Intel X58 Chipset

The X58 chipset is a high-end motherboard architecture by Intel. X58 motherboards support the i7 processor through the LGA 1366 socket, due to the chipset’s integrated QuickPath Interconnect (QPI) technology. This feature allows for significantly improved memory bandwidth, capable of speeds up to 6.4 gigatransfers (GT/s) per second. Supporting triple channel DDR3 memory, the X58 chipset is capable of 25.6GB/s transfers when using three memory modules operating at speeds of 1066MHz. This is a substantial improvement over Intel’s previous front side bus (FSB) technology, capable of only 12.8GB/s speeds. X58 motherboards are SLI capable, allowing for up to three video cards to be used at the same time. In fact, the X58 chipset is capable of utilizing two PCIe x16 slots at the same time in order to get the most out of SLI setups. Built with the ICH10 southbridge, current X58 motherboards support up to 6 SATA 3GB/s hard drives and at least six USB 2.0 connectors.