Nvidia has truly broken out as the #1 chipset supplier for the AMD platform and they are also making their way into the Intel scene with the new nForce 600 series.
Surprisingly, for the first time ever, the latest nForce chipset made its first appearance on the Intel platform, bringing Core 2 owners three new chipsets: the nForce 680i SLI, 650i SLI and 650i Ultra. Thanks to thriving Intel desktop processor sales, Nvidia had no choice but to turn their attention away from AMD and focus it on Intel. These two new "for Intel" SLI chipsets focus on performance, and are obviously designed to support dual GeForce cards using SLI technology. Currently motherboards carrying the nForce 680i SLI cost roughly $230, whereas the average 650i SLI board will set you back a more down to earth $140.
We couldn"t help but wonder, why does the 680i cost so much more, and can this difference be justified? What are the performance benefits and what new features can you expect to find?