Intel Z390 chipset features usb 3.1 gen2, wifi and bluetooth 5.0 bluetooth

Intel has put information about the Z390 chipset online. The chipset is largely the same as the existing Z370 variant, but equipped with an integrated USB 3.1 controller, Bluetooth 5.0 and WiFi.

Intel integrates a Wireless-AC 9560 adapter into the chipset, for 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0. There is also a USB controller in the chipset with support for USB 3.1 gen2. With the Z370 chipset, there is only USB 3.1 Gen1 support and motherboard manufacturers have to add another USB controller for faster USB ports.

The chipset offers support for a total of thirty USB connections, six of which are USB 3.1 Gen2 ports with a maximum throughput of 10Gbit/s. In addition, there are ten USB 3.1 Gen1 connections and fourteen USB 2.0 connections. Furthermore, Intel integrates its Smart Sound Technology into the chipset. That is a DSP for processing audio that should ensure fast processing of voice commands.

Intel has posted a PDF with information about the Z390 chipset on its website, without further announcement. It is not yet clear when motherboards with the new chipset will be released on the market, nor is there any mention of support for octacore processors.

Documents from Intel previously revealed that the Z390 chipset was on the way and that it will support octacore processors on the lga1151 socket. An eight-core Coffee Lake processor is expected to be released by the end of this year.