Legit Reviews

Gigabyte GA-X38-DQ6 Motherboard Review

The Gigabyte GA-X38-DQ6 motherboard is the latest high performance platform based on Intel X38 Express chipset. This motherboard has support for the latest multi-core processors up to FSB 1600MHz, including the upcoming 45nm processors that are due out soon. How will this stack up against our line-up of other great boards? Read on and find out!

Gigabyte has done a wonderful job with the X38-DQ6 and I love the fact that it's a DDR2 board. With DDR3 memory prices being so high the X38-DQ6 allows you to have all the latest chipset features and run the less expensive DDR2 memory line. The board runs stable with all four memory banks full at both 800MHz and 1066MHz as that is the only way I have ever run the board.

Article Title: Gigabyte GA-X38-DQ6 Motherboard Review
Article URL: http://www.legitreviews.com/article/581/1/
Pricing At Time of Print: $265+ shipping

Good review. I like that you threw your 2 cents in Nate. I have been eyeing this board so this review was timely for me

The GA-X38-DQ6 form Gigabyte is a nice bord but way too much for my budget.

As I posted elsewhere, I'm disappointed that they chose to offer a eSATA bracket rather than have 2 on the back panel. 8 USB ports is nice but a little much, especially when you have additional USB ports on the case. Who needs more cables cluttering the inside of the case and another bracket slot "blocked"?

Other than that, I'm really liking this board. On their website, it looks like the current available BIOS supporting the Yorkfield/Wolfdale is still in beta. Hopefully, that is ironed out soon. I have seen some reports of people not being able to POST with Yorkfields and thus no way to update the BIOS.

Asus are the only company I know of that do eSATA correctly, ie. via the back panel and a dedicated onboard controller.

I'd wait a while, Asus have some nice (unreleased) boards on the way. Should be out next month!

Can't go wrong with Asus -> stable, fast, great memory overclockers, "crash free bios"

I've used them for all my Intel builds!

I'm gonna be waiting for the CPU anyway so I will keep my eye on them. I hear MSI has some coming too. I have always liked ASUS & MSI boards.

FZ1 wrote:As I posted elsewhere, I'm disappointed that they chose to offer a eSATA bracket rather than have 2 on the back panel. 8 USB ports is nice but a little much, especially when you have additional USB ports on the case. Who needs more cables cluttering the inside of the case and another bracket slot "blocked"?

Other than that, I'm really liking this board. On their website, it looks like the current available BIOS supporting the Yorkfield/Wolfdale is still in beta. Hopefully, that is ironed out soon. I have seen some reports of people not being able to POST with Yorkfields and thus no way to update the BIOS.

The BIOS is great and I have no clue why they are calling it beta... I have used Yorkfield with BIOS F5H, F6A and F6B all with no problems and it posted fine with all of them. F5H is the release before Yorkfield support was added and it worked. Not sure what they are shipping with their production boards though as mine came with F4 originally nearly two months ago.