Intel’s X48 chipset brings a lot to the table including support for the latest Yorkfield CPUs. Gigabyte has done a wonderful job with the chipset allowing the end-user to use DDR2 memory which has lower latency per clock than the newer DDR3 memory and is less expensive and more readily available compared to the newer memory. The GA-X48-DQ6 has all of the features that the enthusiast would want from a new motherboard and higher performance than the X38 to boot.
Intel was a bit out of the loop with their P965 chipset but they are back with a vengeance in the high-end of the market with Skulltrail, X38 and now X48 chipsets all bringing new features and best in class performance to the table that other chipset makers just dream of. With the release of the QX9xxx series of CPUs Intel is back in the minds of the PC enthusiast. The Dynamic Energy Saving program is an excellent addition to an already full feature list. This can save money on energy expenses when the system is not doing anything and gives a real indication of how much energy is saved compared to normal usage at full energy levels. All in all I have to say well done Gigabyte on the new board and offer it my highest award, the Editor’s Choice.
