Intel DX58SO ATX Desktop Motherboard - Nehalem i7 Core - Socket 1366, PCI-e 2.0, DDR3 1066/1333/1600, SATA I/II/RAID, 3 Year Warranty, Retail, Boxed

First off their is no IDE or PS/2 connections so be ready for that. After I got everything in my computer put together and ready to go I went to plug in my keyboard and it was usb only. So just find yourself an a adapter or get yourself a new keyboard. The price of DDR3 is cheap so its not so much a big deal to invest in. There is one PCI slot and now with the newer BIOS update its SLI compatible which is great since when I read the description it says that its only Crossfire ready. If you want to go with something beyond two way SLI than you may want to go with the EVGA model which has more DIMM slots as well. I was going to go with EVGA but my new case would not allow it and I don't have the budget for three cards. I like the way the board is situated with DIMM slots running vertical and looks like everything is closer to the processor than on other boards I have seen. I guess when everything is moving at light speed a smallest measurement closer makes a difference on a motherboard. Install is a cinch just make sure you take your time and don't rush and make a stupid mistake. I have found that in my experience I mess up on stupid things instead of something big. Overclocking has been a little more simplified on this board which is what you should probably do if you invest in these boards. Overall this board has everything that I need with lots of SATA and USB ports and its super fast with my i7 920 along with my 6 Gigs of Corsair Dominator DDR3. All I can say is I can't wait to get my hands into some overclocking when I get the free time. Keep in mind only 64 bit Vista will see anything above about 3 and a half gigs so if you don't want 64 than just be ready not to see what you put in. One minor issue is the setup of the PCI Express slots since I have an 8800 GTS (one of the fatties) and a Creative X-Fi sound card it doesn't leave room for another 8800 GTS without me having to remove my sound card. Its not that big of an issue though since I plan on getting a smaller newer card anyways. Though if you have a fat card like me and something in the PCI slot and want to run SLI you might run into trouble so that is worth noting in my mind. Is this board worth it though I would have to say absolutely yes.

According to Intel sticking in a fourth stick will cause a degrade in performance so since most ram that's DDR3 come in three packs its not so much a big deal. Also when it first came on and I entered BIOS everything was recognized but I could not get the thing to boot my ROM drive and it would just sit there with a black screen and then it would ask me to select cd drive type 1 or 2. After about three hours or so it all of a sudden worked after I selected 1 it booted finally and everything was installed (operating system). The next problem was it would not restart and as soon as my computer would go off and come on again it would be a black screen going nowhere. Then I remembered update your BIOS dummy and I read all the notes and a lot of issues I had was fixed in the BIOS update including my restart problem. There was an issue also with my type of ROM drive not booting when put first in priority and that is the issue I had with trying to get it to boot to install my operating system. Now everything runs perfect and I could not be happier. The reason I put all this in my review was it did not go as smooth as I thought it would and someone else might have problems. If you do have issues just drop me a comment and maybe I can help you out just from what I had to do.

Just built my Core i7 system using this Intel DX58SO board and it's so fast!!!! I've never been a big overclocker because I'm not that experienced at overclocking and keeping everything stable. However, this board has an overclocking utility that makes it so easy. You'll want to update the bios first from the intel site. Also zoom in on the picture of this board...the DDR3 memory slots are horizontal and next to the processor. I'd never seen this before, all other boards have the dimm slots running vertical. I read a review that the new orientation of the memory allows it to stay cooler as the air flow is improved and the trace route to the processor is shorter making it faster. Well all I can say is my new system rocks.

Core i7 - 920, Intel DX58SO, Corsair 6gb 1333 DDR3, VisonTek HD4870

When I built my new Core I-7 computer I looked very closely at the components I'd use and after much debating I went with the DX58SO. I did so because they ditched the long obsolete serial ports and replaced them with MANY USB ports. Also, what better way to complement my new processor than to use it on a board built by the same company? I couldn't have been more wrong! The Three Stooges could've built a better motherboard using cardboard, shoestrings and magic markers. Think I'm joking?

1. The box was missing items, most notably the "Far Cry 2" disc. Intel's support told me (I'm not kidding) that it's not their concern and this won't happen if I buy my hardware from reputable dealers. I'd already told them I'd purchased it from Amazon.com (the MOST reputable dealer, IMHO), so this is one of many absurdities to come from Intel. I noticed similar complaints, so either there's a consumer conspiracy against Intel or they have a quality control issue. They did manage to get all of their self loving propaganda in the box.

2. No one at Intel seems to know what memory will work with this board. They advertised that it will work with 1.6v memory, but the box contained a sheet of paper that stated that anything above 1.5v will damage the motherboard/processor, which meant that the $200+ worth of 1.6v memory I'd bought was worthless. Intel tech support said 1.6v was o.k., but their website said 1.5v. So which is it?

3. See the Intel video and diagrams on this page that show the SATA connecters facing outward? They don't. The SATA connecters run along the edge of the board and face the front of the computer. They are approx two inches from the disc drives, which made them a real pain to hook up.

4. Don't use SATA cables with the silver clips. When you remove them the motherboard won't let go unless you use a lot of force.

5. The Quick Start sheet doesn't match the user's manual and both don't match the motherboard (for instance, the SATA connecters). Do ANY of Intel's departments talk to each other?

6. Sitting next to the second PCI slot (where you'd install a secondary graphics card) there's a connecter that you have to connect a power cable to. If you squint at the picture, it's the yellow thing above the "5" and "6". Good luck using that second slot!

7. There are four memory slots. WRONG! The manual states that if you put memory in the fourth slot it might degrade the computer's performance. WHAT??? Then why even put it in there?

I've built a few computers since 2001 and all of them are still running (except the one with the Intel DX58SO). I've never come across a rotted piece of hardware like the DX58SO and the maddening frustration of dealing with Intel. It was designed by engineers with a mean spirited sense of humor and sold by a company that doesn't care.

Whether you're new to building computers or have been around for a while, avoid this motherboard at all costs. You'll be replacing it soon enough!