P55 platform that also supports USB 3.0 via an adapter

Jul 8, 2010 07:20 GMT  ·  By

Hardware makers have definitely made a habit of offering glimpses and peaks at their upcoming products, and ASRock is no exception. In fact, the company seems quite eager to flood the market with new motherboards, especially if they are powered by the Intel P55 chipset. Sure enough, the outfit is already putting the final touches on what seems to be the ninth P55 motherboard in its portfolio. Said motherboard bears the name of P55 Extreme4 and, as its name implies, packs a host of high-end features.

The platform's chipset obviously points towards support for LGA 1156 central processing units and whichever chip is selected by end-users will be backed by up to four memory modules. The board also comes with a pair of PIC-Express x16 slots, which will make it possible for dual-GPU CrossfireX or SLI configurations to be implemented. Thus, the platform can be seen a more than suitable for gaming purposes.

It is on the storage front that the real might of this offering is unleashed though. While the six SATA 3.0 Gbps ports aren't exactly all that unexpected, the SATA 6.0 Gbps ports will be sure to turn some heads, especially considering that they are four in number, instead of just 2 as on competing products. This will make sure that consumers can make the best of their high-speed HDDs and SSDs. Furthermore, by means of an adapter, two USB 3.0 ports can be added to the front and rear panels, making sure that external electronics also work at full speed.

Naturally, the ASRock Extreme4 boasts all the obligatory connectivity and I/O options, including Gigabit Ethernet, 7.1 channel audio, a debut LED and Power, Reset and ClearCMOs on-board buttons. Unfortunately, release and pricing details are still a mystery.