DFI nForce4: SLI and Ultra for Mad Overclockers

Final Words

DFI set out to create the absolute best nForce4 boards that an enthusiast could find on the market. After spending several weeks with engineering samples and now the final retail boards, we believe that DFI has succeeded in their goal. There are other very good nForce4 boards that compete well at stock speeds, overclock well, or perform well in SLI mode, but no other board that we are aware of does so many things so well as the DFI LANParty nForce4 boards. Looking at the boards as they ship, it would be hard not to be impressed with the feature sets, performance, record-setting overclocking, and stability of the new DFI nForce4 motherboards.

If you then throw in the fact that all the DFI nForce4 boards from the $140 UT Ultra-D to the $200 LANParty nF4 SLI-DR are based on the same PCB and use the same BIOS, the story becomes even more interesting. Those simple facts mean that all of the DFI boards perform the same, overclock the same, and contain the same pair of x16 PCIe slots. This allows even the bottom-of the-line Ultra-D to run 2 PCIe video cards in x16/x2 mode at about 90% the performance of full-blown SLI. Perhaps even more impressive is that a simple mod with a #2 pencil turns the Ultra-D into an SLI board, allowing any nVidia drivers to work in full x8/x8 SLI mode. When this is factored into the formula, we have to say that no current nForce4 board - SLI or Ultra - can deliver the value that you get with the DFI LANParty UT Ultra-D.

For many buyers, the UT Ultra-D will be the start and end of their search. A $140 board that performs like this one does, overclocks like this one does, and that also can do SLI is an incredible bargain in today's market. Keep in mind, however, that the price spread from the Ultra-D to the SLI-DR is only about $60 once the prices settle down. Those who are afraid to mod may find the additional $60 for the SLI-DR to be well worth the cost. You also get a full-blown LANParty package with the top board, and the Front-X box, UV cable sheathing and carrying harness for your system do add value.

Last, but clearly not least, the overclocking results will put a smile on any user's face. Memory voltage to 4.0V, the huge array of voltage adjustments, a slew of memory tweaking options, and vCore to 2.1V are all impressive features, but they are even more impressive when they really do enable higher overclocks. On the DFI nF4 boards, that is certainly the case. We reached 318x9 at 1T Command Rate - performance that demolished our previous best of 295 1T with this same memory. We also were able to reach the highest overclock that we have ever seen at stock ratios with our 4000+ CPU, reaching a stable 238x12. Enthusiasts will love this board, and the designers deserve our admiration for the solid design work that went into the DFI nF4 series.

This does not mean that the DFI nForce4 boards are perfect, but they are certainly close. We could wish for High Definition audio on the Karajan Audio Module, and we might wish for an easier means to switch from "normal" to "SLI" mode on the boards. The 6 jumper blocks are clumsy to set to SLI, even with the included chip extractor. But if jumpers were the trade-off to give us an SLI selection on the Ultra-D, we will take them. We also wish that DFI could find some means of reaching an agreement with nVidia to provide the "dual-video" bridge with the Ultra boards. In the larger scheme of things, however, these are mostly minor complaints.

It is rare that we test a board and feel completely satisfied, but to be honest, that is exactly the feeling that the DFI nF4 boards leave with us. Yes, there are a few warts, but the complexion is much clearer of imperfections than we usually find. This is one motherboard that has just earned a spot in my personal setup and it will take something very special to displace this one. This board is a keeper - whether you mod the $140 Ultra-D or spring for the full-blown SLI-DR!