MSI gives PCI Express 4.0 support to all Z490 motherboards

Later this month we'll see the arrival of Intel's 11th Gen Core "Rocket Lake-S" processors. Besides a boost in IPC and better, Xe-based integrated graphics, the Rocket Lake generation will be the first desktop platform from Intel with PCI Express 4.0 support. Rocket Lake-S is made on a 14nm process and uses the LGA1200 socket, so it's compatible with existing motherboards. There are new 500-series motherboards with some extra features but you'll also be able to use Rocket Lake-S with 400-series motherboards.

MSI just send out a notification to confirm that its Z490-based motherboards are now compatible with PCI Express 4.0. The motherboard maker rolled out BIOS updates that enable PCIe 4.0 support in combination with a Rocket Lake-S processor.

All of the MSI Z490 motherboards will be supporting PCIe 4.0 with the coming Intel 11th Gen Intel Processors. Through an update to the latest BIOS, MSI Z490 motherboards offer great bandwidth and performance for PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSDs and graphics cards.

To be PCIe 4.0 compatible, several components on the motherboards are necessary, including PCIe 4.0 ready clock generator, lane switch, redriver, PCIe slots, and M.2 connectors. Thanks to the complete PCIe 4.0 solutions, MSI Z490 motherboards provide the most stable design for PCIe 4.0 and unlock the full performance of PCIe 4.0 devices.

Which MSI motherboards support PCIe 4.0 and what is the required BIOS?

Below is a quick overview of the required BIOS version to enable PCIe 4.0 support on MSI's Z490 series. These updates can be found via the MSI support website. MSI did not reveal details about non-Z490 400-series motherboards.