P45 Chipset - SLI?

[vaio-fx]

Recently my motherboard broke so I need a replacement. I have found some good ones on Scan.co.uk, I'm sure I want to go for one of the P45 models. However each P45 has a tick to say it supports Crossfire but a cross to say it does not support SLI. If it supports crossfire and has two PCI-E x16's why cant it do SLI too? Is this a chipset limitation? Also is the nVidia GeForce 8800GTS G92 512MB PCI-E x16 2.0 capable, I know the socket is backwards compatible but I was wondering if my 8800GTS is 2.0 "ready" will it perform better, a bit like going from agp 2x or 4x to 8x. Thanks for any replies.

 

[freestyler105]

Because nVidia realizes that if they let other motherboard chipset makers support SLI, there would be no reason to ever buy nVidia chipsets. Intel chipsets are almost always way better.

I'm pretty sure the G92 is PCIe 2.0.

 

[vaio-fx]

Ok thanks, I have a budget of around £80 to spend on this and I would really like to have a motherboard that supports SLI, has two or more usuable PCI sockets (I have a sound blaster and wifi card and the graphics card is dual slot so will make some unusuable) and I'd like it to support atleast 8GB of ram to future proof it. Has anyone got any suggestions, thanks in advance.

EDIT: My CPU is 45NM and it needs to support that too.

 

[freestyler105]

I'm guessing you're in the UK?

In that price range, you'll probably have to go for a 680i chipset. Look at this one:
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/126437

 

[vaio-fx]

Thanks, that looks great! its saving me money too and yeah I am in UK.

 

[whistler79]

G92 cores are pci-e 2.0 i believe, and seriously whats up with the competition lines these days... nvidia makes chipsets that support amd who owns ati, and intel makes chipsets to support ati who is owned by amd, intel needs to buy nvidia and kick amd and ati ass!