Well you didn't think GIGABYTE would be the only one to offer motherboards supporting USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb, did you?
Now that we know supporting controllers are out in the wild, we can expect to see a bevy of revamped boards. Following GIGABYTE's seven-strong revamp, fellow Taiwanese manufacturer ASUS is chiming in with a USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb-supporting board of its own; the P7P55D-E.
Although it doesn't go into detail by stating which controllers are being used, ASUS does tell us that its latest P55 board - for Intel's Core i5/Core i7 processors - features two SATA 6Gb interfaces and a duo of USB 3.0 ports.
Useful for those in the market for a new P55 platform, but what about those who've already picked up one of ASUS' existing P7P55D-series boards? There's good news, as ASUS has also today announced its US36 Expansion Card. Slotting into a PCIe x4 slot, the 12.2cm x 7.6cm card provides two SATA 6Gb ports and two USB 3.0 ports. A useful little extra, we reckon, and it's compatible with the Maximus III Formula, P7P55D Deluxe, P7P55D EVO, P7P55D PRO, P7P55D, P7P55D LE and P7P55D LX.
There's no word on pricing or availability yet, but something tells us we're about to see a slew of USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb motherboards arrive this side of Christmas.
Official press release: ASUS Unveils First Motherboards to Feature True USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s Performance
