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Do We Really Need Intel X48 Express? - Gigabyte GA-X48T-DQ6 Mainboard Review (page 2)

Category: Mainboards

by Ilya Gavrichenkov

[ 04/15/2008 | 05:58 AM ]

Accessories Bundle and Specifications

We will start our discussion of the new Gigabyte GA-X48T-DQ6 mainboard features with a picture:

Frankly speaking, the board doesn’t strike you as an absolutely new product. Moreover, the components base and layout of Gigabyte GA-X48T-DQ6 reminds us of the Gigabyte GA-X38T-DQ6 on Intel X38 Express chipset. However, it would be not quite correct if we said that Gigabyte engineers didn’t work on the PCB layout at all. Yes, GA-X48T-DQ6 is very similar to the predecessor, however it features a revised cooling system as well as new processor, memory and PCI Express slots voltage regulator circuitry.

However, you can still find a mainboard with the same PCB layout as GA-X48T-DQ6 among numerous Gigabyte products. It is GA-EX38T-DQ6. Although to be fair, I have to say that it was announced after Gigabyte finished the design of the Intel X48 based solution. In other words, it would be correct to say that Gigabyte has an Intel X38 based solution in its line-up that uses a PCB layout of a more expensive Intel X48 based products, but not the other way around.

Considering that new and old mainboards on different chipsets turned out so close, you will hardly have any questions about the specifications of the new Gigabyte GA-X48T-DQ6.

Although the mainboard specifications are quite ordinary overall, its retail price is expected to be around $300. The reason for that is extremely high price of the new X48 chipset that Intel is currently selling to the mainboard makers for $70 a piece.

The mainboard comes in a traditional package for top Gigabyte products: it is a large golden shimmering box with the board inside and a smaller box with accessories.

Among the goodies are a common user’s manual, a bunch of leaflets and brochures, a CD disk with the software, I/O Shield for the case rear panel, four SATA cables, PATA and FDD cables. Besides, Gigabyte also included two brackets for the case rear panel with the total of four SATA ports and two standard Molex power connectors. Besides, there are also two pairs of cables that allow connecting regular SATA drives to these ports. There is also an additional bonus in the form of two small but extremely useful screws that allow transforming the GA-X48T-DQ6 cooling system from “crazy” into very convenient form.