PCIe 5.0 only for Z690? New information about Intel B660

Videocardz received photos of package labels from one of the reviewers of the Intel Alder Lake platform with a printed label mentioning the ASUS PRIME B660-PLUS D4 motherboard. Interestingly, ASUS reportedly delivered the Z690 motherboard in the wrong box, accidentally revealing important information about the mid-range Intel 600 series chipset.

Has Intel reserved PCIe 5.0 for the Z690 only?

This one wrong box most likely indicated that Intel’s primary and mid-segment motherboards with the H610 and B660 chipsets, respectively, will embrace the PCIe 4.0 standard. This is strange on the one hand, considering that PCIe 5.0 support depends on the CPU and not the chipset, but most likely it is a drive to minimize the cost of producing motherboards. After all, these must be properly made in order for their laminate to be able to meet the potential of next-generation PCIe.

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Additionally, Intel will simply use a thick line to separate individual motherboard segments with this move, although we have no direct confirmation that each B660 motherboard will be devoid of PCIe 5.0 support. It seems likely, but just as the issue of operational memory is not clear, the capabilities of the B660 boards remain a little secret.

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The Z690 will probably not be the only chipset with PCIe 5.0 capabilities, because Intel is going to launch the H670, which should still support the new standard.