If you want to combine one of Intel's swanky new 45nm processors with an SLI multi-GPU graphics configuration, there's a problem. You see, while nForce 600-series chipsets are compatible with Intel's latest Penryn-based CPUs, current motherboard implementations are not. The incompatibility runs deeper than what can be addressed with a simple BIOS update, as well—a board-level circuit change is required.

Motherboard makers could respin their nForce 600-series designs with the necessary changes, but the nForce 600 series is more than a year old now, so it's due for a refresh anyway. That refresh comes in the form of the nForce 700 series, led by the flagship nForce 780i SLI.

In many ways, the nForce 700 series is identical to the 600 series that preceded it. However, Nvidia has added a few new wrinkles to the equation, including support for second-generation PCI Express, three-way SLI configurations, and its proposed Enthusiast System Architecture. There's a new reference motherboard design for the nForce 780i SLI, too—one that will work with Intel's upcoming 45nm processors.

So what's actually new in this nForce 700 series and the 780i reference board design? More importantly, is this refresh enough to keep the nForce 780i SLI competitive with Intel's recently released X38 Express chipset? Keep reading to find out.

We were prepared to be underwhelmed by the nForce 780i SLI, but in all honesty we're actually impressed that it isn't simply an NF200 taped onto an nForce 680i SLI board – the nForce 780i SLI reference design looks far better than before and internally things have been re-jigged for the better. The BIOS has been improved a bit too and the new nTune looks frikkin awesome, on the proviso that it actually arrives at some point!

Overall, the nForce 780i SLI isn't a new chipset launch so much but rather a nip-tuck and facelift to the nForce 680i SLI, giving it a new lease of youthfulness to an ageing chipset. Thankfully this time around we should see some variety between the reference boards and custom versions from our favourite motherboard vendors, without having to pay through the nose for them. Although, having said that, as much as I want the new Asus Striker Extreme II, I also expect it to be significantly more expensive than the competition.

In comparison to the nForce 780i SLI, Nvidia hasn't really bothered to try with the nForce 750i SLI. The core technology is so far over the hill, it might as well make its goodbyes to the family before taking it outback to be put down. The whole "no Intel 45nm CPUs on 6-series chipsets" is a problem of convenience to Nvidia, where otherwise there would be absolutely no reason to buy an nForce 750i SLI over a current 650i SLI (that likely has a very mature BIOS after a year in the market).

It has no EPP, no ESA and, from what we understand, there's no System Monitor support either. As far as we know, it's not even been respun using a smaller manufacturing node in order to make it cooler and smaller, therefore making it cheaper for all parties involved. Throwing on an NF200 is a cheap trick to make it look new while only actually making it another chip (which motherboard manufacturers have to cool) for just a one to two percent performance increase, according to Nvidia itself.

It looks like the nForce 780i SLI is likely to become a hit for Nvidia, but the nForce 750i SLI is shaping up to be a boring miss.