MSI Z490 motherboards have been spotted at the EEC – Next-Gen is coming

If rumours are to be believed, Intel has plans to release Comet Lake series processors in the first half of this year, offering PC builders up to 10 cores while bringing hyperthreading back to its desktop i3, i5 and i7 series processors. Add to this higher core clock speeds, and Intel fans are sure to receive a notable performance uplift.  

Now, evidence of Intel 400-series motherboards are appearing from various sources, with Intel Z490 motherboards from MSI appearing on the EEC database, information which was first uncovered by @momomo_us on Twitter. Below listings of Creator Z490I, MPG Z490M GAMING EDGE WIFI, Z490-A PRO, MPG Z490 GAMING CARBON WIFI, MEG Z490 ACE, and MEG Z490 GODLIKE are visible. Other listings of MEG Z490 UNIFY, MPG Z490 GAMING PLUS, MEG Z490I UNIFY, MPG Z490 GAMING EDGE WIFI, and MAG Z490 TOMAHAWK are also available on other ECC listings. 

It is clear that motherboard manufacturers are preparing for the release of Intel’s next-generation processors, and that Z490 series motherboards are seemingly in their sampling phase. Z490 reportedly uses Intel’s LGA 1200 socket, a socket which MSI’s planned MAG Core All-In-One (AIO) liquid coolers have listed support for.