Intel introduced the Z790 platform to the market last year and impressed enthusiastic gamers. This year, we expect the introduction of the latest B760 platform. MSI's new B760 motherboards lineup will spring a surprise for mainstream users, attracting interest and sparking widespread discussion. Targeting the mainstream market, MSI B760 motherboards have unique designs and loaded specifications. Let's explore more about the B760 platform.

The B760 platform has lots of amazing features accompanied by MSI's MPG, MAG, and PRO Series. The mainstream users' choice - MAG Series includes black TOMAHAWK and white MORTAR motherboards. The MSI MAG Series motherboards adopted 12 Duet Rail Power System with 75 A DrMOS and 6 layer PCB with 2oz thickened copper, which provides stable currents delivered to the CPU. For expansion, the MSI MAG Series supports Lightning Gen 5 PCIe and owns up to 3 onboard M.2 Gen4 slots. To deal with the heat generated in high-loading operation, the MAG Series features premium thermal solutions including All Aluminium Design and Extended Heatsink. The M.2 slots are covered with M.2 Shield Frozr as well.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions today unveiled the latest Intel B760 series motherboards. With enhanced XMP and hardware design of memory, the full B760 DDR5 lineup can achieve superb Z790-like memory performance of DDR5-7600. Featuring up to 16+1+1 phases of 60 amps digital power VRM design with full-coverage heatsink, GIGABYTE's B760 lineup provides premium power and thermal design for the high-frequency operation of Intel 13th gen processors. Meanwhile, the innovative PCIe and M.2 EZ-Latch technology are implemented to simplify the upgrade of graphics cards and M.2 SSDs, and to avoid accidental damage to the surrounding components. Moreover, the features of 2.5 GbE LAN, Wi-Fi 6E, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type C with 20 Gbps, and up to 3 sets of PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slots with armor on select models offer superb connectivity. Further with the latest GIGABYTE PerfDrive technology and GCC software platform, GIGABYTE delivers the outstanding B760 platform with the optimal hardware, software, and firmware which covers from DDR4 to DDR5 with full form factor options of ATX, Micro ATX, and Mini ITX.

In the Intel product plan, the "Z" chipset is the only platform to support CPU and memory overclocking. However, the B chipset with limited DDR frequency tuning offers more budget friendly options, especially those only require memory overclocking. In order to provide solid power for high-performance operation of CPU and XMP overclocking, GIGABYTE B760 AORUS motherboards are geared up to 16+1+1 power phases with 60 amps DrMOS design, while the well-received B760 AORUS ELITE features 12+1+1 power phases, and the leading power design of 14+1+1 phases on B760M AORUS PRO. These power designs allow GIGABYTE B760 AORUS motherboards of all configuration to deliver the most stable power, as well as to provide sufficient power when the CPU runs full loading. Meanwhile, enhanced by full-coverage heatsink, 5 W/mK thermal pad, and 2x copper PCB, B760 AORUS MASTER/ PRO/ ELITE/ GAMING X lineup covers from ATX to micro ATX models boast superb thermal design to improve the stability and keep the power supply area which is most likely to generate heat staying cool.

At CES, Intel is expected to launch the bulk of its 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" processor family, consisting of "locked" 65 W SKUs; along with two cheaper motherboard chipset options than the Z790—the B760 and H770. The Bx60 chipset options are sought after by the mainstream desktop crowd that likes to buy value sub-$250 processor SKUs, but over the years, motherboard manufacturers have been upscaling Bx60 chipset with premium onboard components, to target the crowd that likes to buy the upper tier of 65 W SKUs (think Core i5-13600, i7-13700, or the top i9-13900 non-K). With the 700-series chipset, however, it looks like the price for entry for the platform has just gone up. The cheapest MSI motherboard based on the B760 chipset, according to a leaked price-list, is USD $170, for a PRO-series motherboard SKU that's usually considered entry-level for MSI.

The MSI PRO B760M-A WiFi DDR4 Micro-ATX motherboard, according to this price-list, goes for $170, followed by the PRO B760-P WiFi DDR4 (ATX form-factor) at $180. From here begins MSI's Gaming series motherboards. There are as many as four MAG Mortar SKUs. At $180, you get the MAG B760M Mortar DDR4. At $190 you get the MAG B760M Mortar (DDR5) and MAG B760M Mortar DDR4 WiFi; followed by the MAG B760M Mortar WiFi (DDR5) at $200. With this series, MSI is introducing a couple of MAG Mortar MAX SKUs, which probably feature better VRM or onboard audio. The DDR4 version is priced at $220, and the DDR5 version at $230. Moving a notch up, we have the popular MAG Tomahawk SKUs, with the DDR4 version at $220, and the DDR5 version at $230. The only MPG series SKU is also the lineup's only Mini-ITX one—the MPG B760I Edge WiFi DDR4, priced at $210.

It would appear that motherboards based on the upcoming Intel B760 chipset aren't much of a secret, as even online price comparison sites are now starting to post details about the upcoming models. German Geizhals has posted details about Biostars B760A Silver motherboard and although the site doesn't have pictures of the board, it does provide a drawing from what appears to be the manual. As this is an entry level model, there isn't too much to get excited about, but it appears to be a decent enough board overall.

The B760A Silver sports four DDR5 DIMM slots, a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, a PCIe 4.0 x4 slot and two PCIe 3.0 x1 slots, as well as three PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots for NVMe SSDs and an M.2 for an optional Wi-Fi/Bluetooth card. Other features include an HDMI 2.1 and DP 1.2 port around the back, as well as 2.5 Gbps Ethernet and a 10 Gbps USB-C port. The board has a front header for another 10 Gbps USB-C port, but there's no support for a 20 Gbps USB-C port. Biostar has at least not been stingy with fan headers, as a total of six are spread out around the board and for those that like RGB lights, there are also three ARGB headers. Geizhals isn't listing any retailers stocking the board as yet, so we don't get any indication on the cost of the board.

Intel is expected to launch the B760 chipset alongside a slew of more 13th gen Core CPUs at CES in January, but already details of upcoming motherboards are starting to appear. We've already seen some details about Gigabyte's B760 Aorus Elite and now some very detailed pictures of MSI's upcoming B760 MAG Tomahawk have made an appearance on VideoCardz. The board is a spitting image of its B660 predecessor in terms of layout, but there appear to be some minor changes in terms of header placement.

MSI has also changed the colour scheme for all black to black with some white highlights. The rear I/O cover appears to have changed marginally, but even the heatsinks appear to be nigh on identical to the previous model. The pictures are of the DDR4 version, but there will apparently be a DDR5 version as well of this SKU from MSI. According to the rumour mill, prices of B760 boards will be up about 10 percent over the current B660 models, but nothing has been confirmed as yet.

January 3, 2023, on the sidelines of the International CES, Intel could launch dozens upon dozens of 13th Gen Core processor SKUs spanning every conceivable client PC platform. The event is expected to bring "Raptor Lake" to the mobile platform, with announcements spanning the ultra-portable "Raptor Lake-U," the thin-and-light performance "Raptor Lake-P," the mainstream mobile "Raptor Lake-H," and the enthusiast mobile "Raptor Lake-HX." This would cover almost every mobile device segment, including 7-9 W U-segment, to the 15-28 W P-segment, the 35-45 W H-segment, and the >55 W HX-segment, with several SKUs per segment across the four brand extensions (Core i3 thru Core i9).

For the desktop platform, Intel is expected to announce its new Core i9-13900KS "Raptor Lake-S" flagship, the world's first 6 GHz processor, besides a large number of 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake-S" non-K SKUs in the 65 W TDP class, forming the bulk of the company's desktop processor lineup. Besides these, the company will also announce the more affordable Intel H770 and B760 desktop motherboard chipsets, bringing down platform costs (the 13th Gen Core processors are already supported on inexpensive motherboards based on the B660 and H670 chipsets via a BIOS update). Lastly, the company could announce "Raptor Lake" processors for the workstation segment, possibly compatible with the W780 chipset, and supporting ECC DDR5 memory, among other features relevant to the commercial desktop and workstation segments.

Not entirely unexpected, pictures of the first B760 motherboard, or at least its packaging and the board inside the packaging, has made an appearance online. We're around a month or so from the expected announcement of Intel's more cost effective 700-series chipset, which will likely follow the Z790 chipset by adding more PCIe 4.0 lanes, but otherwise differ very little from the current B660 chipset.

No actual details were provided when it comes to the specs of the Gigabyte B760 Aorus Elite AX DDR4, but it's likely that this will be the last generation of DDR4 motherboards. This is because it's unlikely that Intel will support DDR4 memory on future desktop PC platforms. What we can spot through the antistatic bag, is a board design that is very similar to Gigabyte's current B660 Aorus Elite AX DDR4, but with a new motif on the chipset and NVMe drive heatsinks. In fact, the board layout appears to be near identical from what little we can see, but there are some clearly visible component placement that can be seen and compared to the current model. Hopefully we'll get some better pictures of this board in the near future from the leaker.