Socket AM2 chipsets collide - ATI SB600 and NVIDIA nForce 590 SLI

AMD’s latest Athlon 64 processors use a new socket and DDR2 memory, essentially requiring a motherboard upgrade. ATI and NVIDIA are rolling out new core logic to accompany AMD’s Socket AM2.

In the green corner, NVIDIA is launching a top-to-bottom line of nForce 500 series chipsets, including the high-end nForce 590 SLI. ATI, on the other hand, is finally taking the wraps off its long-awaited SB600 south bridge. That chip is paired with the established CrossFire Xpress 3200 north bridge for high-end multi-GPU platforms.

Although their performance is largely equivalent, the CrossFire Xpress 3200 AM2 and nForce 590 SLI really couldn’t be more different. ATI’s chipset is a rather simple affair, with a solid spec but few frills or extras, while NVIDIA’s latest nForce is jam-packed with peripherals and additional features, some of which are more gimmicky than others. Fortunately, both are easy to recommend, but for different reasons…

The Tech Report