NVIDIA is getting ready to launch a cheaper version of the nForce 680i SLI chipset sometime this month named

. The main differences between the 680i and the 680i LT will be that the 680i LT will support FSB1333 RAM, have 8 instead of 10 USB 2.0 ports, and will have 1 GigaByte Ethernet instead of two. Additionally, the 680i LT will probably be cooled by a traditional active solution instead of a heat-pipe array. The new chipset is meant to target hard-core gamers offering more affordability in comparison to other chipsets in the nForce 600 series.

NVIDIA is preparing to launch a cheaper version of their nForce 680i SLI chipset next month at CeBIT and the chipset samples will be ready by end of this month as VR-Zone has learned. DailyTech has reported earlier, this chipset support Core 2 Duo/Quad, FSB1333, DDR2-800 instead of DDR2-1200, 8 USB 2.0 ports instead of 10, 1 GbE instead of 2. VR-Zone learned that LinkBoost is removed from 680i LT and NVIDIA won't be too emphasizing on the overclockability of the 680i LT since they have learned a lesson from the huge FSB OC variations on the 680i. Also nForce 680i LT reference board will not have heat-pipes but just normal active cooling but the layout of the board is pretty similar.