Introduction
3-way Intel i955X motherboard shootoutWhich motherboard to buy? Determining the answer to this question is, arguably, the most important of all hardware choices. The choice of motherboard defines, in part, just how future-proof a system will be. Making a bad choice initially leads to problems that aren't apparent for, say, CPUs and processors. Having to replace a motherboard usually necessitates a long-winded process of reinstalling an OS, programs, and personal data. In short, your motherboard has to be good or your system won't be.
Let's assume that you've opted to go down the Intel LGA775 route and want the best possible motherboard available. Intel will tell you to go for a retail board based on its i955X chipset, which is the successor to the decent-performing i925XE and offers dual-core CPU support but, as of now, no official dual-card 3D tech., be it NVIDIA's SLI or ATI's delayed CrossFire.
We've had the chance to evaluate 3 i955X-based retail motherboards from ABIT, Gigabyte and Intel, respectively. Read on to find out if any or all are right for you.