Processor manufacturer Intel will launch the first 32nm processors of the Westmere family in the fourth quarter. The new processors will be launched with a new chipset, Intel P55, sporting the new LGA1156 socket. The difference between Intel’s P55 chipset from the X58 is that motherboards lack the traditional northbridge. Since Intel will integrate most of these functions into the actual processor, everything from memory controller to graphics circuit, it is just a southbridge that is needed.
German hardware site PCGamesHardware managed to sneak in two days early at CeBIT and take some photos of Intel P55-based motherboards from ASUS and MSI.
MSI G7P55-DC
ASUS P7U and P7U Pro has, just like MSI DC-G7P55, four DDR3 memory slots, a must with the dual-channel memory controller of the new 32nm processors. Since Core i5 will also house an integrated graphics circuit we see both DVI-D and VGA outputs on the I/O panel on the MSI board, while the ASUS board lacks some outputs.
MSI G7P55-DC
ASUS P7U Pro
