Intel's next-generation Z990 and Z970 motherboards are exposed: Ultra 400S will be launched and the 1954 interface will be replaced

Intel's next generation motherboard will change the interface again. According to VideoCardz,Intel has added two new desktop chipsets, Z990 and Z970, to its roadmap. Both use the new LGA 1954 socket design, which also means that the current mainstream LGA1851 interface will gradually withdraw from the stage.

It is reported that,The Z990 and Z970 chipsets exposed this time are core-bound to the Nova Lake-S desktop platform and will be officially launched with the Core Ultra 400S series in the future.

Since Intel has not announced the specific specifications of these two chipsets, key information such as the number of I/O interfaces, channel specifications, and functional differences between the two are still unknown.

It is worth noting that the positioning of the Z970 chipset has begun to take shape. Since Intel has not yet released the H870 chipset adapted to the Arrow Lake-S series, it is widely speculated in the industry that Z970 will become the spiritual successor of H870. In this platform update, Intel will retain the positioning of desktop H-series chipsets, but will bring them to the market under a new name.

In terms of interface,Adoption of LGA1954 socket,This means that Nova Lake-S series processors must be used with new chipset motherboards such as Z990 and Z970. Existing LGA1851 interface motherboards will not be compatible. Users need to replace the motherboard simultaneously when upgrading the platform.

In terms of release time,Intel has publicly stated that the Nova Lake series will be officially launched by the end of 2026.This also means that the Z990 and Z970 chipsets bound to them, as well as the matching new motherboards, are expected to be released simultaneously.

This means that LGA1851 will once again become a "short-lived ghost". This is obviously not good news for players.

Compared with Intel's rhythm of changing interfaces for two generations, AMD is much more stable. The AM4 interface has experienced five generations of CPU architecture and four generations of manufacturing processes since 2017, which is a miracle in the history of processors.

The Zen4-based Ryzen 7000 series has begun to change to the AM5 interface, but officials promise that AMD's next-generation Zen 6-based Ryzen desktop CPUs will continue to be compatible with the AM5 interface, and you can continue to not need to change the motherboard.