Intel 9-Series Chipsets to Support SATA Express Interface
[04/16/2013 08:58 PM]
by Anton Shilov
Intel Corp.'s 9-series chipsets, which will emerge in the year 2014, will natively support Serial ATA Express interface for storage devices that is based on PCI Express protocol. The new interconnection addresses high-speed solid-state drives and will be able to offer a significant performance boost for SSDs thanks to significantly increased maximum throughput compared to conventional Serial ATA-6Gb/s interface.
Although Intel yet has to release its 8-series code-named Lynx Point chipsets this summer along with its code-named Haswell microprocessors for desktops, notebooks and servers, the company has already began to promote its future-generation 9-series chipsets among mainboard developers. Chinese VR-Zone web-site, which has published a photo from a presentation of the new chipsets, claims that the forthcoming platform from the chip giant will feature a number of important innovations.
Intel 9-series chipsets, which will include such core-logic sets as Z97 and H97 as well as derivatives, will support SATA Express interface for high-speed storage devices, which will bolster performance of high-end SSDs that are currently limited by SATA-6Gb/s. In addition, the core-logic series will support all-new Intel device protection technology with boot guar, which will enhance platform security against low-level malware attacks.
The SATA Express technology will provide a cost-effective means to increase device interface speeds to 8Gb/s and 16Gb/s. The specification will define new device and motherboard connectors that will support both new SATA Express and current SATA devices. The SATA Express connectors will maintain backwards compatibility with current SATA cables and will allow plugging both existing hard drives as well as future SATA Express PCIe-based devices.
The 9-series chipsets from Intel will support the companys next-generation code-named Broadwell microprocessors that will be made using 14nm manufacturing technology starting late-2013. In theory, Intel could release both Core i-series 5000-family Broadwell central processing units along with 9-series chipsets already in Q1 2014, but keeping in mind Intels strategy to make new launches towards the middle of the year, it is more likely to expect the chip giant to unleash its new family of chips in Q2 Q3 2014.