M26 NVLS ATX09 Image © DecentaM26 NVLS ATX09 (Image © Decenta)

LGA1954 Socket as the Basis

The M26-NVLS-ATX09 uses the new LGA1954 socket for Nova Lake-S CPUs and supports processors with a thermal design power of up to 125 W. To manage power delivery, the board features an 8+1+1-phase voltage regulator module. Memory capacity is of great importance for industrial workloads: The board features four DDR5-6400 UDIMM slots in a dual-channel configuration. The architecture supports a maximum memory capacity of 256 GB, offering considerable headroom for memory-intensive industrial applications.

M24 ARLS ATX08M24 ARLS ATX08 (Image © Decenta)

Slots and Legacy Support

A key feature of the M26-NVLS-ATX09 is its comprehensive I/O layout, which includes a total of seven expansion slots. The board features six PCIe 5.0 slots:

  • 2 x PCIe 5.0 x16 slots, which can be configured either as a single x16 connection or as two x8 connections.
  • 4 x PCIe 5.0 x4 slots, two of which operate with full x4 wiring and two at x2 speed.

To ensure compatibility with older industrial hardware, Decenta has integrated a single legacy PCI slot, which allows for the integration of older expansion cards that are still required in many factory and automation environments.

RAM, Networking, and Connectivity

The motherboard offers numerous options for high-speed memory and wireless communication:

  • M.2 Storage: Two M.2 Key M slots that support the 2242 and 2280 form factors.
  • Wireless: One M.2 Key E 2230 slot designed for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.x modules via PCIe 4.0 or CNVio3.
  • Networking: The board integrates Intel I219-V and Intel I210 Ethernet controllers, with an additional slot reserved for the Intel I226-V.
  • Display Output: Support for three displays is provided via integrated VGA, HDMI, and DisplayPort outputs.

Additional hardware includes a Realtek ALC897 audio codec and TPM 2.0 for enhanced system security.

M24 ARLS ATX08 mit Q870M24 ARLS ATX08 mit Q870 (Image © Decenta)

Technical Comparison of the Q970 and B960 Chipsets

Decenta offers the M26-NVLS-ATX09 in two different versions, designated SKU1 and SKU2, which correspond to the Intel Q970 and B960 chipsets, respectively.

Intel Q970

The Q970 configuration is designed for higher bandwidth requirements. It features:

  • 2 x PCIe 5.0 x16 slots (configurable as 1x16 or 2x8).
  • 4 x PCIe 5.0 x4 slots (two at x4 speed, two at x2 speed).
  • 1 x M.2 slot with PCIe 5.0 x4 and a second M.2 slot that supports either PCIe 4.0 x4 or SATA 3.0.
  • 4 x SATA ports.

Intel B960

The B960 configuration offers a customized lane distribution:

  • 1 x PCIe 5.0 x16 slot.
  • 2 x PCIe 4.0 x4 slots (one at x4 speed, one at x2 speed).
  • 1 x M.2 slot with PCIe 5.0 x4 and a second M.2 slot limited to SATA 3.0.
  • 3 x SATA ports.

In both configurations, installing the Intel I226 Ethernet controller results in lane sharing, which downgrades one PCIe x4 slot from x2 to x1 speed.

The platforms are designed to leverage the AI acceleration capabilities of the Nova Lake-S platform. The system’s total AI performance is distributed across three components:

  • NPU: 74 TOPS
  • CPU: 39 TOPS
  • GPU: 25 TOPS

Unfortunately, it must be emphasized that NPUs have so far been completely useless for AI applications because they are unusable.