Another (Somewhat) New Chipset
According to rumours coming out of the East, Intel is also preparing a “new” chipset variant along with their new Z390 chipset motherboards. This one is going to be the H310C or H310 2.0, specifically for native Windows 7 compatibility. Chinese tech site MyDrivers reports that this will be replacing the existing H310 chipset entirely.
Why Did Intel Do This?
If you recall, Intel supposedly suspended H310 chipset production several months ago. As DigiTimes reported, this points towards the recent 10nm delay as the culprit.
Intel has failed to meet the supposed 2017 timeline for it, and has pushed its release to 2019. That means that 14nm is enduring and production is strained since even the most recent chips are still on the same process.
In turn, this means Intel has to choose and prioritize which they are manufacturing, and the entry-level H310 chipset got the short end of the straw. Now that supply relief has resumed the production, it seems Intel chose to pivot that entry level chipset to meet their consumer demands.
After all, Windows 7 is still an extremely popular OS. Those who use the H310 chipset will most likely not spend money to switch their systems to Windows 10 as well. So this is the most logical move for Intel. Especially in the Chinese market, Windows 7 is still widely in use. According to MyDrivers, Gigabyte, and Rainbow specifically have models ready with these chipsets.
