Test: Intel X58 chipset

Konklusion
 

Som chipset er X58 ikke specielt spændende. X58 ligner en overgangsfigur, og koblingen med ICH10 er et tegn på at Intel følger sin strategi om at lave løbende udskiftninger af bestemte komponenter og koble dem sammen med gennemprøvede løsninger. Dette virker ofte som en lidt kedelig løsningsmodel, men det er svært ikke at få øje på det fornuftige i denne tilgang.

Så bliver det meget spændende at følge Lynnfield og Havendale. Dels hvis rygterne om en stærk grafikdel i havendele holder vand, men især den nye Southbrigde bliver spændende. X-betegnelser ser nemlig ud til at forsvinde med det nye alt-i-ét chipset. Det har været kendt som PCH og Ibex Peak, men Intel har nu meldt ud at dette nye chipset kommer til at hedde P55, og dermed følger det Intels anden navneserie fra desktop-chipsets, hvor et P efterfulgt af to cifre markerer udgaven. Rygter om features er mange, men de mest vedholdende er Intel Active Management Technology 6.0, Intel Anti-Theft Technology, Intel Matrix Storage Technology 9.0 med support for FIS-based (Frame Information Structure) switching, Intel Remote PC Assist Technology, 14 USB 2.0 porte, 8 PCI express 2.0 porte, 3.0 Gbps S-ATA og Gigabit LAN. Det lyder aldeles interessant. 

UK Summary

X58 is not very exciting as a chipset alone. X58 seems short-lived, and the combination with the ICH10 Southbridge shows Intel’s strategy based on consequent changes of certain components while pairing them with already proven solutions. It seems a bit dull, but it is hard not to find reason behind Intel’s logic.

Instead the excitement has to be found evolving around Lynnfield and Havendale - especially if the rumours about a more powerful graphics subsystem holds true. But also the new Southbridge looks promising. Intel seems to drop the "X"-term in naming of the new single-chip chipset. So far it has been known as PCH or Ibex Peak, but Intel has now confirmed the name to be P55, which follows the "P"-naming scheme known from Intel standard desktop chipsets. There are ongoing rumours about features, but especially technologies like Intel Active Management Technology 6.0, Intel Anti-Theft Technology, Intel Matrix Storage Technology 9.0 with support for FIS-based (Frame Information Structure) switching, Intel Remote PC Assist Technology, 14 USB 2.0 ports, 8 PCI express 2.0 ports, 3.0 Gbps S-ATA and Gigabit LAN looks to be integral parts of the new chipset. That definitely looks interesting.