NEWS: NVIDIA 680i, The Best Core 2 Chipset?

NVIDIA has launched the NVIDIA 600i chipset family. The "i" is for Intel, and for now the 600 family is only available for the Intel Socket 775. (Future NVIDIA chipsets for the AMD platform will be named with a small "a" following the number).

The family will include some value boards and a top-end 680i that claims incredible overclocking on Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad processors. The new chipset also delivers dual x16 SLI to the Intel platform in a board NVIDIA is confident enthusiasts will want to own.

This time around our answer has to be a resounding YES. NVIDIA has finally got it right on the Intel platform and the 680i is definitely worthy of being called the Hard-Core Enthusiast chipset. We still have questions about why some Core 2 Duo processors overclock to 525 FSB and others can barely reach 450 FSB on this chipset, but we have seen similar behavior with the same CPUs on Intel P965 platforms. Since we were able to personally test an X6800 Extreme 4MB Cache chip at 2100 FSB (525 quad pumped), we lean toward NVIDIA's explanation that different processors are capable of different maximum FSB, regardless of their base overclocking capabilities.

NVIDIA has made dramatic improvements in overclocking abilities with 680i. They have effectively moved the new chipset from the embarrassment of mediocre overclocking that characterized the 590 chipset to the 680i evolving as the best overclocking platform you can buy for Intel. When you add to this the proven features like dual x16 SLI video, FirstPacket, dual Gigabit Ethernet with Teaming, HD audio, and the full MediaShield storage array with dual RAID 5, you have a solid product that stands out from the crowd. The added option to run a physics video card with SLI is just delicious icing on the cake.

NVIDIA should also be congratulated for keeping one very significant feature, namely IDE. Intel may have been trying to drive the market to SATA in the 965+ICH8 chipset by leaving out IDE. The problem, of course, is you simply can't find the SATA optical drives you are supposed to buy to use on the 965 boards. Instead manufacturers are forced to add a chipset to support IDE devices on their 965 boards. Thank you, NVIDIA, for avoiding this same pitfall.

The NVIDIA 680i is the chipset we would choose for our own purchase right now. It is the best chipset for the Core 2 platform that we have tested. If you don't need or want all the high end features, the 600i family also offers the lower priced 650i SLI and 650i Ultra aimed at those looking for a more economical motherboard. We still expect ATI to release RD600 in the next few weeks - at least in limited release. It will feature dual x16 CrossFire for Intel Core 2. We are looking forward to reviewing those boards, but it will take some truly revolutionary performance to top the NVIDIA 680i motherboards. If you got the clear message we like the 680i, you would be reading us correctly.