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Budget Computing: Nine H55 And H57 Motherboards Compared

Budget Computing: Nine H55 And H57 Motherboards Compared
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The H55 and H57 chipsets may eventually be found in more systems than the P55, which debuted alongside Intel's Lynnfield-based Core i5 and Core i7 processors. After all, the H55 and H57 chipsets are aimed at the cost-conscious segments, where value is often more important than performance (and since Intel's chipsets now play such a small role in determining performance, this is a fair enough assessment).

Realizing that a majority of our readers are indeed interested in the value attainable from a more affordable platform, we decided to dedicated our largest H55 motherboard comparison to getting the most for your money. We requested that manufacturers send us their products best representing the greatest combination of features per dollar.

The result was an eclectic mix of ATX, microATX, and mini-ITX products that present value in several different ways. Our next page shows that the microATX motherboards offer the most features, while larger and smaller competitors use size to separate themselves from the herd.

Found on one of the motherboards being reviewed today, Intel’s H57 chipset is functionally very similar to the less-expensive H55. It includes a bit more USB 2.0 connectivity and the addition of Rapid Storage Technology, enabling software-based RAID support. The remaining motherboards employ H55, with two fewer USB 2.0 ports and SATA RAID modes disabled.

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  • 0 Hide
    mi1ez , 24 February 2010 15:05
    Foxconn
    Quote:
    users who want both integrated and discrete graphics to function simultaneously must instead use either the x4 slot or legacy PCI.

    Easier said than done with the closed end x4 slot!
  • 0 Hide
    Anonymous , 25 February 2010 20:07
    Great review- I'm guessing that a lot of people are considering using this very combo for HTPC, just using the onboard graphics- so an update with benchmarks for DVD/BluRay/AVI playback and power consumption woudl be very welcome.
  • 0 Hide
    qjl , 26 February 2010 03:01
    MSI H55M-ED55 has also HDMI output
  • 0 Hide
    qjl , 26 February 2010 03:08
    Nice
  • 0 Hide
    memeroot , 2 March 2010 05:27
    I dont understand the sh*t about the graphics slots.... sorry

    if I have a fermi.. . can I have 3 monitors with an onboard card? otherwise i dont give a s*((t
  • 1 Hide
    qjl , 2 March 2010 14:37
    Quote:
    I dont understand the sh*t about the graphics slots.... sorry

    if I have a fermi.. . can I have 3 monitors with an onboard card? otherwise i dont give a s*((t



    If a fermi can support 3 monitors, you put the fermi on this board, then you can.

    By the way, is fermi already available :??: 
  • 1 Hide
    mi1ez , 2 March 2010 14:37
    you can have 3 monitors, but you'll need 2 graphics cards, and hence 2 PCIe slots with enough bandwidth.