Intel and its partners showcsase new motherboards based on the upcoming Intel P55 Express chipset, which supports the new 1156 socket.

At CeBIT, the P55 mohterboards on display include the "TPOWER I55" by BIOSTAR, Jetway's "HI05", Asus' "P7U PRO" and MSI's "G9P55-DC".

Also known as "ibex peak" the Intel P55 Express chipset generally replaces the traditional role of the Southbridge chips the future architecture of Intel.

The P55 Express chispet, which is expected to appear in the end of 2009, will support Intel's quad-core "Lynnfield" CPUs as well as the dual-core "Havendale" processors, both compatible with the new LGA1156 socket or "Socket H". Note that Intel had originally planned the Socket 1160 for the Lynnfield platform, although now it seems that it has droped 4 pins from it.

Compared to today's three-chip solution, (CPU, chipset, I/O), Lynnfield will be a 2-chip solution, with the graphics to move into the ibex Peak chipset.

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For the record, Intel's Havendale platform marks the era where the graphics migrate into the CPU itself.

The P55 and the G55 chipsets that will be included in the Lynnfield platform are expectd to allow motherbord makers to make smaller boards at a lower manufacturing cost.

Intel's P55 and G55 chipsets are expected to become mainstream in 2010.