With Intel's LGA-1156 Ibex-Peak platform weeks away from launch, like most major motherboard vendors, Biostar its compatible motherboard lineup ready, top to bottom. The company has at least three motherboards based on the Intel P55 chipset for the first wave, two in its mid-range T-Series, and one high-end T-Power series. The lineup starts with the T-Series T5 XE, continues with T-Series TP55 XE, and ends with the T-Power I55.

The T-Series T5 XE is a low-frills model that relies on the chipset's stock feature-set for the most part. The CPU is powered by a 4+2 phase power circuit, and the memory by a 2-phase circuit. The expansion slots are standard issue, two PCI-E 2.0 x16 slots that are electrically x8 when both are populated with video cards, two each of PCI-E x1 and legacy PCI, six SATA II ports routed to the chipset, an additional controller driving the IDE, one gigabit Ethernet connection, and 8-channel audio. Simple anodized aluminum heatsinks cool the chipset and a portion of the board's VRM area.The TP55 XE builds on the feature-set of its little sibling with a larger, differently laid-out PCB. It features a 4+4 phase CPU power circuit, has angled SATA II ports, a PCI-E x4 slot to replace one of the PCI-E x1 slots, a FireWire controller, optical and co-axial digital I/O connections for the onboard audio, anodized aluminum heatsinks over the chipset and complete coverage for the CPU VRM area. Interestingly, you see a cosmetic heatsink placeholder, something that gets occupied in the next model, the TPower I55.

The TPower I55 is Biostar's premium offering, and features high-grade components along with possible exclusive overclocker-friendly features. The CPU is powered by a lavish 12-phase power circuit, with 3-phase power for the four DDR3 memory slots. It further builds on the feature-set of the TP55 XE, with debug LEDs, CrossFireX and SLI support, two gigabit Ethernet connections, and an additional controller providing two eSATA ports apart from the six internal ports routed to the P55 PCH. To give it an exclusive feel, the black PCB goes with an elaborate set of heatsinks interconnected by heatpipes. Between the heatsinks over the P55 PCH and the VRM is a cosmetic heatsink. While this doesn't directly cool any hot component, it helps the other heatsinks dissipate heat. Biostar's lineup will be up for grabs in the first half of September.