So...

With the 790FX chipset, you can get a dual socket version or a single socket version. With the dual socket version you can have 3 physical PCI-Express x16 slots, and with the single socket, you can have up to 4...

Now you see why it will be 2, 3 and 4 way.

1 card (with 1 or 2 processors) for Joe Average.
2 cards (with 1 or 2 processors) for Joe Beefy who plays a lot of games
3 cards (with 1 or 2 processors) for A N Other Powerhouse Maniac, esp. with 2 CPU's
4 cards and 1 processor for the guy who likes to play Crysis on 2560x1600 with 32xAA 16xAF, obviously

Interesting, but very very expensive.

I'd like to see what nVidia can do.

One problem with 4 cards is you have no space for anything else in your comp!

They somehow managed to include a x4 slot in with all that, also!
I'm guessing that it will be aimed at those with single slot coolers.

Well it could be possible with double slot coolers, 3 way is, anyway. Problem is it would mean no other PCI cards, and if you have that kind of graphics, you probably want stuff like a XiFi.

It really depends... if I had 4 graphics cards, I wouldn't care about the sound. The Realtek HD Audio intergated chip is very good quality, and I use a 2.1 speaker configuration or surround sound headset.

Well if I had 4 graphics card I'd clearly be wanting the most from everything, sound included.

I wouldn't

Then you're just weird. Surely if you go for the best in one thing, you would want the best in everything!

No, just the best in one thing. The on-board sound is excellent anyway, plus I only use 2.1. Have never been tempted in to big surround sound sets. Does very little for me. The Realtek chip is fantastic for gaming, and supports 7.1.

Well from what I've heard, the XiFi is significantly better than onboard audio, lol. I think you can get mobos with onboard creative chips, though... hmm.

Anyway, my point stands that specialising in one point of a computer is pointless, sound might have been a bad example, but other stuff would work well in those slots.

This is the only mobo to have this chipset as yet...

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/03/17 ... ixellated/

You are going to need a big four min 12V Rail Psu for quad cards. Imagine they will drink a lot of juice. It will also sound like a hoover. Anyway this link content shows a high res. Never knew they went that high!

http://www.overclock3d.net/news.php?/gp ... 0_series/1

Looks quite tasty to me.

Edit
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showprodu ... subcat=946

I disagree; I find myself wanting nothing more in my spare slots than high end graphics cards.
Also, Creative chips just don't work with Vista. OK they do, but if you're after drivers/support or advanced features then you can forget it. They frequently bluescreen Vista. Also, there's no need for a sound card in my system as the sound quality is incredible as it is. Sure beats the HiFi set we got downstairs.

Well I'd heard it was planned. I mean they'd done it with other chips, why not the XiFi.

As for the graphics thing, well I can see your points, Aaron, but personally I see it as kinda pointless if you have 4 graphics cards and nothing else. PhysX and XiFi would be good in those slots for me.

Well, at the moment, I have 1 graphics card and nothing else...

I want nothing more than graphics cards right now.

Edit: and a power supply.

Well that's simply because you are just a framerate whore! xP