Intel's X99 Chipset
The different features supported by the X99 and Z170 chipsets will likely create a dilemma for consumers. On the one hand, the X99 platform will give you the best overall performance. A Z170 build, however, will give you more connections and allow you to use faster storage devices due to the improved 20 PCI-E 3.0 lanes embedded in the chipset.
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MORE: Intel H170 Motherboard Price List
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Intel Consumer Chipsets
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| Chipset | X99 | Z170 | H170 | B150 | H110 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU PCI-E 3.0 Config Support | 1 x 16 or 2 x 16 or 2 x 16 + 1 x 8 or 5 x 8 | 1 x 16 or 2 x 8 or 1 x 8 + 2 x 4 | 1 x 16 | 1 x 16 | 1 x 16 |
| Independent Display Support | N/A | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Memory Channels/ DIMMs per Channel | 4/2 | 2/2 | 2/2 | 2/2 | 2/1 |
| DMI | 2.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 |
| CPU Overclocking Support | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| RAID Support 0/1/5/10 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| I/O Port Flexibility | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Maximum HSIO Lanes | 18 | 26 | 22 | 18 | 14 |
| Chipset PCI-E Support | 8 PCI-E 2.0 | 20 PCI-E 3.0 | 16 PCI-E 3.0 | 8 PCI-E 3.0 | 6 PCI-E 2.0 |
| USB Support (USB 3.0) | 14 (6) | 14 (10) | 14 (8) | 12 (6) | 10 (4) |
| SATA 3.0 Ports | 10 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
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