The first Intel Z390-chipset motherboard has been spotted

The first Intel Z390-chipset motherboard has been spotted

The first Intel Z390-chipset motherboard has been spotted

For a long time now Intel has been rumoured to be creating a new Z390 series chipset, one that is designed to sit above Intel’s existing Z370 motherboard and release with several additional features. 

If existing rumours are to be believed, Z390 will offer more integrated USB 3.1 ports as well as built-in WLAN capabilities, which will in-turn allow motherboard manufacturers to remove some 3rd party chips from their designs and in turn save a little money when manufacturing new motherboards.

While there have been a few leaked roadmaps that have shown Z390, we have never seen this chipset appear online, either in the form of a picture or as a database listing. Now, just like Z370 before it, Z390 has been listed on the SiSoft Sandra online database thanks to a motherboard from SuperMicro called the C7Z390-PGW.
  

The first Intel Z390-chipset motherboard has been spotted

When comparing Z370 chipset to Intel’s last-generation Z270 chipset we can see that both are remarkably similar, with motherboard designs remaining very similar to their 200-series counterparts and no feature upgrades aside from the core-count updates that Coffee Lake brings over Kaby Lake. Other rumours have alleged that Z390 could support higher core counts than Z370, though this has not been confirmed. 

If the rumours surrounding Coffee Lake are to be believed the Z370 platform seems rushed to market, utilising the LGA 1151 socket in a way that lacks backwards compatibility and with what appears to be no noteworthy chipset feature upgrades over Z270. Will Z390 be what Z370 should have been? 

Leaked Intel roadmap reveal Z370 and Z390 enthusiast chipsets

(Previously leaked Intel roadmap)

 

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