Intel B860

Intel B860. The Intel B860 is a chipset for desktop computers introduced by Intel in 2015 as part of the 100 Series platform, codenamed Sunrise Point. It was designed as a business-oriented motherboard platform, offering a balance of essential features, enhanced security, and manageability for corporate environments while maintaining cost-effectiveness. The chipset supported Intel's Skylake and Kaby Lake microarchitectures via the LGA 1151 socket.

Overview

The Intel B860 chipset was part of a broader 100 Series launch that succeeded the Intel 9 Series. It was positioned as a stable, reliable foundation for business personal computers, often integrated into systems from major OEMs like Dell, HP Inc., and Lenovo. Unlike consumer-focused chipsets like the Intel Z170, the B860 emphasized features crucial for IT departments, including support for Intel vPro technology and Intel Active Management Technology (AMT). Its release coincided with the launch of Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system, which introduced new security requirements that the chipset's capabilities were designed to meet.

Features

Key features of the Intel B860 platform included support for DDR4 memory, though some motherboards also offered DDR3L compatibility, and provision for PCI Express 3.0 lanes from the chipset. It typically offered fewer high-speed I/O ports than premium chipsets, with native support for USB 3.0 and SATA III (6 Gb/s) connections. A defining characteristic was its inclusion of Intel Small Business Advantage and robust support for Intel Stable Image Platform Program (SIPP), which helped corporations maintain standardized software images. Security was bolstered by Intel Boot Guard and Intel Device Protection Technology, aligning with the security enhancements in Windows 10.

Supported processors

The Intel B860 chipset was compatible with Intel's 6th-generation Skylake and 7th-generation Kaby Lake central processing units using the LGA 1151 socket. This included a wide range of Intel Core processors, such as the Core i7, Core i5, Core i3, and Pentium series, as well as Celeron chips. Notably, it fully supported the business-oriented vPro-enabled CPUs, such as certain Core i5-6500T and Core i7-6700 models, which were essential for leveraging the platform's manageability suite. The chipset did not support overclocking, even for unlocked "K-series" processors like the Core i7-7700K.

Chipset differences

Within the 100 Series, the B860 occupied a distinct niche compared to other chipsets. The high-performance Intel Z170 supported CPU and memory overclocking and offered more PCI Express lanes, catering to enthusiasts. The mainstream Intel H170 offered more high-speed I/O but lacked the business features of the B860. The budget Intel H110 was more stripped-down, lacking both the I/O count and the advanced management technologies. The B860's closest competitor was often the Intel Q170, which offered more extensive management features but at a higher cost, making the B860 a preferred choice for cost-conscious business deployments.

Market positioning and reception

The Intel B860 was strategically positioned for the commercial desktop market, competing with platforms from AMD like the AMD A-series for business systems. It was generally well-received by OEMs and corporate IT managers for its reliable performance, strong security features, and good value. The chipset found widespread use in business desktops such as the Dell OptiPlex 5040 series, HP ProDesk 600 G2, and Lenovo ThinkCentre M700. Its success helped solidify Intel's dominance in the commercial PC sector during the mid-2010s, before being succeeded by the Intel B360 chipset for the Coffee Lake generation.

Category:Intel chipsets Category:Computer hardware Category:2015 in computing