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BIOS
I'm used to saying this now, but the BIOS is your usual AWARD fare. The usual KT400A stuff, plus DFI's extras. Voltage adjust wise, pretty much the only thing that seperates these boards apart in the BIOS, is as follows. CPU from 1.1 to 2V on any CPU, 2.5V to 2.8V on the memory sticks and 1.5V to a scary 1.8V AGP. Don't know why, but there you go. The board even caters for the tweaker with 2V to shove up your unwilling CPU. Memory timing and speed adjust, CPU ratio adjust, and the onboard features are all taken care of in a very competent and easily navigated BIOS.
Bundle
Now, I don't usually get excited about a bundle for a motherboard. But when it comes in a box the size of the DFI's, you take notice. When you then find out it comes with a set of case straps for carrying your KT400A Lan Party equipped case (with window to show off the UV stuff) to, wait for it, LAN parties, your eyes light up.
With eyes then wide open, you then get your retinas burnt out by the lurid green UV rounded IDE cable (2 apparently, only one with the test sample). I'm sure DFI did that on purpose. You get a FrontX module too (FrontX.com) and all the external ports, USB2.0 and audio ports from the CMI hardware slot in nicely to it. It's a drop down cover too, so you can hide them when not in use. FrontX kit is cool and this is my first encounter with it, thumbs up for its inclusion. SP-DIF input and output is handled by an ATX backplate connector.
You even get SATA data and power cables, just incase your SATA drive needs it. A set of regular IDE cables rounds out the DFI Lan Party experience. The manual, CD, SATA/HPT driver diskette, ATX I/O shield and a simply excellent quick start guide merely round off a quite superb bundle. There's a copy of InterVideo WinDVD and WinRip for DVD horseplay too.
As mentioned before, it comes in a huge red and black liveried box with 4 seperate boxed compartments for the goodies forming a nice area for the motherboard.
Manual
The manual is excellent, but it's the quickstart guide in full colour with instructions for everything, even the case straps, that shows you DFI have really gone to town with their Lan Party boards. I called DFI boring in a review once. Maybe someone actually read that review, other than me.
Midway Conclusion
Excellent spec, superb bundle, awesome presentation. If it has poor performance after all that, I'll eat my Dummies Guide To Bad English superlatives list and never call anything superb, awesome or excellent ever again.
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