Conclusion and thoughts
DFI's plan with its range of LANParty motherboards appears to be a simple one. It's now hard to differentiate between manufacturers' boards now . Everyone who is anyone knows how to build a solid board. Intel and NVIDIA, in particular, have seen to it that chipsets are stable and fast. We can also say that almost everyone knows how to construct a solid deluxe board. Nearly every motherboard we see is dripping with useful extras and plump bundles. Therefore if one is to get away from the increasingly homogenous crowd, something extra needs to be done. DFI's strategy is an exercise in niche marketing. The massive bundle, UV-reactive cables and ports, and quirky case holder should appeal to the enthusiast who wants to be a bit different from the rest. The overall package comes into its own if individuality is your thing.
But let's not allow the package to gloss over what is another excellent motherboard. Sensible component location and selection, useful features lists, a BIOS that's in tune with the enthusiast crowd, and rock-solid stability mark the NFII ULTRA as an impressive and dependable performer. Performance was more than adequate, too, with it hovering just a touch behind the EPoX 8RDA3+. The absence of mounting holes around the CPU socket is just one of the very few criticisms that can be fairly levelled against the DFI. We feel justified in mentioned it because this board is aimed at the kind of user who would look to exploit the use of mounting holes.
In conclusion, then, one of the finer nForce2 Ultra 400 boards if features, individuality and bundle is high on your list of priorities. Tentative pricing puts it at around £120, so it's not particularly cheap and the competition is intense, yet it's aimed at a niche market. Almost perfect if its qualities are just what you're after.
Highs
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Amazing bundle
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Great feature set
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Individual looks
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Decent performance, great BIOS
Lows
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No mounting holes around the socket
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Not particularly cheap
