Intel upcoming performance platform w/ LGA1156-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.

Yeah I think most of us already know all that info. In fact Tom's has already done a Asus P55 pre-view.

I also think every knows by now that i7 will be available in s1156 as well as i5 and i3.

I'm anxiously awaiting release so I can upgrade my aging clunker. Already got a new case and psu for it.