MSI P55-GD80 LGA1156 Motherboard Review‏

Package & Accessories

Enough with the paper specs, time to check out the product itself starting with a brief look at the package and accessories.


This packaging features the same reserved design that we have seen on previous MSI motherboards, such as the 790FX-GD70 that we have recently reviewed. As you will see below, there really is no correlation between the design of the box and the appearance of the motherboard but that has never been a prerequisite in our book. Most of the key features are mentioned on the front of the box, but a much more detailed overview can be found on the back.

As you can see, once we open the box, it is literally bursting with accessories!


The accessories bundle that MSI have given this high-end model is mighty impressive. First and foremost, there is a heck of a lot of documentation. There are six SATA cables with locking mechanisms, three SATA-to-Molex power cables, the customary IDE cable, a USB PCI bracket, an eSATA PCI bracket, eSATA cables, eSATA power cables and the back I/O shield.

As you can see in the bottom left image, MSI have thrown in a surprising number of CrossFire and SLI bridges. Why three SLI bridges when the Lynnfield/P55 chipset doesn't run tri-SLI without an NVIDIA NF200 chip (which this model doesn't have)? Does MSI know something that we do not? We'll have to wait and see.

The other interesting addition is the v-check cables, which can be used to secure your test leads to the aforementioned v-check points. Overall, this is one of the better motherboard accessories bundles that we have seen lately.