VIA Technologies may start production of its next-generation core-logic – VIA PT890 – as early as by late January 2004, according to a report from DigiTimes, Taiwan. If the story is correct, the former No.1 chipset company may outrun Intel in delivering the first ever PCI Express and DDR-II supporting product into the market.

The PT890 chipset supporting 400, 533 and 800MHz Quad Pumped Bus will be VIA’s main warrior for performance chipset market in the first half of the year. It will sport dual-channel DDR or DDR-II memory at the speeds of up to 400MHz and 667MHz in that order with or without ECC support, PCI Express x16 (PEG x16) for new graphics cards and Ultra V-Link bus to connect with VIA VT8237 or VT8239 South Bridges.

PT890 will support 478-pin and LGA775 Intel microprocessors.

Sampling of the VIA PT890 chipset was originally expected to begin in January 2004; by now some mainboard companies have already received engineering samples of the PT890. By the end of the month a number of mainboard companies are projected to finalize the design of their products based on VIA’s new core-logic. Provided that the chipset and products on its base work stably and in-line with expectations concerning performance, mainboard makers will theoretically be in a position to start shipping PT890-based devices as soon as VIA supplies enough new North Bridge silicon to its partners.

According to sources close to VIA Technologies, the company will ship PT890 in volume in early Q2 2004. Other claims suggest that Intel may start shipping its Alderwood and Grantsdale series of chipsets in the same timeframe.

VIA and Intel officials did not comment.