MSI Z77A-GD55

[Azurite]

Quote: Here are the first pictures of MSI's Z77A-GD55 motherboard. The GD55 is a notch below the GD65 in terms of its feature-set, and will likely hold a cost-benefit sweetspot. The motherboard is designed to support today's "Sandy Bridge", and tomorrow's "Ivy Bridge" Core processors in the LGA1155 package, and is based on Intel's Z77 "Panther Point" chipset. The CPU is powered by a lighter 9-phase VRM compared to the 12-phase VRM on the GD65. It retains the expansion slot layout of its elder brother, consisting of two PCI-Express 3.0 x16 (x16/NC or x8/x8), four PCIe x1, and one PCIe 2.0 x4 (physical x16).

The Z77A-GD55 has two fewer SATA 6 Gb/s ports compared to the GD65, all its internal ports are wired to the PCH. That's two SATA 6 Gb/s and four SATA 3 Gb/s. There are no eSATA ports. Further, there are no third-party USB 3.0 controllers, either. All four of the USB 3.0 ports (two on the rear panel, two via front-panel header) are wired to the PCH. Display connectivity includes DVI, D-Sub, and HDMI. 8-channel HD audio with optical and coaxial SPDIF outputs, and gigabit Ethernet make for the rest of its connectivity.

Source

Imo this is one of the nicest MB's ive seen from MSI.

 

[dipzy]

This is feature packed, i also like the blue on the heatsinks, would go with nicely in a water cooling set-up with MAYHEMS "AURORA" - NEBULA BLUE COOLANT

 

[nothingspecial]

Tidy looking board. Heatsinks look fairly meaty.

Also of note is the AMD CrossFireX logo to replace the old ATI one.

 

[Icekube]

Cracking looking board, can't wait to see the rest of the Z77 boards starting to filter out soon

Also of note is the AMD CrossFireX logo to replace the old ATI one.

I noticed that as well, finally someone has relised that they're not called ATI anymore

 

[Adajer]

That is sexy for a budget board. I want to see what AsRock and Asus have to offer.

 

[PEXON]

Much, much, much, better looking than any other MSI board I've seen, lets see how they perform first though.

 

[Lollipop]

THAT LOOKS AMAZING!

Well done MSI! The colours just go so well together!

 

[Grizzly]

IMO that is one of the nicest motherboards I've seen full stop.

Hopefully their matx offering is just as good looking since I'm building an matx Ivybridge PC as an HTPC/Uni rig.

And as others have said this is no slouch for features considering it's meant to be the cost effective option.

 

[ThE GpU]

I hope all the other boards look this good

 

[yassarikhan786]

Really good looking board

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[Excalabur50]

Very nice looking board has some of the cleanest lines that i've seen on a motherboard, well done MSI.

 

[MaXiMiZe]

Brilliant looking board. Ivybridge needs to release sooner

 

[Aurus_OC]

Nice one MSI! Hope the performance is up to par aswell!

 

[Solidarity]

Clean looking board. I'm liking the features it has. I hope the performance and price are good.

 

[SieB]

That is one nice looking board, wish these were available to buy now, If it wasn't for Intel not letting them be sold and holding back Ivy they would be.

 

[Solidarity]

Shame intel are holding back.

 

[DwarfAdigginAhole]

...............That board is beautiful...well, I can safely say goodbye to the thought of using X79 in my july build XD