Intel upcoming performance platform w/ LGA1156-sneak peek of MSI P55-GD65
 

Core i7, new CPU platform, featured as socket 1366, was launched by Intel last year.
Nevertheless based on this structure, it has been positioned as high-end product until now and even in the future.
During this period, market demand below high-end served by socket 775 old structure needs to be fulfilled as well.

There’s a rumor saying socket 1156, applicable for CPU marked as Core i5 will replace those between high and middle end.
However, recently the classification of product line has slightly changed.
Socket 1366 remains the high-end platform.
Besides Core i7, another platform featured as 6 cores, 12MB cache, will be launched.
They call it- i9 Regarding socket 1156,
no only Core i5 but also Core i7 supports 1156 pins meaning users have to distinguish by LGA 1366 or LGA 1156 instead of Core i5 or Core i7.
Back to our spotlight, MSI P55-GD65, socket 1156 mainboard, is not ranked as MSI’s highest-end by telling from its Marketing name.

Panorama of MSI P55-GD65






Bottom Left
2X PCIEX16(Supports ATI CrossfireX and Nvidia SLI Technology, bandwidth X8+X8)
1 X PCI-E X4
2 X PCI-E X1
2 X PCI
The same market position as former product line.
X series chipsets have X16+X16 bandwidth with multi-VGA while P series are still limited with X8+X8 bandwidth.


Bottom Right
7 X SATAII
1 X IDE


Top Right
4 X DIMM DDR3
1 X Floppy
24-pin Power Input
Blue area is V-Check points, for users who need to measure system voltage by ammeter which indicate CPU Vcore/CPU VTT/DDR VCC/PCH.


Top Left
6+1 phrase CPU Power supply, support Dr.MOS Technology.


IO


What socket 1156 differs from 1366 is that it doesn’t have DDR3 trial channels and QPI Technology.
P55 platform principally has DDR3 dual channels.
Although the performance is behind X58 trial channel structure, P55’s support range is enhanced to DDR3-1333.


Hook’s slightly different from other socket platforms.

North bridge function is integrated on CPU. The function of P55 chipset is only South bridge.
The MSI heatsink on P55 chipset looks quite nice. There’s MSI OC Genie controlling chip on the left.


OC Genie is spontaneous overclocking chip. Users only press the bottom to overclock very conveniently.
Black +/- button named Direct OC, used for switching CPU Base Clock directly as well as instant hardware overclocking.


MSI named the heatpipe Superpipe this time.
Heat transferring with 8mm thickness Superpipe is supposely better than traditional heatpipe, of which the fact needs to be confirmed by testing.




I perceived that in recent X58 and P55 chipsets, mainboard are more and more user-friendly on material and design.
Every manufacturer desires to present new technology, new material, or new function to reinforce competitiveness of its brand as well as animating the market.

Web news says that CPU on socket 1156 will hit retail market after September.
Every main motherboard players are so hot to trot for P55 product launch.
Hopefully, new platform with socket 1156 for middle-to- high end market is ideal for those who look for high C/P products.