I know a lot of computer users can't get past ECS' persona as a bargain basement entry level motherboard maker, but the company has been making an concerted effort to shed that image by building better quality Black Edition motherboards. These mainstream-enthusiast boards are pretty competitively decked out if you take a moment to look them over.

In PCSTATS' past reviews of ECS motherboards we've always tried to judge ECS boards on their merits, but dust shields? This comes across as a really naive thing in the hyper-competitive world motherboards. Motherboards are hard enough to differentiate as integration by Intel/AMD squeezes nearly every significant feature into the chipsets or processor.... A look across the battle field of desktop PCs will tell you that Gigabyte is currently pushing Intel Thunderbolt connections, ASUS and it's exceptionally knowledgeable JJ Guerrero are driving overclocking into new territories, MSI is struggling to hold on by investing in high quality board components... and ECS is calling a bent piece of aluminum which blocks airflow from the CPU fan from impinging against the back side of a videocard and memory, a dust shield.

I'll admit that one half me is kind of thrilled by the prospect of a mobo maker FINALLY doing something about dust in a computer system. The other half of me is horrified that ECS consider this a saleable feature. Let PCSTATS know what you think, use the feedback form.