sojrner :
I guess I am asking what is wrong with the mobo beyond the obvious locking down of tweak options or proprietary connections?
Dude, I don't know what it is you want to know?? Think of it this way, what kind of enthusiast computer do you know that has the following options for overclocking..., 1. Do you want to overclock, (yes/no)...warning 2. Set CPU speed....thats it.
No FSB settings for CPU or FSB for Memory or memory timings, or voltage settings for CPU or memory or FSB or anything!! Zilch, zip, nada.
For a computer thats marketed for enthusiast that is in the range of $6,000 to $9,000, man just get a Falcon or whatever else. Thats my point, this is not an enthusiast class computer without a solid motherboard full of real options. Dell needs to either build a real enthusiast class computer or quit pretending they do. The flimsy parts are just turds on the icing of an already flat cake.
If you leave the computer alone and dont touch a thing it runs fine but any Dell, HP or Compaq computer already does that. For that a stripped down mobo is fine but not for the audience it was intended for.