Gigabyte adds BIOS support for Intel Raptor Lake Next

Gigabyte has released BIOS updates across its B760 and H610 motherboard lines to prepare those boards for a forthcoming Intel desktop CPU generation expected in early 2027. The company says the updates, posted on Gigabyte's official support site, enable compatibility with processors targeted at the LGA 1700 socket and supporting DDR4 memory.

In a brief announcement, Gigabyte confirmed that Intel is preparing another desktop CPU generation for the older LGA 1700 platform with DDR4 support. The BIOS updates cover all Gigabyte B760 and H610 models, including both DDR4-compatible and DDR5-based variants, and are available now from Gigabyte's support pages.

Gigabyte said owners of supported motherboards will only need to install the new BIOS to run the future processors.

Gigabyte also claimed it is the first motherboard maker to provide support for Intel's new processors across its full B760 and H610 ranges. The company did not mention the support status of other LGA 1700-compatible chipsets, including Z690, Z790, and B660, in its notice.

Processor details and timeline

Gigabyte did not name the processors in its release. The timing in the announcement aligns with rumors about an Intel Core 2000 family, widely referred to in reports as Raptor Lake Next. Multiple earlier reports have suggested Intel intends another Raptor Lake refresh, with a likely launch in late January 2027, though those dates and the product family have not been confirmed by Intel.

Reported, but unconfirmed, specifications circulating for the expected Core 2000 line include a 125 watt model with 16 cores composed of 8 performance cores and 8 efficiency cores, and a 65 watt model with 20 cores composed of 8 performance cores and 12 efficiency cores. These technical details remain unofficial.

Intel previously said it plans to continue selling processors compatible with the LGA 1700 socket for years. In August, Robert Hallock, among Intel's managers, pointed to ongoing demand for DDR4-compatible systems as a principal reason for that approach, noting that higher DDR5 prices have kept DDR4 an attractive option for users who want to upgrade CPUs without replacing motherboard and memory.