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DFI LanParty Dark X38 Motherboard Review
Author: Dennis Garcia
Published: Thursday, May 15, 2008
Conclusion
Technology moves pretty fast and in some cases faster than what the market can respond to. Take the X38 chipset for example. Here we have a performance/workstation class chipset designed for all modern Intel processors and comes with excellent graphics support. A few months after we see boards hitting the market Intel announces a hot new product line that completely overshadows the X38 so companies pull back production and focus on the latest and greatest.
So, do you splurge and get the shiny new model? Or hang back and look for something realistic for the current market?. The DFI Dark Series makes that question easy by featuring top of the line chipsets, high-end LanParty styling, and excellent BIOS features. All at a fraction of the cost, in a way this is what enthusiast hardware should be, all business and no fluff!
DFI accomplishes this by using mainstream motherboard technology and combining it with what they know about building a great motherboard to create a simple and functional product that not only performs well but is easy to setup and configure.
So, do you splurge and get the shiny new model? Or hang back and look for something realistic for the current market?. The DFI Dark Series makes that question easy by featuring top of the line chipsets, high-end LanParty styling, and excellent BIOS features. All at a fraction of the cost, in a way this is what enthusiast hardware should be, all business and no fluff!
DFI accomplishes this by using mainstream motherboard technology and combining it with what they know about building a great motherboard to create a simple and functional product that not only performs well but is easy to setup and configure.
Glamour shots
One of the great features of the DFI LanParty series is the attention to detail. While on the surface these boards look like any other motherboard under the black light (UV) they glow! 
Now for the ever popular list of Good things and Bad things. 
Good Things
Dual 16x PCI Express Slots
Excellent Overclocking Experience
Individual Chipset Heatsinks
Simple "No-Frills" Feature Set
LanParty Styling
Excellent Overclocking Experience
Individual Chipset Heatsinks
Simple "No-Frills" Feature Set
LanParty Styling
Bad Things
Limited tweaking options in BIOS
Only a single Ethernet jack
CrossFire bridge module not included.
Only a single Ethernet jack
CrossFire bridge module not included.
Ninjalane Rating
I would like to thank DFI Inc. for helping to make this review possible.
