▷ Intel z390: technical characteristics and news of the new intel chipset

Intel Z390 is the new chipset hitting the market alongside ninth-generation Intel Core processors. It is an evolution of the current Z370, a chipset that had to be launched in a hurry, so some important features were left aside. We explain all the news included in the Intel Z390 chipset compared to the current Z370.

Index of contents

Intel Z390 chipset, what's new?

The most important feature that is in the Intel Z390 chipset and is not in the current Z370 is the support for CNVi technology, or what is the same, the WiFi network controller that is integrated in the eighth and ninth Intel Core processors generation. CNVi is already present in the H370, B360 chipsets, but it is not in the current Z370, so it was time to include it in the top-of-the-range model.

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CNVi is an architecture for wireless connectivity designed by Intel for its latest mobile devices. Under the CNVi architecture, the large and typically expensive functional blocks found on a typical radio chip are moved to the processor or chipset itself. This includes the processor and associated logic, memory, and MAC components of the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi cores. The remaining parts, that is, the signal processor, analog functions, and RF functions, are left in the Companion RF (CRF) module. Ultimately, this reduces the cost of the product.

The other important innovation is the support for the USB 3.1 Gen 2 technology natively, thanks to this, the motherboard manufacturers will not have to add extra controllers to enable these ports, which is what happens with the current Z370. Again a feature that was already present in B360 and H370.

News and benefits of the Z390 chipset

Final words and conclusion about the Z390 chipset

With this, we can conclude that the Z390 is an update of the current Z370, to include the features that could not be implemented in the latter due to lack of time. Z390 is compatible with eighth and ninth generation Intel Core processors, as well as Z370, B360, H370 and H310 chipsets. With the time that has passed, we believe that Intel could have taken a little more care to put in some extra novelty. In addition, we were informed that the Z370 motherboards with 9 gen processors, will be capped, they will not remove 100% of the new CPUs forcing us to change the motherboard if we want to migrate, this is something that does not happen with AMD.

What do you think of the new Intel Z390 chipset?