Intel Z790 Motherboard can support PCIe 5 M.2 SSD

If nothing else, Intel will launch some 13th-generation Core Raptor Lake CPUs and 700 series chipsets this fall, and then major board manufacturers will also launch a series of new motherboards. For example Z790. Judging from previous revelations, Intel’s Z790 motherboard will have some new I/O specification upgrades, which are more expandable than the existing 600 series products.

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In the latest episode of @Moore’s Law Is Dead, Intel Z790 motherboards add support for PCIe Gen 5 M.2 SSDs, but like AMD’s AM5 platform, not all motherboards support it, which means only high-end motherboards. The product only supports PCIe 5 M.2 SSD, while mainstream products will not support PCIe 5, because it requires more PCB layers and driver interfaces, so the cost is higher.

He said that all AMD X670E class motherboards support PCIe 5 M.2, but only high-end products use the X670E design, while the rest (X670/B650) are a combination of Gen 5 and Gen 4 PCIe/SSD solutions that manufacturers decide.

Intel plans to release its first Z790 products at the end of July or August, which means the new platform will be released in the third quarter of 2022. Of course, it’s more like an unveiling than a release, similar to how AMD promotes the 600 series, arousing everyone’s curiosity and attracting attention.

It is said that the new motherboard will start verification in August and then go into mass production, which means that Intel is expected to launch the 13th-generation Raptor Lake CPU in late October or November. After all, these partners need to prepare before Intel’s official release.

It is worth mentioning that HWiNFO recently added pre-support for the ASUS Z790 motherboard, which is the next version. From what is currently known, Intel’s existing 600 series motherboards will retain support for 13th generation Raptor Lake CPUs.

Because the new processors also use the same LGA socket layout of the Alder Lake series, the current Z690 motherboards are also sufficient. After all, the Z690 is compatible with both DDR4 and DDR5 specifications, which is more cost-effective for some users.

The most important point is that no manufacturer has released PCIe 5.0 solid-state drives yet, but fortunately, AMD is working hard with Phison on technical research, and it is expected to bring everyone into the PCIe 5.0 storage era soon. AMD will also rely on its Smart access storage technology bringing new advantages.