I am building a dual-core system to be used in a semi-hostile environment (~85 F) where the processor will be max'd out for significant periods of time; ECC is a requirement. I decided to put a Wolfdale E8400 chip on a GA-EX38-DS4, and to put that into an Antec 182 box which has multiple cooling options. But checking Newegg (my favorite vendor) showed the GA-EX38 MOBO as "out of stock" and, stepping back a bit, the GA-X38-DS4 as "deactivated". Checking (unsuccessfully) other vendors suggests that the Gigabyte X38 series is history -- and I can't use an X48 board since it doesn't support ECC. Although I am partial to Gigabyte MOBO's, is there another board builder which has a similar X38 product?

I've been looking to get a Gigabyte mobo for an E8500. Between google and Toms search engine I came up with a few prices:

EX38-DS4/DS5/DQ6 - US210/225/265
X38-DS4/DS5/DQ6 - 200/225/Can't find any in Stock
X48-DS4/DS5/DQ6 - 225/270/285

From what I've seen a few people say, it doesn't seem like the newer x48 chip is any better than the old x38. If this is true, why bother to pay the extra $20-45? Is there a reason if I can find an x38 board to not go for it?

Most original Gigabyte boards have been deactivated and reproduced in the "E" series flavor.

The E is for energy efficient.
The are essentially the same boards, however.

Newegg has several X38 boards in stock, just not the Gigabyte atm.

They do have several open box GA-X38-DS4's.

Not that I would recommend buying an open box MB>

By the way, the Intel boards states it supports ECC and N-ECC.