Introduction

Core i7 is here and Intel is going to be pushing this as the new enthusiast processor platform. We have already taken a look at two of their three models released to the market, the Core i7 920 and Core i7 965. Both have proven themselves to be a very impressive processor and are quite easily capable of taking over where Core 2 leaves off.

With this new CPU comes a totally new chipset. Now, normally Intel releases a new chipset with their processors; it's a tradition and normally it's not needed as their new CPUs will run on the older boards with a BIOS update. However, Core i7 changes all this since it's now working on the same premise that made K8 popular, that being an on-CPU memory controller. Because of that, a totally new platform arrives; Intel X58 Express.

X58 works with the new Quick Path Interconnect that Intel now uses to connect the CPU and memory to the Northbridge on the board. With a high speed bus that's said to be able to transmit at 4.8GHz (or 6.4GHz on the Extreme Edition), Intel really has listened to what works.

Today we have ASUS' first X58 retail offering in the form of the P6T Deluxe, equipped with just about everything you could want. It's aimed at a very picky crowd; enthusiast and high-end users. So how does it fair? - Let's have a look.