CONCLUSION
The Intel 9 series launch can be considered a non- event as there weren’t any accompanying CPUs of new microarchitecture design. In fact, it appears Intel has throttled back the release of new processors. Haswell Refresh can be seen as a stopgap to keep enthusiasts happy and a way to extend the family through the introduction of a new series of Haswell-based Pentium and Celeron processors.
As for the 14nm Broadwell chips, they will only be launched at the end of the year, which is about six months away.
Without any new CPUs, the most exciting thing about the Intel 9 series boards are their enhanced storage capabilities. But even then, while M.2 connector should see a wide adoption, commercial SATA Express drives aren’t expected to be available till 2015. Because of this, most board manufacturers only offer selective SATA Express support. Some, like MSI, only included a built-in SATA Express connector in 1 out of the 26 Intel 9 series boards launched.
Still, this doesn’t mean you should brush off the 9 series boards. There’s a definite air of commitment from motherboard manufacturers to produce high- quality boards, and a resurgence of sorts for the DIY scene, though it’s more focused than ever on the enthusiast crowd.