Intel Z790 rumored PCIe 5.0 SSD support, ready for Raptor Lake CPUs

Intel will be launching its new 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" CPUs later this year, led by the flagship Core i9-13900K, which will all work in existing 600-series motherboards. But... there are new 700-series motherboards we've been hearing about since June 2021 with rumors from over a year ago, and now there are some fresh leaks.

3

In a fresh new video, Tom @ Moore's Law is Dead says the new Intel 700-series chipset would be led by the flagship Z790 chipset, which would feature support for super-fast PCIe 5.0 SSDs. This would bring Intel to the same level as AMD with enthusiast-class consumer chipsets, as the upcoming AMD X670E chipset and its X670E-powered motherboards will support both PCIe 5.0 SSDs and a PCIe 5.0 GPU.

But just like AMD and its AM5-based motherboards, some of the new Intel Z790-based motherboards won't have PCIe 5.0 SSD support. You'll still have PCIe 5.0 x16 on some of those boards, but it'll only work with a PCIe 5.0-ready GPU. Speaking of which, AMD's next-gen RDNA 3-based Navi 31-powered Radeon RX 7970 XT (or whatever it ends up getting named) will reportedly be on the new PCIe 5.0 x16 standard.

• Read more: Intel's next-next-gen Z790 chipset with Raptor Lake CPUs in Q3 2022
• Read more: Intel Core i9-13900K processor allegedly on sale, hits black market
• Read more: Intel Core i9-13900K 'Raptor Lake' CPU: 68MB of L3 cache spotted

If the new flagship RDNA 3-based graphics card is indeed PCIe 5.0 x16 compatible, then you'll be able to run the purported new Radeon RX 7970 XT graphics card alongside a next-gen Intel 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" CPU or AMD's upcoming new Zen 4-based Ryzen 7000 series CPU.

• Read more: AMD Navi 31 GPU: flagship Radeon RX 7000 series uses PCIe 5.0 x16
• Read more: Phison teams with AMD + Micron for PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs of the future
• Read more: AMD X670E chipset: ready for AM5 CPUs with PCIe 5.0 for GPU + SSDs

AMD's new X670E chipset was explained in the above article: we can now tell you that the X670E will be a special SKU where the E stands for Extreme. Based on the information we've managed to source, it doesn't seem to differ from the X670 chipset in terms of functionality or features. However, all X670E motherboards must offer PCIe 5.0 connectivity to both the GPU and the M.2 NVMe SSD slot or possibly slots, whereas X670 based motherboards can use PCIe 4.0 instead.

3

We are to expect pretty crazy 5.8GHz and beyond CPU clocks on the new Core i9-13900K "Raptor Lake" CPU, with rumors from May 2022 teasing the huge clock speeds. Intel has confirmed that its new Raptor Lake CPUs will offer up to double-digit performance boosts, up to 24 cores and 32 threads, enhanced overclocking features, an AI M.2 module, and they'll be socket-compatible with Alder Lake systems.

Intel's next-gen Raptor Lake CPUs will arrive with up to 24 cores and 32 threads, with Intel promising "up to double digit performance boost" as well as "enhanced overclocking features". There'll be a new AI M.2 module, while Raptor Lake will be socket-compatible with Alder Lake systems (no motherboard upgrade).