MSI H55-GD65 Gamer Series LGA1156 ATX Motherboard Review

Input/Output Functions Tested

Here’s a look at how the I/O on this board checks out…

These results are pretty standard averages as far as SATA2 and USB 2.0 devices are concerned. As for the single SATA2 port powered by a JMicron 363 integrated controller, I really have no idea why they put that there and what for. Unfortunately, the board has no SATA3, but it is a budget board.

Power Consumption

Some of the new improvements to the Intel H55 Chipset are better energy efficiency in some areas. When coupled with a motherboard that features better power management like DrMOS and/or supporting software, the benefits can be seen.

What we observed was some power consumption differences between enabling and disabling the DrMOS 4 Phase feature. It may not seem like much, but it’ll add up over a year’s time. Rest assured that you will have this platform running smoothly for longer than that. Of course, your power savings can pretty much go up in smoke if you use a powerful GPU, but at least you’re ahead by a few watts to begin with. There’s nothing wrong with greener gaming.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, the MSI H55-GD65 is a surprising performer despite what you might think. While many users think that H55 means it’s only a multimedia motherboard, the benchmarks say the H55-GD65 is in fact a performance based motherboard capable of a lot more than media. Think of it as a media platform on steroids. Not to mention, it overclocks pretty well for something at this price point and in this category.

Whether coupled with a good GPU liks a ZOTAC Geforce GTX285 or an ATI HD5850 video card, the MSI H55-GD65 Motherboard will eat every video game available and go looking for dessert. But, if you feel like tapping in to one of the Core i5 32nm Clarkdale Processors with the IGP, expect it to handle HD playback flawlessly without scoffing at the task.Unless of course that task is gaming and when I mean gaming I don’t mean “Farmville”.

Looking around you can easily find one of these boards for $134.99US. At that price you might be able to forgive the minuscule bundle, the lack of USB 3.0 and maybe even the omission of SATA 3.0. It would definitely be a solid budget upgrade for someone looking to grow out of an older LGA775 system and into a Core i5 without having to purchase a lot of new parts.

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