MSI X58 Platinum Reviewed
The MSI X58 Platinum is an unusual motherboard as it is, in essence, a budget X58 motherboard for Core i7, which up until now has been something of an oxymoron. Of course the word ‘budget’ is a relative term and you’ll still be forking out over £200 for this board but, considering many X58 alternatives are priced well above £300, it’s a relative bargain.
At first glance the X58 Platinum looks more like a high end Core 2 motherboard. What gives the game away, though, is the six DDR3 slots that are a new feature to emerge thanks to Core i7’s triple channel memory.
Two PCI Express 2.0 slots are present but they only support CrossFire and not SLI, which is probably the single biggest reason this board costs less than most. If you do have a yearning for, say, dual nVidia GTX 260 graphics you’ll need to consider the MSI Eclipse SLI with its triple graphics slots and full support for CrossFire and SLI. MSI has gone the whole hog with the Eclipse+ which has four graphics slots and an nForce 200 PCI Express chip but we gather that particular model might not make it to the UK. There are of course other options from alternative manufacturers, including the Asus Rampage II Extreme.
Price – £196.52 (Exc Vat)
As Reviewed – £226.00 (Inc Vat)
This Review On Other Sites
MSI X58 Pro – TrustedReviews
MSI X58 Eclipse SLI Core i7 Motherboard Review – TweakTown
Comments
No comments yet.