Nvidia's MCP73 could be hardly seen as a threat for the Intel-3 series, so the GPU manufacturer has decided to launch IGP-enabled versions of its MCP7A and MCP7C chipset series for the Intel platform in April and August, respectively.

This will allow the company to position the MCP7A chipset as a true competitor for Intel's upcoming G45 chipset. According to some motherboard manufacturers, the MCP7A to be launched April will come in two IGP versions, the MCP7A-U and MCP7A-S, and they will both support Intel's 1333MHz FSB, DirectX 10, HDMI, DVI, HDCP, and PureVideo HD, as well as a dual-channel memory controller and support for hybrid SLI.

The announced Free-On-Board (FOB) prices for the motherboards built with the MCP7A-U will vary around $80, but those featuring the MCP7A-S chipset will cost slightly less (about $70-75 per unit). The CP7C chipset will start shipping in August, and will basically be a stripped down version of the MCP7A. It will come with the same 1.333 GHz FSB, DirectX 10, HDMI, DVI, HDCP and PureVideo HD, but will come with a single-channel memory controller, like the MCP73, just like the MCP73.

Another chipset in the series will be the MCP7A-H. Unlike the other Nvidia releases, this one will not sport integrated graphics. However, the chipset will have a single-channel memory controller for DDR2 800MHz memory and full-fledged support for 1333MHz FSB processors.

Nvidia has also demonstrated its Hybrid SLI technology during this year's Consumer Electronics Show. Hybrid SLI allows Nvidia motherboard GPUs to pair with the existing discrete Nvidia GPUs on the same PC platform. The new technology will allow the PC to deliver graphics performance for today's applications and games when 3D graphics horsepower is required, or transition to a lower-powered operating state when not, according to Nvidia.