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DFI Infinity NF650i "Dark" Motherboard Review
Author: Dennis Garcia
Published: Thursday, July 12, 2007
Introduction
It would seem the whole multi GPU trend has started to come full circle, while there is still a lot of enthusiast chatter over the benefits of multi GPU gaming you almost forget that you can still do some respectable gaming on a single video card. The trouble is most enthusiast motherboards are designed for multi GPU configurations with no real alternative. DFI has provided an alternative specially designed for the enthusiast and gamer that doesn't require a all out motherboard solution.
In this review we will be looking at the DFI Infinity NF650i "Dark". We were fortunate enough to see this board in action at Computex this year and are very excited to have it on our test bench.
This motherboard is based on the nVidia 650i Ultra chipset which is designed as a main stream alternative to the higher-end 680i. For example the 600 Intel Series chipset comes in 4 basic formats, nForce 680i SLI, nForce 680i LT (found in the LAN Party 680i motherboard), nForce 650i SLI (similar to the first generation of SLI chipsets), and the nForce 650i Ultra. While the Ultra might be at the bottom of the list it still contains all of the basic features found in the 600 Series with the exception of only supporting a single GPU.
Truth be told this is the first single video card motherboard we have reviewed in a very long time and we suspect this will not be the last. Even though mult GPU systems will become more prevalent in the future the average user and enthusiast may want to repurpose their money towards things other than a super high-end motherboard.
In this review we will be looking at the DFI Infinity NF650i "Dark". We were fortunate enough to see this board in action at Computex this year and are very excited to have it on our test bench.
This motherboard is based on the nVidia 650i Ultra chipset which is designed as a main stream alternative to the higher-end 680i. For example the 600 Intel Series chipset comes in 4 basic formats, nForce 680i SLI, nForce 680i LT (found in the LAN Party 680i motherboard), nForce 650i SLI (similar to the first generation of SLI chipsets), and the nForce 650i Ultra. While the Ultra might be at the bottom of the list it still contains all of the basic features found in the 600 Series with the exception of only supporting a single GPU.
Truth be told this is the first single video card motherboard we have reviewed in a very long time and we suspect this will not be the last. Even though mult GPU systems will become more prevalent in the future the average user and enthusiast may want to repurpose their money towards things other than a super high-end motherboard.
The board photos show how the "Dark" series got its name and while the LAN Party boards share the same basic PCB color they lack the UV expansion slots. The entire package also reflects a "gothic" feel from the black PCB to the silver and black documentation.
All we need now is a few hot gothic chicks to endorse the series.
All we need now is a few hot gothic chicks to endorse the series.
DFI has always been very good with labeling their motherboards, for instance we reviewed the UT915P-T12 a few years ago that featured a large LanParty logo silk-screened on the back. Sadly this was the only board having this feature; it would seem that most gamers don't have translucent cases anymore. The Infinity NF650i features the Infinity logo and some Chinese characters that we can only assume say the same thing.
If anyone can help to confirm this please drop us a line.
If anyone can help to confirm this please drop us a line.
