Nvidia 680i chipset fails future-proof test

[safan80]

http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquir...-chipset-fails

Four-core Yorkfield is a no-go

By Theo Valich: Friday, 23 November 2007, 12:37 PM

IT HAS LONG BEEN rumoured on Internet forums, but now a moderator at EVGA forums has appeared to confirm that Nvidia's Nforce 680i chipset fails to support all 45nm processors from Intel.

In a weird flashback to Nforce4 SLI shenanigans, with its lack of compatibility with the Pentium D 820, the tide has now turned on the Nforce 680i.

It seems Nvidia ran into some compatibility problems with upcoming Intel processors. It declined our request for a comment on the matter earlier today.

Given Intel's less-than-stellar history with Socket 775 motherboards, the SNAFU is not so surprising. Since their release in 2004, the Socket 775 chips have continuously required motherboard revisions, even though pin-to-pin compatibility existed. One of the messier changes was with the Bad Axe motherboard, with new releases for Pentium EE 955, 965, Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad. Some backwards compatibility existed, but in most cases you would be stuck.

We have used an EVGA Nforce 680i motherboard as our reference ever since it came out so we're quite disappointed in the turn of events. While the chipset heatsink design left something to be desired, overclocking capabilities are top notch, stability with different memory modules has been exemplary, and it works at DDR2-800 CL3 and DDR2-1310.

Sadly, this lack of forwards compatability hits all of the motherboards designed around the chipset: EVGA, BFG, XFX, Galaxy, Inno3D, etc., along with numerous third party motherboards.

Basically, it seems there is no escape. If you own a 680i motherboard and want a non-Kentsfield, quad-core, you can either migrate to AMD Phenom or wait for a X48 motherboard.

The hiccough is the latest in a bundle that have chip-buying customers pullng their hair out.

Intel keeps the same Socket, but has problems with compatibility, Nvidia has chipsets with problematic CPU support, and "customer centric" AMD has become k nown as Socket 754-940- 939-AM2 -AM2+-AM3. At least, these last three are in-between compatible, if your AM2 motherboard has 8Mbit BIOS.

It's all getting a bit messy. µ

L'INQ
EVGA support forums

[Northwood]

my striker extreme box has a sticker on it saying it supports 45nm CPU's, brought from overclockers.co.uk, so does this mean i'll be entitled to a refund if the 45nm chips won't work? or are they expecting the wolfdales to be ok with 680i?

[Syn.]

my striker extreme box has a sticker on it saying it supports 45nm CPU's, brought from overclockers.co.uk, so does this mean i'll be entitled to a refund if the 45nm chips won't work? or are they expecting the wolfdales to be ok with 680i?

which 45nm CPU's dont work?

Its a catch all sales phrase they can define it suit thier needs.

[Z3R0-CooL]

wolfdales are going to work... yorkies arent..

part of me is pissed off but im glad.. maybe those idiots at nvidia will stop this crap and allow intel to have SLI on intel chipsets.....

[Praz]

Maybe the fools at the Inquirer should read the forums here. Then they could have posted their partially fact-based headline a week ago.

[Philip_J_Fry]

i think i saw it somewhere that someone was able to boot QX9650 with Asus striker extreme, and the fsb was detected correctly, too. Just that it was @ 6x multi, and no way to change multi .... so 333x6 = 2Gz, instead of 333x9 i think lol

as for Wolfdale, here:
http://www.evga.com/forums/tm.asp?m=...1&key=&#167016

i think all 680i will be able to overclock it, and read the multi correctly. but yorkfield is another story ....

[Serpentarius]

arrgg this sux, intel has the upperhand ... politics, politics

[virtualrain]

Since 780i is really just a 680i plus a PCIe 2.0 bridge chip, I assume that 780i boards are useless with Yorkfield as well. Bad news for nVidia.

They make good graphics cards, but their MCH technology sucks. The only reason they were successful on AMD was because their chipsets didn't require a memory controller.

[zerazax]

Since 780i is really just a 680i plus a PCIe 2.0 bridge chip, I assume that 780i boards are useless with Yorkfield as well. Bad news for nVidia.

They make good graphics cards, but their MCH technology sucks. The only reason they were successful on AMD was because their chipsets didn't require a memory controller.

That might be why the 780i was delayed from the original release of this week?

[cky2k6]

Since 780i is really just a 680i plus a PCIe 2.0 bridge chip, I assume that 780i boards are useless with Yorkfield as well. Bad news for nVidia.

They make good graphics cards, but their MCH technology sucks. The only reason they were successful on AMD was because their chipsets didn't require a memory controller.

no, nforce 1 and 2 were pretty good and certainly had a mc... not that nvidia is bad, its just that intel is that good.

[Shintai]

I think this only applies currently to all NVidia referwence boards. The Asus board is their own design.

There is still a chance to get yorkfields running on reference boards too.

Anyway, this is old news and Theo is a retard

I suspect that the real issue is in nVidias "Enhancing". So they absicly just broke the standards to get those extra 1-2% performance and is now incompatible with Yorkfield.

[dinos22]

Since 780i is really just a 680i plus a PCIe 2.0 bridge chip, I assume that 780i boards are useless with Yorkfield as well. Bad news for nVidia.

They make good graphics cards, but their MCH technology sucks. The only reason they were successful on AMD was because their chipsets didn't require a memory controller.

you are thinking wrong buddy

780 works really well with yorkies

[disruptfam]

which cpu's work with the 680i?

qx9650? q9450? please please!!!!

[Pinacolada]

I'm on 650i so I assume it won't work as well - I'm really pissed off now, my mb has only a few months, next time I will be smarter and buy chipset only from intel.

[dinos22]

I'm on 650i so I assume it won't work as well - I'm really pissed off now, my mb has only a few months, next time I will be smarter and buy chipset only from intel.

you do realise what track record intel has right

[dinos22]

which cpu's work with the 680i?

qx9650? q9450? please please!!!!

only dual core Wolfdales

[Northwood]

i'll never afford yorkfield anyway, just glad wolfdale will work

[disruptfam]

dual core's??? DOH!

[virtualrain]

you are thinking wrong buddy

780 works really well with yorkies

That's good news... so the 680i chip on a 780i is not the same as current 680i chips?

[Rattle]

you are thinking wrong buddy

780 works really well with yorkies

so how are we supposed to know?

most people are saying 90% anyway that the 780i is the same as 680i with pci-e 2.0, truth or not if enuff people say it then people believe it. Also there's a rumor that the 790i will be the first NV chipset that officially supports yorkies and not 780i.

care to elaborate at all? your responses hint to you knowing something we dont, think you can spill the beans or you going to keep dangling that little carrot lol

[Jodiuh]

I'd like to see an A2 revision of the 680i.

[Praz]

I'd like to see an A2 revision of the 680i.

You will. It's called the 780i.

[Northwood]

forget teh yorkies or wolfies, getting my hands on a 6850 ES chip, that will do for me

[Epsilon84]

"Basically, it seems there is no escape. If you own a 680i motherboard and want a non-Kentsfield, quad-core, you can either migrate to AMD Phenom or wait for a X48 motherboard.'

What a load of crock, all P35/X38 boards (even P965 according to Asus) support 45nm.

Yeah, my choices are X48 or a Phenom. Get real. Theo is such an AMD fanboy...

[doompc]

Hmm, abit says the IN9 Fatal1ty (650i, same northbridge of the 680i/780i) does support Yorkfield:
http://www.abit.com.tw/cpu-support-l...fp-in9-sli.htm