Conclusions
The GeForce 8300 brings Nvidia into the next generation of integrated graphics in style, with a unique single-chip solution that squeezes graphics and core logic onto a single piece of silicon. This consolidation hasn't forced Nvidia to skimp on features, either, with the 8300 delivering a competent DirectX 10-class graphics core, effective Blu-ray decode capabilities, PCI Express 2.0, and a slew of integrated peripherals. However, as slick as the single-chip implementation may be from a design standpoint, the number of chips has little bearing on performance or the end user experience. If the GeForce 8300 is to unseat the incumbant 780G, it will have to impress elsewhere.

And it does, sometimes. The GeForce 8300's USB performance is excellent and its disk controller works properly, which is more than can be said of the 780G. We like the integrated Gigabit Ethernet, too, if only because it should prevent motherboard makers from skimping in the networking department. That's about it for highlights, though.

Sure, the GeForce offers decent gaming performance and effective Blu-ray playback acceleration. But the 780G is better on both fronts, and its power consumption appears to be lower. As our WorldBench results illustrate, the two chipsets offer identical performance with common desktop applications, too. There isn't much for Nvidia to hang its hat on this time around, then.

As for the Zotac motherboard we used for testing, it, too, has issues. The BIOS definitely needs work, both to improve tweaking and overclocking options and to add the necessary hooks to improve compatibility with Nvidia's System Utility software. The board could use eSATA connectivity, too, and an audio codec that supports Dolby Digital Live or DTS encoding. The GeForce 8300 is primed for home theater applications, after all, and motherboard makers should be mindful of what's important to that market. Zotac expects its GeForce 8300 board to arrive in July and sell between $85 and $90, which will put it up against better-equipped 780G boards like Gigabyte's GA-MA780GM-S2H.

I suppose the GeForce 8300 would have an easier time were it not facing such formidable competition from AMD's 780G. The 8300 is undoubtedly a fine chipset, and one I'd be happy to have sitting at the heart of a home theater PC. But it's not quite as good as the 780G.