This article will examine in detail and describe chipsets manufactured by Intel. for the latest generations of processors from this manufacturer. Recommendations will also be given regarding the choice of motherboard logic when assembling a new computer system.
What is a chipset?
Behind the word "chipset" is a chipset that is installed on the motherboard. It combines the various components of a computer system. Its second name is system logic. As a rule, it is tied to a specific socket, that is, a processor socket. This article will discuss the most relevant Intel solutions that can still be found on sale.
Sandy Bridge and Series 6 Chipsets
The most “ancient” chipsets made by Intel, which can still be found on sale now, belong to the 6th series. Their announcement took place at the beginning of 2011, and you can install any CPU in the Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge families in them. In the case of installing a second family of CPUs, you may need to update the BIOS. All of these chips were installed in socket 1155 and were often equipped with an integrated graphics solution. Another important feature of this platform was that it consisted of only one chip - the “south bridge”. But the "north bridge" was integrated into the processor. The most affordable among them was the Intel H61 chipset . He allowed to create inexpensive office systems. Also on its basis it was possible to make a good PC for study. But the bundles of “Cor Ai5” or “Cor Ai7” and “H61” look completely ridiculous. It is foolish to install a high-performance processor in the MiniATX motherboard with minimal functionality. This chipset allowed installing only 2 RAM modules, equipped with one PCI-Express 16x v2.0 slot for installing an external graphics accelerator, and had 10 USB 3.0 ports and 4 SATA ports for connecting hard drives or an optical drive for reading optical drives.
The middle segment was occupied by Q65, B65, Q67 (these chipsets did not support the Ivy Bridge chips). The difference between them and the H61 was the number of slots for RAM (in this case there were 4 instead of 2) and ports for drives (5 versus 4). Initially, the most productive were used H67 and P67. The first of them supported integrated video, but was equipped with only one slot for installing an external graphics accelerator. And the second one was aimed only at using external video cards (it had 2 slots for these purposes), but the integrated graphics accelerator on such motherboards did not work. In turn, Z68-based solutions combined the best of H67 and P67. This chipset can be considered the best for this platform.
Ivy Bridge and motherboards for them
The new generation of Ivey Bridge CPUs replaced Sandy Bridge in 2012. There were no cardinal differences between these generations of chips. The only thing that has essentially changed is the process. The previous generation of processors was manufactured using 32 nm technology, and the new one was manufactured using a 22-nm process technology. The socket of these chips was the same - 1155. The entry-level systems in this case were also all built on the Intel H61 chipset, which perfectly supported both generations of semiconductor crystals. But the middle and premium segments in this case have changed significantly. Although the characteristic of Intel chipsets 7 of the series indicates that they were practically no different from their predecessors. Mid-level solutions in this case included B75, Q75, Q77 and H77. All of them were equipped with 1 slot for a video card and had 4 slots for installing RAM. The B75 has the most modest parameters: 5 SATA 2.0 ports and 1 SATA 3.0 port for organizing the disk subsystem and 8 USB 2.0 ports and 4 USB 3.0 ports. By the way, all the chipsets of the 7 series are exactly such a number of USB 3.0 and could boast. Q75 differed from B75 only in the number of USB 2.0 ports, which in this case were already 10 instead of 8. H77 and Q77, unlike Q75 and B75, could boast of having two SATA 3.0 ports. The premium segment in this case was represented by Z75 and Z77. If the previous four chipsets only allowed overclocking the CPU and graphics accelerator, then these two semiconductor crystals could increase the RAM frequency. Also in this case, the number of slots for video cards increased. In solutions based on Z75 there were 2 of them, and in Z77 - 3.
Haswell, Haswell Refresh and its system logic
In 2013, 1150 came to replace socket 1155. Its processors did not introduce any revolutionary changes. The exception in this regard was only the power consumption of the chips, which was substantially redesigned in this CPU family and this allowed, without changing the technological process, to significantly reduce the thermal package of semiconductor crystals. Under the new socket, new sets of system logic were released. Their parameters have much in common with the previous generation of the 7th series. There were 6 chipsets in total: H81, B85, Q85, Q87, P87 and Z87. The most modest in terms of parameters was H81. It has only 2 slots for RAM, 2 SATA 3.0 ports, 2 SATA 2.0 ports and 1 slot for a video card. Also, the number of USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports was 8 and 2., respectively. Celeron and Pentium chips were usually installed in motherboards based on this set of system logic. The Intel B85 chipset from H81 differed in the increased number of RAM slots (there were already 4 of them), USB 3.0 and SATA 3.0 ports (4 pieces in both cases versus 2). Q85 could, in comparison with B85, boast only 10 USB ports of version 2.0. These two chipsets are most often used in conjunction with the Kor Ay3 chips. The characteristics of Q87, P87 and Z87 are identical. They have 4 slots for RAM, 8 USB 2.0 ports, 6 USB 3.0 ports and 6 SATA 3.0 ports. The Q87 and P87 chipsets were great for Cor Ai5 and Cor Ai7 with locked multipliers. But the Z87 was focused on chips with the “K” index, that is, computer systems were built on its basis for overclocking the CPU.
Broadwell and chipsets for it
In 2014, the Haswell generation was replaced by new chips, code-named Broadwell. They are manufactured using a new 14nm process and are not fully compatible with the 8 Series logic sets. The processors themselves were released a little and, as a result, a specific update of the chipsets did not happen. There were only 2 of them - H97 and Z97. The first of them was intended for a CPU with a locked multiplier and completely repeated the parameters of P87. Well, the Intel Z97 chipset was an exact copy of the Z87, but it supported the 5th generation Cor processors. By the way, chips of the 4th generation, that is, Haswell, can also be installed in these motherboards.
System logic for SkyLike
A total of 5 sets of system logic were presented for the latest generation of CPUs, codenamed “SkyLike”: H110, B150, H170, Q170 Z170. Comparison of Intel chipsets of the eighth and hundredth series clearly indicates the positioning of the latter. Moreover, their technical parameters are almost identical. The first of them - H110 - is intended for use in budget and office computer systems along with Celerons and Pentiums. B170 and H170 are focused on “Cor Ay3”, “Cor Ay5” and “Cor Ay7” with locked multipliers. Well, with unlocked factors “Cor Ai5” and “Cor Ai7” (that is, a CPU with an index “K”), it is most correct to install Z170-based motherboards. There is one important difference in this chipset family, which consists in supporting a new type of RAM - DDR4. But all earlier versions of the system logic of this manufacturer supported only DDR3.
And then what?
Life Cycle of the 100th Intel Chipset Series just starting. These decisions will be relevant for exactly another 2 years. And the replacement process itself will not be so fast in the future. But, in any case, its receivers will have a similar division into niches. Even their designations will be similar.
Enthusiast Solutions
Separately, it is necessary to consider chipsets for Intel enthusiasts. The 2011 platform chipsets were different from all previously described. The first of them was X79. It allowed the installation of the most productive chips of the Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge families. He was replaced in 2014 by the X99, which was intended to install Haswell solutions. Among other differences, it is necessary to highlight in the latter support for DDR 4 RAM, while X79 could only work with DDR 3. Also, these processors, in comparison with the previously described chips, could boast an improved memory controller (4 channels) and an increased number of computing modules (the most productive solutions included 8 such blocks).
Recommendations for choosing a motherboard
Intel motherboard chipsets are clearly distributed in niches. The least productive solutions are recommended to be built on the basis of H81 and H110. The most productive PCs for computer enthusiasts are better to build on the basis of Z87, Z97 and Z170. The remaining chipsets are focused on mid-range computer systems. Their performance will definitely be enough for the next 2-3 years with their heads, but at the same time, the possibility of overclocking is minimized. Well, the latest BIOS updates generally indicate that such an opportunity will soon not be. Her chipset manufacturer is blocking. From the standpoint of novelty, it is better to choose the solutions of the hundredth series, which now only begin to appear actively on store shelves. But in case of budget savings, you will have to purchase more affordable 80 series motherboards.
Summary
This article examined in detail the chipsets released since 2011 by Intel. This semiconductor giant updates chipsets almost every year. As a result, each new generation of CPUs requires the purchase of an updated motherboard. On the one hand, this increases the cost of a PC, and on the other, it allows you to constantly improve its performance.