MSI Revs up P55 Lineup with SATA 6 Gbps / USB 3.0 Motherboard

btarunr · Dec 11, 2009, 04:52 PM

MSI decided to rev up its high-end socket LGA-1156 motherboard lineup with the new P55-GD85. A part of this board's design seems to have been inspired from the ASUS P7P55D Premium, in which a PLX PEX8608 PCI-Express bridge chip has been used over the PCI-Express 1.1 x4 link from the P55 PCH to give out PCI-Express 2.0 x1 connections, which then drive the NEC D720200F1 USB 3.0 and Marvell 88SE9123 SATA 6 Gbps controllers on their optimal interface speeds of PCI-E 2.0 x1.

The CPU is powered by a 10-phase VRM, which is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots. Expansion slots include two PCI-Express x16 (electrical x16/NC or x8/x8 depending on how they're populated), two PCI, and two PCI-E x1. One of these two is color-coded blue, and could be wired to the PEX8608, occupying its third port. Apart from the six SATA 3 Gbps ports the PCH provides, and the SATA 6 Gbps controller with its two ports, an additional controller provides two more SATA 3 Gbps ports and an IDE connector. Other features are standard issues for an MSI motherboard in this class: notably the OC Genie feature, centralized manual voltage measurement points, and support for both NVIDIA SLI and ATI CrossFireX.

The rear panel includes 8-channel audio with optical and co-axial SPDIF connectors, two USB 3.0 ports color-coded blue, a number of USB 2.0 ports, two gigabit Ethernet connections, FireWire, and eSATA.

Source: Coolaler

WarEagleAU · Dec 11, 2009, 05:16 PM

I am really really really starting to dig MSIs new boards. I just wish everyone followed Asus' Q Shield plate.

Paulieg · Dec 11, 2009, 05:47 PM

MSI boards always look good on paper, but in my experience they rarely live up to expectations. This is particularly true with overclocking. I also hate their bios layout.

overclocking101 · Dec 11, 2009, 06:22 PM

MSI boards always look just cheaply made idk why they just do. even their "high end" boards

cool_recep · Dec 11, 2009, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by overclocking101

MSI boards always look just cheaply made idk why they just do. even their "high end" boards

Exactly what I think.

...and the existence of GIGABYTE makes me spend no money on Asus or MSI...

Edit: The font on the mobo is not good. I mean comparing the Gigabytes font for indicating technology, MSI's looks like from 1800's. (and yes I know this sound stupid but it was MSI who has changed his old logo

)

http://www.techpowerup.com/img/09-12-11/23a.jpg

e.g. Optimized Dual Channels DDR3 font...which is italic....

and they should change the pcb color

phanbuey · Dec 11, 2009, 09:13 PM

i like the reliability of their boards but they do clock like trash

Initialised · Dec 12, 2009, 12:19 AM

Been testing an ASUS with SATA/USB3 for a week already, catch up MSI!

Dec 11, 2009, 04:52 PM	#1
btarunr Editor & Senior Moderator Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Hyderabad, India Posts: 15,030 (7.22/day) Thanks: 790 Thanked 13,028 Times in 5,719 Posts System Specs	MSI Revs up P55 Lineup with SATA 6 Gbps / USB 3.0 Motherboard MSI decided to rev up its high-end socket LGA-1156 motherboard lineup with the new P55-GD85. A part of this board's design seems to have been inspired from the ASUS P7P55D Premium, in which a PLX PEX8608 PCI-Express bridge chip has been used over the PCI-Express 1.1 x4 link from the P55 PCH to give out PCI-Express 2.0 x1 connections, which then drive the NEC D720200F1 USB 3.0 and Marvell 88SE9123 SATA 6 Gbps controllers on their optimal interface speeds of PCI-E 2.0 x1. The CPU is powered by a 10-phase VRM, which is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots. Expansion slots include two PCI-Express x16 (electrical x16/NC or x8/x8 depending on how they're populated), two PCI, and two PCI-E x1. One of these two is color-coded blue, and could be wired to the PEX8608, occupying its third port. Apart from the six SATA 3 Gbps ports the PCH provides, and the SATA 6 Gbps controller with its two ports, an additional controller provides two more SATA 3 Gbps ports and an IDE connector. Other features are standard issues for an MSI motherboard in this class: notably the OC Genie feature, centralized manual voltage measurement points, and support for both NVIDIA SLI and ATI CrossFireX. The rear panel includes 8-channel audio with optical and co-axial SPDIF connectors, two USB 3.0 ports color-coded blue, a number of USB 2.0 ports, two gigabit Ethernet connections, FireWire, and eSATA. Source: Coolaler Last edited by btarunr; Dec 11, 2009 at 05:03 PM.

System Name:	Blackbox
Processor:	AMD FX-8350
Motherboard:	ASUS M5A99FX Pro R2.0
Cooling:	Xigmatek Aegir SD128264 with IC Diamond 24 Thermal Compound
Memory:	16 GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3-1600
Video Card:	Palit GeForce GTX 680 JetStream 2GB outfitted with IC Diamond 24 TIM
Hard Disk:	Samsung 840 Series 250GB
Optical Drive:	HT-LG DVD-RW
CRT/LCD Model:	ViewSonic VX2450wm-LED
Case:	Cooler Master CM690 Window
Sound Card:	Creative SB Recon3D
PSU:	Corsair HX850W
Software:	Windows 8 Pro 64-bit

Dec 11, 2009, 05:16 PM	#2
WarEagleAU Bird of Prey Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Gurley, AL Posts: 9,994 (3.94/day) Thanks: 3,810 Thanked 557 Times in 521 Posts System Specs	I am really really really starting to dig MSIs new boards. I just wish everyone followed Asus' Q Shield plate. __________________ =-TheEagle-= http://www.heatware.com/eval.php?id=62454 “You crazy? Surfing any website without an antivirus is like freaking with a dirty woman without protection” -OzzmanFloyd120 - Edited for content and clarity

System Name:	Boddha Getta
Processor:	AMD FX 6100 @ 4.432Ghz @1.401V
Motherboard:	ASUS M5A99X EVO AMD 990X AMD SB950
Cooling:	Custom Water. EK 240MM Kit, Supreme HSF - Runs 35C
Memory:	2 x 4GB Corsair Vengeance White LP @ 1.35V
Video Card:	XFX Radeon HD 6870 900/1050 (no OC yet)
Hard Disk:	WD Caviar Black 1.0TB, WD Caviar Green 1.0TB, WD 160GB
Optical Drive:	Samung SH22SL 22X Lightscribe DVD+/-R/RW LG BDRE Reader/Burner Lite ON Max Burner for burning Xbox
CRT/LCD Model:	Asus VH222/S 22: (21.5" Viewable) 1920x1080p HDMI LCD Monitor
Case:	NZXT White Phantom
Sound Card:	Onboard Realtek 5.1
PSU:	NZXT Hale 90 Gold Cert 750W Modular PSU
Software:	Windows 7 Pro 64 bit.
Benchmarks:	5.9 Windows Index rating 3D06 - 17472

Dec 11, 2009, 05:47 PM	#3
Paulieg The Mad Moderator Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Wherever I can find the iron. Posts: 11,448 (4.95/day) Thanks: 2,519 Thanked 3,054 Times in 2,098 Posts System Specs	MSI boards always look good on paper, but in my experience they rarely live up to expectations. This is particularly true with overclocking. I also hate their bios layout. __________________ "I have found the Iron to be my greatest friend. It never freaks out on me, never runs. Friends may come and go. But two hundred pounds is always two hundred pounds." -Henry Rollins My heatware Save lives by joining the TPU WCG team!

Dec 11, 2009, 06:22 PM	#4
overclocking101 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: vermont Posts: 2,636 (1.72/day) Thanks: 196 Thanked 405 Times in 363 Posts System Specs	MSI boards always look just cheaply made idk why they just do. even their "high end" boards __________________ hmmmm cant have cpu-z or hwbot anymore me is sad

System Name:	OwN3d
Processor:	i7-875k
Motherboard:	Asus P7p55D-deluxe
Cooling:	water
Memory:	8gb crucial ddr3 1600mhz
Video Card:	GTX 560 superclocked
Hard Disk:	Corsair Force 115GB SSD (SF1200), WD 1TB
Optical Drive:	DVDR/RW
CRT/LCD Model:	32inch 1080p TV
Case:	rocket fish-Custom
Sound Card:	onboard
PSU:	corsair 950TX
Software:	all kinds
Benchmarks:	http://hwbot.org/user/philbrown_23/

System Name:	No DirectX 11 :(
Processor:	C2D 2.2 Ghz
Motherboard:	Samsung R522-XS04TR
Cooling:	Stock
Memory:	2x2 DDR2 800 MHZ
Video Card:	ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650
Hard Disk:	WD 500 GB 5000BEVT
Optical Drive:	Slimtyppe
CRT/LCD Model:	Samsung 15.6"
Case:	Samsung Custom
Sound Card:	Realtek 4 Channels HD Audio
PSU:	Adapter
Software:	Windows 7 64 Bit

Dec 11, 2009, 09:13 PM	#6
phanbuey Eligible for custom title Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Miami Posts: 5,011 (2.45/day) Thanks: 1,484 Thanked 960 Times in 813 Posts System Specs	i like the reliability of their boards but they do clock like trash

System Name:	LoLBoX
Processor:	Core i5 750 at 3.33 Ghz 21x159bclk @1.15v
Motherboard:	Gigabyte H55-ITX
Cooling:	Corsair H50
Memory:	8GB Samsung ECO 4GBx2 - 1590Mhz 8-8-8-21 1T @ 1.4v
Video Card:	EVGA GTX 570 @ 785/1570/2020
Hard Disk:	500GB WD Caviar Black 32MB
Optical Drive:	Slimline +/- DVD-RW
CRT/LCD Model:	22" Viewsonic 1080P LED
Case:	Silverstone SG08
Sound Card:	Yes
PSU:	Silverstone SG08 600W
Software:	Windows 7 64 Bit

Dec 12, 2009, 12:19 AM	#7
Initialised Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 245 (0.14/day) Thanks: 7 Thanked 32 Times in 26 Posts System Specs	Been testing an ASUS with SATA/USB3 for a week already, catch up MSI!

System Name:	Red Mist
Processor:	i7 920 @ 3.67GHz
Motherboard:	P6T Deluxe
Cooling:	XSPC Delta (Chrome), Black Ice GTS280
Memory:	3x4GB GSkill Ripjaws
Video Card:	7970
Hard Disk:	Totalling ~ 2.8TB, Samsung 250GB 840 for OS
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CRT/LCD Model:	22" Fujitsu + 50" FullHD Samsung PDP
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Sound Card:	Soundblaster Z
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