Intel's Core i7 processors have started trickling onto the market, and the collection of X58 Express-based motherboards ready to accept them has started to grow. We've already looked at X58 boards from Asus and Intel, predictably finding the former to be a much better fit for enthusiasts than the latter. Intel, it seems, still hasn't figured out what makes a good enthusiast board. Gigabyte and MSI have been building them for years, though, and today their respective EX58-UD5 and X58 Eclipse motherboards take center stage.
Like most X58 boards, the UD5 and Eclipse aren't cheap. But one could argue that that makes them more interesting. These are unabashedly high-end motherboards, and as such, they're tricked out with excessive arrays of expansion slots, ports, and auxiliary peripherals in addition to novel features you won't find on budget or even mid-range products. The question, of course, is which offers the best blend of indulgent excess, solid performance, and overclocking headroom. Read on for the answer.
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