Intel Z890 Chipset and LGA 1851 Socket

Intel Z890 Chipset and LGA 1851 Socket

LGA 1851 Socket Overview

• The LGA 1851 socket is planned for upcoming processors like Meteor Lake and Arrow Lake.
• It features 151 more pins than the current LGA 1700 socket, allowing for improved connectivity and features.
• The primary focus of this upgrade is to enhance support for PCIe 5.0 SSDs.

Native PCIe 5.0 Support

1. SSD Connectivity:

   • The LGA 1851 socket will provide a dedicated PCIe 5.0 ×4 interface directly attached to the CPU for SSDs.
   • This means fully native support for the latest and fastest SSDs, catching up with AMD’s offerings.
   • Additionally, the processor will offer a second PCIe 4.0 ×4 interface for additional SSDs.
   • While not as robust as AMD’s AM5 (which provides two PCIe 5.0 ×4 interfaces for SSDs), it’s a significant improvement over the LGA 1700 platform.

2. GPU Connectivity:

   • The LGA 1851 socket will still provide a PCI Express 5.0 ×16 interface for GPUs.
   • However, a move to PCIe 6.0 is not on the table yet.
   • Unfortunately, the bifurcation options for connecting multiple GPUs or SSDs are not specified in the available information.

Intel Z890 Chipset

• The Z890 chipset will be connected via DMI4 8X, equivalent to PCIe 4.0 ×8.
• Compared to AMD chipsets (which have a PCIe 4.0 ×4 uplink to the CPU), Intel maintains an advantage.
• The Z890 chipset is expected to provide up to 24 PCIe 4.0 lanes, four more than the Z790 chipset.
• This extensive connectivity, combined with the CPU’s interfaces, will make for a robust platform.

Conclusion

The Intel Z890 chipset and LGA 1851 socket promise improved SSD support, enhanced GPU connectivity, and a competitive feature set. As we await their official debut, tech enthusiasts can look forward to a new era of desktop performance and flexibility.

Disclaimer: The information provided here is based on leaks and early details, and actual specifications may vary upon official release.