Intel is the pioneer in the chipset industry, and they keep releasing new chipsets with upgraded specifications for better performance. When Intel releases a new processor, a new motherboard that is compatible with the new processor gets released. Every new motherboard comes with new chipsets with different features and functionalities.
Currently, Intel H670 and B660 are the newborns in the chipset market. Naturally, these chipsets have certain differences in terms of features and specifications. If you are building your PC, you should be aware of the latest chipsets and understand their differences to purchase the perfect one within your budget. Today, we will discuss the key differences between the H670 chipset and B660 chipset.
What Is A Chipset?
A chipset is a collection of integrated circuits(ICs) responsible for managing the flow of data and instructions between different components on a motherboard specifications. Chipset is comparable to a traffic controller between processor, GPU, RAM, ROM and other available peripherals. From another perspective, it is responsible for the level of connectivity on the motherboard.
A chipset is crucial in determining I/O connectivity, overclocking of CPU and GPU, and the compatibility of the motherboard’s memory. Therefore, a high-end chipset offers a better feature set which primarily means better connectivity, overclocking and compatibility. Keeping that in mind, it is safe to say that the H670 chipset and B660 chipset are low-end versions of the premium Z690 chipset for the 12th Gen Intel Core process family.
What Are H670 Chipset and B660 Chipset?
H670 chipset and B660 chipset belong to the 12th Gen Core family. They belong to the intermediate category in terms of features and specifications compared to the best Z690 chipset in the family. Among the two chipsets, the H670 chipset is the closest to the Z690 chipset from all perspectives. They have similar connectivity except for chipset PCI-E 3.0 lanes, where the Z690 chipset has 16 while the H670 chipset has 12.
B660 chipset is a notch down from the H670 chipset, and it fits perfectly in the budget chipset category. The only other chipset that is cheaper than the B660 chipset is the H610 chipset. Compared to the H670 chipset, B660 has fewer PCI-E 4.0 and 3.0 lanes. Besides, you will also get fewer USB ports in the B660 chipset.
Main Differences Between H670 and B660 Chipsets
Now, we will weigh the chipsets in different parameters so that you can clearly differentiate them.
1. PCI Express and SATA
By PCI Express parameter, we are looking for CPU PCI Express 5.0 Lane and 4.0 Lane support as well as Chipset PCI Express 4.0 and Express 3.0 Lanes. PCI-E Lanes are important for graphics cards, SSDs, Wi-Fi cards and other add-on cards. Both chipsets can accommodate older graphics cards for low profile and latest graphics cards and SSDs, and the presence of PCIe 5.0 makes them futureproof.
H670 chipset has (1×16 / 2×8) CPU PCI Express 5.0 Lane support, while the B660 chipset has only (1×16) CPU PCI Express 5.0 Lane support. But both chipsets have (1×4) CPU PCI Express 4.0 Lane support.
H670 chipset has 12 chipsets PCI Express 4.0 and Express 3.0 Lanes each. On the contrary, the B660 chipset has 6 and 8 chipsets PCI Express 4.0 and Express 3.0 Lanes, respectively.
By SATA 3.0 port, we mean third generation SATA interface that has 6GB per second speed. H670 chipset has 8 ports, while the B660 chipset has only 4 ports.
2. CPU and Memory Overclocking
Overclocking refers to the act of increasing the speed of the components to get a better performance than usual. CPU Overclocking is required when you are running applications that demand high performance from your CPU. Unfortunately, both H670 and B660 chipsets do not support CPU overclocking, and only Z690 chipset has CPU overclocking support.
Similarly, memory overclocking is another parameter that can improve the performance of your device only under certain scenarios. Fortunately, both H670 and B660 chipsets support memory overclocking.
3. Number of USB Ports
USB ports are extremely important input ports through which you can connect several external devices. However, different versions of USB ports are available that determine the speed at which data transfer between the device and the system can be performed. USB 3.2 Gen port has three variants having 20Gbps, 10Gbps, and 5Gbps speed, while USB 2.0 Gen port has 480Mbps speed.
Both H670 and B660 chipsets come with 2 and 4 USB 3.2(20Gbps and 10Gbps) ports, respectively. For USB 3.2(5Gbpx) ports, the H670 chipset has 8, while B660 chipset has 6 ports. For USB 2.0 ports, there are 14 and 12 ports in H670 and B660 chipsets, respectively.
4. DMI 4.0 Lanes
DMI lanes are responsible for communication between the processor and the chipset. DMI 4.0 is the latest version with the highest transfer speed of 16Gtps. The H670 chipset has x8 DMI 4.0 lanes, while the B660 chipset has x4 DMI 4.0 lanes. It is safe to say that it is a significant downgrade for the B660 chipset.
5. Memory
Coming to memory generation, both the chipsets is compatible with DDR4 and DDR5 memory standards. DDR4 is the commonly used standard, while DDR5 is the next-generation memory standard. The support for both standards covers all the present and future memory requirements.
6. Graphic Card
There are two options available for the graphics card in any chipset. They are integrated graphic card and dedicated graphics card. If you have an integrated graphic card, you do not need to purchase any external graphic card unless you want to upgrade. On the contrary, the absence of an integrated graphics card means you must purchase a dedicated graphics card for your computer. Both H670 and B660 chipsets have integrated graphics card.
7. Memory Channels and Memory Slots
Memory channels link the RAM to the CPU for the transmission of data. Memory slots are where you insert RAMs on your motherboard. The more slots, the greater the scope for more RAM expansion in the future. Both chipsets have 2 memory channels and a maximum of 4 memory slots.
8. CPU Compatibility
Regarding CPU compatibility, both the chipsets are compatible with Intel 12th Gen Core CPU. In the same family, you will find the Z6980 chipset, the premium chipset. You will also get the H610 chipset, the cheapest on the list. If we have to rank the chipsets, Z690, H690, B660, and H610 should be the order in terms of specifications and features.
9. Storage Expansion
When we consider storage expansion, several factors come into its territory. Starting from support for Intel Rapid Storage Technology and Intel VMD and RAID modes and RAID support, we will compare them for both chipsets.
Intel Rapid Storage technology is a driver that improves the performance of a computer with SATA disks. Both chipsets have support for Intel Rapid Storage Technology 19.x.
Intel VMD is a technology that improves the storage experience of NVMe SSDs. Both chipsets have support for Intel VMD.
PCIe support is essential for the installation of SSDs, and fortunately, both chipsets have PCIe storage support.
RAID is about storing the same data on multiple hard drives for backing them up. Both chipsets have RAID support, but the H670 chipset has SATA as well as PCIe support, but B660 chipset has only SATA support. Both chipsets support RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 modes.
10. Integrated Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi has become an essential connectivity option, and that is why the Wi-Fi option should be available on computers as well. An Integrated Wi-Fi option has become essential, but your motherboard chipset should support it. Fortunately, both H670 and B660 chipsets have support for 6GHz Wi-Fi which is referred to as Wi-Fi 6E. Wi-Fi 6E has a speed of 1GBps, but you should have a 6GHz router for the option to work properly.
11. Thermal Design Power
The thermal design power is the amount of power that the chipset can consume under the maximum workload. Fortunately, the price point of the chipset does not decide the thermal power design. That is why both H670 and B660 chipsets have 6W thermal design power.
12. Max Supported Displays
The maximum number of displays supported by both chipsets is 4. This means you can have 4 display screens running simultaneously, but your graphics card has enough number of ports.
Comparison Table Between H670 Chipset and B660 Chipset
| Key Parameters | H670 Chipset | B660 Chipset |
| CPU PCIe 5.0 Lanes | 1×16 / 2×8 | 1×16 |
| CPU PCIe 4.0 Lanes | 1×4 | 1×4 |
| Chipset PCIe 4.0 Lanes | 12 | 6 |
| Chipset PCIe 3.0 Lanes | 12 | 8 |
| SATA 3.0 Ports | 8 | 4 |
| CPU Overclocking | No | No |
| Memory Overclocking | Yes | Yes |
| DMI 4.0 Lanes | x8 | X4 |
| Memory | DDR4 & DDR5 | DDR4 & DDR5 |
| Graphic Card | Integrated | Integrated |
| Memory channels & slots | 2 & 4 | 2 & 4 |
| CPU Compatibility | 12th Gen Core | 12th Gen Core |
| RAID Support | PCIe/SATA | SATA |
| Integrated Wi Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Thermal Design Power | 6W | 6W |
| Max Supported Displays | 4 | 4 |
Conclusion
If you are looking for a mid-price chipset for the 12th Gen Core family, H670 and B660 chipsets are the ones you need to look for. Among these two chipsets, if you have to select one, you need to know the differences between them. We have differentiated them based on all the important parameters for a better understanding. Go through them, and you will understand that the H670 chipset has the edge over the B660 chipset though the B660 chipset is priced lower than the H670 chipset.
