In just a few short months, the Core i7's once-tenuous value proposition has blossomed into something entirely more compelling. Indeed, the platform has become so attractive that it's migrated down to the ~$1300 Sweeter Spot build in our latest system guide—not bad for a brand-new microarchitecture and the undisputed clock-for-clock performance leader.

The introduction of cheaper X58 boards deserves much of the credit for the Core i7's newfound affordability. As one might expect, the first batch of LGA1366 mobos were pimped-out flagships brimming with excess. This latest bunch trims extraneous peripherals and unnecessary frills, reducing prices accordingly. Naturally, we had to find out how these cheaper Core i7 boards stack up, so we've gathered the Asus P6T, Gigabyte EX58-UD3R, and MSI X58 Platinum and fed them to the wolves.

http://techreport.com/articles.x/16558