ASUS: new USB3.0-Equipped Motherboard, Expansion Card

While rumors abound that Intel may be intentionally delaying the release of its updated chipsets that support the much faster USB3.0, that may not matter.  ASUS has joined Gigabyte in showcasing its upcoming motherboard that eschew Intel's own USB chipsets for those from other manufacturers.

The new P7P55D-E Premium will offer users 12 USB ports - 6 USB2.0 on the rear, four USB2.0 internal headers, and 2 more USB3.0 ports on the back.  The USB3.0 ports will be backwards compatible with USB2.0 devices.  It also offers users two SATA3 ports inside.  ASUS' new board uses the LGA1156 socket, which means it'll be compatible with Intel's Core i7 (second gen), Core i5 and Core i3 processors, the latter of which ASUS says will launch in Q4 of this year. One interesting note - judging by the spec sheets, the USB2.0 ports will be backwards compatible with USB1.1 devices, while the USB3.0 ports will be backwards compatible with USB2.0 devices alone.

In addition to the new motherboard, ASUS also announced the U3S6 Expansion Card which is designed for use with ASUS P7P55D motherboards that don't come equipped with the new, faster port offerings.  It slots into one of the PCI-Express x4  slots and gives you 2 USB3.0 ports as well as 2 SATA3 ports.

Specifications:

P7P55D-E Premium:

• Socket: LGA1156 (Core i7 (2nd gen), Core i5, Core i3)
• Chipset: Intel P55 Express
• Networking: Gigabit Ethernet x 2
• Audio: Integrated HD audio
• SATA: 6 x SATA 2 @ 3Gbps, 2 x SATA 3 @ 6Gbps
• USB: 10 x USB2.0, 2 x USB3.0
• Supports CrossFire/SLI multi-GPU technologies
• 2 x PCIe x16, 1 x eSATA, 2 x FireWire, 1 x IDE

U3S6 Expansion Card:

• Interface: PCI-Express x4 (also works with x8, x16 slots)
• Designed for use with P7P55D (Deluxe/EVO/PRO/LE/LX/etc) motherboards
• Internal ports: 2 x SATA3 @ 6Gbps
• External ports: 2 x USB3.0
• Dimensions: 4.8 x 3 inches

Both devices will be available soon, but there's as of yet no word on price.