When Intel launches a new processor ASUS is among the first companies with products ready to go that will support it. Among the first boards based on the Intel's new LGA1156 socket is the ASUS P7P55D Deluxe. This is a feature rich design based on the Intel P55 Express chipset, supporting Intel's new LGA 1156 Core i5 and Core i7 processors.

Introduction

ASUS is easily one of, it not the most recognized of all motherboard manufacturers on the entire planet. This is certainly for good reason. ASUS builds more motherboards for OEM's than any other board maker. Yet it isn't really what it is known for. It is best known for the boards its created for the computer hardware enthusiast market that has made the ASUS brand name so recognizable. Its boards are certainly well known to the enthusiast. Indeed at virtually every price point imaginable ASUS has got at least a model or two for every processor currently on the market.

The ASUS P7P55D Deluxe is among the first boards to be designed for Intel's new LGA 1156 Core i5 and Core i7 processors. This means a new chipset as well as a new socket. The P7P55D Deluxe integrates the Intel P55 Express chipset which is Intel's first unified chipset. No longer is there a north and south bridge each with their own functions. Everything has either been added to the processor or consolidated into a single chip which is now located where the south bridge would normally be placed on most motherboards. In addition Intel designed a new socket for its Lynnfield processors . It is a Land Grid Array socket with 1156 pins. Currently the processors available for this socket are the Core i5-750, Core i7-860, and Core i7-870 processor which are Nehalem quad core processors. The P7P55D Deluxe supports dual channel DDR3 memory. The board contains a ton of other features as well. It features 10-channel audio, 14 USB ports, IEEE1394a ports, 9 SATA ports, dual LAN ports, etc.

Source: Hard OCP