Test: Foxconn Blackops - UK

What's in the box

This is going to be quite a long page I'm affraid. Not only is the Blackops retail box huge, it is also packet to the brim with good stuff. We start out by putting the contens on the table. On top is the motherboard itself.
 

And this is where we wanted a bigger table...

It is quite a lot of stuff. Most of it is the obligatory cables, manuals and CD's, but there are also a couple of very special add-ons.

Before we take a closer look a some of the contents, here is a complete list.

6xSATA datacable
6xSATA powercable
1x ATA133 cable
1x Floppy cable
1x USB/Firewire bracket
1x IO Panel
1x Manual
1x Quick guide
Foxconn test certificate
Driver/Utilities CD
Mountingplate with screws
Quantum Force dogtag
1x Sonar soundcard
1x 120mm fan
1x 60mm fan + fangrill
2x 12mm water fittings ( 2x 10mm are mounted on the board )
1x ekstra rubber casket for the coolingblock
2x potentiometers

The focus is on the cooling system of the board, and this is reflected in the bundle as well. The first thing that gets our attention is a 120mm fan. It is not part of any specific option on the board, but it is a nice thing to have when you want a steady airflow, either through an enclosure or when opting for a kitchentable setup.

A bit further down in the box we find extra fittings for the watercoolingtop, to enable 12mm hoses, and I'll be damned if that black thing is not a cooling tower for dry-ice and liquid nitrogen (LN2).
 

The two blue Lego's i the bottom right corner are potentiometers. If you are thinking - horray, we are off for some voltmodding, I must dissappoint you. The only document I have been able to dig up, concerns a voltmod on an HD3870 graphicscard. But if you are an electronics wizz, feel free to have a go at the control circuits for Vcore, Vdimm, Vmch or whatever.

There is no soundcard built on to the Blackops, but a Sonar soundcard is supplied. This is indeed a pro solution for the best motherboards. You can of course choose to not use it and go for your favorite SB16.
 

The advantage is in the noisereduction. Separating the soundchip from the other electronics reduces the electric noise on the 7.1 channels. Optical and Coax outputs are on the motherboard.

And just when you thought the box was empty, take out the pink foammatte and look underneath. An acrylic board with holes in it, ment for use outside an enclosure when you go for some of that extreme cooling. I have not seen enything like this before in a PC motherboard bundle, but the idea is brilliant when you make a board for a usergroup known for not using enclosures at all. 
 

The only downside is that there was no hole in the motherboard for the centerpin. It has been market on the board where the hole is supposed to be, but the heatpipesolution covers the hole and make it impossible to fit a drill. Its a minor flaw in the design, but a bit annoying knowing that you need a mechanically stable platform when you play with it outside an enclosure.

In their effords to separate themselves from ordinary consumer electronics, Foxconn have included a testreport for your motherboard, meaning it has beeen thoroughly tested before leaving the factory.
 

A small selection of benchmarks and other stuff to tells you that the board is working properly. It is a very cool idea, and it gives the end-user a feeling of having bought a mercedes. I cannot wait to get this thing fired up.