Gigabyte X58A-UDP7 shot leaked
The X58A-UDP7 - leaked to Expreview.com - appears to feature an impressive seven PCI-E x16 slots.
The board - which is believed to be planned under the name of X58A-UDP7 or X58A-UD9 - was revealed over on Expreview.com, although sadly whoever provided the picture didn't manage to snag any firm details.
Working from the image and purported model name, the new board appears to be based around the Intel X58 chipset and uses the LGA1366 socket for compatibility with Intel's Core i7 range of processors. The main feature, however, is the PCI Express slots.
With a total of seven full-length PCI-E x16 slots, the Gigabyte X58A-UDP7 could potentially accommodate seven single-slot graphics cards - or a smaller mix of double-slot and single-slot cards - in an SLI or CrossFire configuration, providing you've got a power supply up to the task.
While such a system might be just a tiny bit overkill for your average gamer, it could find a use in deskbound mini-supercomputers such as the FASTRA and FASTRA 2 systems built at the University of Antwerp, which use the GPGPU capabilities of multiple graphics cards to churn through common supercomputing tasks on the cheap.
So far, Gigabyte is remaining tight-lipped about the product, so we'll have to wait and see when - or even if - the X58A-UDP7 is officially released and exactly how much it'll set you back.
Are you excited at the thought of seven graphics cards running on a full PCI-E x16 bus, or does the idea of a computer drawing that much power give you sleepless nights - no matter how fast it might be? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
Addendum 17:30pm 16th April 2010: Gigabyte emailed to confirm this will be called the GA-X58A-UD9 when released.
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24 Comments
Discuss in the forums ReplyI can't even imagine how MANY power supplies you'd need for that. But I'd sure love to see one system like that. ^^
The ATX Spec size mobo's have the space for 7 expansion slots, they just used 7 PCI-E slots in this one.....
Well.. look how low the PCI-E slots sits, on most (or atleast some) boards the top PCI-E slot sit right under the IO ports.
It sure won't fit my chase, but who would use a standard case when they can afford/have the need for such a board.
PCI-E mounted CPU ofc!
Its an XL-ATX "standard". There was also a 10 slot that was the original XL-ATX. But the 7 PCI-E Slots isn't new.
Genuine question - Can you get single slot cooled GTS250 cards? It looks like to use all seven slots you can't use double slot cooled cards.
Not directly, but you can get single-slot full-cover waterblocks and single-slot GeForce PCI brackets...
Or use PCIe extenders?
Are you sure is not a '6'?????
Looks like one (i mean 5) to me
I like the colour scheme, although not overwhelming, it's different and still pleasant.
I can't figure out what will be the number after UD... If only there was a giant clue on the board, anywhere, it could be on the board on something also big... :P
When can we get enlarged pictures on news stories??
cause this will be 1 I7 core 1massive PSU or two enthusiast PSUs and it will probbably need a jet engine to keep all those 250s folding 24/7.
Be a real candidate for the 6 core extreme I7 core CPU. 80,000 PPD any 1?