X-bit labs

AMD Preps Integrated DirectX 10 Platform for Early 2008.

Category: Chipsets

by Anton Shilov

[ 10/16/2007 | 05:04 PM ]

Advanced Micro Devices plans to update its family of chipsets with built-in DirectX 10-compliant graphics cores in January, 2008, sources with knowledge of the matter revealed. The new products will help AMD to offer more competitive platforms, but the company will still have offer somewhat outdated integrated graphics solutions during holiday season.

As reported earlier this year, the new family of chipset solutions for cost-effective computers from AMD will feature two product families: AMD 740G and AMD 780G. The launch of both new integrated core-logic offerings will be aligned and is currently scheduled for January, ahead of Chinese New Year on February 7, 2008, though, the exact launch schedule for AMD 740G may be altered.

AMD 780G-series core-logic will feature HyperTransport 3.0 bus for CPUs, PCI Express 2.0 x16 and x1 for add-on cards and DirectX 10-compliant graphics core with universal video decoder (UVD) engine as well as D-Sub, DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort outputs. Additionally, AMD 780G chipsets will support Hybrid CrossFire technology, which is designed to reduce power consumption of systems equipped with high-performance graphics cards. AMD 740G core-logic is projected to feature a new DirectX 9.0-compliant graphics core with Avivo engine as well as PCI Express x16 and PCI Express x4 interfaces in the north bridge.

The 790G chipset, along with new quad-, triple- and dual-core AMD Phenom, Athlon or Sempron processors, will be the base for the company’s code-named Cartwheel mainstream platform, which sports a broad set of multimedia, performance and security features to attract attention of different customers.

Mainboard partners of AMD may install both SB600 and SB700 input/output (I/O) controllers on the new AMD 7-series chipsets, however, it is currently expected that the majority will prefer to use more advanced SB700, which production schedule is aligned with AMD 780-seroes chipsets.

Even though AMD managed to bring forward mass production of the code-named RS780 and RS780C chipsets from Q1 2008 into Q4 2007, the company is unlikely to start revenue shipments of the new core-logic products this calendar year. Therefore, companies like Intel Corp. and Nvidia Corp. will be able to be the only chipset developers to formally declare core-logic sets with integrated DX10 graphics cores this year. If Intel already boasts with its Intel G35 core-logic with hardware DirectX 10 graphics core, but without drivers to utilize its capabilities, Nvidia Corp. is projected to release its GeForce-branded chipsets with DX10 graphics adapters later during the year.

AMD did not comment on the news-story.