Intel shows concept of a computer on a PCI-e card
Intel has shown some kind of computer on a PCI-e card. The card, tentatively called The Element by Intel, contains an integrated Xeon CPU, dram and storage. The card can be combined with other pci-e components on a backplane.
The project was shown during a presentation in London, reports tech website AnandTech. The project would work like this: users buy a type of motherboard, also called a backplane, that contains only pci-e slots. They can place individual components in it as desired, such as GPUs, accelerators, FPGAs and raid controllers. Such a backplane contains a master slot, in which a card with an integrated CPU can be placed. Such a card functions as the host of all other components. The CPU socket is therefore replaced by a PCI-e slot, as it were.
Intel showed such a host card during the presentation, tentatively called The Element by the company. This card contains an integrated Xeon CPU, dram and storage in the form of m2 SSDs. The Xeon chip contains an igpu, but the card can also be used with separate video cards. The card shown by Intel also includes Thunderbolt, Ethernet, Wi-Fi and some USB ports. The user can replace the ram and m2 ssds. The Xeon CPU used by Intel cannot be replaced by using a ball grid array.
The Element by Intel. Photo via AnandTech
The idea behind The Element is to create a kind of modular computer with components that are easily replaceable by users. The Intel card shown with its Xeon CPU seems to be mainly aimed at workstation PCs and servers, but there may also be variants with consumer CPUs. The alleged consumer variants will probably get mobile processors from Intel. These processors are also used in Intel’s NUC PCs, which are made by the same group. Consumer versions of The Element may be of interest to consumers who are less tech-savvy but still want a PC that’s easy to upgrade. For example, replacing a CPU can be tricky, while replacing a PCI-e card is a simple process.
Intel’s roadmap with The Element. Photo via AnandTech
According to Intel, the card is powered by means of the PCI-e connection. This offers a power supply of 75W. However, the card shown has an extra 8-pin connection that can provide the card with 150W extra power. This equates to a total power of 225W for cpu, dram and storage. However, 75W is more than enough for a mobile Intel CPU.
Razer introduced a similar concept at CES 2014 in the form of Project Christine. However, this product never got out of the concept stage while this Intel computer system is actually to be released. Exact configurations and prices are not yet known. It is also not yet known when such modular computers for consumers will come on the market. According to Intel, manufacturers can start working on this project “in the first quarter of 2020”.