Quote Originally Posted by QuietIce View Post
NB > 2600 is rare but certainly possible even with a Phenom I and the right tweaks. The HT Link has more influence over CPU video processing than the NB by itself but the NB does determine the total possible I/O of the CPU.

I didn't really get the rest of the question - I guess I'm dense today ...
It has been postulated in XS that the integration of cpu, memory, chipset, video card, and drivers results in a synergy producing superior performance. This is the AMD fusion marketing position. After the AMD event in Boston, some peeps reported Phenom II beat an i7 965 in a Crysis demo.