Layout for the 6150K8MA-8EKRS is nearly ideal, with the PCI Express x16 slot occupying the uppermost position, the floppy and ATA connectors in the proper position to minimize cable length, and the 24-pin ATX connector conveniently located in the upper corner. Four DDR DIMM slots set the board ahead of Foxconn's earlier NF4K8MC-ERS, and though there are no x1 slots, standard PCI cards are currently much easier to find. Two passive sinks cool the chipset noiselessly, and neither was found to get overly warm.

Minor negatives include the DIMM slots being a little too close to the x16 slot, and the ATX12v connector being opposite the CPU socket. But moving the DIMM slots upward would have also required moving them forward around a mounting screw, displacing other components and forcing either a wider board or another layer of substrate -- so DIMM placement appears to be a reasonable compromise rather than an oversight.

IEEE1394 FireWire and six analog audio ports add flexibility

The rear panel provides PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse ports, one Parallel, one Serial, VGA, IEEE1394 FireWire, Gigabit Ethernet, four of the eight USB 2.0 connections, and six analog audio ports -- providing connections for analog 7.1 sound without sacrificing microphone or line-in jacks. We'd have preferred DVI-I, S-Video, and S/PDIF connectors in place of the serial/VGA ports.

The WinFast 6150K8MA-8EKRS includes a quick setup poster, port cover, installation CD, RAID mode driver floppy for XP setup, 4-pin-to-dual-SATA power adapter, floppy ribbon cable, ATA133 cable, SATA data cable, and an S-Video breakout cable. Foxconn didn't even provide its old-fashioned USB breakout cable, let alone an S/PDIF breakout cable, and went so far as to omit a printed user's manual, though the manual can be found on the CD.

The S-Video breakout cable is non-shielded, and the port cover is the usual thin, single-layer part -- but at least a simulated-aluminum sticker is thick enough to provide some resistance to warping while providing a finished look.