nForce 4 SLI Motherboard Round-Up
The first motherboard we've got on tap for you today is Gigabyte's K8NXP-SLI. Gigabyte loaded this motherboard up with such a comprehensive list of integrated peripherals, and included so many extras, that they have to ship it in two boxes. The main package folds open to reveal a list of features and awards, and each side holds its own box; one is for the motherboard itself and the other is for all of the cables, manuals, software, and accessories included with the K8NXP-SLI.
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Gigabyte shipped a very complete assortment of manuals, cables, brackets and accessories with the K8NXP-SLI. Gigabyte included a pair of driver/utility CDs, a detailed hardware installation guide and a quick reference pamphlet, along with two fairly large user's manuals that outline the motherboard's main features, clearly explain how to fully utilize K8NXP-SLI's RAID functions, and also explain how to use the bundled wireless 802.11g LAN card. The RAID manual is a welcome addition because this board has multiple RAID controllers and has the ability to set up RAID arrays across both the SATA and PATA controllers. With this added layer of complexity, having a manual to reference while configuring an array is a definite plus. There were also a total of eight SATA cables, four Molex-to-SATA power adapters, a floppy cable, and an 80-Wire IDE cable included with this board, along with a custom I/O shield and three additional case brackets. The case brackets give users access to an additional four USB connectors and four FireWire connectors. There was also an SLI connector included with the board, and Gigabyte's proprietary DPS (Dual Power System) riser card. The DPS riser card upgrades the K8NXP-SLI to a 6-Phase power array, which should help with stability in extreme circumstances where a 3-Phase array may be stressed beyond its normal limits.
