- The W890 card confirms that Intel’s next workstation platform is nearing final clarity
- Granite Rapids-WS aims to deliver higher compute density for demanding workstation tasks
- The platform supports extensive storage through SATA, SlimSAS and dual M.2 options
A recently surfaced ADLINK ISB-W890 motherboard has given the clearest indication yet that Intel’s W890 platform is nearing completion for the Granite Rapids-WS generation.
The card follows the SSI-CEB standard and supports a single processor through Intel’s new Socket E2 layout.
It includes eight DDR5 RDIMM slots aligned with a quad-channel controller, enabling configurations reaching one terabyte of ECC memory.
Platform specifications and connectivity options
This capability places the platform firmly within the category of high-end workstations used for demanding computing workloads.
The hardware design confirms a storage configuration consisting of eight SATA III connectors, two SlimSAS interfaces and two M.2 slots with support for NVMe drives.
PCIe lane allocation corresponds to Intel’s split between Expert and Mainstream modes.
The expert configuration reveals up to one hundred and twenty-eight lanes across PCIe 5.0 and PCIe 4.0.
ADLINK’s card implements seven PCIe slots, including three x16 slots and MCIO connectors intended for high-speed expansion requirements.
Networking is handled through integrated controllers that provide one gigabit and two-point-five gigabit connections, while management functions rely on an AST2600 BMC.
Rear I/O includes USB 3.2 ports, VGA and DisplayPort outputs from the management controller and a COM interface for legacy equipment.
Intel’s W890 platform supports the upcoming Granite Rapids-WS Xeon processors, scaling up to 86 cores with reported boost clocks approaching four-point-eight gigahertz.
These processors use the large E2 socket, which accommodates power levels up to three hundred and fifty watts.
Further evidence of the range has surfaced in the form of a SiSoftware Sandra entry referencing a Xeon 696X with 64 cores and 128 threads.
The entry also outlines large L2 and L3 cache pools along with power figures that match the values associated with this platform.
This new segment is intended to take over from the older Xeon W-3400 series used in high-end workstation builds.
It also continues Intel’s focus on single-socket workstations, a category that previously overlapped with mobile workstations in lighter workloads.
ADLINK has confirmed that the ISB-W890 card will be used in its AXE-7420GWA Card Depth Server, a system intended for GPU-accelerated workloads.
The platform supports up to 12 expansion slots and houses a single Granite Rapids-WS processor in a four-unit rack format.
These confirmations suggest that the shift towards next generation Xeon 6 hardware is progressing as leaked documentation and official listings now converge.
In practical terms, the platform’s capabilities introduce performance levels that exceed what would be possible on a mini PC.
This indicates that the W890 ecosystem is designed for high-end enterprise and professional computing rather than consumer experimentation.
Via TechPowerUp
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