ASUS today announced refreshed models in the ultralight, kilogram-class ExpertBook B5 laptop series—ExpertBook B5 (B5402C) and ExpertBook B5 Flip (B5402F).

Available in both traditional clamshell and 360°-convertible forms for the ultimate in portability, flexibility and clarity, the latest ExpertBook B5 models feature expansive 14-inch displays and are packed with the latest high-performance and enterprise-grade security technologies, including up to a 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processor with Intel vPro support and Intel Iris Xe graphics, optional TPM 2.0, both face and fingerprint login, a physical webcam shield, AI noise cancelation for crystal-clear conferencing, ASUS NumberPad for fast data input and, with ExpertBook B5 Flip, a quick-charging garaged stylus.

ASUS today announced the ExpertCenter PN64-E1, a mini PC powered by up to a 13th Gen Intel Core processor with up to DDR5-4800 memory and Intel Iris Xe Graphics. The PN64-E1 features two PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slots, five USB ports, two Thunderbolt 4 ports with DisplayPort 1.4 support, two HDMI, plus a configurable port for flexibility. In addition, the chassis provides quick access to the storage and memory modules for easy upgrades. Compared to the previous generation, the 13th Gen Intel Core processor that powers the PN64-E1 delivers up to 9% faster performance to enable smooth and efficient processing of intensive business applications. DDR5 memory offers considerably faster data speeds over DDR4, ensuring efficient productivity.

To date, there's something of a shortage of actual USB4 devices on the market and to date it appears that VLI with its VL830 endpoint device controller is leading the market. Although we can't be certain that Anker's new 568 USB4 Type-C hub uses the VL830, the VLI chip has appeared in almost all similar devices on the market and the specs suggest it's built around the VL830. The Anker 568 supports a single USB4 input, fortunately it doesn't rely on a captive cable as it has a standard USB-C port as the input. Thanks to a 180 W power input via a 20 V 9 A power brick, it can charge laptops up to 100 W via the USB-C port.

Outputs consist of one HDMI port capable of 4K 60p output and a pair of DisplayPort outputs, both capable of 8K 30p individually or 4K 60p when both are used. There's also a Gigabit Ethernet port, four 5 Gbps USB-A ports and two USB 2.0 ports around the rear of the dock. The front houses a pair of 10 Gbps capable USB-C ports that can also deliver up to 30 W of power for charging various portable electronics. The MSRP for the Anker 568 is US$299.99.

It's almost cherry-blossom season in Japan, and MINISFORUM released a special edition mini PC to mark it. The UM773 SE has a pastel pink body color along with a cherry-blossom print. Under the hood, it rocks an AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS processor (6 nm, Zen 3+, "Rembrandt Refresh" silicon), with an 8-core/16-thread CPU, and a 12-CU RDNA2 iGPU (Radeon 680M). You get two DDR5 SO-DIMM slots to drop in your own memory, and an M.2-2280 NVMe SSD slot with PCI-Express 4.0 x4 wiring, to use your own SSD, and a 2.5-inch drive bay with SATA 6 Gbps.

Networking connectivity on the MINISFORUM UM773 SE include 2.5 GbE, WiFi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.2. USB connectivity includes USB4, for a type-C port that supports DisplayPort passthrough from the iGPU. There are a couple of 10 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 type-C ports, a couple of such type-A ports, and a couple of USB 2.0 type-A. A couple of HDMI ports, and HD audio make for the rest of it. The box measures 127 mm x 128 mm x 47 mm (WxDxH). The UM773 SE is sold either as a barebones that lacks memory and SSDs; or as prebuilts with 1x 16 GB, 2x 8 GB, and 2x 16 GB memory; each with a 512 GB NVMe SSD.

Update Mar 10th: MINISFORUM confirmed the US price of the UM773 SE to be $429 for the barebones, $579 for the prebuilt with 16 GB memory and 512 GB SSD, $639 for the one with 32 GB memory and 512 GB SSD, and $679 for the top model with 32 GB memory and 1 TB SSD storage.

ZikeTech is a crowd-funded peripherals startup, which claims to have the "world's first and fastest USB4 SSD." The ZikeDrive is a portable SSD that features an extruded aluminium chassis that doubles up as a heatsink for the M.2 NVMe SSD underneath. The drive features a M.2-2280 slot with PCI-Express 4.0 x4 connection, and a bridge chip that converts this to a 40 Gbps USB4, giving it slightly more bandwidth than PCI-Express 3.0 x4 (32 Gbps). This allows a PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD to have sequential transfer speeds of up to 3.8 GB/s. The ZikeDrive starts at $99 for the bare enclosure, or with pre-installed 1 TB, 2 TB, or 4 TB drives that offer sequential speeds of up to 3763 MB/s reads, with up to 3146 MB/s writes; however, it is currently an Indiegogo project. Find more details on how to get one here.

ADATA SE920 is the company's first portable SSD to take advantage of USB4 and offer transfer-speeds that utilize that added interface bandwidth. The drive features a 40 Gbps USB4 interface, with a single cable handling both power and host connectivity. Internally, this is an M.2 PCIe Gen 4 SSD that's been wired to an ASMedia ASM2464PD chip that converts a 40 Gbps USB4 uplink to a PCI-Express 4.0 x4 downlink, and hence the internal drive has slightly more bandwidth than PCI-Express 3.0 x4 (32 Gbps).

The ADATA SE920 comes in capacity variants of 1 TB and 2 TB. Both variants offer sequential transfer rates of up to 3800 MB/s reads, with up to 3200 MB/s writes. The brushed aluminium enclosure has a mechanism that slides out a diagonal insert with air vents for an active cooling mechanism inside, which cools the internal drive, the bridge chip, and some power components. A USB4 type-C to type-C cable is included with the drive.

ASUS today announced the all-new TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition, an all-AMD gaming laptop with a redesigned chassis and an incredibly immersive 16-inch display. The TUF Gaming A15, A17, F15 and F17 laptops also make a triumphant return, sporting the latest silicon from AMD, Intel, and NVIDIA to power players into the next generation of gaming performance.

TUF A16 Advantage Edition announced
Built for serious gaming with subtle styling, the TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition is a sleek gaming laptop built to demolish the competition. Powered completely by AMD, the TUF Gaming A16 features up to an AMD Ryzen 9 Zen 4 processor and AMD Radeon RDNA 3 mobile graphics. "AMD and ASUS have partnered to deliver our latest 'Zen 4' and RDNA 3 technologies into the most innovative form factors," said Jason Banta, CVP and GM OEM PC. "The TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition delivers blistering gaming performance and outstanding power efficiency in a sleek portable chassis."

Acer today expanded its ChromeOS product line with the new Acer Chromebox CXI5 and Chromebox Enterprise CXI5. It also announced the Acer Add-In-One 24, a modular all in one solution consisting of either the Acer Chromebox CXI5 or the Acer Chromebox Enterprise CXI5 and a 24-inch FHD docking monitor. Both solutions help businesses and commercial institutions streamline space and simplify maintenance, upgrades, and repairs, resulting in less downtime and long-term cost savings.

"These new ChromeOS-based Acer systems are excellent choices for businesses and institutions that require reliable computers that are easy to setup, use, and manage while making the most of limited space environments," said Jeff Lee, General Manager, Stationary Computing, IT Products Business, Acer Inc. "Outfitted with the latest technology, including Intel vPro and integrated malware protection, these powerful devices are able to support the multitasking capabilities and tight security required in organizations today."

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced a wide range of exclusive performance-focused products during the For Those Who Dare: Maxed Out virtual launch event for CES 2023. During the event, ROG showcased multiple product premieres, including impressively fast and stunning displays, powerhouse laptops with latest-gen processors and graphics, faster-than-ever routers, and a wide variety of peripherals to complete the most maxed-out gaming setups. This wide array of innovations includes the ROG Swift Pro PG248QP and ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM gaming displays; ROG Azoth gaming keyboard; ROG Raikiri Pro PC controller; ROG Destrier Ergo gaming chair; ROG G22CH gaming desktop; and much more.

This year more than ever, ROG is evolving its gaming lineup to drive performance beyond limits. New additions presented during the event include Strix Scar and Strix G series gaming laptops, in 16-, 17-, and 18-inch versions. These gaming powerhouses host up to AMD Ryzen 9 Zen 4 and 13th Gen Intel Core processors, liberating more power than ever before for maxed-out performance, and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series Laptop GPUs, working in concert with a MUX Switch and NVIDIA Advanced Optimus to deliver never-before-seen performance on a laptop.

Ahead of CES 2023, Lenovo unveiled its latest ThinkPad X1 laptops featuring recycled materials, updated Lenovo Commercial Vantage software designed to highlight feature settings that can help improve energy efficiency, and a new Lenovo View application offering advanced computer vision technology for enhanced video image quality and tools for collaboration, security, and digital wellness. The latest line of ThinkVision monitors leads with the ultra-bright ThinkVision P27pz-30 and P32pz-30 mini-LED displays followed by ThinkVision's new T-series VOIP monitors built for hybrid work, featuring an integrated Microsoft Teams functionality, 5MP cameras, dual microphones, and speakers. Lenovo also introduced its latest professional-grade 4K ThinkVision P-series monitors and, for the home, new value-conscious Lenovo L-series monitors. Completing an efficient hybrid eco-system are new Lenovo accessories, including the unique Lenovo Go Desk Station, Lenovo Go 4K Pro Webcam, and Lenovo Professional Wireless Rechargeable Combo Keyboard and Mouse.

In line with its vision of achieving net-zero by 2050 aligned to Science Based Target initiatives, Lenovo continues to focus on supporting a circular economy by increasing the use of recycled materials in its products and packaging, and collaborating with industry partners to help increase energy efficiency of its devices. This includes working with suppliers and global logistics providers to decrease the emissions released in its supply chain and take every opportunity to increase the energy efficiency in Lenovo's factories and workplaces.

Ahead of CES, Lenovo unveiled its latest generation of consumer devices loaded with standout features and enhancements designed to help people connect with their passions and achieve their daily goals. With five new performance-driving and portable IdeaPad laptops, a sleek and compact IdeaCentre desktop, and a 9-inch Lenovo tablet, these devices are designed for all the spaces and places in line with the on-the-go lifestyle of today's consumer. Whether working, studying, creating, or just catching up with friends out of town, these new products offer speed, versatility, and convenience to suit their needs wherever they are.

"As consumers continue to seek out the most effective ways of working and studying in a hybrid world where versatility and convenience are paramount, Lenovo's IdeaPad products continue to provide reliability and performance at incredible value," says Jun OuYang, Vice President of the Consumer Segment, Intelligent Devices Group, Lenovo. "This latest generation of products come with a range of striking new features and enhancements that significantly improve the user experience while still maintaining its reputation as an affordable product."

ADATA, the world's leading memory module brand and XPG, their performance and gaming arm, today announced that they will be attending the CES 2023, where they will showcase a number of new products with the theme "Make it Fusion, Make it Xtreme!" The feature product to be displayed will be the XPG FUSION 1600 W Titanium power supply developed in collaboration with Delta Electronics. Other impressive power supplies also equipped with the latest ATX 3.0 and PCIe 5.0, such as the XPG CYBERCORE II and CORE REACTOR II series will be shown as well.

ADATA will also present impressive offerings in other categories, such as the XPG PCIe Gen5 SSD which offers a patented heat dissipation design, up to 8 TB of storage space, and read/write speed of up to 14,000 MB/s. Additionally, ADATA will present other award-winning memory and storage products, as well as gaming focused products in system, chassis, special themed pc build and peripherals categories.

TECNO, a global innovative technology brand with operations in over 70 markets, recently announced the latest MEGABOOK S1 at TECNO Flagship Product Launch 2022 in Dubai, delivering its first flagship laptop to users.

In 2019, TECNO announced new efforts in building a digital product ecosystem by launching its AIoT business strategy, aiming to deliver digital to every person, home, and organization and help them create a fully- connected smart digital lifestyle. Following this vision, as the upgraded line of MEGABOOK T1, the flagship MEGABOOK S1 highlights the concept of ideas that create wonders, targeting users in professional fields like business and the creative industries, helping them work with ease while still achieving a higher efficiency.

With Christmas fast approaching, a guide to holiday gift-giving is here. Shop the latest gift to get the greatest reaction. The Mini IT11 Mini PC is the newest member of the GEEKOM Mini series. Premium product. Premium gift. Prepare to buy the premium GEEKOM Mini IT11, which will be available on December 12, 2022. The GEEKOM Mini IT11 is ready to run Windows 11 Pro OS, delivering improved productivity and a personalized, intuitive user experience.

With a revolutionary microarchitecture with 4 Cores, 8 Threads, up to 12M Cache, and 5.00 GHz, the 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor delivers incredible power and responsiveness. Applications such as document creation, web surfing, rendering, video and image editing can take advantage of its high efficiency and superfast response speed. In combination with fast memory and massive storage, the GEEKOM Mini IT11 is powerful enough to handle even users' most demanding tasks and entertainment needs.

Creative professionals and artists work in multifarious ways and look for solutions that meet their individual and specific needs to fully express their creativity. To support them in their work they require a powerful monitor that can ensure performance-boosting features, high-quality visuals, and comfortable connectivity.

MMD, the leading display specialist and brand license partner for Philips monitors, today launches the Philips 27B1U7903, a 4K MiniLED Thunderbolt 4 monitor that combines outstanding picture performance with secure one-cable docking, uses sustainable materials in its components and packaging, and comes in a stylish design. Packed with high-performance features to enable professionals to reach new levels of productivity, the Philips 27B1U7903 is also the first Philips monitor to feature Thunderbolt 4 technology for a next-generation connectivity.

The Razer Blade 14, the world's most powerful 14" gaming laptop, is now available in a fresh new Mercury edition finish. This colorway combines the Mercury anodized aluminium chassis with a matte black keyboard for a truly striking aesthetic package. This new colorway is exclusive to two Blade 14 GPU configurations: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti. The addition of Mercury to the Blade 14 line marks the first time any Razer Blade is available in three different colorways simultaneously (Mercury, Quartz, and Black).

Along with the colorway release, a software update is now available for 2022 models of the Blade 14, upgrading the two Type-C USB-3.2 Gen 2 ports to USB4 and bringing support for Microsoft Pluton. USB4 expands peripheral compatibility, increasing device connectivity options and enabling multi-monitor deployments, support for Thunderbolt peripherals including Razer's Thunderbolt dock and Core X external graphics enclosures, and more. Microsoft Pluton's chip-to-cloud security technology protects users with an array of hardware-based security capabilities and services. New and existing 2022 Blade 14 owners should contact Razer Support to download this update.

ASUS Turkey has jumped the gun and revealed ASUS' upcoming Zenbook 14 laptop, which in itself might not be a big deal, but the UM3402 as the specific model is known as, will apparently be available with an AMD Ryzen 7 7730U CPU. As AMD has as yet to unveil such a CPU, it appears that ASUS Turkey has gotten ahead of things. A quick search for the Zenbook 14 SKU in question reveals that the current UM3402 model has a Ryzen 5825U processor.

The remaining specs appear identical to the current model, but this is clearly not a typo, as the CPU SKU is mentioned at multiple points on the product page. Based on AMD's CPU model name "decoder", the Ryzen 7 7730U is based on a Zen 3 or a Zen 3+ core that sits in the 15-28 W TDP range. According to Videocardz, it will be using an AMD Vega based GPU. Beyond that, we don't know any specifics about the CPU, but one thing that stands out and may or may not be correct, is that the Zenbook 14 is only listed as supporting two USB 3.2 10 Gbps USB-C ports, rather than USB4, which seems a bit odd. Then again, this is a lower-tier CPU, so it's possible that this is the reason for lack of USB4 support. The fact that ASUS has moved to an IPS based display, from an OLED display on the current UM3402 SKU, also suggests that this might be a cheaper model in ASUS lineup.

Minisforum has launched a new mini PC UM690 of its Venus Series. The new UM690 featuring AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX, AMD Radeon 680M Integrated Graphics, DDR5 dual-channel memory, PCIe 4.0 SSD, and the most advanced USB4 Type-C port. It is also their first mini PC with AMD 6000 series CPU.

Ryzen 9 6900HX is one of AMD's most powerful Ryzen 6000 processors, features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a maximum turbo clock of 4.90 GHz with a default TDP targeted at 45 W. The integrated GPU, Radeon 680M, based on RDNA2 architecture, has 12 CUs up to 2.4 GHz. Thanks to liquid metal and smart fan in thermal design, UM690 can run at low noise even in full speed. UM690 supports total up to 64 GB dual-channel DDR5-4800 MHz memory, also different types of storage expansions—1×M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 SSD and 1×2.5 inch SATA HDD Slot (SATA 3.0 6.0 Gb/s 7 mm).

Intel has demonstrated an early prototype of next-generation Thunderbolt in action, aligned to the USB Implementers Forum's (USB-IF) release of the USB4 v2 specification this week. Next-generation Thunderbolt will deliver 80 gigabits per second (Gbps) of bi-directional bandwidth and enable up to 120 Gbps for the best display experience, providing up to three times the capability of today's technologies to meet the growing needs of content creators and gamers, all while maintaining compatibility with previous versions of Thunderbolt and USB.

"Intel has always been the industry pioneer and leader for wired connectivity solutions, and Thunderbolt is now the mainstream port on mobile PCs and integrated into three generations of Intel mobile CPUs. We're very excited to lead the industry forward with the next generation of Thunderbolt built on the USB4 v2 specification, advanced to this next generation by Intel and other USB Promoter Group members," said Jason Ziller, general manager of the Client Connectivity Division at Intel.

USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), the support organization for the advancement and adoption of USB technology, today announced the publication of the USB4 Version 2.0 specification, a major update to enable USB 80 Gbps performance over the USB Type-C cable and connector. The updated USB4 specification doubles the maximum aggregate bandwidth of USB to the benefit of higher-performance displays, storage, and USB-based hubs and docks. The USB Type-C and USB Power Delivery (USB PD) specifications have also been updated to support this higher level of data performance.

"For engineers, USB4 is defined by its multi-protocol tunneling that architecturally differentiates it from its predecessors - USB 3.2 and USB 2.0," said Brad Saunders, USB-IF Board Chair and CEO. "This updated technical specification extends USB4 speed and data protocol performance, enabling manufacturers to develop products that can deliver USB 80 Gbps in addition to existing USB 40 Gbps and USB 20 Gbps to end users."

The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) announced today that it has released DisplayPort 2.1, the latest version of the DisplayPort specification, which is backward compatible with and supersedes the previous version of DisplayPort (DisplayPort 2.0). VESA has been working closely with member companies to ensure that products supporting DisplayPort 2.0 would actually meet the newer, more demanding DisplayPort 2.1 spec. Due to this effort, all previously certified DisplayPort 2.0 products including UHBR (Ultra-high Bit Rate) capable products - whether GPUs, docking station chips, monitor scalar chips, PHY repeater chips such as re-timers, or DP40/DP80 cables (including both passive and active, and using full-size DisplayPort, Mini DisplayPort or USB Type-C connectors) - have already been certified to the stricter DisplayPort 2.1 spec.

Achieving a robust, end-to-end user visual experience remains the utmost priority for VESA's DisplayPort specification, whether across a native DisplayPort cable, via DisplayPort Alt Mode (DisplayPort over the USB Type-C connector), or tunneled through the USB4 link. As such, DisplayPort 2.1 has tightened its alignment with the USB Type-C specification as well as the USB4 PHY specification to facilitate a common PHY servicing both DisplayPort and USB4. In addition, DisplayPort 2.1 has added a new DisplayPort bandwidth management feature to enable DisplayPort tunneling to coexist with other I/O data traffic more efficiently over the USB4 link. This increased efficiency is on top of mandated support for VESA's visually lossless Display Stream Compression (DSC) codec and VESA's Panel Replay capability. DSC bitstream support can reduce DisplayPort transport bandwidth in excess of 67 percent without visual artifacts, while VESA's Panel Replay capability can reduce DisplayPort tunneling packet transport bandwidth in excess of 99 percent when Panel Replay operation is taking place.

Leading global motherboard manufacturer, ASRock, is proud to announce its AMD B650E/B650 motherboard series. These motherboards are targeted at the mainstream AM5 segment featuring various exciting new products such as our flagship B650E Taichi, the high-end B650E Steel Legend Wi-Fi for high end market, B650E PG Riptide Wi-Fi and B650 PRO RS for mainstream users, and B650 PG Lightning a new SKU joining the Phantom Gaming family targeted the entry level market. ASRock also offers the new B650E PG-ITX WiFi for small form factor enthusiasts.

ASRock went all-out on its VRM design by creating a 24+2+1 phase Smart Power Stage (SPS) Dr.MOS on the B650E Taichi series, providing users with the most powerful AM5 platform it can offer ready to unlock maximum CPU performance. The flagship ASRock B650E Taichi motherboards are equipped with many exciting features and technologies such as PCIe 5.0 technology for graphics cards and M.2 SSDs, an incredible IO that includes the latest USB4 offering a fast and simple level of connection for work or home.

Unfortunately there's no pricing attached to this leak, unlike the earlier pricing details for MSI's B650 motherboards from B&H, but Videocardz has managed to get the specs for ASRocks upcoming B650 and B650E motherboards. Once again we're looking at a collection of seven models, four B650E and three B650 models in total. Something interesting to note that Videocardz is pointing out, is that only the cheapest board in the lineup has a six layer PCB, with most models using an eight layer PCB and the Mini-ITX board is going up to 10 layers. In other words it seems like most entry level boards are now using high-end PCBs, due to the transition to PCIe 5.0.

The base model is the B650 PG Lightning, which is a pretty feature stripped motherboard, yet all PCIe slots are said to be PCIe 4.0 and it has a pre-installed I/O shield. It comes with 2.5 Gbps Ethernet, but WiFi is optional. At least there's a rear mounted 20 Gbps USB-C port here and the board has a total of three M.2 slots, of which one is PCIe 5.0. On the same kind of level sits B650 Pro RS, which is a step down in the sense that one of the M.2 slots PCIe 3.0 x2 and it has fewer PCIe slot, but it appears to have slightly fancier cooling for the VRMs and it gains a DisplayPort output around the back.

The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) has announced a few changes to the various logos that are tied to the USB standard. This is said to be done to simplify the plethora of logos that are currently being used and to make it easier for consumers to know what they're buying. At the same time, the old SuperSpeed USB logo is being retired and the branding will not appear on new products at all. Instead, the logos that were developed for the USB4 standard and USB PD 3.1, will be adapted across the board. The new changes will come into effect this quarter and could appear on new products before the end of the year.

The new logos that will replace the SuperSpeed logo are pretty straightforward, with a 5 and 10 Gbps logo being added to the 20 and 40 Gbps logos that we've already seen. These logos will be used for packaging, on cable connectors and even on some devices. The new 5 and 10 Gbps logos can also be combined with the 60 W and 240 W charging logos when used with USB-C cables. All of this should make it easier as a consumer to know what kind of cable you're buying, but keep in mind that these logos only apply to certified products and not all USB cables are certified. Still, it's an improvement overall and should make life easier when shopping for cables, assuming the new logos are being used properly.

With the 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" desktop processors, Intel on Tuesday launched its companion motherboard chipset, the Z790. Since "Raptor Lake" desktop is based on the same LGA1700 package as 12th Gen "Alder Lake" desktop; the two are intercompatible—you can use 12th Gen processors with Z790 chipset motherboards out of the box; and you can use 13th Gen processors with Z690 or other 600-series chipset motherboards with the latest BIOS. Z790 chipset essentially sees a re-balancing of the downstream PCIe connectivity, resulting in more PCIe Gen 4 downstream lanes. Besides more downstream connectivity, you get one additional 20 Gbps USB 3.2x2 port.

While the Z690 put out up to 12 downstream PCIe Gen 4 lanes and up to 16 downstream PCIe Gen 3; the new Z790 puts out up to 20 downstream PCIe Gen 4 lanes, and up to 8 downstream PCIe Gen 3. Both chipsets use DMI 4.0 x8 as the chipset bus (connection between the processor and chipset), with bandwidth comparable to PCI-Express 4.0 x8 (128 Gbps per direction). Z790 allows motherboard designers to wire out up to five M.2 NVMe Gen 4 slots attached to the chipset, or deploy more numbers of high-bandwidth onboard devices than those possible with Z690; devices such as discrete USB4 host controllers, Thunderbolt 4 80 Gbps controllers, etc, besides a handful PCIe Gen 4 slots. The 8 PCIe Gen 3 lanes should be enough for lower-bandwidth onboard devices, such as WLAN cards, onboard 2.5 GbE NICs, or even a 10 GbE NIC.