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Chipsets A Breakdown of the Evolution, Types and Functions of the Boss of the Motherboard

Chipsets A Breakdown of the Evolution, Types and Functions of the Boss of the Motherboard. By: Adrian Romano Andrew Kennedy Pat Robertson. Introduction. What is a chipset? The chipset is what defines the motherboard’s capabilities. Defines the entire system’s capabilities

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Chipsets A Breakdown of the Evolution, Types and Functions of the Boss of the Motherboard

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  1. Chipsets A Breakdown of the Evolution, Types and Functions of the Boss of the Motherboard By: Adrian Romano Andrew Kennedy Pat Robertson

  2. Introduction • What is a chipset? • The chipset is what defines the motherboard’s capabilities. • Defines the entire system’s capabilities • Every major component in the computer, including the CPU itself, is reliant on the functional capabilities of the chipset • Just as the computer is useless without the motherboard, the motherboard is useless without a chipset • Designed around the specifications for a given CPU • CPU is designed before the correlating chipset(s) • Defines the computer system • Controls a large number of tasks itself

  3. Evolution of Intel Chipsets • 1995 - Triton 430FX • PCI 2.0 specification • EDO memory configurations of up to 128MB • Pipelined burst cache and synchronous cache • Lacking: • SDRAM support, USB and Concurrent PCI • Led to its replacement in 1996

  4. Evolution • Triton 430TX • Came after the 430HX and 430VX • Supported • Concurrent PCI, USB, EDO RAM and SDRAM • Newly developed MMX chips • Designed for both desktops and laptops • Used two chips: System Controller (MTXC) and 82371AB PCI/ISA IDE Xcelerator (PIIX4).

  5. Evolution • 430LX (Triton name was dropped) • Designed for new Pentium II processor • Supported • SDRAM and Ultra DMA support • New: Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) solved bottlenecking from the graphics controller and system memory, to the CPU. • AGP: fast, dedicated bus directly from the graphics controller to the CPU • Fast, high-quality 3D graphics. • November of 1999 - 820 chipset • Supposed to come out with the Pentium III in the spring • Hit roadblock with RDRAM development • Utilized the 133MHz system bus of the Pentium III • RDRAM - 1.6GBps – twice of 100MHz SDRAM • Used three-chip hub architecture • Memory Controller Hub, an I/O Controller Hub, and a Firmware Hub

  6. Determined that RDRAM wasn’t going to come down in price • Designed a Memory Translator Hub (MTH). • Went between the MCH and the RDRAM slots • Translated the RDRAM memory protocol into SDRAM protocol. • Bug was discovered that caused the system to reboot intermittently or hang during operation

  7. Intel-based Chipsets • Intel 845 • Low-end Pentium 4 chipset • Uses SDRAM memory the 845-D offers DDR SDRAM support at a higher price • Stable, inexpensive chipset • Intel 850 • Intel’s most popular Early Pentium 4 Chipset • Also utilizes DDR RAM

  8. Intel Server Chipsets • E7505 • Designed Specifically for Xeon processors • Includes PCI-X support to double the bandwidth of PCI devices • Designed for multiple processor uses • 875P • Adapted for Xeon use as a low cost alternative • Supports SATA support with RAID 0/1 • Not traditionally as stable as the E7505

  9. Additional Intel-based Chipsets • Intel 845-G – First Intel integrated graphics chipset for the Pentium 4. • Solution for business and low-end machines searching for Intel stability • SiS 645- First Intel-based chipset that supported DDR-333 RAM • With all SiS chipsets, stability is a significant issue • VIA P4X266 • Due to legal issues with Intel, VIA had create it’s own line of motherboards to sell their chipsets • Includes V-link architecture which theoretically doubles memory bandwidth

  10. AMD-based Chipsets • AMD- instead of being the lead producer of chipsets, AMD fosters competition and often has chipset producing “partners” • nVidia nForce3 150 • Includes powerful integrated graphics • As in all AMD 64 offerings, no memory controller present • VIA K8T800 • Supports multiple processors in the entire line of AMD 64 chips • Supports PCI-X technology • Includes SATA support

  11. Functions of the Chipset • Chipset is the “traffic cop” of the motherboard • Many separate chips eventually integrated into only 1 or 2 chips • Chipsets support features for processor, cache, memory, and peripheral devices • Also include important embedded functions

  12. Functions of the Chipset • Processor Support • Control circuitry designed so the motherboard can properly support ways the processor accesses memory, cache, etc. • Delegates processor speeds the motherboard can handle • Contains capabilities for Symmetric Multiprocessing (SMP)

  13. Functions of the Chipset • Cache Support • Chipset determines size and type of cache the system can support • Determines method of writing memory to cache • Amount of cacheable memory is fully dependent on chipset • Memory Support • Chipset dictates type of RAM and size of allowable RAM • Acts as a go-between for the processor and main memory

  14. Functions of the Chipset • Peripheral and I/O Bus Support • Chipset determines what I/O bus standards the motherboard can support • Dictates what speed the I/O standards can run at and any compatible extra features • Chipsets also include bridging functions between the I/O busses (i.e. PCI-to-ISA) • Embedded Functions • ATA interface • DMA • Plug and Play • USB

  15. THIS IS THE END, MY FRIEND • Chipsets are crucial to overall system performance; can NOT be upgraded • Last 9 years of chipset development: improved bus speeds, greater clock multipliers, increased memory bandwidth, and integrated video • With next-gen CPU manufacturers moving memory controllers to CPUs, chipset manufacturers are free to develop faster devices, busses, integrate more components, and create a more stable chipsets

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