If you are sourcing for the best Intel motherboard around, then this review might be useful to you.

Motherboard technology advances so rapidly that you can find a new board in the market every few days. Unless you are constantly updating yourself on the latest technology, it is easy to get lost in the rapidly changing computer world.

This review covers the top 5 socket 775 Intel motherboard.

ASUS P5W DH-Deluxe Wi-Fi

With the most high-end desktop chipset Intel 975X, there isn’t a reason not to recommend this board. This board scores excellently well in term of its features with integrated Wi-Fi, Crossfire ready, 7 SATA ports, and lot of other functions that makes this board outstanding. The included Wi-Fi feature is definitely a big plus to the users. Even when the PC is in sleep mode, the Wi-Fi function is still on, so users can use Skype as a true replacement for tradition long distance telephone service. Highly recommended.

GIGABYTE 965P-DS3

This is one of the best boards that Gigabyte has come up with. Using solid capacitors, users can customize the system performance according to their individual needs. This is extremely useful for DIY and power users who want controllability.

A flaw with this board is that it doesn’t support multiple graphics cards (SLi or Crossfire), as a true Gamer board would do. However, the reasonable price and the excellent overclocking capabilities more than compensate for the flaw and rank it among the top of Intel motherboard chart. The GA-965P DS3 has most of the features that I would want from an Intel motherboard. I really like the design of the board, with the solid capacitors a definite plus.

ABIT AW8D

The ABIT AW8D is an excellent board built specially for the users. It consists of all accessories and features that you want, including 6 SATA ports, High Definition Audio, support for ATI’s Crossfire solution and more. Performance on the board was perfect with the 3.8GHz 670 CPU we use in testing, scoring among the highest on the Intel platform to date.

There is one big flaw though. This board does not support the new Core 2 Extreme and Core 2 Duo CPUs. It means that those wanting this motherboard are limited to the current 965 and below CPUs. As more and more Core 2 CPUs reach the market, replacing the 9xx and 8xx series, this means future upgrading is limited. If not for this imperfection, this board would be ranked number 1 in our review. Nevertheless, this is still a great board with plenty of useful features.

MSI 975X Platinum

There are not many motherboards with the Intel 975X chipset in the market, with the MSI 975X Platinum making one of the rare few. This motherboard is currently MSI’s highest end product for users looking to build the ultimate machine. Feature wise, this board is not as comprehensive as its predecessor 955X Platinum, with reduced LAN ports, storage controllers and FireWire ports. Nevertheless, its competitive price still makes it one of the best Intel 975X chipset motherboard around.

Abit AB9 Pro

The AB9 Pro was one of the first P965 motherboards available on the market. Initially, there was some memory compatibility problem with the board, but ABIT has come up with a BIOS update to fix the problem. With a highly competitive price, this board offers a value for money option for gamers. Feature-wise, the AB9 Pro packs dual Gigabit Ethernet controllers, 10 SATA ports, passive chipset cooling, and many useful features.

One imperfection is the design of the board. The IDE port placement is off and the overclocking is not as good as expected.

Not a very spectacular board, but with the low price and the features it contain, it can be a good investment too.

Conclusion

All the Intel motherboards reviewed here have their own advantages and disadvantages. Depending on what you need, you can find the one most suitable for you. In term of performance, the ASUS P5W DH-Deluxe Wi-Fi is definitely the one to go for. Price-wise, you might want to consider the ABIT AB9 Pro.