Intel DH55TC LGA1156 motherboard review
Intel's DH55TC is a very capable LGA1156 microATX motherboard, but there are cheaper alternatives.
Specifications
LGA1156, microATX, Intel H55 Express chipset, supports: Core i3, Core i5, Core i7
Intel’s DH55TC is a microATX LGA1156 motherboard. Its compact size and H55 Express chipset, which supports the HD-capable integrated graphics of the latest Core i3 and i5 processors, make it an appealing choice for building a home theatre PC.
There’s an HDMI port for connecting a TV. An S/PDIF header is present for connecting a surround-sound amplifier once you’ve bought the necessary backplate.
Unsurprisingly for an Intel motherboard, there aren’t any overclocking controls in the BIOS for eking out more performance from your processor. Intel would much rather you buy a faster processor instead. This isn’t a critical flaw for most people, however.
If, for some reason, you feel the need to fit a massive 16GB of RAM, then this motherboard will recognise it all. There are six SATA ports, but no RAID support which isn’t surprising for a microATX motherboard.
There are parallel and serial headers for connecting older peripherals, plus three USB headers allowing a total of nine ports if you use all USB headers. All slots and ports are sensibly laid out, with no tightly spaced slots or protruding parts to it tricky to fit components.
Intel’s DH55TC is a good microATX LGA1156 motherboard, but unless you must have an Intel board, the similar Biostar TH55B HD motherboard is better value at £14 less.
Basic Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Rating | *** |
| Processor socket | LGA1156 |
| Form factor | microATX |
| Size | 244x244mm |
| Processor support | Core i3, Core i5, Core i7 |
| Processor external bus | 133MHz (2.0GB/s Direct Media Interface) |
| Chipset north bridge | Intel H55 Express |
| Chipset south bridge | Intel H55 Express |
| Passively-cooled north bridge | yes |
| Integrated graphics | Yes |
| Supported memory type | DDR3 1066/1333 |
| Maximum memory speed | PC3-10600 |
| Memory slots | 4 |
| Maximum memory | 2GB |
| Dual-channel support | yes |
Buying Information | |
| Price | £82 |
| Supplier | http://www.scan.co.uk |
| Details | www.intel.com |
Internal Ports | |
| Power connectors | 1x 24-pin ATX, 1x 4-pin ATX |
| PCI-E x16 slots | 1 |
| Dual graphics architecture | none |
| PCI-E x4 slots | 0 |
| PCI-E x1 slots | 2 |
| PCI slots | 1 |
| Fan headers | 2 |
| Floppy ports | 0 |
| IDE ports | 0 |
| Serial ATA ports | 6 |
| RAID chipset (max disks) | none |
Features | |
| Wired network ports | 1x 10/100/1000 |
| Sound (ports) | Realtek ALC888S (3x analogue out, S/PDIF header) |
| USB2 ports / headers | 6/3 |
| Firewire ports / headers | 0/0 |
| Legacy ports | 1x PS/2, parallel header, serial header |
| Other ports | HDMI, DVI, VGA |
| Cables included | none |
| Brackets included | none |
| Software included | none |
Setup and Overclocking | |
| Voltage adjustment | none |
| CPU clock max adjustment | 0MHz |
