NVIDIA 680i: The Best Core 2 Chipset?
by Gary Key & Wesley Fink on November 8, 2006 4:45 AM EST- Posted in
- CPUs
nForce 650i SLI & 650i Ultra
For buyers not interested in the top-end features or top end price of the 680i, NVIDIA will offer two additional models at lower price points.
The 650i SLI, which will sell in the $150 to $199 price range, will support a single x16 PCIe video card, or SLI with two video cards driven by two x8 PCIe slots. PCIe lanes are reduced to 18, SATA-II ports from 6 to 4, USB 2.0 from 10 to 8, and it comes with a single Gigabit Ethernet port instead of the two with teaming on the 680i.
The nForce 650i Ultra, designed to sell in the $99 to $149 price range, offers a single x16 PCIe slot in 18 total PCIe lanes. Features are otherwise the same as the 650i SLI.
While there is some overlap in market segments, the 680i is designed to compete with the Intel 975X premium motherboards while providing dual x16 SLI graphics compared to dual x8 CrossFire on the 975x. The 650i SLI should compete with premium Intel 965 boards, while the 650i Ultra will compete with low-end or entry-level P965 motherboards.
For buyers not interested in the top-end features or top end price of the 680i, NVIDIA will offer two additional models at lower price points.
The 650i SLI, which will sell in the $150 to $199 price range, will support a single x16 PCIe video card, or SLI with two video cards driven by two x8 PCIe slots. PCIe lanes are reduced to 18, SATA-II ports from 6 to 4, USB 2.0 from 10 to 8, and it comes with a single Gigabit Ethernet port instead of the two with teaming on the 680i.
The nForce 650i Ultra, designed to sell in the $99 to $149 price range, offers a single x16 PCIe slot in 18 total PCIe lanes. Features are otherwise the same as the 650i SLI.
While there is some overlap in market segments, the 680i is designed to compete with the Intel 975X premium motherboards while providing dual x16 SLI graphics compared to dual x8 CrossFire on the 975x. The 650i SLI should compete with premium Intel 965 boards, while the 650i Ultra will compete with low-end or entry-level P965 motherboards.
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StriderGT - Thursday, November 9, 2006 - link
Also, some Intel chipset fans believe that Intel chipsets are best for a rock solid system (for the record, I'm not one of these people), I guess we'll see if nVidia will change thier minds.No it won't, its the same group of people that suggested the P4 was a more "stable" platform than the Athlon 64 platform. Its simply a psychological state of denial, when someone has paid more for less needs an excuse: "Stability"
skrewler2 - Wednesday, November 8, 2006 - link
I agree with you on your two points.I also wish PM tech was standardized.. I just went through a headache researching what was compatible with what chipset etc, imo it should just all work. From what I understand, the SATA II standard isn't even really a standard at all.. anyways I agree that NV should start implementing Port Multiplier support!
yyrkoon - Wednesday, November 8, 2006 - link
Yeah, I recently bought a budget Asrock board that SUPPOSEDLY supported SATAII connections. As per the standard, SATAII is supposed to support native command queuing (NCQ), and up to 3Gbit/s throughput on each connector. Anyhow this motherboard does not support NCQ . . . which is the majority of the reason to own a SATAII drive / interface, the rest is basicly marketing hype.Kougar - Wednesday, November 8, 2006 - link
Wanted to point out all the tables on the Memory Performance page are mislabled as "980i".Also some power consumption figures would be good, even if not critical. With a chipset cooler that huge it's about a giveaway it is hiding a nice and crispy chipset! ;) Thanks for the article!
Wesley Fink - Wednesday, November 8, 2006 - link
The perils of Table cut-and-paste are now corrected.Please see comments above above Power Consumption. That information will be added to the review since several have requested it.
Avalon - Wednesday, November 8, 2006 - link
I was much more interested in the 650i Ultra boards, specifically how well they overclocked compared to the 680i you benched. Additionally, do you think it's necessary for an active fan cooling the northbridge when highly overclocked on this chipset, or does it run fairly cool?Gary Key - Wednesday, November 8, 2006 - link
We will not have 650i boards until early December for review. The fan is required for upper-end 24/7 overclocking in my opinion, otherwise the board ran fine without it.yzkbug - Wednesday, November 8, 2006 - link
tables in page 10: NVIDIA 980i -> NVIDIA 680iShoNuff - Wednesday, November 8, 2006 - link
I'm impressed with the review. It was very thorough. In particular, I was amazed at your overclock with the X6800. I am looking forward to getting one of these boards in my hands.
It appears that NVIDIA has done it this time with respect to the on board memory controller. It is hard to imagine things getting better when the OEM's add their nuances to this board. If results are this good based upon the reference design, it is almost scary thinking about how good a board DFI would/could produce.
Oh…and btw…I like the new location of the front panel connectors. The new location will make it easier to "stealth" the wires.
hubajube - Wednesday, November 8, 2006 - link
These are ass-kicking OC's!!! Can't wait to own this board.