Intel LGA 1156 Motherboard 6-Way Roundup - PAGE 16

Motherboards utilizing the LGA 1156 socket interface are versatile and as this roundup shows, even the entry-level boards have substantial computing power. Across all of our benchmarks, the stock performance of each of the models regardless of the chipset was very good and for the most part nearly identical. This was a trend we continued to see across all of our synthetic, gaming and real-life benchmarks when the settings were at their default level.

Where the boards did differ though was in the included feature sets and overclocking potential. In this regard, H55 Express chipset based models didn’t quite match their higher-end P55 counterparts. All three of the P55 models proved to have a higher overclocking ceiling, which allowed us to increase the frequency of an i7-860 processor up to 4GHz. This greatly improved the processing power over the H55 models and increased the performance even further.

Another aspect of the P55 models that helped them stand out was the increased support for multi-GPU scaling. The three P55 models in  our roundup all included support for both SLI and CrossFireX. As we have seen since the introduction of these technologies, multiple GPUs greatly enhance the overall gaming power of a system and allow users to play their games with higher image quality settings enabled and at higher resolutions. Of course, one of the limitations though of the LGA 1156 socket is that the PCIe lanes have been integrated onto the CPU, as opposed being connected via the on-board chipset. This essentially limits the PCIe lanes to whatever is supported in the processor, which can limit the total bandwidth. The ECS P55H-AK, however did utilize an on-board NVIDIA nForce 200 PCI Express switch chip to add additional lanes.

Even though the P55 models had a higher overclocking ceiling and more expansion options, they are not necessarily the best solution for all users, as they command a substantially higher premium. The H55 motherboards on the other hand are quite affordable, and of the three models we looked at based on the H55 chipset, not one was over $100. This makes them an exceptional value, and a great option for mainstream users. Additionly, the H55 models include rear panel video options that support the IGP built into the Core i3 and i5 Clarkdale-based processors. This further increases the value of the H55 boards, and makes them a good option for an HTPC.

As a whole, the LGA 1156 socket type is an outstanding platform that boasts various chipsets to meet the needs of a wide spectrum of users. So, whether you're looking for an entry-level performance system or high-end gaming computer, you really can't go wrong with this platform, or any of the motherboards included in this roundup for that matter!