Every year the worlds' PC makers and PC media flock to
Computex
in Taipei Taiwan to see the bleeding edge of technology unleashed.
Intel, AMD, nVidia and ATI usually time their new product releases to
coincide with the massive tech trade show, so it's always an exciting
adventure. This year Gigabyte, a Tier One motherboard
manufacturer, showcased three important additions to the PC marketplace.
The first and foremost was Intel's new socket 1156 "Lynnfield" processor
platform, based on the soon-to-be-released Intel P55 Express chipset. The Intel P55 Express is notable for a couple reasons, not
the least of which is its support of both ATI Crossfire and nVidia
SLI! Finally, a mainstream motherboard which accomodates both multi-videocard options!
A fresh crop of Intel motherboards supporting the socket 1366 Core i7 CPU,
and Intel G45/G41/Q45 boards for existing socket 775 processors were also demo'd
at Gigabyte's space in Hall 1 of the TWTC and the pagoda shaped Taipei 101
skyscraper. The Intel G41 chipset offers up HDMI and GMA X4500 integrated
graphics while the Q45 opts for GMA4500 graphics. The G45 dishes out X4500HD
graphics, for a truly confusing set of options...
AMD released a pair of dual core processors at the start of Computex, while
motherboard makers took the initiative to release several socket AM3
motherboards based on the new AMD 785G + SB710 chipset. The AMD 785G follows in
the footsteps of the 780G, but includes Radeon HD 4200 graphics that
make the platform compliant with the demands of Microsoft Windows 7 (to be
released October 23rd this year). Curiously, all the new socket AM3 motherboards
were built for DDR2 memory, I guess DDR3 has yet to catch on given the small
price premium and absence of significant performance advantage.
PCSTATS has broken up this Gigabyte Highlights Photo Tour into a couple
sections for easy browsing; first up are Intel 1156 motherboards, then socket
1366, followed by socket 775 and AMD 785G platforms. Last but not least is
a walk through Gigabyte's expansive booth at Computex in which the company
showcased new cases, 80+ power supplies, gamin mice and keyboards, and a few
other treats. Enjoy!
The GA-X58A-Extreme supports next generation SATA at 6Gbps to deliver
twice the data transfer rate of current SATA motherboards.
The first of its kind, Gigabyte's proprietary 24-phase
power VRM is designed to enhance efficiency of power delivery to the CPU while
reducing heat essentially by spreading the workload over the 24 power phases.
Other key features of the VRM include the use of only the highest caliber
components to provide the most reliable and durable high-performance
motherboards.