I have a gigabyte x38 mobo. I chose that motherboard because I am a light upgrader( new system every 3 years with interim part upgrades) and I figure that a PCI-Express 2.0 mobo would be good enough to have for the next wave of video cards.

The x48 according to preliminary benchmarkes only brings a few bug fixes to the chipset and standard support for 1600 mhz FSB. The x38 already offers 1600 Mhz FSB through the major mobo makers. It seems that Intel is trying to screw with people.

Who cares.

P35 is the only current chipset that any Penyrn and Conroe user needs. It is a proven performer and overclocker. (If you want SLI you have to pony up for Nvidia' 780)

P35 can handle "unofficially" 400Mhz FSB without a problem and PCIe 2.0 is 95% hype. PCIe 1.0 non-video cards are just beginning to come out in mass. It will be a long while before PCIe 2.0 versions will come out.

The rate of mobo updates seems to be accelerating. Geez, it seems like x38 just came out.

One of the posts I found on this site was the one describing similar shady tactics by Intel towards mobo makers who dared cross its will. This decision fits into that perfectly. If someone overstocked items they trade that shows how they are incapable of market analysis which in IT business is one of the keys to success. I wonder what the rest of manufacturers would say about this.