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Post to SlashdotAfter securing license on Intel’s 800MHz Quad Pumped Bus in April, SiS now quietly launches updated version of its SiS648 core-logic, the pseudo-new SiS648FX with support of faster processor bus for the new CPUs from Intel.
Reportedly, the company launches its newcomer without ordinary PR hype because of numerous reasons. The number one cause of that is Intel, who does not want licensees of its own Quad Pumped Bus to unleash chipsets with new PSBs before Intel itself; that is why ATI Technologies, ALi and VIA Technologies all announce their new chipset products only in June. Furthermore, the SiS648FX chipset actually brings nothing new except the 800MHz Quad Pumped Bus and soon the company plans to reveal a more powerful solution with dual-channel memory support along with 800MHz QPB. All in all, there is almost absolutely no need in massive PR attack for SiS at the moment.
SiS648FX core-logic supports processors with 400, 533 and 800MHz Quad Pumped Bus, and the Hyper-Threading technology, including the forthcoming Prescott CPUs. Just like its predecessor, it boasts with PC3200 DDR SDRAM and AGP 8x features. SiS648FX is paired with SiS963L South Bridge, which provides MuTIOL 1G technology, USB 2.0/1.1, Dual ATA-133/100/66/33 IDE channels, 6-channel AC’97 audio, 10/100Mb/s Ethernet, Home PNA2.0 and so on.
The latest chipset from SiS will hardly be really as fast as dual-channel DDR SDRAM-supporting products and will mostly compete with inexpensive i845 and i865P-based mainboards with 800MHz QPB and single-channel memory support. For those, who want a SiS core-logic and 800MHz QPB chips, I would recommend to wait until the company unveils a successor for its SiS655 chipset.
Asian web-sites already report that ASUS will soon start to deliver its P4S800 mainboard powered by SiS648FX and 963L logic. Basically, there is nothing special in this product, just another lower-end solution supporting Intel Pentium 4 and Celeron processors with 400/533/800MHz PSB, up to 3GB of PC3200 memory, AGP 8x, 10/100Mb/s Ethernet, 6-channel audio and ASUS’ proprietary technologies. The obvious advantage of P4S800 is probably its price that should be lower compared to other products from ASUS.
