MSI P45 Platinum Motherboard

Although the next generation Intel Core i7 launch is due out next month, the current Core 2 series will continue to sell like hot cakes for quite some time to come. With processors such as the Core 2 Duo E8400 priced at just $180 US it is now very easy to build a very powerful computer on a reasonably tight budget. Making the time to build your next gaming PC even better is the fact that there is now a large foray of Intel P45 motherboards.

Perhaps one of the first Intel P45 motherboards to be released, and certainly the first to be reviewed by us, was the ASUS P5Q Deluxe which weighed in at a little over $200 US, where it remains today. More recently we checked out the Gigabyte EP45-DS4R which was priced slightly under $200 US, while still offering many of the features found on the more expensive ASUS motherboard. Continue reading

MSI P55-GD65 Motherboard Review

MSI P55-GD65 Motherboard

This week’s launch of the Intel P55 Express chipset and LGA-1156 CPUs is a new paradigm shift in the way mainstream computers are built. While Intel has kept older CPU Sockets in production while new ones have been released (LGA-1366 LGA-775, LGA-775 Socket 478) for a limited time, they have always released mainstream versions of the chipset in due course. With the launch of the X58 chipset, Intel decided to launch a totally different CPU Socket for the mainstream chipset, the LGA-1156.

Micro Star International is a long-time manufacturer of motherboards, video cards and other computer equipment that has long been a favorite of many an enthusiast due to their reputation for good overclocking, features and more. MSI has several P55 chipsets available on Intel’s launch day. I’ve already covered the P55-CD53 board earlier, but today the review is on the MSI P55-GD65 motherboard that is the middle child of their P55 lineup with the P55-CD53 the mainstream and the P55-GD80 being at the top of the chain.

  • MSI Xtreme Speed
  • OC Genie
  • SuperPipe
  • DrMOS
  • Winki
  • Direct OC
  • V-Check Points
  • Active Phase Switching
  • Power Esata
  • True Blu-ray Audio
  • Live Update Online
  • M-Flash
  • USB Safeguard
  • All Solid Capacitors
  • ATI CrossfireX
  • Live Update 3