Amphenol launches high-speed connector for PCIe Gen 6

The AI and hyperscale data center markets are experiencing unprecedented growth, driven by the exponential demand for compute power, massive data movement, and real-time processing. As system architectures evolve to handle increasingly complex AI workloads and high-performance computing (HPC) environments, every component in the data path is under pressure to deliver more speed, greater signal integrity, and higher density, all while maintaining power and thermal efficiency.

In this environment, high-speed backplane connectors play a crucial role. They must not only keep up with escalating data rates but also ensure mechanical reliability and design flexibility across diverse system configurations. For over a decade, Amphenol’s ExaMAX^® family has set the benchmark for high-speed backplane connectivity, becoming the trusted PCIe^® Gen 5 interface in leading AI servers, switches, and data center platforms around the globe.

As the world shifts towards higher speed rates with PCIe Gen 6, Amphenol’s EXAMAX2 high-speed backplane connector is ready to lead the change with industry-leading performance and capabilities.

Designed for PCIe^® Gen 6 and Beyond
EXAMAX2 supports 112 Gb/s PAM4 industry specifications. It offers both 92Ω and 85Ω nominal impedance versions to meet a wide range of system requirements, from OIF and IEEE PAM4 standards to PCIe 6.0 and 7.0, and Intel UPI 3.0. It delivers exceptional signal integrity performance, including industry-leading return loss (RL), insertion loss deviation (ILD), and low reflections.

EXAMAX2 supports multiple system architectures, giving designers flexibility to deploy a unified platform across diverse applications:

This flexibility allows OEMs and ODMs to deploy a single connector platform across multiple system designs, simplifying sourcing and reducing development time.

Seamless Upgrade Path from EXAMAX^®
It is built with backward compatibility with previous ExaMAX^® products, allowing cost and performance flexibility. Existing ExaMAX users can migrate to Gen 6 without major system redesigns.

This ensures:

This upgrade path preserves the investment customers have made in ExaMAX infrastructure while enabling a straightforward transition to next-generation connectivity.

Intel-Qualified for UPI Applications
EXAMAX2’s 85Ω version has been listed in the Intel Blue Sheet, making it qualified by Intel for its Birch Stream and Oak Stream UPI (Ultra-Path Interconnect) applications — Intel’s next-generation server platforms for Xeon processors. This qualification demonstrates Amphenol’s engineering excellence and EXAMAX2’s credibility in mission-critical systems.

Chosen by the Industry’s Biggest Names
From AI infrastructure providers to hyperscale cloud operators, EXAMAX2 high-speed backplane connector has become the connector of choice. It has already been adopted in high-volume production for its consistent quality, high SI performance, and proven reliability.

EXAMAX2 delivers the performance and mechanical durability needed for today’s most demanding computing environments.

Built for the Future of Cooling — Immersion Ready
As data centers push thermal limits, immersion cooling is becoming a potential solution. The ExaMAX2 ARK version is the first high-speed backplane connector specifically designed to operate reliably in immersion cooling environments, ensuring stable high-speed Gen 6 data transmission even in thermally challenging conditions.

This innovation makes EXAMAX2 ideal for AI, HPC, and next-generation data center systems focused on sustainable thermal management.

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