DesignCon Product Roundup

This week’s Product Roundup highlights products from leading suppliers featured at DesignCon 2026.

Products featured at DesignCon 
Amphenol Communications Solutions will feature 112G PAM4 Mini Cool Edge connectors, PCIe Gen 7 Mini Cool Edge IO connectors, and BarKlip BK1200 HD I/O 1OU cable assemblies. Mini Cool Edge is a 0.60 mm high-density, high-speed card edge connector for new-generation small form factor systems. The fine-pitch solutions in vertical orientation are now available for a complete interconnect solution. Mini Cool Edge 0.60 mm meets SFF-TA-1002, OCP NIC 3.0 specifications, and is ideal for networking, Ethernet, and Network Interface Card, Add-In Card, GPU link, and Ethernet switch applications. PCIe Gen 7 Mini Cool Edge IO, the next-generation OverPass solution, features a 0.60 mm pitch and a slim form factor, and can transmit high-speed signals of up to 128G PAM4/PCIe Gen 7. It allows for significantly longer signal path lengths while maintaining superior signal integrity (SI) compared to traditional PCB routing methods. It offers a cost-effective, highly modular, scalable approach to system design that is exceptionally easy to repair. BarKlip BK1200 HD I/O 1OU cable assemblies feature an OCP-compatible design, compliant with ORv3 power distribution architecture standards. BarKlip BK1200 HD I/O can distribute up to 1250A per contact, load and return, and up to 2500A total. Designed similarly to other ORV3 busbar connectors, BK1200 HD I/O provides best-in-class current carrying capability, featuring silver-plated contacts ensuring low contact resistance, a braided flex cable ensuring space conservation, and secondary chassis grounding contacts providing grounding functionality for improved safety. Visit Amphenol at Booth 833.

The Samtec Si-Fly^® HD product family delivers industry-leading signal integrity for high-speed applications, supporting data rates critical for modern networking, communications, and computing systems.  At DesignCon 26, Samtec highlights Si-Fly HD® CPX offerings, including co-packaged copper (CPC) and co-packaged optics (CPO) solutions, operating at 224 Gb/s PAM4. Si-Fly HD co-packaged copper (CPC) boasts the industry’s highest footprint density, with a robust interconnect, enabling 102.4T — that’s 512 lanes at 200G in a 95 x 95 mm chip substrate. Co-packaged copper or optics (CPX) offers the lowest signal loss transmission from the package to the front panel or backplane while providing the highest density. Other booth demonstrations include the new Si-Fly^® backplane system, which supports 224 Gb/s signals, and 112 Gb/s active optics incorporating Samtec’s FireFly^TM and new Halo^TM products; Samtec’s distinctive orange Nitrowave^TM RF cable as part of the new Bulls Eye BE71A test assembly for 224 Gb/s PAM4 SERDES and the Bulls Eye BE130 test assembly running 448 Gb/s differential signals for test channels; and advancements in material science with SureCoat ultra-rugged coatings for high-temperature and harsh-environment applications. Visit Samtec at Booth 939.  Stop by on Wednesday from 5-6 p.m. during the DesignCon booth bar crawl.

Smiths Interconnect will present a comprehensive range of its Star Test products, showcasing solutions designed for the next generation of technology in AI PCs, enterprise data centers (EDCs), automotive electronics, and the Internet of Things (IoT). DaVinci Gen V High-Speed Test Socket, Smiths Interconnect’s latest flagship product, will be the star of the show. Designed to meet the extreme demands of high-performance computing and AI data centers, it delivers breakthrough high-speed signal transmission and performance. It enables digital signaling speeds of up to 224 Gb/s PAM4 for AI accelerators and over 100 GHz for 6G communications. Smiths Interconnect’s high-power burn-in socket is a specialized electromechanical interface that temporarily connects semiconductor devices, such as CPUs, GPUs, AI accelerators, and high-power discrete components, to test boards during the burn-in and stress testing phases of manufacturing. This burn-in socket is built for durability and thermal and electrical stability under extreme stress conditions. Visit Smiths Interconnect at Booth 508.

The Saf-D-Grid Connector Series from Anderson Power provides a compact, high-performance solution to meet today’s data center power needs up to 600VAC/DC. The connector is available in three main configurations (Saf-D-Grid, Saf-D-Grid Max, and Saf-D-Grid Three Phase), providing design engineers with the flexibility to select the sizing, amperage capacity, and voltage support that best align with their specific application. Additional customizable Saf-D-Grid options are available, including low-clearance configurations and an extra PDU key. Saf-D-Grid will be featured at DesignCon 2026 at the JPC Booth 649.

The JAE 0.8 mm Series Millimeter Wave Band Coaxial Connectors are high precision RF connectors designed for extremely high frequency applications up to 145 GHz. They feature optimized impedance matching, low reflection, nons-oldered central conductor connections, and a full lineup of semirigid cable assemblies, conversion adapters, and receptacles. These connectors are ideal for millimeter wave Test & Measurement equipment, and advanced RF components. Visit JAE at Booth 804.

Designed to meet the Open Compute Project (OCP) standards, JPC’s ORV3 AC Whip Cable delivers reliable and efficient power distribution for next-generation data centers. These connectors and cable assemblies provide a seamless connection from the busway to the power shelf within the OCP V3 rack architecture. Featuring an innovative 7-pin configuration that maximizes space and flexibility, JPC’s design supports a wide range of electrical specifications while ensuring IEC and NEMA compliance with power grid connections. JPC’s Universal Quick Disconnect (UQD) is an OCP‑compliant liquid cooling connector for data centers and high‑performance computing systems, combining low pressure drop with ultra‑low fluid loss for stable thermal performance. Its patented locking mechanism reinforces coupling engagement, while SUS316L stainless steel and EPDM seals provide chemical resistance and stable service life. Tested to a flow coefficient of up to 1.2 Cv, significantly exceeding the OCP minimum requirement of 0.8 Cv, the UQD supports efficient coolant flow in high-density racks. Visit JPC Connectivity at Booth 649.

Impress Co-Packaged Copper Solutions from Molex are engineered to provide ultra high-speed data transmission for next-generation data centers. They include a compression-based substrate connector and mating cable assembly that support data rates of 224 Gb/s PAM-4 and beyond. The high-density Impress system uses 30 AWG twinax wires to deliver exceptional signal integrity, scalable density, efficient power delivery, and robust durability in a compact form factor. Providing versatile and scalable test solutions for high-speed datacom, 5G/6G, mmWave radar and other advanced applications, Cardinal Multi-Port High-Frequency Coaxial Assemblies deliver phase-matched, high-precision connections up to 145 GHz. Solderless compression attachment and high-density PCB connection improve versatility, minimize downtime and accelerate testing operations while maintaining consistent performance over 500+ mating cycles.Visit Molex at Booth 739.

The Colibri connector series from ept, available in variations of 10+, 16+, and now 25+ Gb/s plugs, is tailored to meet these high-speed needs of today’s tech. The new Colibri variants with 25+ Gb/s data transmission are ideal for PCIe Gen4/Gen5, 25 Gbit Ethernet, USB4, and other high-speed applications. The Colibri COM-Express connector series boasts a compact design with a 0.5 mm pitch, and is available for board-to-board distances of 5 mm or 8 mm. With pin counts of up to 440 contacts, Colibri enables design flexibility across complex system architectures. Its high-density SMT design enables compact layouts without compromising mechanical or electrical integrity, while gold or heavy-gold plated contact options ensure excellent conductivity and durability. Visit ept at Booth 960.

Like this article? Check out our other Product Roundup, Product News, and Connector Industry News features and our 2025 and 2026 Article Archives.

Subscribe to our weekly e-newsletters, follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, and check out our eBook archives for more applicable, expert-informed connectivity content.