Final Thoughts

Finally we have seen nVidia's nForce 680i chipset pushed to its limits by a motherboard that managed to get the best results we have seen from not only any nForce 680i product that has crossed our labs but any motherboard, period.

We don't expect it to be the final speed obtainable from this chip but it's a very good start, especially with 1333Mhz FSB processors coming out and faster DDR-2 and DDR-3 memory we can only hope that more speed is available from this already powerful chipset.

Gigabyte's implementation of their N680SLI-DQ6 in one word is spectacular! Its feature packed design with high overclocking potential makes it definitely a motherboard take into serious consideration. The only down side is the price coming in at around $470 AUD (or roughly $383 USD) in Australia but it's still cheaper than other high-end versions from other vendors such as the ASUS Striker Extreme. All 680i motherboards carry a heavy price tag and that's why nForce 680i LT was introduced to give us speed with a price break, but if you want the very best, you will have to pay for it.

Overall we have no problem whatsoever recommending Gigabyte's N680SLI-DQ6 motherboard to anyone and even the most disconcerting enthusiasts around.

- Pros

Best 680i performance so far

Overclocking to the max - record breaker hitting 520MHz FSB

All solid capacitor design for durability and long life

Rear of the board cooled by heat pipe

8 channel High Definition audio with Dolby Digital and DTS support

Supports all LGA775 series of CPU

SLI graphics with third graphics card slot

Four extra SATA ports and e.SATA

Four LAN ports

- Cons

Expensive

- Latest Pricing

Rating - 9.5 out of 10 and TweakTown's "MUST HAVE" Editor's Choice Award!