DFI LANPARTY Pro875B Motherboard

DFI surprised us all last year with the introduction and undeniable success of its LANPARTY motherboard line. In a few short months, DFI went from a relatively unknown company to a household name. If you build it for enthusiasts, enthusiasts will come. And that's what DFI bet on, as well as the growing popularity of UV sensitive products. So far, the bet has paid off. More geeks than ever are checking for what DFI has cooking.

The LANPARTY line is not just about cool UV looks though; it's about top performance and great features as well. The nForce2 and original Pro875 proved to be excellent performers and picked up quite a few awards.

In this review, I'll take a look at the LANPARTY Pro875B, an Intel 875P chipset-based mainboard and the first major revision to the Pro875.

Features at a Glance

• ATA 100/66; ATA 133/100/66; 2 SATA
• SATA RAID 0/1; IDE RAID 0/1/0+1/RAID 1.5
• 8 USB 2.0/1.1 Ports (4 Rear + 4 Additional)
• Intel 82547EI GbE CSA LAN
• 6ch Audio + S/PDIF
• CMOS Reloaded
• DFI LANPARTY features
  • UV Sensitive
  • Round Cable
  • FrontX Device
  • PC Transpo
  • Genie BIOS
  • BIOS Live Update
  • EZ-On / EZ-Touch

To read about these features, please visit this page. These features are pretty cool, so I recommend you check that link out if you are considering an LP board for your next purchase.

Specifications

Package Contents

There's just something fun about the LANPARTY packages. Maybe it's because there's so much in the big, colorful box, or maybe it's because they are made for people who want to have fun. One thing is for sure; it's cool to get such a substantial package for your money. Here's what DFI includes with the LP Pro875B.

• LANPARTY PRO875B system board
• LANPARTY PRO875B user's manual
• LANPARTY Features user's manual
• Two IDE round cables (UV reactive, matching board connectors)
• One floppy round cable (UV reactive, matching board connectors)
• Two serial ATA data cables
• One serial ATA power cable
• One card-edge bracket mounted with a game/MIDI port
• PC Transpo kit
• FrontX device equipped with:
  • Two USB 2.0/1.1 ports
  • One line-out jack
  • One mic-in jack
  • Four diagnostic LEDs
• I/O shield
• Thermal paste
• LANPARTY sticker
• LANPARTY case badge
• One pack of jumper caps (five 2.54mm jumper caps)
• "HighPoint 372 N RAID Drivers" diskette
• "Intel ICH5R RAID Driver" diskette
• "Mainboard Utility" CD
• "WinDVD/WinRIP Utility" CD

As you can see, you get a very nice bundle with the LP series. The only thing that has changed in the bundle since the original LP boards were released is that now the FrontX device includes a four diagnostic LED unit. It still is one of the best bundles around. The PC Transpo carrying harness fits in with the LAN party theme perfectly, and the FrontX front bay device is very practical and provides easy access to frequently used ports.