Hybrid vs Native Dual X16 SLI: Asus P5N32-E SLI Plus vs Abit IN9 32X-MAX

The NVIDIA 680i based IN9-32X MAX is the only Abit board based on a NVIDIA 600 series chipset that is currently available. However Abit announced in February that they will be producing a NVIDIA 650 based board that will be part of the Fatal1ty series of gamer oriented boards, called the FP-IN9. It will retail for about a third of the price of the IN9-32X MAX.  It's already listed by a couple of european retailers but has yet to reach north america. The IN9-32X MAX is Abit's attempt at an ultra-high end NVIDIA 680i based board and as you'll see it's loaded with features.

Abit IN9 32X-MAX Specifications Abit's New Flagship Board

The IN9 32X-MAX's feature set is fitting for a $320 motherboard. Highlights include both input and output optical S/PDIF ports, dual eSATA with RAID capability, ECC memory support, 100% solid state capacitor design and the onboard uGuru chip. uGuru is a custom microprocessor that, in conjunction with Abit's software utilities, allows the user to modify system settings and monitor system status in real-time from within the operating system. The dedicated uGuru chip allows all of this to be done with zero CPU utilization. The ability to modify and monitor system settings like frequency and voltages in real time greatly simplifies the process of overclocking.

Included with the IN9 32X-MAX is a generous accessory package that includes all the cables you'll likely need. The IDE and FDD cables were also rounded, which is a nice touch that we don't see very often anymore, now that the move to SATA is in full swing and floppy drives have given way to cheap recordable optical media and flash drives. Of particular interest is the included Abit Airpace Wi-Fi card. This little device fits into a PCI-E X1 slot and provides 802.11B/G wireless support. The best part is, it is a dedicated device and can be used with any PCI-E X1 slot. The Airpace unit doesn't require the IN9 32X-MAX to do any of its processing. In fact, it can be bought separately from the IN9 32X-MAX. To make the deal even sweeter, Abit includes software that allows the Airpace unit to act as a software wireless access point.