Opinions differ over the sense of having numerous controllers for mass storage. While the Sil3114 only recognizes hard drives, the Adaptec 7902W can be used for a wide range of devices. Both support the simple RAID modes 0 and 1. Gigabit-LAN, a sound system and high-grade components are only what you would expect from a high-quality mainboard with ambitions.

But the real selling point should be the 6300ESB PCI-X Southbridge, which ensures that there is enough bandwidth on tap for power-hungry components, thanks to two slots for a maximum 266 MHz.

Its performance is on a par for 875 boards; the scope of delivery is also satisfactory, bar the lack of an SCSI cable. Only the price tag is a negative - how about a model without the expensive SCSI controller?