. The Q970's primary focus is on robust vPro remote manageability for businesses, making it suitable for corporate deployments.
Anticipated Launch and Performance Impact
These new Intel 900 series chipsets are anticipated to launch later this year, coinciding with the release of Intel's Nova Lake-S processors. Nova Lake-S processors are rumored to feature increased CPU core counts, potentially reaching an impressive 52 cores. This powerful combination of advanced chipsets and high-core-count processors is expected to facilitate faster RAM usage and contribute significantly to higher overall system performance.