DailyTech - Goodbye nForce 570 SLI and 590 SLI...

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Hardware Goodbye nForce 570 SLI and 590 SLI...
Anh Tuan Huynh (Blog) - October 3, 2006 9:54 PM

30 comment(s) - last by Lord Evermore.. on Oct 10 at 8:51 PM

Hello nForce 650i SLI and 680i SLI

DailyTech has received NVIDIA new product notices that outline two new chipsets. The new NVIDIA nForce 650i SLI and 680i SLI are Intel Core 2 compatible and replace the nForce 570 SLI and 590 SLI Intel Editions.

NVIDIA’s new nForce 650i SLI and 680i SLI aren’t exactly new per se but rather a quasi-re-branding of the previously released nForce 570 SLI and 590 SLI Intel Editions. The new nForce 650i SLI SPP pairs with an nForce 430 SLI MCP to provide a total of 29 PCI Express lanes. In SLI mode the nForce 650i SLI delivers two half-speed PCI Express x16 slots.

NVIDIA’s nForce 680i SLI is essentially a revised nForce 590 SLI Intel Edition. Manufacturers were reluctant to adopt the nForce 590 SLI Intel Edition due to front-side bus scaling issues. Nevertheless the C55 nForce 680i SLI is paired with the nForce 590 SLI MCP a total of 48 PCI Express lanes. As with the nForce 590 SLI Intel Edition, the nForce 680i SLI supports two full-speed PCI Express x16 slots. The C55 are essentially C19 chips with updated memory controllers.

Other supported features of the nForce 650i SLI and 680i SLI include 3.0Gbps SATA, Gigabit Ethernet, ATA-133, USB 2.0, high definition audio and support for five PCI slots are supported by both chipsets. While the nForce 650i SLI and 680i SLI are new model numbers, the chipsets are essentially identical to the nForce 570 SLI and 590 SLI Intel Editions which was only adopted by OEM system manufacturers and ASUS.

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I hate misleading advertising/branding...

By alpha736 on 10/4/2006 12:33:39 AM , Rating: 3

Since this is the exact same thing as the 500 series, why call it the 600 series? Damn misleading BS...

RE: I hate misleading advertising/branding...

By PT2006 on 10/4/2006 12:35:51 AM , Rating: 4

Can't wait to upgrade my nForce 500 mobo to a 650
...
/ducks

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RE: I hate misleading advertising/branding...

By PT2006 on 10/4/2006 2:55:57 AM , Rating: 2

As I mentioned below, only the "southbridge" is new. The C55 northbridge actually replaces the C19 northbridge, but the two are physically identical. C55 has a different memory controller though.

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RE: I hate misleading advertising/branding...

By PT2006 on 10/4/2006 2:57:36 AM , Rating: 2

Er, in that first sentence it should read:

As I mentioned below, only the "southbridge" is old .

By the way, anyone seen C61 lately? Or is that another ghost product?

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HOLY COW

By medavid16 on 10/4/2006 1:16:01 AM , Rating: 3

are you guys joking? I thought the more informed people read this site....

they changed it to the 680 BECAUSE of the 51 vs 55 MCP, idiots. This is a GOOD and almost required move as to not to confuse enthusiats who actually know the difference and who cares about the difference. It's an important decision on Nvidia's part.

RE: HOLY COW

By friky19 on 10/4/2006 2:04:02 AM , Rating: 2

bingo, the only one that knows why.... the current asus mobo thats been pre-ordered by many enthusiast is actually the same, it uses the same damn c19 chip instead of the forthcoming c55. thanks god i cancelled my order on time

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RE: HOLY COW

By DJMiggy on 10/4/2006 2:25:04 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
they changed it to the 680 BECAUSE of the 51 vs 55 MCP, idiots.

I love when people call each other names....

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RE: HOLY COW

By sxr7171 on 10/4/2006 7:01:25 PM , Rating: 3

I like it even better when they point out the truth.

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Horrible article. Most misleading

By fzkl on 10/4/06, Rating: 0

RE: Horrible article. Most misleading

By PT2006 on 10/4/2006 2:51:43 AM , Rating: 3

Actually, no.

The C55 for Intel is the same as the C51, it's jsut that the memory controller portion of C51 is disabled. Regardless though, I didn't even see that comment mentioned unless dailytech changed it within the last couple minutes.

quote:
650 sli = c55 + MCP51. 680 sli = c55+MCP55, i think.

Yes, kinda. nVIDIA calls C55 "nForce 680 SPP" and MCP55 "nForce 590 MCP" The sick thing is MCP55 can be used as a northbridge too (oh, but don't tell nVIDIA, they surely do not sell northbridges and southbridges, only two chip solutions!).

650 is, of course, "nForce 650i" and MCP51 "nForce 430"

Oh and nForce 650i/nForce 680i are identical in case anyone is wondering.

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RE: Horrible article. Most misleading

By fzkl on 10/4/2006 3:37:33 AM , Rating: 1

quote:
The C55 for Intel is the same as the C51, it's jsut that the memory controller portion of C51 is disabled. Regardless though,

That doesn't make sense. C51 is quite an old chip. Been there since Nforce 4 SLI x16. If it was merely a matter of enabling the memory controller to call it a C55, why didn't they release the chip earlier? They didn't even need a C19 which released about the same time as the C51.

And yes, the comment was changed in the last couple of minutes.

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RE: Horrible article. Most misleading

By PT2006 on 10/4/2006 4:12:31 AM , Rating: 3

C19 and C51 are the same chip sans memory controller on the C51. The C55 is C19 with tweaks to the controller.

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Fixing a confusion?

By BillyBatson on 10/4/2006 12:57:32 AM , Rating: 2

I actually see this as both a smart move but misleading at the same time. If it is a slight update they might have fixed whatever problems they were having and/or optimised the chipset better for use with intel chips? Even better reason i think is to differentiate this product line from its AMD counterpart.
When Nvidia first started work on an intel chipset rumors were that AMD parts would be named nForce 4 while intel parts would be named nForce 5. If that were the case the assumption was that all intel parts would be off from there on out (ie. 5, 7, 9) and AMD parts even (4, 6, 8)
With this move i think it would almost be safe to say that there won't be future amd parts dubbed nForce 6xx unless it too gets an "update" in close proximity to the intel change.

RE: Fixing a confusion?

By B166ER on 10/4/2006 1:42:32 AM , Rating: 2

But isnt there a 550/70/90 chipset for AMD? And this was out out before the Intel version came to fruition, so that would mean that the idea if and odd/even naming convention wouldnt exactly apply. Im all for a different proc naming convention, I could only imagine how many kids with a few bucks in their pocket that would buy an nVidia board, only to find out it was for Intel instead of AMD. Hopefully nVidia will see this as a way to market the boards with less confusion.

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RE: Fixing a confusion?

By BillyBatson on 10/4/2006 2:10:45 AM , Rating: 2

you are correct however i was talking about back when nforce 4 was not out yet and right after its release and talks about the intel counterpart of 4. At that point it could have applied but it never happened obviously. Would have been a good rumor to have come true lol

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Not to be a anal, but...

By bplewis24 on 10/4/2006 1:07:03 AM , Rating: 1

quote:
...per say...

...it's "per se."

Brandon

RE: Not to be a anal, but...

By DigitalFreak on 10/4/2006 8:56:16 AM , Rating: 3

quote:
...it's "per se."

pu say

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RE: Not to be a anal, but...

By bohhad on 10/6/2006 9:02:22 AM , Rating: 2

and it would be "Not to be anal" or "Not to be an anal something..."

"a anal" is wrong

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proper mobo anyone?

By Pirks on 10/4/2006 4:45:45 AM , Rating: 2

has anyone ever heard of a mobo with only PCIe x16 slot(s) and NO PCIe x1/x4 slots? I want a mobo with 1 or 2 PCIe slot(s) and 5 PCI slots. Basically exactly like any AGP ATX mobo but with AGP replaced with PCIe x16. I'm dreaming, right? sigh... :-((

RE: proper mobo anyone?

By Myrandex on 10/4/2006 9:03:10 AM , Rating: 2

Not too common, but I don't know why you define it as "proper". There are many mobos out there iwth 1 PCI x16, 1 or 2 PCIe 1x, and 4 PCI. Asus M2v, Biostar Tforce 550, Biostar Tforce4 AM2, MSI K8N Neo 4-F, MSI RX480 Neo 2-F, and the Biostar NF4 4x-A7 are all examples. I don't know how you would fill 5 PCI slots, and it is good to have room for the future. I have 2 8X PCIe, 1 1x PCIe, and 1 PCI and I am running pretty good with PCI sound, PCIe TV Tuner, and 1 video card with the SLI upgrade in the future, and using the onboard SATA300 NV controller for the hard drives, so 5 PCI slots sound kind of rediculous; definitely not "proper"

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RE: proper mobo anyone?

By Pirks on 10/4/06, Rating: 0

By Pirks on 10/4/2006 12:18:46 PM , Rating: 0

hahaha - so you call all the standard ATX form factor mobos with 5 PCI slots ridiculous? so almost every ATX AGP mobo is ridiculous, huh? how about my setup - 3 PCI cards right now, and where do I put them in a new shiny PCIe mobo with 3 PCI slots only (everything else besides video slots being useless PCIe x1/x4 slots)? in those 3 PCI slots? okay, here we go - SUDDENLY I HAVE NO FREAKIN EXPANSION SLOTS ANYMORE! what should I do - replace $2 PCI network card with $50 PCIe x1 network card? well, thank you - this is the reason for calling it proper, alright? the reason is - I don't want to pay 20x the price for scarce PCIe x1 cards when there are zillions of cheap PCI cards around. all video cards are PCIe AND THAT'S IT! no other expansion for PCIe, just a few overpriced NICs - NOW _THIS_ _IS_ _RIDICULOUS_ - buying a mobo where all my expansion slots are taken (all three PCI slots) and there's just two holes where I can plug NOTHING!

okay, there are 4 PCI slot mobos with PCIe, so it's not that bad, but buying a mobo with two absolutely useless PCIe x1 slots - that's an excercise for clowns, you can enjoy it - I know what IS REALLY ridiculous and what is not, thank you ;)

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RE: proper mobo anyone?

By Lord Evermore on 10/10/2006 8:51:11 PM , Rating: 2

So you are saying you don't actually need it, you're just looking towards future upgrades, yet not considering that by the time you need to add another card, there may well be cheap PCIe cards?

This is a transition period for the expansion card connections. Same thing happened years ago when PCI began to be used and ISA was slowly phased out. People complained that they couldn't find mainboards with enough ISA slots but they still had very good ISA cards that they considered to perform as well as or better than any PCI cards they could find, or there weren't comparable PCI cards at all or for reasonable prices. If I recall correctly, PCI is actually putting up a better fight than ISA in staying alive. Once the Pentium hit its stride ISA was virtually wiped out and you'd be lucky to find a board with one ISA slot. (They also were much more convenient to use than current boards, what with all the dual-slot coolers and multiple video cards blocking off all the slots.)

As you pointed out, there are solutions which would cover your needs. There just isn't enough of a market anymore for boards like you want; so very much is integrated in the chipsets or with mainboard mounted add-ins that lots of people don't need many slots at all, and those that are looking at expansion options are fine with having a couple of slots that they could put current PCI cards in, and having some slots to put future higher-performance PCIe cards in. Mainboard makers can't afford to design boards that aren't going to sell in large numbers, unless it's a high-end, high-priced board. There will eventually be a time when most boards have no PCI slots and you'll be fighting to find one of the 2 or 3 that still have a maybe one slot.

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When is anandtech actually going to do a review on these?

By Staples on 10/4/2006 5:08:31 PM , Rating: 2

So far, anandtech has only reviewed the Core 2 Duo running on an 875 chipset. I'd like to know how the nvidia chipset performs.

Edit: I believe they reviewed a cheap VIA chipset too that runs on DDR1 but no sign of nvidia 5xx chipset.

RE: When is anandtech actually going to do a review on these?

By Anh Huynh on 10/4/2006 8:27:52 PM , Rating: 2

They did a review on the nF590 Intel Edition
http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?...

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RE: When is anandtech actually going to do a review on these?

By Staples on 10/5/2006 11:59:14 AM , Rating: 2

Good find.

I looked up the Asus P5WD2-E (the other board tested) and it runs an 875 chipset. The author just puts the name of the board and never labels what chipset it uses. Hell, I always just assumed it was another nvidia590. Guess not.

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time to upgrade

By AzureKevin on 10/4/2006 3:10:25 AM , Rating: 2

This is going to be the chipset to get when I upgrade to a decent Conroe board (I'm running a ASRock Dual-VSTA 775 for the AGP and DDR1 support). I'm thinking about building an mATX machine though. Maybe one of the motherboard companies will make an mATX mobo with this chipset? I can hope.

RE: time to upgrade

By bob661 on 10/4/2006 9:53:21 AM , Rating: 2

quote:
This is going to be the chipset to get when I upgrade to a decent Conroe board

This is what I'm waiting for.

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By Scabies on 10/4/2006 12:31:50 AM , Rating: 2

Daaaaamn, the 500 series is what, five, seven months old?
tsk tsk...

ok......

By albundee on 10/4/2006 12:33:19 AM , Rating: 2

so now where are the conroe mobo's with this chipset!? ppl are waiting

Where?

By deeznuts on 10/4/2006 1:08:10 PM , Rating: 2

Well when the hell do they come out? Months if this is just announced?

"Paying an extra $500 for a computer in this environment -- same piece of hardware -- paying $500 more to get a logo on it? I think that's a more challenging proposition for the average person than it used to be." -- Steve Ballmer