Enthusiast P55: Eight LGA 1156 Boards Between $150 And $200

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The great news for enthusiasts who chose to wait for LGA 1156 before taking the plunge into Intel’s Nehalem architecture is that these boards cost around $100 less than similarly-equipped LGA 1366 platforms. Buyers can forget what they knew about former high-end build prices and instead refer back to the glory days of high-end LGA 775 price structures. And while this kind of pricing competitiveness isn’t doing any favors for manufacturers, even the slimmest profit margins should look great in light of anticipated sales volumes.

That means our so-called “budget” P55 motherboard round-up of a month ago, in fact, was loaded with mainstream products similar in added features to $200+ X58-based models, while this month’s $150+ round-up of P55 boards compares added features to X58 products that cost roughly $250-$300.

Yet one feature missing from all P55-based products is the second 16-lane PCI Express (PCIe) 2.0 slot, which has been available to Intel buyers exclusively through X58 and earlier X48/X38 chipsets. Some die-hard technology extremists might say that this disqualifies any P55 product from being considered enthusiast-class, but we won’t go that far. Just as the budgets of some auto enthusiasts compel them to buy custom-tuned economy cars, the budgets of many PC enthusiasts will lead them to explore their P55 options.

We consider a few of those options beginning with page two's feature comparison list.

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Summary
  1. Similar Bang For Fewer Bucks?
  2. Features Overview
  3. ASRock P55 Deluxe
  4. Asus P7P55D EVO
  5. Biostar TPower I55
  6. EVGA P55 SLI
  7. Foxconn Inferno Katana GTI
  8. Gigabyte P55-UD4P
  9. Jetway HI05
  10. MSI P55-GD65
  11. Test Configuration
  12. Benchmark Results: Crysis And Far Cry 2
  13. Benchmark Results: Clear Sky And World In Conflict
  14. Benchmark Results: Audio And Video Encoding
  15. Benchmark Results: Productivity
  16. Benchmark Results: Synthetic
  17. Overclocking
  18. Power, Heat, And Efficiency
  19. Does Biostar Win?
About the author
Thomas Soderstrom

Thomas Soderstrom is a Senior Staff Editor at Tom's Hardware US. He tests and reviews cases, cooling, memory and motherboards.

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  • enzo matrix
    interesting
  • skora
    There's two market segments. Once you get the features you need, there's overclockers, and stock users. I've never seen a mobo recommended based on its application performance and all thats looked at is how well it OCs. Hopefully, people read the article and don't just go buying biostar expecting the regular quality of gigabyte or asus though the asus is a little overpriced here for my taste. That $25 can go towards a better GPU, but I'm a gamer.
  • Crashman
    enzo matrixinteresting


    Gigabyte had some additional interesting news about the new P55A-UD4P, where the addition of the letter "A" supposedly means "Advanced" and refers to the addition of SATA 6.0 Gb/s and USB 3.0 controllers. Unfortunately, it wasn't ready when the comparison was written. The "A" also cost slightly more.
  • ibnsina
    For $15 more is best to go for the newly released Giga-byte GA-P55A-UD4P, the extra’s you get are:-

    2 x USB 3.0
    2 x SATA 6Gb/s.

    $184.99 on newegg.
  • Crashman
    ibnsinaFor $15 more is best to go for the newly released Giga-byte GA-P55A-UD4P, the extra’s you get are:-2 x USB 3.0 2 x SATA 6Gb/s.$184.99 on newegg.


    $15 for all that sounds great, unless those features are useless to you. SATA 6.0 Gb/s will remain completely useless until long after the board is outdated, and USB 3.0 is nothing more than an eSATA substitute at the moment.
  • apache_lives
    Why do we bitch about IDE and FDD connectors? If your using windows xp and IDE hdd/dvd drives your should be ashamed, and even then you can get USB floppys etc, and if you are using those fittings you are not getting the true performance out of your modern system, and IDE also makes boot times longer thanks to detection and legacy delays - cudos to those who ditch those ports in an effort to modernise modern systems, and to those who keep them - its like adding ISA ports to the board - times up.
  • cahl
    The new P55A-UD4P has better power phasing, 12+2 vs 8+2 on the old gigabyte UD4P, and probably more stuff aswell, like the LOTES socket, well worth the extra $15 to me.
  • bigballinggpr
    You don't bring up MSI's board at all in the conclusion. . . i'm a little curious as to what your final thoughts are on it.
  • Crashman
    apache_livesWhy do we bitch about IDE and FDD connectors? If your using windows xp and IDE hdd/dvd drives your should be ashamed, and even then you can get USB floppys etc, and if you are using those fittings you are not getting the true performance out of your modern system, and IDE also makes boot times longer thanks to detection and legacy delays - cudos to those who ditch those ports in an effort to modernise modern systems, and to those who keep them - its like adding ISA ports to the board - times up.


    You mean complain? Like you're complaining right now? It's all a matter of logic: There are probably more Windows XP users carrying over their old OS into a new build than there are Ultra ATA users carrying over their ancient hard drives. Therefor, the floppy interface, as outdated as it is, is more useful than the Ultra ATA interface.

    The problem as described is that you PAY for an Ultra ATA controller. Why bother? Even if you're an XP devotee you probably don't WANT to pay for an Ultra ATA connector.

    But for most motherboards, the floppy interface is free. It doesn't slow down boot times or performance either, if you don't need it you can ignore it.

    Well, maybe you can't ignore it, but a logic dictates over emotion in reviews.

    THG has no reason to love or hate the floppy connector, no stake in the legacy OS game, but anyone reader who wants to play the hater deserves to be called out for it. As for the manufacturers, honest reporting is Tom's Hardware's goal. Personally, I like the fact that some manufacturers provide legacy features and others don't, both types of products work well.
  • doomtomb
    Quote:
    with only a single PS/2 port left behind to support the older mice occasionally preferred by seasoned gamers


    This is from the page on the EVGA P55 but you can clearly see it is a purple PS/2 port which is for keyboards... lol
  • zeuscgp
    Anyone else jump on that $130 Halloween deal on NewEgg for the GD65? :)
  • zeuscgp
    Anyone else jump on that $130 Halloween deal on NewEgg for the GD65? :)
  • gaiden2k7
    that was the best looking picture for an article on TH this year! how i wished that was a single mobo... cant stop staring at it!
  • I'm a little annoyed that this is a look at enthusiast-level boards, yet they make no comparisons to any X58 boards.

    If I'm considering an enthusiast-level board, I'd like to see what I'm losing (if anything) by saving an extra $100 and going with the cheaper platform.
  • @gaiden2k7:
    I agree. All those multi-colored mobos lined up next to each other are mesmerizing. I'd give you a +1, but I'm anonymous :(
  • terr281
    Regarding the floppy vs IDE interface debate...

    The solution to the lack of a floppy interface for Win XP raid configuration users is to slipstream the drivers into the Win installation. (Yes, you have to "copy" the Win XP disk, at the cost of a blank CD, and you have to have a functional computer with a burner and the ability to run copy software. But, most builders have this.)

    I, personally, am one of the people that will continue to buy MBs with an IDE connector. Why? I have a very quiet, high quality IDE DVD-Burner that will be carried over into any new system I build from my old system. I rarely used the burner on the currently installed pc, thus it is "like new."

    The same model burner, installed in my mate's computer, will also be moved to that new system. (Thus, IDE required.)

    It is a "cost added" part, and many people don't use it anymore. But, to each their own. (I don't use Firewire, Esata, or more than 4 rear and 1 front USB 2.0 port on any computer. I still have to pay for those.)

    As Crashman said, manufacturers provide different features on their products based upon different consumer wishes.
  • Hmmm, based on Gigabyte's specs page for the GA-P55A-UD4P, SATA3/USB3 capability is lost if you have two video cards:

    "* When dual graphics cards are used in 1st and 2nd PCIex16 slots, SATA3 / USB 3.0 (Marvell 9128 /NEC USB 3.0 Controllers) will work at normal mode."

    http://www.gigabyte.us/Products/Motherboard/Products_Spec.aspx?ClassValue=Motherboard&ProductID=3250&ProductName=GA-P55A-UD4P
  • Crashman
    nopointpayingextraHmmm, based on Gigabyte's specs page for the GA-P55A-UD4P, SATA3/USB3 capability is lost if you have two video cards:"* When dual graphics cards are used in 1st and 2nd PCIex16 slots, SATA3 / USB 3.0 (Marvell 9128 /NEC USB 3.0 Controllers) will work at normal mode."http://www.gigabyte.us/Products/Mo [...] -P55A-UD4P


    That sounds like "normal mode" is refering to PCIe x1, which is 250MB/s (2.5 Gb/s).
  • Gedoe_
    paying $150 for a mobo

    haha o wow what a joke. I would spend my money at the CPU or GPU, where it matters.
  • Br4v0guy
    Some day, there will be a roundup for uATX mobos for the 1156 platform. Until then.... mehhhhhhhhhhhh.
  • VVV850
    I wonder why Tom's decided to launch two articles talking only about Intel gaming rigs and Intel based motherboards (when Intel is in trouble with the Dell and IBM payments not to buy AMD chips). I wonder.....
  • EXT64
    Cool, as I was leaning toward using the Gigabyte board in my i5 build. There are some awesome combos/deals on Newegg with it right now too, making it even cheaper.
  • apache_lives
    terr281Regarding the floppy vs IDE interface debate...The solution to the lack of a floppy interface for Win XP raid configuration users is to slipstream the drivers into the Win installation. (Yes, you have to "copy" the Win XP disk, at the cost of a blank CD, and you have to have a functional computer with a burner and the ability to run copy software. But, most builders have this.)I, personally, am one of the people that will continue to buy MBs with an IDE connector. Why? I have a very quiet, high quality IDE DVD-Burner that will be carried over into any new system I build from my old system. I rarely used the burner on the currently installed pc, thus it is "like new."The same model burner, installed in my mate's computer, will also be moved to that new system. (Thus, IDE required.)It is a "cost added" part, and many people don't use it anymore. But, to each their own. (I don't use Firewire, Esata, or more than 4 rear and 1 front USB 2.0 port on any computer. I still have to pay for those.)As Crashman said, manufacturers provide different features on their products based upon different consumer wishes.


    USB floppys with legacy mode support in the bios work as a full FDD so its pointless, and if you need if for F6 drivers your RAID/AHCI then your OS is too old as Windows Vista and 7 dont require (usually) any drivers for AHCI/RAID and even then it can be loaded via a CD drive etc

    Begone PS2, FDD, IDE, PCI - too old
  • terr281
    Quote: "Begone PS2, FDD, IDe, PCI - too old"

    Except in the business world, where applications are written to run on specific hardware.

    Example from my employer: Our helpdesk recently had to purchase a new Laptop with an integrated Parallel Port for use at one location. Why? A certain piece of software running at the site requires a parallel port dongle for any system to access it, and the data from the software is written locally then transferred to the network. (Interference in the area removes the ability for any type of wireless internet to work, and the site is in a "no cell" coverage by any vendor area.) The software, for legal reasons, cannot be changed to a newer version.

    Also, we recently had to rollback several users from Outlook 2007 to Outlook 2003 due to software incompatibilities, and the hardware (and user training) cost to upgrade all users to "Vista capable" systems was too high until next year's budget. The result? We all still run Windows XP.

    At home, many older games refuse to run on Vista/7, even when in compatibility mode. (The same reason I keep a Win 98 SE machine running for games that refuse to run properly in Win XP.)

    In short, just because something... even technology... is old, doesn't mean it should be gotten rid of permanently.
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