Three New Chipsets for Westmere?

[r_manic]

Four chipsets (all using the LGA 1156 socket) are compatible with the Clarkdale platform: the H55, H57, Q57, and standard Lynnfield P55-based motherboards. Here?s where it gets interesting. H55, H57, and Q57-based boards are identical in their overall construction, with each offering a new subset of Intel features as you go up the price range. H57-based motherboards can support two additional USB ports, two extra PCI Express x1 lanes, and support for Intel?s RAID-based Rapid Storage Technology. Q57 boards, more for business use, include Intel?s Active Management Technology?remote technical support. You can stick a Clarkdale processor in a P55 motherboard or, vice versa, a Lynnfield processor in an H55, H57, or Q57 motherboard. Either situation forces you to use a discrete graphics card, however.

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So what's with the H55, H57, and Q57? Why can't Intel just stick with the P55? 😛 They all lack the north bridge anyway, and why is Intel making our lives harder by providing more chipset choices?

 

[r_manic]

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