ASUS changes course, unveils 'first' USB 3.0 / SATA 6Gbps motherboards
By Darren Murph 
posted Oct 28th 2009 12:46PM
posted Oct 28th 2009 12:46PM
ASUS Unveils First Motherboards to Feature True USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s Performance
-- ASUS P7P55D-E / P7P55D Series Deliver Blazing Data Performance with Onboard
Expansion Bridge or Expansion Card --
Fremont, CA; Oct. 27th, 2009 - ASUS today announces a range of enhanced motherboard solutions that deliver true USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s data throughput. The ASUS Xtreme Design P7P55D-E Series motherboards feature onboard support while the ASUS Xtreme Design P7P55D Series utilize ASUS U3S6 PCIe x4 expansion cards to deliver the latest USB and SATA data transfer capabilities. Equipped with the Intel® P55 Express chipset, the P7P55D-E / P7P55D Series support the latest LGA 1156 socket for Intel® Core™ i7/Core™ i5 Processors. Additionally, they also feature exclusive Hybrid Technology-Hybrid Processor, Hybrid Phase, and Hybrid OS-offering intelligent performance enhancements, active cooling, and rapid online access.
Faster than Ever-True USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s Performance with Bridge Chip
ASUS' unique expansion bridge* fully unleashes USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s transfer rates for both the P7P55D-E Series and the U3S6 expansion card. This specially-designed onboard IC doubles the bandwidth of the PCIe interface from Gen 1 to Gen 2, delivering ten times faster USB 3.0 throughput than the previous USB 2.0 standard. Additionally, by eliminating transmission bottlenecks, the expansion bridge increases hard disk read and write speeds by up to 50%**. Transferring a 20GB high definition movie now takes less than 70 seconds, while a 4MB song requires less than 0.01 sec. Similarly, by inserting the ASUS U3S6 PCIe x4 expansion card into P7P55D Series motherboards, users can achieve the same rapid throughput with the latest USB 3.0 devices and SATA 6 Gb/s hard disks.
Hybrid Features for Optimized Performance, Dynamic Cooling, and Rapid Online Access
The ASUS P7P55D-E/P7P55D Series includes new Xtreme Design innovations-Hybrid Processors, Hybrid Phase Technology and Hybrid OS for optimized performance and enhanced stability. Hybrid Processors enable intuitive, real-time overclocking and automatic performance tuning for processing power and speeds associated with a higher-end CPUs. For enhanced stability, the P7P55D-E and P7P55D Series include the world's leading Hybrid Phase power feature, which combines multi-phase power delivery with real-time phase balancing to improve cooling of active components. Users can also rapidly access online applications such as Skype, Instant Messaging, and over 1,000 Flash-based games with Express Gate. Additionally, with Windows® 7 drivers included, users can conveniently start using Windows® 7 and experience its benefits.
Specifications are subject to change without prior notice. Please visit www.asus.com for more details.
* Product specifications and features may vary according to models.
** Performance may vary due to different system configurations.
*** Core™ i3 processors to be launched in Q4, 2009.
**** Hybrid Phase = Xtreme Phase x T.Probe. Hybrid Phase equates power efficiency achieved in other power phase designs.
North American Availability
* Product specifications and features may vary according to models.
** Performance may vary due to different system configurations.
*** Core™ i3 processors to be launched in Q4, 2009.
**** Hybrid Phase = Xtreme Phase x T.Probe. Hybrid Phase equates power efficiency achieved in other power phase designs.
North American Availability
The P7P55D-E Premium and U3S6 expansion cards will be available at ASUS authorized retailers early November at $299 and $29 respectively.
any news of actually usable 3.0 products? USB drives??
Seriously, I could care less about usb3.0 ... But SATA 6GB/s on the other hand will be a crushing victory for SSD manufacturers over their spinning counterparts.
you know what else would be a crushing victory for SSD manufacturers... similar price per GB ratios
Asus rocks but it doesn't make sense to build a new board with only 2 usb 3.0 slots. PC builders are going to wait until the board is complete with all usb 3.0 slots for a new build. Usb 3.0 is backwards compatible which is why I will wait for a new build.
Well, right now chipsets don't do USB 3, so you're left with dedicated USB 3 chips, which are bandwidth limited. I think it makes sense to do only one or two USB 3 ports because right now there aren't a lot of devices that actually need the bandwidth. External hard drives are the only devices that really need the bandwidth right now (especially with SSDs, though they are pretty expensive). An enthusiast would probably only need 2 USB 3 ports until more devices came out.
If you notice all the SATA ports aren't 6 Gb/s either. Only 2 are 6 Gb/s the other 4 are 3 Gb/s.
@Jacob I agree but my point was why bother spending the money on a board that only has 2 usb 3.0 slots when you can wait for all. I understand that there are virtually no devices that support 3.0. But as soon as all the major motherboard manufactures start pushing out 3.0 all the devices will follow and you know it.
well, the point is if you need it now, you can get it now. You have to start somewhere right?
Again you are correct. Ok let’s say we get this board and months later there are many devices that support usb 3.0. On any given day I'm using Bluetooth adaptors, printers, and external usb hard drive caddies. Now imagine only having two slots and then wanting to utilize more but you can't because you bought a board that only has two usb 3.0 slots. Which is why I would wait because you would just have to turn around and get another motherboard right.
Then get an adapter and expand one ("1") of your 3.0 USB port's to four ("4") 3.0 ports, when needed.
http://www.academicsuperstore.com/products/Kensington/245881/865123
you've never seen one of these i take it?
Bluetooth dongles and printers are a PERFECT example of why it still makes sense to build a board with "legacy" 2.0 ports. The 3.0 chipsets are still relatively expensive and almost all devices you use with them (bluetooth, printers, most USB drives, phones cameras) either don't need 3.0 speeds, or don't yet support 3.0 speeds.
Going all 3.0 is at this point just a waste of money.
Intel has said they aren't too interested in hurrying USB3 and it doesn't look you'll see any USB3 chipset support on the intel platform until way way into 2010, get some sandwiches while you sit waiting.
It might be best to wait for PCIE USB3 expansion cards first and use those and then next year you can update the system properly if so inclined.
What is that thing on the cord?
Ya...what is that?
overclocking remote?
Wtf bust out the x68 mobos u noobs. The bottleneck on p55 is atrocious
FIRST.... USB 3.0 motherboard.
On the plus side, at least the thing is an i5/i7, I'd hate to think the awkward delays means we'd end up with a slower dual core and ultra-fast peripherals.
Why you down rank him? I thought it was pretty witty.
Him being downranked has nothing to do with being witty or not. It's almost like a ritual for most of the readers of Engadget...someone makes the "FIRST" post, then everyone downranks him. He knew he'll be downranked before he made his post; we're simply doing our part by fulfilling this expectation.
If 3.0 is backwards compatible with 2.0, what is the point of having 2.0 sockets on this thing?
Because the 3.0 is slapped on and the bridge can't handle them all being the higher spec.
so it's not really a 3.0 mobo then.
Apparently the expansion is just it, a simple expansion of the motherboard just for fit all the functionalities.
So i think the usb 3.0 controller is in the motherboard.
The USB controller is a seperate chip, it's tied to PCIE
Be aware that since it uses PCIE it means you lose some normal PCIE capabilities and you have to decide in the BIOS what you want, that is to say you might lose PCIE slots or some SATAports are disabled I understand, bit of a bummer.
Details can be found in the manuals on their site, and in forums where people bitch about it.
this is bs, i want a REAL usb 3.0 mobo, only 4 ram slots, and its sucks having to share speeds, ugh....
Are those boards available for Macs? My Mac has been running a bit slow lately. Just kidding :-)
that was funny. just kidding
The remote is for overclocking. What's nice about this motherboard is it has it's own OS inside. You can use the internet within 5 seconds without even booting into windows. It also has "obstruction free memory slots" so you have no hard drives or crap getting in the way.
how would that work? Usually the obstructions to the memory are case-related.
"obstruction free memory slots"
I fail to see how they are different than every other mobo, they are in the same spot. That would have more to do with how your case is setup.
Does anybody actually use those "instant-on" OSes? I have it on my Asus board, tried it once, and I consider it a gimmick. It's worth waiting an extra 40 seconds to get to my own customized Firefox displaying websites at full resolution.
Cases? Who uses those anymore...?
It's not just a gimmick, when your new build is crashing and you can't boot into windows, you'll be glad you have that instant on OS to look for solutions online.
Anyone notice the mention of i3 in Q4 09?
:-P
Also, when can I get a PCIE USB 3.0 card for my EVGA board?!
Yeah it's strange that some clever manufacturer didn't slam together a USB3 expansion board with that NEC USB3 chip, but maybe they did and are just waiting and waiting for someone to get some drivers together, software for hardware is such an issue these days it seems.
All I see is not enough RAM slots.
woah your right only 4 there thats weird for a core i7 board...
Almost all X58 motherboards have 6 slots for triple channel memory, P55 have four slots for dual channel..
Ya one of the links above state that it has 6 DDR3 slots, but I only see 4 in the above pic as well.
Not related to USB 3, but I hate Intel for making socket 1156 right after socket 1366. If one or the other dies off, then an early adopter of either is going to be screwed and have to buy a new mobo. If they both coexist, then you're locked into one or the other if you buy a mobo with one or the other. Thanks Intel for the lose-lose situation. I do like Intel processors though.
Every time Intel invent a new socket, god kill a kitten.
Please Intel, think about kittens.
:)
@Jacob
Didn't you get the memo? Early adopters almost always get the shaft, some times worse than others. I have heard rumor of higher core count i7 chips coming to the 1366 socket some time late 09/ early 10. The Xeon lines still use the socket and there are a ton of chips out in that pin count on the workstation/server side so their is some hope yet for the socket.
The six-core Core i9 will be coming next year for you 1366 owners ;)
If you want a socket with more upgrade proofing, 1366 will be getting more toys in the future. 1156 is meant to be a budget oriented socket from what I've heard.
Also, as to the "it's own OS..."
I've got a P6T7 and it takes longer to boot into the "onboard OS" than into Windows. Seriously.
That's weird, my P5E3 boots it up before even the BIOS
Eh... Foot in the door.
Can it be Hackintoshied?? :)