ASRock Ships Z990 Motherboards, Hinting at Intel Nova Lake-S Launch

ASRock is paving the way for its first motherboards featuring the Intel Z990 chipset, designed for the upcoming Intel Nova Lake-S processors. Shipping and customs records reveal several models currently en route between Taiwan and Vietnam, indicating ASRock has units ready for validation, testing, and pre-production.

This leak is significant as it shows manufacturers are well into developing Intel's next platform. Nova Lake-S will introduce a new socket, the LGA1954. Fortunately, existing cooling solutions will remain compatible. However, current processors (LGA1851) will not work with the new socket. ASRock's move aligns with reports suggesting Nova Lake processors will launch between late 2026 and early 2027.

ASRock Prepares at Least Six Z990 Motherboards

Discovered records list six ASRock motherboards equipped with the Intel Z990 chipset. These include the Z990 Steel Legend WiFi, Z990 Taichi Creator, Z990 Challenger WiFi, Z990 Taichi White, Z990 Challenger WiFi White, and Z990 Pro RS WiFi. This range suggests ASRock is covering various budgets and needs, from more accessible options to enthusiast-grade boards.

The presence of the Challenger series with the Z990 chipset is noteworthy. ASRock has recently used this branding mainly for more budget-friendly B860 boards. Its inclusion on the flagship chipset could mean more affordable Z990 options. At the other end of the spectrum are the Taichi boards, including a new Creator variant and a fully white model, catering to the growing trend of white PC builds.

These documents cover both fully assembled boards and bare PCBs, so these shipments are not necessarily final retail units. The reporting dates suggest a late 2026 timeframe, consistent with validation or pre-production phases.

Advantages of Intel's New Top-Tier Chipset

Leaks provide insights into the Intel Z990 chipset, expected to surpass the current Z890. This chipset will offer up to 48 total PCIe lanes, including 12 PCIe 5.0 lanes directly from the PCH, 12 PCIe 4.0 lanes, and a four-lane DMI 5.0 connection to the processor.

Further expected features include up to two USB4/Thunderbolt 4 connections from the CPU, 5x 20 Gbps USB 3.2 ports, 10x 10 Gbps USB ports, 10x 5 Gbps USB ports, and up to 8 SATA ports. As the enthusiast platform, Z990 will support CPU, memory, and BCLK overclocking. Chipsets below Z990 include Z970, B960, and Q970, while the W980 is aimed at workstations. The Z990 chipset's power draw is estimated around 14W, an increase attributed mainly to the expanded PCIe 5.0 connectivity. Specific ASRock motherboard specifications remain unknown, with differences likely revolving around power phases, heatsinks, and connectivity.