Intel’s Nova Lake launch is still unannounced, but the motherboard pipeline keeps talking.
Customs listings in the NBD Data shipping database now show two ASRock boards on Intel’s Z970 chipset: the Z970 LiveMixer WiFi and the Z970 Pro-A WiFi. Both names reuse existing ASRock lines. LiveMixer targets streamers and creators who need lots of ports, and Pro-A is ASRock’s mainstream board. The records reportedly trace PCB shipments from Vietnam back to late September. The same batch also lists a W980 WS workstation board.
This follows the five ASRock Z990 boards that appeared in NBD records over the summer: Challenger WiFi, Pro RS WiFi, Steel Legend WiFi, Taichi White, and Taichi Creator. That brings ASRock’s 900-series lineup seen in shipping data to roughly eight models. Intel’s 900-series family reportedly spans Z990, Z970, B960, Q970, and W980, and the presence of mainstream Z970 SKUs suggests enthusiasts will get a cheaper overclocking platform than the flagship chipset. All of them use the new LGA1954 socket, which Intel itself finally confirmed on its own website in August.
A caution: shipping records show movement, not retail readiness. Early boards like these usually go to validation partners, channel samples, or reviewers months ahead of launch. They tell us ASRock is deep into development, not that boards will hit shelves next month. Rumors point to a CES 2027 reveal, which would fit this timeline.
Our July Intel news roundup covered the rumored core counts. With memory and board prices both inflated right now, how Intel and its partners price Z970 against Z990 may matter more to buyers than any spec sheet. Let us know your thoughts in the forums.
Discussion (1 reply)
Join Discussion →News is pretty thin on these, but I'm definitely looking forward to this release!