ADLINK Unveils ISB W890, the First W890 Motherboard Built for Next Generation Intel Granite Rapids Workstation Xeon CPUs
Only days after the Intel W890 chipset leaked online, we now have the first official look at a full workstation class W890 motherboard designed for next generation Intel Granite Rapids Xeon processors. ADLINK has introduced the ISB W890, a high end CEB form factor motherboard built for its AXE server line and optimized for sixth generation Intel Xeon Granite Rapids workstation CPUs.
The ISB W890 represents the first confirmed implementation of the new W890 workstation chipset. The platform supports Granite Rapids workstation CPUs with up to eighty six cores and introduces extensive PCIe expansion, high speed DDR5 memory support, and server grade connectivity in a classic twelve by ten point five inch CEB footprint.
Key Features for the ADLINK ISB W890
Standard CEB form factor measuring 305 by 267 millimeters for easier integration
Support for sixth generation Intel Xeon Granite Rapids workstation CPUs
Four channel DDR5 memory with eight DDR5 RDIMM slots and support for DDR5 6400 MT per second at one DIMM per channel
Seven PCIe slots with flexible lane distribution including three PCIe x16 slots
Two Slim SAS connectors from the W890 chipset, two M.2 NVMe slots, and eight SATA III ports
The ISB W890 uses the LGA 4710 2 socket, which also supports Xeon 6700P and Xeon 6700E processors. This workstation focused implementation of the chipset is specifically tuned for Granite Rapids WS models and supports overclocking on select X series Xeon models, a rare capability for workstation class platforms.
Memory support includes eight RDIMM slots supporting up to one hundred twenty eight gigabytes per DIMM for a total of one terabyte at 6400 MT per second in single DIMM per channel configurations, or 5200 MT per second under dual DIMM per channel configurations. Higher capacity modules will be supported in future revisions.
PCIe expansion is split according to processor tier. Expert Stream CPUs offer up to one hundred twenty eight PCIe lanes, while Mainstream Stream CPUs provide eighty lanes.
PCIe Layout for Expert Stream CPUs with 128 Lanes
Two PCIe 5.0 x16
One PCIe 4.0 x16
One PCIe 5.0 x8
One PCIe 4.0 x8
One PCIe 5.0 x4
One PCIe 4.0 x4
PCIe Layout for Mainstream CPUs with 80 Lanes
Two PCIe 5.0 x16
One PCIe 5.0 x8
One PCIe 4.0 x8
One PCIe 5.0 x4
One PCIe 4.0 x4
Storage support on the ADLINK ISB W890 is robust, featuring four MCIO x8 connectors, two M.2 NVMe slots, two Slim SAS connectors, and eight SATA III ports. This provides a flexible mix of high bandwidth NVMe storage and traditional enterprise drives.
The input and output capabilities are extensive. Connectivity includes one 1 GbE port, one 2.5 GbE port, ten USB 3.0 ports, five USB 3.2 Gen2 Type A ports, one USB 3.2 Gen2 Type C port, four USB 3.2 Gen1 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, and multiple internal headers for expandability. Additional workstation and server specific features include:
One TPM header with SPI interface
One VROC connector
Seven four pin fan headers
Two chassis intrusion headers
One IPMC header with PMBus, SMBus, and IPMB
Twenty four pin ATX power connector and multiple eight pin CPU and PCIe power headers
One backplane PCIe hotplug connector
Four COM headers and RS 232, RS 422, RS 485 support
Internal USB 3.2 Gen1 and USB 2.0 pin headers
The platform block diagram that leaked last week aligns exactly with the architecture seen on this production motherboard. With Granite Rapids WS processors already appearing in multiple benchmark databases and early engineering samples circulating widely, a CES 2026 debut for the W890 workstation platform now appears almost guaranteed.
More workstation boards are expected to appear soon as partners finalize launch plans.
Do you think Intel’s Granite Rapids WS platform will offer a meaningful leap for workstation builders, or will AMD Threadripper Pro remain the preferred choice for professionals?
