Intel 8th generation Core "Coffee Lake" mainstream desktop processors could work on older socket LGA1151 motherboards based on Intel 200-series chipset, after all. A recent motherboard BIOS update by ASUS alters the name-string of a system device to read "Intel Kaby Lake/Coffee Lake-S Host Bridge/DRAM Controller," reinforcing the theory that Coffee Lake and its companion 300-series chipset make up the Kaby Lake "Refresh" platform.

Responding to a customer question, motherboard maker ASRock had recently commented that "Coffee Lake" processors won't be supported by current motherboards based on the 200-series chipset, dashing hopes of current platform users to upgrade to newer 6-core processors without having to unnecessarily buy a new motherboard and reinstall software. This development shouldn't necessarily raise hopes. Although Kaby Lake and Coffee Lake have a lot of architectural similarities, particularly with their uncore components, revised electrical requirements of the new chips could be behind the lack of backwards platform-compatibility. It remains to be seen if you can use your current "Skylake" and "Kaby Lake" processors on upcoming 300-series chipset motherboards.

Colorful today rolled out the iGame Z270I-WF, a variant of the iGame Z270I motherboard featuring wireless networking. The socket LGA1151 motherboard is based on Intel Z270 Express chipset, and draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and 4-pin ATX power connectors, conditioning it for the CPU using a 6-phase VRM. The CPU is wired to two DDR4 DIMM slots, and the board's lone PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slot.

Storage options include four SATA 6 Gbps ports, and a 32 Gbps M.2 slot on the reverse side. Networking includes 802.11ac WLAN, Bluetooth 4.1, and two gigabit Ethernet interfaces, one driven by an Intel i219-V controller, and the other by Realtek DragonLAN (RTL81118AS) controller. USB connectivity includes six USB 3.0 ports, and two USB 3.1 ports (including a type-C port). The onboard audio solution combines a 115 dBA SNR CODEC (Realtek ALC1150), with ground-layer isolation and audio-grade capacitors. The company didn't reveal pricing.

ASUS expanded its Expedition line of high-endurance gaming PC motherboards designed for the rigors of gaming iCafes, with the socket LGA1151 Expedition B250-V7, based on the Intel B250 Express chipset. Built in the ATX form-factor, the board draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS power connectors, and conditions it for the CPU with a simple 6-phase VRM. The CPU is wired to four DDR4 DIMM slots, supporting up to 64 GB of dual-channel memory; and a single reinforced PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slot. Other expansion slots include two PCI-Express 3.0 x16 (both electrical x4 and wired to the B250 PCH), and three x1 slots.

Storage connectivity is pretty basic, with just the six SATA 6 Gbps ports, as is the USB connectivity, with just six USB 3.0 ports (four on the rear panel, and two by headers), and no 10 Gbps USB 3.1 ports. The only display output is an HDMI port. The onboard audio consists of a basic 8-channel HDA CODEC (Realtek ALC887, <90 dBA SNR), and the gigabit Ethernet connection is driven by an Intel i219-V controller with LANGuard (power surge protection), and GameFirst packet prioritization software. The company didn't reveal pricing.

Intel Pentium G4560 dual-core socket LGA1151 processor is too good for Intel's comfort. For the past two generations, Intel has enabled HyperThreading on Pentium dual-core chips, and expanded L3 cache amount from 2 MB to 3 MB; which had been the two key differentiators for the company's Core i3 desktop lineup from Pentium. HyperThreading was warranted by an increasing number of games and applications which wouldn't work without at least 4 logical CPUs. The G4560 is a formidable part at its USD $64 price - 2 cores, 4 threads, the latest "Kaby Lake" micro-architecture, 3 MB L3 cache, and 3.50 GHz clock speeds. On the flip side, it makes buying Core i3 dual-core parts close to double its price a dumb option. Intel's solution? Effectively kill it.

According to a DigiWorthy report, Intel has decided to scale down production of the Pentium G4560 in a bid to cripple its availability, and force consumers to opt for pricier 7th generation Core i3 parts. The cheapest part, the Core i3-7100, is priced almost double that of the G4560, at $117. You get the same two "Kaby Lake" cores, 4 threads enabled by HyperThreading, the same 3 MB L3 cache, but slightly higher clock speeds of 3.90 GHz, and a faster integrated graphics core, if you use one. Does the extra 400 MHz warrant double the price? Not even in the case of Intel's priciest Core i7 SKUs. All prices are Intel's "recommended customer price" for 1000-unit tray quantities.

In addition to the X299 Aorus Gaming 9, GIGABYTE showed off its Z270X Aorus Gaming 9, its flagship socket LGA1151 motherboard based on the current Z270 Express chipset. With its nomenclature, GIGABYTE appears to have relegated "Aorus" to a brand-extension, rather than an overarching brand by itself. The Z270X Aorus Gaming 9 is packed to the brim with features. The board draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS power connectors; conditioning it for the CPU with a massive 24-phase VRM, with a liquid-cooling ready heatsink. This board features a PLX PEX8747 PCI-Express gen 3.0 x48 bridge chip, which takes in the x16 PEG link from the CPU, and puts out four x16 slots (x16/NC/x16/NC or x16/NC/x8/x8 or x8/x8/x8/x8), with support for 3-way and 4-way SLI and CrossFireX.

Storage options are aplenty, with two 32 Gb/s M.2 slots with NVMe RAID and Optane support, two 32 Gb/s U.2 ports, two 16 Gb/s SATA-Express ports, and ten SATA 6 Gb/s ports. This board features the same ultra high-grade AMP-UP onboard audio solution as the X299 Gaming 9, with a 127 dBA SNR CODEC made by ESS, the highest-grade audio capacitors money can buy, and three user-replaceable OPAMPs. The board will feature a plethora of CPU and memory overclocking features, and GIGABYTE's RGB Fusion LED lighting system. It goes on sale some time in June.

Back in April, we reported motherboard manufacturer MSI bundling Intel's Optane cache SSD with a few of its mid-range motherboards. While not free, the bundle would be slightly cheaper than the sum of its parts (buying the board and SSD separately). At the time we predicted that other motherboard vendors could launch similar bundles. It turns out that Intel is indeed coordinating motherboard + Optane SSD bundles.

In a bid to boost sales of its 200-series chipset motherboards and Core "Kaby Lake" processors, Intel is coordinating bundles of motherboards across brands with its Optane cache SSDs. Analysts predict that this could be an inventory-clearing exercise by Intel, because it plans to launch its next-generation Core "Coffee Lake" processors by late-August, 2017. "Coffee Lake" will see the introduction of six-core processor SKUs to Intel's mainstream-desktop platform, which is currently led by the quad-core i7-7700K "Kaby Lake."

ASUS today introduced the Republic of Gamers (ROG) STRIX H270I socket LGA1151 motherboard in the mini-ITX form-factor. The board offers most of the feature-set of its more expensive sibling, the STRIX Z270I, minus some of its CPU overclocking features, and should hence be perfect for SFF gaming PC builders who don't intend to overclock their CPUs. It is based on a different PCB from its Z270-based sibling. The board draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS power connectors, and conditions it for the CPU using a simple 7-phase VRM (compared to the 9-phase setup on the STRIX Z270I). The CPU is wired to two DDR4 DIMM slots, supporting up to 32 GB of dual-channel DDR4 memory; and the board's lone expansion slot, a PCI-Express 3.0 x16.

Storage connectivity includes two M.2 slots (stacked on top of each other), one which has 32 Gb/s PCIe-only wiring with NVMe support, and another with 32 Gb/s PCIe plus SATA 6 Gb/s wiring; and four SATA 6 Gb/s ports. Networking is another interesting mix, with two 1 GbE interfaces, one driven by an Intel i219V controller, and the other by a Realtek RTL8111H; and a WLAN card with 802.11ac WLAN and Bluetooth 4.1, driven by an Intel-made controller. Audio is care of ASUS SupremeFX solution, which combines a Realtek ALC1220 (120 dBA SNR) CODEC with two headphones amplifier circuits, audio-grade capacitors, and ground-layer isolation. The board also features an RGB LED lighting element in addition to RGB LED headers, driven by its Aura Sync RGB software. The company didn't reveal pricing.

Another interesting tidbit to have dropped from recent SiSotware leaks on Intel's upcoming Coffee Lake CPUs is that these could be backwards compatible with LGA 1151 motherboards that rock the 200 series chipset (and perhaps even the 100 series.) This last tidbit seems to be a bit of a stretch, even if it does end up being somewhat of a motherboard manufacturer's choice whether or not to issue updated, supporting BIOSes for the most recent Intel processors on their older boards. But why lose so many sales of motherboards equipped with Intel's upcoming, complimentary 300 series chipsets?

This piece of information comes courtesy of SiSoftware Sandra, again, where the 6-core Coffee Lake Intel chip, running @ 3.5 GHz, was tested in a Kaby Lake S platform - which features a 200 series chipset, no less. This means that there is a chance users will have a straight, drop-in upgrade path for Coffee Lake 6-core chips (seems Intel is no longer keeping all of those cores to themselves.) Doesn't that make the world seem a better place?

ECS introduced its premium socket LGA1151 motherboard, the Z270-Lightsaber. A successor to the Z170-Lightsaber the company unveiled way back in January 2016, the board is packed to the brim with features. To begin with, it draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS power connectors, conditioning it for the CPU with a 14-phase VRM. The socket is wired to four DDR4 DIMM slots, supporting up to 64 GB of dual-channel DDR4 memory; and two PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slots (x8/x8 with both populated). The third x16 slot is electrical gen 3.0 x4, and wired to the Z270 PCH, and four PCI-Express 3.0 x1 slots make for the rest of its expansion.

Storage connectivity includes six SATA 6 Gb/s ports, a 32 Gb/s M.2 slot, and a 32 Gb/s U.2 port, with NVMe booting and Intel Optane support. USB connectivity includes two 10 Gb/s USB 3.1 ports, both of which are type-A, and eight 5 Gb/s USB 3.0 ports (six on the rear panel, two via headers). The onboard audio solution includes a 115 dBA SNR CODEC sitting on an elevated PCB of its own, besides ground layer isolation for the audio circuit that includes a replaceable TI NE5532AP OPAMP, and audio-grade capacitors. The gigabit Ethernet connection is driven by Killer E2500 controller. The board also features standardized RGB LED headers over two zones. The board also features dual-BIOS with manual switching between two EEPROMs. The company didn't reveal pricing.

Calyos announced availability of its NSG S0, a revolutionary new case with factory-fitted phase-change cooling for the CPU and graphics cards. From today (29th March), Calyos will be accepting pre-orders for the case through a 30-day Kickstarter campaign. The NSG S0 will start at 479€, and buyers will be able to order one of many custom-design themes, such as Battlefield Edition, LoL Edition, MSI Gaming edition, Unicorn Team Fortress edition, and more functional changes, such as a water-cooling mod. The case will come optimized for Core i7-7700K (socket LGA1151) and GeForce GTX 1080 Ti graphics. At a later date, the company plans to sell complete pre-assembled gaming PC builds featuring the two components.

The case features a central brushed aluminium frame that holds a motherboard tray on one side, and a compartment on the other side with the PSU tray, some drive trays, and the phase-change cooler that puts out pressurized coolant through high-pressure CPU and VGA blocks. Phase-change cooling works on the same principle as refrigeration, and is a proven sub-zero cooling method for enthusiast PC builds. The case can also be refitted to handle liquid cooling.Pictures of the special-edition variants and the press-release follow.

Here are the winners of the TechPowerUp and BIOSTAR Racing GT giveaway. Three lucky winners from the United States and Mexico, win one of BIOSTAR's finest socket LGA1151 Racing GT series motherboards, which includes one winner for the Racing Z270GT6 and two winners that get a Racing B250GT5, each. These motherboards feature powerful CPU VRM, RGB LED lighting preparation, and BIOSTAR's Puro Hi-Fi onboard audio solutions. Without further ado, the winners:

• Daniel from the United States, wins a Racing Z270GT6
• William and John, both from the United States, win a Racing B250GT5, each

TechPowerUp will return with more such interesting giveaways.

Did you sign up for our BIOSTAR Racing GT 200-series Motherboard Giveaway yet? Well, why didn't you? Win one of these three premium socket LGA1151 motherboards, one BIOSTAR Racing GT Z270GT6, or one of two Racing B250GT5, armed with BIOSTAR's most premium VRM implementation, and its PuroHiFi onboard audio solution, and preparation for RGB LED lighting. The giveaway ends tomorrow (3rd March), and is open to residents of the United States and Mexico.

For more information, and to participate, visit this page.

EK Water Blocks, the world renowned premium liquid cooling manufacturer, is proud to release their monoblock liquid cooling solution for the ASUS ROG Maximus IX Hero motherboard. The EK-FB ASUS M9H is first in the line of monoblocks for socket 1151 ASUS Z270 chipset motherboards. EK-FB ASUS M9H Monoblock is a complete all-in-one (CPU and motherboard) liquid cooling solution for the new Intel Z270 Express Chipset LGA1151 ASUS ROG Maximus IX motherboard that supports the latest 7th generation and 6th generation Intel Core Processors as well.

Designed and engineered in cooperation with ASUS, this monoblock uses award-winning EK-Supremacy EVO cooling engine to ensure best possible CPU cooling. This water block directly cools Intel LGA-1151 socket type CPU, as well as the power regulation (MOSFET) module. Liquid flows directly over all critical areas, providing the enthusiasts with a great solution for high and stable overclocks. Like with every EK monoblock, EK-FB ASUS M9H features high flow design and this monoblock can be easily used with the system using a weaker water pump as well.

GIGABYTE today introduced the B250M-Gaming 5 motherboard. This micro-ATX socket LGA1151 board is targeted at performance-segment gaming PC builds, and features full RGB lighting over two multi-color LED elements near the CPU socket, and a multi-color LED lighting strip near the ATX power connector. There are also LEDs under the PCH heatsink and the audio ground layer isolation strip. The board is based on the Intel B250 Express chipset, and lacks support for CPU overclocking, or NVIDIA SLI. The CPU socket is wired to four DDR4 DIMM slots (reinforced), and one PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slot. The second x16 slot is gen 3.0 x4 and wired to the PCH. Two other gen 3.0 x1 slots make for the rest of the expansion area.

Storage connectivity on the B250M-Gaming 5 includes six SATA 6 Gb/s ports, and a 32 Gb/s M.2 slot. Display outputs include DVI and HDMI. Networking is care of a single gigabit Ethernet interface, driven by an Intel-made controller. GIGABYTE deployed its AMP-UP onboard audio solution, with an 8-channel HD audio CODEC that boasts of 120 dBA SNR, a headphones amp, audio-grade electrolytic capacitors, and ground-layer isolation. USB ports include four USB 3.1 ports (two on the rear panel, including a type-C port, and two ports through headers); and six USB 3.0 ports. Other features include GIGABYTE's dual-UEFI BIOS. The company didn't reveal pricing, although one could expect this one to be priced around the $100 mark.

ASUS' new line of PC hardware targeted at gaming iCafes under the Expedition brand grows, with its first motherboard, the B150M Expedition (model: EX-B150M-V5 D3). These products are designed to be durable enough for the rigors of gaming iCafes, at affordable prices, though not as apocalypse-survivalist as the company's coveted TUF series. The B150M Expedition is a socket LGA1151 motherboard with DDR3 memory support. It features two memory slots that support up to 16 GB of dual-channel DDR3-1866 memory. The memory slots have an anti-theft feature that lets you screw-in the modules to the slots.

The narrow micro-ATX board draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS power connectors, and conditions it for the CPU with a 7-phase VRM. Expansion slots include one PCI-Express 3.0 x16, and two PCI-Express 3.0 x1. Storage connectivity includes four SATA 6 Gbps ports. USB connectivity includes eight USB 3.0 ports (six on the rear panel, two via headers). Networking is care of a single gigabit Ethernet interface driven by a Realtek RTL8111GR controller. ASUS deployed the gaming-grade Crystal Audio 2 onboard audio solution, with a Realtek ALC887 6-channel HD audio CODEC, ground-layer isolation, audio-grade capacitors, and a headphones amp. The board also features a PS/2 port for legacy input devices. ASUS didn't disclose pricing.

BIOSTAR is proud to announce its line-up of new motherboards based on the Intel B250 chipset as part of the 2nd-generation RACING series family of products with the announcement of the BIOSTAR RACING B250GT5 and B250GT3. Both motherboards support Intel's 7th-generation Core processors as well as native support for Intel Optane Memory technology for next-generation high-speed storage.

BIOSTAR is proud to announce the full line-up for the new 2nd-generation RACING series motherboards featuring support for Intel's 7th-generation Core processors. Following the announcement last week of the flagship RACING Z270GT9, today BIOSTAR proudly announces the different level products of the new RACING series family with the introduction of the RACING Z270GT8, RACING Z270GT6 and RACING Z270GT4 motherboards featuring the latest technology from BIOSTAR inspired by the quest for the best in gaming features. The 2nd-gen RACING series Z270 motherboard lineup brings a new level of gaming experience and performance-oriented motherboards to gamers and enthusiasts.

Eurocom launches the fully upgradeable, high performance 15.6" Tornado F5 with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 graphics, Intel Core i7 7700K processor, 64 GB DDR4 memory via four slots, dual M.2 SSD slots and a 4K 15.6" display.

EUROCOM Tornado F5 users who own an Intel Core i7-6700K SKU can upgrade to the i7-7700K since the two processors share the same LGA 1151 socket. The EUROCOM Tornado F5 is one of the few laptops with a Z170 chipset, LGA 1151 CPU socket and MXM 3.0 graphics slot for a wide range of customization options. Two M.2 SSD PCIe x2/x4 or SATA SSD and one 9.5mm SATA3 6Gb/s storage drive is also supported to offer a great combination of capacity and speed. Four memory slots are available to support up to 64 GB of DDR4 SODIMM. Customers have a 15.6" FHD matte display and a 4K matte display to choose from as well.

Colorful Technology Company Limited, professional manufacturer of graphics cards and motherboards, is proud to announce its latest motherboard for enthusiasts and gamers featuring the latest Intel Z270 chipset to support LGA1151 processors including the newly announced 7th generation Core processors from Intel with their new iGame Z270 Gamer. Customization motherboard. This latest products joins the family of iGame enthusiast and performance series of motherboards and graphics cards which focuses on not just the needs of gamers for a faster and robust system but serves as a canvas to promote their creativity and idea with great customization options.

BIOSTAR is proud to announce its latest motherboard supporting the 7th-generation of Intel Core series processors with the announcement of the BIOSTAR RACING Z270GT9. Featuring the latest Intel Z270 chipset, this motherboard supports LGA1151 processors for the latest in performance and power as well as the best features including support for DDR4-3600+ high-speed memory, six PCI-E x16 3.0 slots, and two USB 3.1 (TYPE A+C) ports amongst others.

Built upon reliability, the new BIOSTAR RACING Z270GT9 features enhanced endurance and stability under intense conditions which is a great advantage for gamers thanks to its improved power design named Digital Power+ which features IR digital PWM controller and PowIRstage IC which offer excellent stability and voltage delivery whilst operating cooler and more reliable under load than competing designs. The BIOSTAR RACING Z270GT9 features 14-phase power design complimented with all solid capacitors for a stable overclocking experience.

Colorful Technology Company Limited, professional manufacturer of graphics cards and motherboards, is thrilled to reveal its preview of features for its upcoming iGame200 motherboard product line. The new motherboards from Colorful will support both existing and upcoming processors for the LGA1151 socket including the 7th-gen Core series processors from Intel. The new processors will bring several improvements over its predecessor including performance and efficiency enhancements and Colorful is ready to bring the best that these CPUs can offer and deliver the needs of gamers with outstanding features.

Here are some of the first pictures of ASRock Z270 Extreme4, the company's mid-range socket LGA1151 motherboard based on Intel's upcoming Z270 Express chipset, with out of the box support for 7th generation Core "Kaby Lake" processors, and support for Intel Optane 3D X-point solid-state storage. Built in the ATX form-factor, the Z270 Extreme4 draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS connectors, and conditions it for the CPU with a 12-phase VRM.

The CPU socket is wired to four DDR4 DIMM slots, supporting up to 64 GB of dual-channel DDR4 memory; and two PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slots (electrical x8/x8 when both are populated). The third PCIe 3.0 x16 slot is electrical x4 and wired to the PCH. Three open-ended PCIe 3.0 x1 slots make for the rest of the expansion area. Storage connectivity includes eight SATA 6 Gb/s ports, and two 32 Gb/s M.2 slots. Display connectivity includes one each of D-Sub, DVI, and HDMI. You get a total of eight USB 3.0 ports (four on the rear panel four by headers), and two USB 3.1 ports (one each of type-A and type-C, both on the rear panel). Eight channel HD audio and gigabit Ethernet make for the rest of the connectivity.

Tis the season of 'leaks.' A marketing image of an upcoming socket LGA1151 Z270 chipset based motherboard by MSI bearing its Gaming Series Tomahawk branding was teased on Facebook. It appears to be feature-rich given that MSI positions its "Tomahawk" branded motherboards in the mid-tier of its lineup. One of the features that caught our attention is MSI's claim to have achieved true 1000 MB/s bandwidth for USB 3.1 (gen 2.0) using a custom software feature. MSI is calling this the X-Boost. The company is also guaranteeing full 8 Gb/s bandwidth per port, since it's using ASMedia AS2142 controllers to drive its USB 3.1 ports.Many Thanks to TheLostSwede for the tip.

Japanese cooling expert Scythe presents the fifth version of the Mugen CPU Cooler, which has been fitted with significant improvements. The Mugen has been one of the most popular CPU coolers on the market for a long time. Scythe was able to ramp up the performance even further with Mugen 5 and at the same time equip the heatsink with a unique new fan. Supplied Kaze Flex 120 PWM fan features noise reduction rubber-insulators in the corners, dynamic fan speed range from 300 to 1.200 rpm as well as a brand-new Sealed Precision FDB bearing, allowing smooth and silent operation at all times.

Scythe's engineering team took the user feedback and applied it on the revamped design of Mugen 5! The heatsink of the Mugen 5 is based on 6 high-quality all-copper heatpipes and a solid aluminum fin stack. Great compatibility to tall memory modules is achieved thanks to the new asymmetrical design of Mugen 5. The solid copper base-plate has been placed slightly shifted for this purpose, instead of centered. In addition to that, several layers of the fin stack on the back of Mugen 5 have been shortened, to further increase RAM compatibility. Mugen 5 can easily fit into most PC chassis on the market, thanks to the total height of only 154.5 mm. In order to avoid corrosion and to improve the quality, all copper-heatpipes and the copper-baseplate are nickel-plated.

Early 2017, a new wave of socket LGA1151 motherboards based on Intel 200-series chipset will launch, alongside the company's 7th generation Core "Kaby Lake" processors. The lineup will be led by the Z270 Express, targeting performance desktops, and H270 Express, targeting premium commercial desktops. The question on your mind probably is what sets these chipsets apart from the current 100-series Z170 and H170 chipsets. Here are some pointers.

To begin with, motherboards based on Z270 and H270 chipsets are assured to support Core "Kaby Lake" processors, out of the box. The 100-series chipset motherboards inventory with retailers may require BIOS updates, although some of the newer production batches could ship with the latest BIOS that support "Kaby Lake." Secondly, the Z270 and H270 support Intel Optane technology, a new breed of bleeding-edge performance SSDs based on the company's 3D X-point non-volatile memory, which is the very latest in sold-state storage, and purported to be the fastest. The chipets also support Rapid Storage Technology v15.