Gigabyte Readies GA-P55A-UD7 to Lead P55A Series

[btarunr]

Closely trailing the GA-X58A-UD7, Gigabyte is preparing a new high-end socket LGA-1156 motherboard based on the Intel P55 chipset. The GA-P55A-UD7 is touted to lead the new pack of motherboards under the P55A series, which bring technologies such as USB 3.0 and SATA 6 Gb/s integrated for the LGA-1156 platform. Observantly, after a very long time, Gigabyte has made use of an NVIDIA nForce chip on its high-end motherboards, certainly the first time it has made use of the nForce 200 PCI-Express bridge chip. Gigabyte made some clever use of its real-estate, especially with regards to the PCI-Express bandwidth.

The LGA-1156 socket is powered by a 24+3 phase circuit. It connects to four DDR3 DIMM slots for dual-channel memory. Its PCI-Express 2.0 x16 link is wired to an NVIDIA nForce 200 chip, which gives out 32 PCI-Express 2.0 lanes to ensure support for 3-way NVIDIA SLI, ATI CrossFireX is naturally supported. There are three PCI-Express x16 slots (which arrange into x16, x16, NC; or x16, x8, x8, depending on how they're populated). A PLX-made PCI-Express bridge chip (probably connected to the PCH) ensures full-bandwidth PCI-Express 2.0 x1 connections to the NEC two port USB 3.0 controller, and the two port SATA 6 Gb/s controller made by Marvell. Apart from the six (color-coded blue) SATA 3 Gb/s ports the PCH provides, the two color-coded white ports on the south are SATA 6 Gb/s, while the two on the north are connected to a Gigabyte GSATA2 SATA 3 Gb/s controller, which also gives out an IDE connector.



Other expansion slots include two PCI-E x1, and two PCI. Connectivity options include two color-coded blue USB 3.0 ports, several USB 2.0 ports, Firewire, two gigabit Ethernet interfaces, and 8-channel HD Audio with optical and coaxial SPDIF outputs. Apart from large heatsinks that cover the CPU VRM and PCH, a water-block cools the area which covers the two PCI-Express bridge chips, south of the CPU socket. This board should carry some of Gigabyte's top of the line overclocker-friendly features to make it deserve the UD7 identifier. With its LGA-1156 socket, it supports Intel Core i5 and Core i7 "Lynnfield" processors. It is expected to be out this shopping season.

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[Arrakis9]

nicely layed out and good looking... but does it really need ALL of those phases ? i think its rediculious

 

[DanishDevil]

No, it doesn't. IMO, anything over 12 or so phases is just marketing and doesn't really give you a whole lot more than 12 would. For extreme overclockers on LN2 and DICE, they might help, but for the average power user, they're needless extras.

 

[Imsochobo]

wasnt P55 ( LGA1156) supposed to have onboard NB.

Why is it still there? or w/e thats there.

 

[Imsochobo]

No, it doesn't. IMO, anything over 12 or so phases is just marketing and doesn't really give you a whole lot more than 12 would. For extreme overclockers on LN2 and DICE, they might help, but for the average power user, they're needless extras.

Gigabytes 16 < DFI's 4.

Only way i can say it, thats AMD. dunno how the absolute newest fare, bad experience on extreme clock, how the hell can they burn up when the cooler is -20 ?

 

[freaksavior]

why the hell is there p55 board layed out better for tri sli? and there ud5 isn't

 

[DanishDevil]

wasnt P55 ( LGA1156) supposed to have onboard NB.

Why is it still there? or w/e thats there.

Read the post. That's an nForce 200 chip for more PCI-E lanes.

 

[Imsochobo]

Read the post. That's an nForce 200 chip for more PCI-E lanes.

That means you get 16 PCi-E 1.x ....

Well basicly it got 32 2.0 lanes but communicates with the old(interconnect), and when all of the guys are at it, they can just buy a I7 and enjoy the trichannel, good chipset, and well, mobo probally will cost the same...

 

[theorw]

Gigabytes 16 < DFI's 4.

What do u mean???
I ve read somewhere that they are actually 12 phases just in half or something that filters better,something like that...

 

[aj28]

With the whole idea of the P55 being the integration of the northbridge into the processor, the way this board looks without its heatsinks makes me laugh. I mean really, how many auxiliary chips do you need? Is it necessary to have three separate SATA controllers? Way to confuse the masses. I may not like the idea, but if nVidia were licensed to compete in this chipset space, they would be kicking Intel around like nobody's business.

 

[DanishDevil]

It is completely necessary to have multiple SATA controllers if you're running lots of HDDs. Keep in mind, this is their high-end flagship board.

 

[1Kurgan1]

Interesting to see full x16 PCI-E 16x on P55.

 

[DanishDevil]

Remember, if you're using one card on a standard P55 board, you'll still run PCI-E x16 2.0. Do you mean interesting to see dual PCI-E x16 2.0?

EVGA did it first:

http://www.evga.com/products/moreInfo.asp?pn=160-LF-E659-KR

 

[MN12BIRD]

Holly processor VRM phases Batman!

 

[btarunr]

wasnt P55 ( LGA1156) supposed to have onboard NB.

Why is it still there? or w/e thats there.

That's not a northbridge.

 

[Hayder_Master]

nforce :shadedshu

but i still confused how nforce mobo can run ATI crossfire

 

[DanishDevil]

This is not an nForce motherboard. It is an Intel P55 motherboard with an nForce 200 chip, which serves the sole purpose of additional PCI-Express slots.

Even more so than that, any nForce motherboard can run crossfire. If you have multiple PCI-E slots of x4 bandwidth or higher, you can run crossfire. SLIa requires an SLI-certified chipset (which P55 and X58 are, with or without an nForce chip onboard).

 

[MN12BIRD]

That's not a northbridge.

yeah I think its just hanging over the board unattached to anything. So we don't freak out "OMG Where are my Northbridges?"

 

[M.Beier]

Remember, if you're using one card on a standard P55 board, you'll still run PCI-E x16 2.0. Do you mean interesting to see dual PCI-E x16 2.0?

EVGA did it first:

http://www.evga.com/products/moreInfo.asp?pn=160-LF-E659-KR

Gigabyte had to make sure that NF200 was of suffecient quality before implanting, and that it could be delivered in volume.... The sales numbers between evga and gigabyte motherboards is noticable

Gigabyte announced their reasoning through Raymond Tseng (Associate Vice President, Firmware Division) 27th October in Paris.

 

[yincfu]

Raid speed

Anyone check that raid 0 speed will decrease when no CD/DVD ROM connect to the GSATA port (Marvell)?

Lab 1
2 x HD at SATA2_0 / SATA2_1
1 x ROM at SATA2_5 (Intel chipset)
Load default in BIOS
Set raid 0 in BIOS
install windows / driver
download HD tune 4.01 trail version
check raid HD read speed
result

Lab 2
continue above
shutdown
unplug the rom
power on and run HD tune
check raid HD read speed
result

Lab 3
shutdown
connect ROM to GSATA6 or GSATA7 (marvell chipset)
run HD tune
check raid HD read speed
result

Lab 4
continue above
open Intel Matrix storage software
click action / advance
enable write back cache
run HD tune
check raid HD read speed
result


(enable write back cache see follow link)
see follow link
http://fileshosts.com/intel/Gigabyt...raid0/128GBarray/storagemanager_ssd_array.png

Lab 1 and 2 result is very slow
Lab 3 result is faster
Lab 4 result is the most faster

But the problem is - IF connect the rom to GSATA port(Marvell) the raid HD speed will increase.

 

[Wrigleyvillain]

they can just buy a I7 and enjoy the trichannel, good chipset, and well, mobo probally will cost the same...

We have a winner!