The buzz around CES 2025 continues to grow, and the latest rumors point to AMD and Intel gearing up to announce their entry-level and mid-range motherboards on January 7th, coinciding with the opening of the tech event. These new boards will reportedly hit the market a week later.
This move follows the typical launch strategy: both companies began by introducing their high-end options—AMD with the X870 and Intel with the X890—to showcase the full potential of the Ryzen 9000 and Core Ultra 200 processors. Now, the focus shifts to providing more affordable and accessible solutions for mainstream users.
The upcoming entry-level and mid-range motherboards are expected to balance cost-effectiveness and performance, making the latest CPU architectures more appealing to a broader audience. CES could also reveal details about feature sets, compatibility, and pricing tiers for these new boards, setting the stage for their arrival in the following weeks.
AMD motherboards
On the AMD side, the upcoming B850 and B840 chipsets are designed to fill the gap below the high-end X-series boards, providing a more affordable yet capable option for mainstream users. These new motherboards are expected to deliver PCIe 4.0 support as standard, distinguishing them from the X-series, which includes PCIe 5.0 compatibility for cutting-edge performance.
Here’s what we know so far:
- B850 Chipset:
- Supports 36 PCIe lanes.
- Offers flexibility with either one x16 slot or two x8 slots.
- Aimed at users who want more robust PCIe connectivity without jumping to the X870.
- B840 Chipset:
- Comes with 34 PCIe lanes.
- Limited to a single x16 slot, catering to more basic configurations.
Both chipsets support modern standards like DDR5 memory and current-gen USB technologies while strategically reserving PCIe 5.0 for the high-end X-series boards.
No Entry-Level Chipsets Mentioned Yet
AMD’s B-series represents the mid-range tier, and there has been no official word about chipsets for the entry-level segment. If AMD sticks to its usual product rollout, we might hear about A-series chipsets (like a hypothetical A730) later in the year aimed at budget-conscious builds.
These B850 and B840 motherboards are expected to attract users looking for performance and affordability, possibly making them a strong choice for the new Ryzen 9000 processors.
Intel motherboards
On the Intel side, the focus for CES 2025 appears to be the announcement and launch of B860 and H810 motherboards, targeting the mid-range and entry-level segments, respectively. These motherboards are expected to support the current-generation Core Ultra 200 series CPUs, particularly the non-K variants.
What to Expect:
- B860 Motherboards:
- Positioned in the mid-range segment, likely offering a balance of features and affordability.
- Expected to support modern standards like DDR5 memory, PCIe 5.0 for primary slots, and PCIe 4.0 for additional lanes.
- It is aimed at gamers and professionals who need solid performance without the premium features found in Z890 boards.
- H810 Motherboards:
- Representing the entry-level tier, these boards will likely prioritize cost efficiency, potentially featuring PCIe 4.0 exclusively.
- Designed for basic builds, office systems, or budget-conscious users.
- It could be paired with non-K Core Ultra CPUs to maximize value for less demanding workloads.
No Known Specifications Yet
Unlike AMD’s forthcoming B850 and B840 chipsets, Intel has not revealed detailed specifications for these boards. However, the B860 and H810 are expected to scale back on high-end features, making them suitable for more mainstream and entry-level markets.
A Busy CES 2025
In addition to Intel’s announcements, AMD and NVIDIA are set to reveal new developments in graphics cards and other cutting-edge technologies. Launching these motherboards alongside non-K CPUs could round out Intel’s product lineup for a competitive showing at the event.
