DFI X58 T3eH8 Ultra Motherboard

Packaging and Accessories

The exterior sleeve is a far cry from the cartoon lanparty’s of old. I was very impressed with the X48 Ultra’s packaging and the X58 is no different. Comprising of a very attractive outer sleeve with just the name on the front and details on the rear it is very hard to criticise the packaging thus far. The finer points to the motherboards features are continued inside the flip lid as well as a taster of the motherboard itself through a window.

Outer Sleeve Back Sleeve

Inner Sleeve 1 Inner Sleeve 2

The inner packaging comes in two sections. The first comprises the motherboard in a thin plastic style case and the second is the accessories, again in a chic cardboard box. I do admire this type of packaging as it totally separates the two and ensures that the product arrives unscathed from inconsiderate delivery drivers.
Inner Box Accessory box
 
As you would expect from a flagship product, the list of accessories is both extensive and complete. Everything you could wish for is here:  IDE, Floppy and 4x SATA cables (+Molex to SATA power converters) in the obligatory UV green. additional jumpers, Quick connectors, two manuals, driver disc, paste, paste spreader, 2x SLI and 1 xCrossfire bridge.
Accessories Q-Connect
 
A step in the right direction for DFI is the inclusion of Quick connectors. While these are nothing new to Asus and MSI users, it shows that DFI are answering the calls from users that we want convenience, not a challenge when dealing with the fiddly bits of a PC build.
Manual Open
The motherboard comes with 2 manuals. The Flame Freezer manual directs the attachment of the optional extension to the heatpipe cooling of the motherboard and the motherboard, while at first appearance appears very thick is that that daunting once you realise it is a multi language manual. I say multi language as DFI also include what I lovingly like to call ‘Chinglish’ as well as all major  European and Asian languages. Both manuals are well laid out with very well labelled diagrams and photos to aid the reader.
I/O Shield SLI

The I/O shield, as with the X48, is very thick and heavy set compared to your average backplate. This is due in part that the shield supports some of the weight of the Flame freezer with an additional screw on bracket. The plate is well labelled and should not present any issues. Rounding off the accessories is the inclusion of both SLI, Tri SLI and Crossfire bridges. This is a first for motherboard manufacturers as most will just supply a SLI bridge or none at all. This is a very welcome addition indeed, especially for those who have misplaced their Crossfire/SLI bridges.

Let’s take a look at the motherboard itself…