14 DAY TRIAL // As Intel recently unveiled its new 32nm central processing units, companies have, naturally, been launching their compatible motherboards and/or putting them on display at the Consumer Electronics show. Joining the bandwagon is EVGA with its H57 and H55 motherboards, namely the H57, H55 and H55V, which will make an excellent pair with the latest Core i5 and Core i3 dual core processor from Intel Corp.
The motherboards are aimed at the high-end market segment and support any processor that can operate on the LGA 1156 socket. This includes all LGA 1156 Core i3, Core i5 and even Core i7 chips, even those with integrated graphics that have been recently launched. These processors are the Intel Core i5 670, Intel Core i5 661, Intel Core i5 660, Intel Core i5 650, Intel Core i3 540, Intel Core i3 530 and the Intel Pentium G6950 CPU.
Besides the high-end computing performance, these processors even integrate the Intel HD graphics component, which does away with the need for an 'external' graphics card. As such, the DVI, VGA, HDMI or DisplayPort connectors are built directly into the motherboard's I/O. Not only that, but all of the aforementioned chips, besides the Pentium G6950, boast the Intel Clear Video HD technology, which enables a “stunning HD video playback, sharp images, precise color control and resolutions up to 2560x1600 (DisplayPort) or 1920x1200 DVI.”
Of course, for enthusiasts and gamers in need of stronger graphics, the motherboards are designed with one or two PCI-Express x16 slots. Among the other capabilities of the motherboards are one eSATA port, up to eight SATA 3.0 Gbps ports, voltage read points and multiple output options. The H55 and H57 make use of D-sub, DVI and DisplayPort connectivity, whereas the H55V is equipped with D-sub, DVI and HDMI. All motherboards have Gigabit Ethernet and 7.1 channel audio.
The motherboards are backed by a three-year warranty, except for the H55M, which only has a two-year one. Already up for pre-order, the H55 and H55V have price tags of $170 and $100, respectively. The H57 product page does not currently list a price.
