The LANParty PRO875B is a full size ATX board, but the layout is generally very good. The main IDE connectors and ATX power connectors are to the right of the DIMM slots, which should help keep those large cables out of the way of the other system devices and make them more accessible when installed.

To keep everything organized, DFI place the most of the other headers and ports on the lower right hand corner which makes it easier to manage the rats nest of cables.

I was also impressed to see that DFI included an IDE RAID controller instead of a Serial ATA-only RAID controller. Lastly I know the techy out there will totally appreciate the power and reset buttons right on the board.

The only real problem I can see with the Pro875B's layout is that there isn't much space between the AGP slot and Northbridge heatsink. You'll have a tough time installing a third party videocard heatsink like the Zalman ZM-80C.

A Mountain of Goodies!

There's more to the package than just the motherboard; we also get a pair of nice UV reactive braided round cables (one IDE, one floppy) which match the UV reactive slots on the motherboard.

Unlike some of the cheaper rounded cables on the market, these ones are extremely flexible. The cables are protected by a metal braid so they won't be damaged easily if they should brush up against a sharp corner in the case, and more importantly, the signal should remain stronger over the extended length.

The FrontX Drive bay is another very useful accessory that comes with the LANParty PRO875B. It brings the most used ports to the font of the case where they are much more accessible. In this instance, the FrontX port gives you access to USB, IEEE 1394, and audio jacks.

Finally we get to the PC Transpo case carrying strap which in my opinion is the coolest "extra" that's included in the LANParty package.

I remember a few of my non-computer friends calling me a geek because I use to drag my PC to my friend's place to play games on weekends during first year of university. If I had one of these case straps it certainly would have made my LAN Parting days much easier.

The PC Transpo has a pre molded grip which fits into your hand very well, so lugging around a heavy PC is a bit easier to manage. If your rig is just too heavy for you to carry, DFI have even had enough sense to include a shoulder strap which will make transporting your PC a synch! The PC Transpo also includes two pockets, one which is deep enough to hold your keyboard. I think a velcro lock on both the pockets would have been a good idea as it's possible something could fall out during transportation... but other than that the PC Transpo is a really useful accessory for Lan Parties. I definitely have to tip my hat off to DFI for including that along with the LANParty PRO875B motherboard.