So what if Intel claims the P45 only supports 800MHz DRR2 and 1333MHz DDR3?  That hasn’t stopped manufacturers from selling 1600MHz capable P45 boards.  Add PCI Express 2.0 to that support, and the ability to evenly split lanes between AMD cards in Crossfire setup and you have a solid update to the P35.  The Tech Report didn’t find huge performance increases, but as the P45 is simply an update, not a complete revamping, the stability of the technology may be a big factor for some.

“Intel hasn’t messed with the formula much for the P45, but there are a few new tricks up its sleeve. A redesigned memory controller promises to take better advantage of processors with 1333MHz front-side bus speeds, for example. Second generation PCI Express connectivity has also been added to the mix along with a more balanced approach to CrossFire configurations. And ever the efficient manufacturer, Intel has managed to shrink the whole thing down on a 65nm fabrication process.

The motherboard market is about to be saturated with a tidal wave of new designs based on the P45 Express, each with its own set of unique features and capabilities. We’ve already taken an early first look at what Asus is bringing to the table. Now that Intel has made the P45 official, we’re diving a little deeper, this time with a couple of new motherboards from Gigabyte. Read on for a in-depth look at how the P45 Express fares against a collection of DDR2- and DDR3-equipped competitors ranging from its popular predecessor to Nvidia’s uber-high-end nForce 790i SLI Ultra.”

Here are some more Motherboard articles from around the web:

Click Here to go to Motherboards  Motherboards