The chipset is the central element on a motherboard and acts as a link between the individual components of a computer. It controls the interaction and the flow of data between the processor, the main memory, the bus systems and the controllers of the internal and external interfaces and therefore has a major influence on the overall performance of the computer system. Choosing the right chipset is important because it determines what components can be used in a computer system.
If you now look at the composition of an Intel-based desktop PC, you need to select the right mainboard and the chipset, which contains all the components of the PC, such as RAM, SSD, graphics adapter and the CPU, which is mounted on a socket. The CPU socket and the chipset of the mainboard must match the respective CPU.
Choosing the right chipsets
When choosing the right chipsets, it is worth taking a look at the following factors:
- PCIe version: PCIe (PCI Express) means the standard according to which the internal lines transfer data between the CPU, on-board controller and other devices such as a graphics adapter. PCIe 4.0, the current version, is about twice as fast as PCIe 3.0. In addition, it is also important to consider how many lanes there are in the corresponding PCIe version.
- PCIe per chipset: the higher the number, the greater the functional possibilities
- PCIe per CPU: describes the number of PCIe lanes to which graphics adapters can be connected
- USB 3.2 Gen 1 (originally 3.0) or Gen 2 (originally 3.1): describes the number of supported USB ports with up to 5 or 10 Gbit
- Overclocking: performance of the hardware can be increased while using overclocking functions.
Intel chipsets of the old and new generation in comparison
The currently most powerful models among the desktop CPUs from Intel include those of the tenth generation with the name “Comet Lake”. Mainboards with an Intel LGA 1200 socket and a chipset from the Intel 400-series fit this. Those who opt for CPUs of the previous generations 8 and 9 (“Coffee Lake” or “Coffee Lake Refresh”) choose a mainboard with Intel LGA 1155 and a chipset from the Intel 300-series.
The chipsets B460, H470 and Z490 are compatible with “Comet Lake”.
Comparison of the different generations
| B460 | B360 | H470 | H370 | Z490 | Z390 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCIe version | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | |
| PCIe per chipset | 16 | 12 | 20 | 20 | 24 | 24 | |
| PCIe per CPU | # of PCIe lanes | 1 ×16 | 1 ×16 | 1 ×16 | 1 ×16 | 1 ×16 / 2 ×8 / 1 ×8 + 2 ×4 | 1 ×16 / 2 ×8 / 1 ×8 + 2 ×4 |
| USB 3.2 Gen 1 (originally USB 3.0) | # of USB connections | 8 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 |
| USB 3.2 Gen 2 (orginally USB 3.1) | # of USB connections | - | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Overclocking functions | - | - | - | - | ja | ja |
The innovations of the 400 series
Compared to the Z390, H370 and B360 chipsets, there are no radical changes in the equipment of the Z490, H470 and B460 models. Intel did not install PCIe 4.0 in the 400 series because the manufacturer did not include this function in the CPUs. The main innovations relate solely to the new network functions. For the first time, users benefit from the integrated Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) in the desktop chipset and the option of 2.5 GbE.However, only part of the hardware required for this is in the chipset.2.5 GbE is possible thanks to the universally applicable HSIO lanes, which are provided by the chipset and used by external controllers.
For Wi-Fi 6, an external companion RF module is required additionally to the control electronics of the chipset.
Recommendation for demanding users
Intel’s Z390 and Z490 chipsets are used in various types of PCs. If you choose the newer model, you benefit from better overclocking functions and therefore work much faster.In addition, the Z490 supports not only the current tenth generation processors, but also the upcoming eleventh generation. In addition, bandwidth and PCI support remain the same, as does support for the SATA 3 ports, compatibility with graphics cards and support for Optane and SATA RAID storage. While support for wireless 802.11AC internet has been announced for the Z390, the Z490 has already implemented Wi-Fi 6 support.
In the field of video and graphics processing, the end results are highly dependent on the respective application. While some applications can make better use of CPUs with a higher number of cores than others, the speed during rendering or computing processes also fluctuates accordingly. As the successor to the Z390 chipset, the Z490 model comes with overclocking support, for example to overclock the K-CPUs via the open multiplier. In addition, the graphics unit of the CPU can also be used for video decoding.
Programs that can use this function can be accelerated considerably in this way. A factor that should also be of interest to users of high-end 4k gaming PCs.
Recommendation for the B2B environment
The Intel B360 and B460 chipsets are recommended in this area. There are also the greatest generational differences here: The B460 offers a total of 16 PCIe 3.0 lanes – a third more than the previous model. However, the B460 version lacks support for USB 3.2 Gen 2 – the older model allows four ports here.
Compared to the more expensive boards with Z390 or Z490, which offer advantages in particular when overclocking, the chipsets B360 and B460 score with their price-performance ratio and are particularly special in the B2B environment, where overclocking potential is usually not important to recommend.
