The details of Intel’s 800-series platform for Arrow Lake-S Desktop CPUs have surfaced once more. Initially, information about this platform was leaked back in January 2024. Now, we have an updated platform diagram that, while slightly less detailed, appears to have been unveiled during a partner presentation and shared on the Chiphell Forums.
Regarding the platform itself, Intel will introduce Arrow Lake-S Desktop CPUs utilizing the new LGA 1851 socketed motherboards paired with the 800-series PCH, which includes the Z890, H870, B860, and H810 series. These top-tier motherboards will support up to DDR5-6400 memory, and previous diagrams indicated two additional SKUs featuring 6+8 and 6+16 configurations.
- Arrow Lake-S 8+16 (24 Cores / 32 Threads)
- Arrow Lake-S 6+16 (22 Cores / 28 Threads)
- Arrow Lake-S 6+8 (14 Cores / 20 Threads)
The upcoming Intel 800-series desktop platform is set to natively support much higher memory speeds, reaching up to 6400 MT/s in a dual-channel setup. The CPUs will feature native x16 PCIe Gen5 dGPU and x4 PCIe Gen5 M.2 lanes, along with an additional x4 Gen4 PCIe lanes for M.2. Breaking down the CPU and PCH I/O capabilities, we see:
Arrow Lake-S CPU I/O Capabilities:
- DDR5 UDIMM/SODIMM – 6400 MT/s Native
- 1×4 eDP 1.4b
- DP2.0 UHBR20/HDMI 2.1
- 2x USB 4.0 + TBT4/DP
- 2.0/HDMI 2.1 Type-C
- 24 Total PCIe Lanes
- 20 PCIe Gen5 Lanes (1×16 + 1×4)
- 4 PCIe Gen5 Lanes (1×4)
- 8 SATA III lanes
ARL-S PCH For 800-Series Motherboards:
- DMI Gen4 1×8
- 24 Total PCIe Gen4 Lanes
- 6 x4 Controller (Max)
- 14 Root Port (Max)
- 8 SATA III lanes
- 3x GbE Ports
- 10 USB 3.2 Gen2 x1 Ports (Every two ports can be used as a single USB Gen 3.2 Gen2x2 port, max 4 supported)
- 14 USB 2.0 Ports
- 802.11ax R2 w/TDBC (160+80), BT6/WIFI7
- 1x CSME SPI
- 2 x TCH SPI
Interestingly, Intel’s Arrow Lake Desktop CPUs will feature 20 usable PCIe Gen5 lanes, whereas AMD’s Ryzen 9000 Desktop CPUs will offer 24 usable PCIe Gen5 lanes. This gives AMD an edge in the total number of Gen 5.0 lanes provided by the CPU. When it comes to memory support, Arrow Lake CPUs will maintain DDR5-6400 native support, while Zen 5 CPUs will stick with DDR5-5600 native support.
Intel Arrow Lake-S Desktop CPUs will be compatible with the upcoming LGA 1851 socket on 800-series motherboards, boasting the following features:
- LGA 1851 Socket Longevity: Planned until 2026
- Memory Support: DDR5 only, no DDR4 support
- Platform Launch: Initiates with 800-series motherboards
- Memory Compatibility: Supports up to DDR5-6400 (Native JEDEC)
- PCIe Lanes: Increased PCIe Gen 5.0 lanes through CPU and PCH
- First Desktop Family: Arrow Lake-S supported
- Cache: 3 MB L2 cache per P-Core
- Integrated Graphics: Refreshed Alchemist iGPUs
- Integrated LLC: “Adamantine” for GPU Tile
- CPU SKUs: 8+16, 8+0, and 6+8 configurations
- Launch Timeline: Expected in the second half of 2024
At Computex 2024, all of Intel’s motherboard partners showcased their next-gen designs based on the Z890 PCH and the LGA 1851 socket. Although the manufacturers did not label the boards explicitly as Z890 products, they were easily identifiable by the engravings on the heatsinks and IO plates. Below is our coverage of the Z890 motherboards from the event:
- ASUS Z890 Motherboard Showcase at Computex 2024
- Gigabyte Z890 Motherboard Showcase at Computex 2024
- MSI Z890 Motherboard Showcase at Computex 2024
- ASRock Z890 Motherboard Showcase at Computex 2024
- Biostar Z890 Motherboard Showcase at Computex 2024
Intel’s Arrow Lake-S Desktop CPUs are slated for a launch aimed at gaming platforms such as desktop PCs later this year (October). They will compete against AMD’s Zen 5-based Ryzen 9000 “Granite Ridge” CPUs, which are set to launch later this month (31st July).