Why different chipsets? What makes one different or better than another?

From what I know, a chipset is a combination of "smaller" processors and combination of connections for things like the processor to Northbridge, RAM, GPU, PCI etc.

What confuses me, is why are there so many options?? Wouldn't all brands of motherboards know the best combination, and so they would all use the same one, or at the very most, just a couple variations? Why are there so many combinations? What does each one do different or better than the other? And why is there a group of nVidia chipsets, what do they do?

Here from the Gigabyte site, there are so many options http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products...List.aspx?VenderType=Intel&CPUType=socket+775

And from Intel http://ca.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3&l2=11

For what it's worth, I'm considering a Quad Core (LGA775), and people keep saying the P45 chipset is popular and good.

 

Is this a desktop question or a notebook one?

You seem to have pointed your link to Gigabye's desktop boards, so I assume desktop. So you need to head over to desktopreview.com

Just to answer you're question quickly:

There are many chipsets on that page simply because it lists ALL of Gigabyte's motherboard offerings from really dated to the most recent platforms. There's also many manufacturers that build chipset architecture for different markets; budget, low, mid, performance, server, gaming, enthusisast etc ,to name a few companies that have built chipsets: Intel, Nvidia, AMD & Ati, VIA, Alladdin, etc and so forth.

 

to differentiate the market. low-end, mid-range, highend. everyone have different needs you know.

 

Because computer nerds want to go on the quest of finding the best combo of components and each company thinks they offer the best.

 

Ok that's what I'm getting at tho, what are the different needs? Does one chipset prioritize RAM vs PCI etc?

What I want to know is what is different from each chipset option to the next?

 

Making money and appealing to the largest public? I mean, everyone could easily decide that the best combo is a core i7 with 2 HD4870x2 in Crossfire with 8Gb of RAM on a certain chipset motherboard, but then you'd cut down the diversity no? Variety is key and not every consumer needs the same thing.

You can ask yourself the same question about desktop GPUs. Why are there 50 versions of the same GPU by 50 different companies?

 

Thanks for the replies, and yes I somewhatunderstand the business aspect, but what I'd like to know is, TECHNICALLY what is different?

Example; what is the difference then between the X38 and P45 chipsets? Best yet, where can I find information on what differentiates one chipset from the next?

 

http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/linecard.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_NVIDIA_chipsets

there you go

 

Awesome, thanks for that!

So I guess then that if I wanted to run SLI, I would need a nVidia chipset? So it's safe to say that all the nVidia chipsets are gaming/graphic orientated?

 

that would be correct

 

About those links to different motherboard chipsets from gigabyte and intel.

All i need to say is that those gigabyte boards uses the intel chipset on all those motherboards you've linked too. JFYI.