VIA Redesigns Pentium 4-Supporting Chipsets Roadmap

by Anton Shilov
04/21/2003 | 01:30 AM

VIA Technologies changed it chipset plans after it had settled the legal dispute with Intel. Unlike in most of the cases VIA changes its roadmaps, not only the name and time of availability were updated, but also the list of features and capabilities of the future core-logic sets.

The Inquirer reported that apparently, the whole family of chipsets will carry Px8x0 brand-name, no more 400 or 600-sereies at all. Basically speaking, this is not just a change of branding-strategy, but a complete reconsideration of the whole core-logic plans. Firstly, VIA added support for 800MHz Quad Pumped Bus into all its chipsets. Let’s hope that it added support for Prescott processors as well. Secondly, VIA revealed Px890 chipsets that are set to come at this time next year. Although Intel launches its Grantsdale chipset with LGA775 socket support in the second quarter next year, no idea if VIA’s products also support those new CPUs or not.

Two soon-to-be-released core-logic are PT800 and PM800. There are no really special features, both chipsets will basically compete with Intel’s 845GE and 845PE series.

• PT800 – 400/533/800MHz Quad Pumped Bus; single-channel PC2100/PC2700/PC3200 DDR SDRAM memory; VT8235 or VT8237 I/O controllers;

• PM800- 400/533/800MHz Quad Pumped Bus; single-channel PC2100/PC2700/PC3200 DDR SDRAM memory; Integrated UniChrome graphics core; VT8235 or VT8237 I/O controllers;

More advanced chipsets with QBM memory and dual-channel DDR support will come reportedly in the second half this year. The series will compete with Intel’s 865 family of core-logic:

• PT880 - 400/533/800MHz Quad Pumped Bus; dual-channel PC2100/PC2700/PC3200 DDR SDRAM memory; dual-channel QBM DRAM 533MHz support (up to 8.5GB/s); VT8237 South-Bridge;

• PM880 - 400/533/800MHz Quad Pumped Bus; dual-channel PC2100/PC2700/PC3200 DDR SDRAM memory; dual-channel QBM DRAM 533MHz support (up to 8.5GB/s); Integrated UniChrome graphics core; VT8237; VT8237 South-Bridge; Sampling: Q3 2003.

PT890 and PM890 chipsets will emerge at this time next year. Their key-features of this chipset lineup are DDR-II SDRAM and PCI Express support.

• PT890 – 400/533/800MHz Quad Pumped Bus; PC2100/PC2700/PC3200 DDR SDRAM memory; PC3200/PC4200/PC5300 (400/533/667MHz) DDR-II SDRAM support; QBM support expected; PCI Express support; Sampling: Q1 2004;

• PM890 – 400/533/800MHz Quad Pumped Bus; PC2100/PC2700/PC3200 DDR SDRAM memory; PC3200/PC4200/PC5300 (400/533/667MHz) DDR-II SDRAM support; QBM support expected; PCI Express support; Integrated UniChrome graphics core; Sampling: Q1 2004;

As you probably know, VIA reconsiders its plans quite often, so, eventually it may update its Px890 series with more advanced graphics core since UniChrome that derives from the Savage XP (never released DirectX 7 chip) may seem a bit outdated solution for the year 2004.