Hardware Lab Update: Nvidia nForce 680i SLI

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2007/08/12/refreshing_the_nforce_680i_sli/1

The latest P30 BIOS for Nvidia's nForce 680i SLI chipset claims to offer a whole host of performance and overclocking improvements, so does it give a new lease of life to an ageing chipset?

 

An ageing chipset? With all the teething problems this board has had to get its foot in the door i'm surprised the uptake has been as strong as it is, with the 975/65 Granddad still making noise it seems to be you have to gamble reliability for enthusiast features. The good thing about reference design boards is the frequency of bios/driver updates, you know it will be sorted soon if you happen to be an early adopter. All said and done, i think it's about time for my P5W-DH deluxe to retire in favour of a less Ageing 680...

 

How does its overclocking performance compare to P35 on the newer BIOS?

 

That is a disappointing bios "upgrade." I wouldn't be surprised if they just loosened the chipset's internal timings. When I read the description, I was hoping that they had added GTL adjustments, but this bios is just a way to inflate their mhz numbers to make ppl think 680i is a better overclocker than P35, even though performance is now worse A custom bios is a way better option.

 

Hard to belive, but true. How can this happen? specially considering that nV has such a huge user base? so asus (as an example) that sells 2 680i mobos does it better than nV that has ALL XFX, eVGA, BFG etc mobos! ODD!

 

The P35 is still young and we haven't heard of any "special" BIOS' yet, however the Asus Blitz series look good and we've just asked for a DFI LANParty P35 too

 

Is there any difference with this update to the standard packaged bios im running?
Oh, how difficult is it to update a bios?

Thanks

Sam

 

Is that proven to work and make-up for the slight drop in performance?

 

Nvidia says it isn't, that's why the dropped it and the XFX didn't have it when I reviewed it here but it might offer some explanation to the performance difference.

Sam: boot your board, on POST check the P number at the top: that's your BIOS version. Updating should be as easy as any other board.

 

Well I have the very first generation board from eVGA (when they boards had the data corruption problems), switching to Quad eventually but the minor performance drop doesn't really seem worth "upgrading" (if you can call it that considering it's mostly a down-grade) only to have slightly better overclocking ability.

 

Depends how old your BIOS is I suppose. It's only a minor performance drop but the overclockability is far greater as well as CPU recognition for correct voltages etc.

 

So it's worth it? I only have an E6300 for now, waiting on the Q6600 to drop to it's intended price

 

If you're upgrading to a quad-core, I'd drop the new BIOS on personally (especially if you're looking for better OCing).

 

hmmm and then it could get lost in postage and end up at my house

 

Thats what i have, i did'nt update when those problems were apparent, either im running on a time bomb bios, or im extremly lucky, i don't know.
Anyone got a link to the EVGA bios update at all?
If i update it, will it affect my raid setup? One reason why i have not updated.

Thanks for any info.

Sam

 

Um, it shouldn't affect the RAID setup and if it does you should be able to go back in and re-initialise it.

NB: Should

 

nice board,.. and for this one watercooler for BOTH pwms allready exsitst

alu+plexi
http://www.garageworks.de/bilder/hwluxx/kuehler.jpg

delrin + cu
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/3196/imag0066xn4.jpg

 

hi there.. nice wb , can you tell me where i can buy then?
send pm if you need

 

here are some more pictures of the new revision :

Delrin / Cu





Andreoid