Intel gives its tiny socketed motherboard a name: 5x5

[Shawn Knight]

Between Intel’s NUC lineup, its Compute Stick (plus its many copycats) and the plethora of Chromeboxes, there’s never been a better time to buy a computer with a seriously small footprint. Heck, they’re even cramming computers into mice these days!

The one shortcoming that most small form factor systems aren’t able to overcome, however, is raw power. Intel Atom processors and mobile SoCs are fine for light browsing and although Intel’s NUC systems pack a heftier punch, their processors unfortunately aren’t upgradable due to the fact they’re soldered directly to the motherboard.

Intel has been teasing a tiny board with an open socket for several months and at IDF 2015, the chipmaker finally gave it a name.

The Intel 5x5 fits snugly between the Intel NUC line and the Mini-ITX platform. The board measures 5.5 inches by 5.8 inches – hence the name – and is 29 percent smaller than a Mini-ITX board. It features an open LGA socket with standard cooler mounting holes that accepts Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors with a TDP up to 65W.

There are also two SODIMM memory slots and support for M.2 or 2.5-inch storage solutions. Intel says there is a “rich I/O selection” as well as wired and wireless networking options.

The 5x5’s small footprint alone affords a wealth of flexibility, as does its upgradability. Unfortunately, Chipzilla didn’t reveal when or even if the 5x5 will be offered as a standalone consumer product.

Image courtesy Liliputing

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https://www.techspot.com/news/61851-intel-gives-tiny-socketed-motherboard-name-5x5.html

 

[noel24]

That may seem a trivial question, but what socket does it support? 1550, 1551, 2011-v3 or something new? Not that it matters much, cause it will be cost prohibitive for most of consumers and limited to few industrial application.

 

[madboyv1]

That may seem a trivial question, but what socket does it support? 1550, 1551, 2011-v3 or something new? Not that it matters much, cause it will be cost prohibitive for most of consumers and limited to few industrial application.

The TDP for 2011/v3 type processors are far above the 65w TDP limit of the board, and to create a new socket would practically be making a whole new family of processors as well. So, probably either socket 1150 or 1151, Likely 1151 to push sales of the new processor family.

 

[cliffordcooley]

Likely 1151 to push sales of the new processor family.

Yeah, I'd say it's too late for 1150.

 

[EEatGDL]

Seing that they're mentioning the whole gamut [from Celeron to Core i7] the only way to do that now is with LGA1150; there's not even a Core i3 based on Skylake yet; and I'm pretty sure it's a long way to a Skylake-based Celeron.

 

[cliffordcooley]

there's not even a Core i3 based on Skylake yet; and I'm pretty sure it's a long way to a Skylake-based Celeron.

Support is still there regardless of how far off availability is going to be. I would be shocked if Intel this late in the game released a new 1150 socket motherboard. I might would understand a third-party vendor but not Intel.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

That may seem a trivial question, but what socket does it support? 1550, 1551, 2011-v3 or something new? Not that it matters much, cause it will be cost prohibitive for most of consumers and limited to few industrial application.

Your question got me wondering so I started counting the pins in the socket from the pic but I gave up after 3 so your guess is as good as mine.

 

[deemon]

It does not have PCIe ... thus it's no competition to ITX at all. Also it's larger board than is in NUC-s ... so what's the point exactly?

 

[cliffordcooley]

so what's the point exactly?

A build exclusively for CPU power. Not everyone needs GPU performance.

1. ITX can be built with high GPU and CPU performance.
2. NUC is limited in both GPU and CPU performance.
3. 5x5 breaks the CPU limitation for those who do not need dedicated graphics*. And the end result is a smaller case than ITX with available card slots.

*Have you seen Intel's latest DX12 graphics performance?

 

[hood6558]

This is the exact same size as mini-STX, which is already being sold by Asrock, Asus, and Gigabyte, almost 2 years ago. So why does Intel change the name at this late date? Asrock is now calling their DeskMini 310 a "standard 5 x 5 building block chassis".