Presentation and bundle
The EPoX Alderwood box is a large, understated one. The minimalist design makes a refreshing change from the eyesores that have come before. i925XE packages need to look the part and feel as if you've bought something that is at the high-end of the chipset spectrum, especially if you're handing over more than 100 of the Queen's finest pounds, and this one certainly does.
A couple of brackets, carrying 2 USB2.0 and 2 FireWire ports, respectively, push up the usable high-speed connectivity count. The white SATA and rounded IDE cables are an acquired colour choice. They don't fit in with the rest of the board's aesthetic. It's all stingy and penny-pinching of EPoX to include only 2 SATA cables when there's 4 ports running off the ICH6/R southbridge. i925XE's single ATA port is augmented by EPoX's SP-ATA kit, which adds in another PATA channel when bridged on over from a SATA port. The manual, I have to comment, is excellent, both in its style and content. What's missing, however, is a bootable floppy that's needed to install a SATA drive.
More goodies from EPoX, this time contained in its Powerpack see-through bag. The Thermo Stick I alluded to on the previous page is included, but, like a lot of things in life, it's a couple of inches too short. EPoX also bundles in its multi-purpose screwdriver, a set of mini-heatsinks, and, wait for it, a case badge.
The accompanying CD, as you'd expect, carries all related drivers. It has a handy auto-installation feature that installs chipset and associated drivers in one fell swoop. EPoX also bundles in Norton Internet Security 2004, MAGIC FLASH, USDM system diagnostics (that also displays Thermo Stick temperature, BTW, Image IT, and the harmless MAGIC SCREEN bootup logo changer. I'd like to see EPoX bundle in an OS-based overclocking tool, though.
A reasonable bundle that generally hits the mark. It's not extravagant, like some, but you do get most things you need to make the most out of the 5LWA+.
