Intel Core i7 965EE, i7 940, i7 920 Review :: Intel X58 Express Chipset Features

• Up to 3 memory channels
• DDR3 support
• QuickPath Interface
• ICH10/R
• Multiple Graphics chips
• SLI or Crossfire

The X58 chipset is the functional replacement for the Intel X48 chipset that was released last year to support the Yorkfield FSB 1600MHz QX9770 CPU. This chipset has key features that include support for the Core i7 965, 940 and 920 CPUs, DDR3 memory support exclusively, and support for SLI and Crossfire on the same board for the first time on a consumer motherboard, with the exception of Skulltrail.

Smackover Overview

As the memory controller is on the CPU and not the Southbridge, the normal chip for the Southbridge the ICH10R is not controlling the memory interface on the X58 chipset. However, it does control the other IO functions including the SATA RAID controller and the expansion slot controller. It also provides up to 6 SATA 3 Gb/second ports, Intel High Definition Audio, integrated Gigabit LAN support and support for six USB 2.0 controllers.

The real innovation on the X58 chipset is something called Turbo Memory. This allows the ICH10R to use flash memory on a motherboard for fast caching and should improve performance when it is included on the X58 motherboard. The X58 Express chipset is the only one on the market today to support the new Intel LGA1366 CPUs. This is the first new CPU interface since the LGA775 introduction in 2008. Unfortunately, the CPU Socket change means that the older CPUs won't work on the new motherboards, necessitating a platform change that will happen when we test five motherboards.

The X58 chipset is the first one besides the Skulltrail platform to support either NVIDIA's SLI or ATI's Crossfire multiple graphics solutions. The Intel chipset can do SLI without the nForce 200 chip, but the best configuration is done with two nForce 200 chips. The X58 can do two slots SLI at x16, x16 rates, three slot SLI at x16, x8, x8, and four slot SLI with x8, x8, x8, x8 modes. With the addition of nForce 200you can do 3 slots SLI at x16, x16, x16 or even four ways SLI at x16, x16, x16, and x16 with two nForce 200 chips. Note that the Intel X58 chipset does not provide enough PCI Express lanes by itself to provide x16, x16, x16, x16 modes and in any event there is no current video card on the market that will show a noticeable performance improvement with a second generation x16 slot versus the 2nd generation x8 slot that provides the same bandwidth as a first generation PCI Express slot.