Kontron has released a comprehensive BIOS update that will allow its current range of ATX, µATX, and Mini-ITX motherboards to run Intel’s new Core Series 2 processors, as the German embedded-computing specialist seeks to bolster its position in industrial, medical, and real-time computing markets.
The Augsburg-based company said that the update, available from this month, brings full support for Intel’s “Bartlett Lake” processors, which offer up to 24 cores and are aimed at AI-driven and latency-sensitive workloads. The move extends compatibility across motherboards already supporting Intel’s 12th, 13th, and 14th-generation Core i chips.
Kontron’s boards, which are designed and manufactured in Germany, target connected industrial and embedded sectors such as factory automation, medical systems, kiosks, digital signage, POS/POI, video surveillance, and casino gaming. The company emphasised that its unified BIOS, consistent drivers, and configuration toolset are intended to simplify custom deployments, covering functions such as thermal management and system defaults.
In the compact segment, Kontron highlighted its Mini-ITX K3833-Q and K3832-Q boards, built on the Intel Q670E chipset and offering features including vPro manageability, SIPP, RAID support, and Time-Sensitive Networking for real-time performance. They include dual Intel LAN ports with TSN, PCIe Gen5 expansion, USB 3.2 Gen2, M.2 slots, and DDR5 support. The K3836-Q/R variant, based on the Q670 and R680E chipsets, targets ECC-based applications and offers additional interfaces and optional 12-volt power input.
For applications requiring significant expansion capacity, the ATX K3851-R board—built on Intel’s R680E chipset—provides six PCIe slots including PCIe 5.0, dual M.2 NVMe slots, three LAN interfaces with vPro and AMT, multiple COM ports, and eleven USB connections, including USB-C.
Kontron’s µATX range—comprising the K3841-Q, K3842-Q, and K3843-B—supports Intel Core i3 to i9 processors up to 125 W TDP. The industrial-focused K3841-Q includes three LAN ports, four COM ports, Gen5 PCIe lanes, and eleven USB ports. The K3842-Q, with the Intel Q670 chipset, is aimed at high-end desktop or semi-industrial use, while the B660-based K3843-B introduces cTDP support, DDR5 memory, four DisplayPorts, and PCIe Gen5 connectivity.
Kontron AG, listed in Vienna, describes itself as a long-standing supplier of IoT and embedded technologies for sectors ranging from industrial automation and transport to communications, healthcare, and energy.
