Intel's Nova Lake Chipsets Z970/Z990 May Draw Up to 14W
Intel's upcoming Z970 and Z990 Nova Lake chipsets reportedly feature a smaller PCH but increased power consumption, potentially reaching 14W at peak load with multiple PCIe 5.0 devices. This represents a significant power increase over the Z890, indicating a trade-off between size and energy use for enhanced connectivity.
Key points
- Intel's next-generation Nova Lake platform is expected to include flagship chipsets Z970 and Z990.
- These chipsets allegedly feature a PCH that is 22% smaller than the current Z890.
- Peak power consumption for the Z990 PCH is reported to be up to 14W under heavy load from multiple PCIe 5.0 devices.
- The base power for the Z990 PCH is estimated at 7.9W, a 1.9W increase over the Z890's 6W.
- The Z970 variant is also expected to have a higher base power draw compared to the Z890.
Intel's forthcoming Nova Lake platform is set to introduce new flagship chipsets, the Z970 and Z990, according to recent reports. These upcoming components are expected to utilize a physically smaller Platform Controller Hub (PCH) compared to their predecessors.
Sources suggest the new PCH will be approximately 22% smaller in die area than the current Z890. However, this miniaturization appears to come with a notable increase in power draw. Under conditions where multiple PCIe 5.0 devices are active simultaneously, the Z990 chipset could consume up to 14W of power at its peak. Even at a base level, the Z990's reported power consumption stands at 7.9W, which is an increase of 1.9W over the Z890's 6W base power. The Z970 model is also anticipated to feature a higher base power draw than the Z890.
This development indicates a potential design choice by Intel to balance reduced physical size with enhanced functionality, possibly related to the increased support for PCIe 5.0 connectivity, at the cost of higher energy expenditure. Further details on the performance and full specifications of the Nova Lake chipsets are awaited.
Sources
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