Gigabyte debuted a pair of black-clad Intel P67-based motherboards for the upcoming 'Sandy Bridge' CPU at the Fall 2010 Intel Developer Forum (IDF) this past week in San Francisco. PCSTATS is happy to be able to show you a few preview shots and preliminary specs for these beauties today.

If you haven't already heard, 'Sandy Bridge' is the code name for a range of upcoming 2xxx-series Intel Core i7, i5 and i3 processors that feature an integrated graphics component on the CPU die - a first for Intel. The processors are due for release in early Q1' 2011, right around the time of the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). AMD is also expected to introduce its take on the integrated graphics CPU around this time. Intel will launch its processors in tandem with a pair of Intel 6-series chipsets - the performance oriented Intel P67 and mainstream Intel H67 core logic.

New computer technology is always an exciting event, but upgrading on the Intel platform is becoming increasingly complicated with the range of chip sockets now in play (775/1156/1366). Intel's Sandy Bridge processors adds to that mess by requiring the new socket 1155 H67-based motherboards if the graphics components are to be utilized. It remains to be seen if certain Intel P55 boards will also support socket 1155 CPUs... AMD is facing a similar challenge with its so called APU's (CPU+GPU on die) in that backwards compatibility cannot be maintained because of the increased infrastructure demands from packing a GPU onto the CPU die.

Nevertheless, the GA-P67A-UD7 and GA-P67A-UD5 motherboards shown off by Gigabyte representatives at IDF 2010 represent the companies first salvo at competing motherboard makers ASUS and MSI. Gigabyte has been working diligently to capture the ever fickle enthusiast computer segment with a mix of overclocking tools, build quality and power features and thus far the combination is working well. In the last year alone, Gigabyte boosted its market share by 20% in PCSTATS neck of the world.

Gigabyte P67 Motherboards Unveiled

Each of the Gigabyte P67 motherboards we're getting a first look at in this preview offer users 24-phase VRM for more stable overclocking, native SATA 6Gb/s, 3x power USB 3.0 ports, multiple PCI Express 2.0 x16 slots for nVidia SLI & ATI Crossfire. There's also a range of specific enthusiast tools and build-quality choices that tweakers and overclockers will certainly appreciate. Gigabyte is emphasizing its strengths in manufacturing with component programs like Ultra Durable 3, extra thick copper PCB, power saving tools like Dynamic Energy Saver 2, physical onboard power/reset/clear CMOS switches, network teaming, etc.

Intel 'Sandy Bridge' - the CPU+GPU Processor

Most notably, Intel's 2xxx-series Core i7, i5 and i3 Sandy Bridge processors feature an integrated graphics core on the same physical silicon die as the CPU. The chips are manufactured on the 32nm process (one notch down from the current 45nm process) meaning Intel is able to pack more transistors into less space and reduce power demands and heat output in one fell swoop. Thermal design power is being pegged at 95W max. In addition to succeeding Intel's Nehalem/Westmere cores on the desktop, Sandy Bridge will be the first CPU core from Intel to contain Integrated Graphics. Its monolithic silicon die will pack in four-cores (higher end models will be hyperthreading enabled), an onboard memory controller, 6-8MB L3 cache and the aforementioned integrated graphics processor. The on-CPU IGP is expected to operate at between 650-850MHz (1100-1350MHz in Turbo mode), support DirectX 10.1, SM4.0 and OpenGL3.1. Beyond that the details are still fuzzy...

Early rumors from the Computex show floor speculated that Sandy Bridge graphics could essentially be a dual-core version of the Intel GMA HD IGP, though this remains unconfirmed. What is known is that in order to accommodate the extra power and data demands of the on-CPU IGP, Sandy Bridge processors will require a new socket, socket 1155.

Intel H67 motherboards will have the necessary video connections to output the on-CPU graphics and take advantage of hardware encoding technologies much like AMD's 890GX chipset. Differences between the Intel P55 and P67 chipsets are largely focused on behind the scenes architectural adjustments to accommodate the Sandy Bridge CPU's. In any case, let's take a quick look at the what Gigabyte has in store for Sandy Bridge starting with the enthusiast oriented Gigabyte GA-P67-UD7 motherboard, a flagship platform featuring everything but the kitchen sink!

Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD7 Motherboard Debuts at IDF

Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD7 motherboard

Four PCI Express 2.0 x16 videocards slots which support 3-way nVidia SLI and ATI Crossfire.

Native SATA 6gb/s and USB 3.0

24-phase VRM on the Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD7 motherboard

Four USB 3.0 slots on the Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD7.

Next up is a first look at the Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD5 motherboard from Fall 2010 IDF....