If the central processing unit CPU is compared to the heart of the whole computer system, then the chipset on the motherboard is the trunk of the whole body.
For the motherboard, the chipset almost determines the function of this motherboard, and then affects the performance of the whole computer system. Chipset is the soul of the motherboard.
Chipset is the core component of the motherboard. According to the different arrangement positions on the motherboard, it is usually divided into north bridge chip and south bridge chip.
Northbridge chip provides support for CPU type and main frequency, memory type and maximum capacity, ISA/PCI/AGP slot, ECC error correction, etc.
South Bridge chip supports KBC (Keyboard Controller), RTC (Real Time Clock Controller), USB (Universal Serial Bus), Ultra DMA/33(66)EIDE data transmission mode and ACPI (Advanced Energy Management).
Among them, the north bridge chip plays a leading role, also known as the host bridge.
In addition to the most common north-south bridge structure, chipset is developing to a more advanced accelerated hub architecture. Intel's 8xx series chipset is the representative of this kind of chipset. It connects some subsystems such as IDE interface, sound effect, modem and USB directly to the main chip, which can provide a bandwidth twice as wide as PCI bus, reaching 266 MB/s; In addition, SiS635/SiS735 with silicon technology is also a new force of this kind of chipset.
In addition to supporting the latest specifications such as DDR266, DDR200, PC 133 SDRAM, it also supports quadruple-speed AGP graphics card interface and fast writing function. Home PNA33/66/ 100 has built-in high-speed data transmission functions including 56K data communication (Modem), fast Ethernet transmission (Fast Ether) and 6544.
The following details the typical products of several mainstream chipset companies:
I. Intel
The main chips developed by Intel are divided into the following groups: 430LX, 430NX, 430FX, 430HX, 430VX, 430TX, 430MX, 440FX, 450GX, 450KX, 440LX, 440BX, 440ZX, 440EX and I 82865438.
Among them, 430LX chipset is an early product of Intel, which is used for Pentium 60 and 66MHz；; The 430NX chipset supports the so-called Neptune CPU. These two chipsets have been eliminated and are no longer produced.
The remaining chipsets are currently in production and use.
The performance of each chipset is different from that of the applicable CPU. The following is the chipset of Intel 430FX and later.
● Intel 430FX PCIset
The 430FX chipset is the third Pentium-based chipset, also known as Triton, introduced by Intel after the 430LX and 430NX chipsets.
It has made many improvements in architecture and greatly improved its performance. These new technologies are inherited and developed by its successor chipsets such as 430HX, VX, TX and GX, so 430FX chipset plays an important role in Intel 430 series PCIsets.
The 430FX chipset consists of an 82437FX, an 8237 1FB and two 82438FX.
As a system controller, 82437 integrates the functions of cache controller, DRAM controller and PCI bridge controller. 82438 is a data buffer controller; 8237 1FB integrates PCI, ISA, IDE acceleration controller and other parts.
All 430FX are packaged in PQFP.
430FX can provide PCI data rate higher than 100MB/s, so it supports the optimization of Pentium processors and multimedia applications.
● Intel 430HX PCIset
430 HX chipset is a Pentium motherboard chipset for commercial PC platform introduced by Intel after 430FX.
Compared with its predecessor product 430FX, it focuses on improving the reliability of the system; And further improve the integration, using two-piece packaging; The performance is also improved. 430HX is suitable for Pentium-class workstations, servers and microcomputers that require high reliability.
The 430HX chipset consists of a chip 82439HX and a chip 8237 1SB. The main performance improvements of 430HX can be summarized as follows:
The parallel PCI architecture allows CPU, PCI and ISA bus to process transactions in parallel, so it has higher MPEG video and audio playback and capture processing capability than 430FX.
Support universal serial bus (USB) and hot plug connection of USB devices;
With the help of EDO timing function, the speed of accessing DRAM is greatly improved, and the system performance is improved by about 10%.
Support parity and ECC memory;
Higher integration (only two chips), adopting single-chip main bridge mode, saving 60% motherboard space compared with 430FX;
Using FIFO buffer queue, parallel operation can be realized on both sides of TXC controller, which improves the utilization rate of CPU.
It conforms to PCI2. 1 standard, shortens the bus waiting time, and improves the speed of PCI equipment and the performance of the whole system;
Support 64M-bit DRAM, and the maximum system memory can reach 512mb; ;
Support P54C (Pentium) and P55C (Pentium MMX)CPU；;
Support dual CPU structure, which can form a motherboard and microcomputer system with symmetrical processor architecture.
● Intel 430VX PCIset
The technical performance of 430VX is basically the same as that of 430HX chipset, and the difference between them is mainly in the following aspects:
Multimedia video is specially optimized, so it is more suitable for home users and multimedia applications.
After removing some functions (such as ECC memory, dual CPU support, etc. ) For ordinary users, it is more difficult, adding support for high-speed synchronous memory SDRAM, supporting 168 line memory slots and memory bars;
The structure of four chips is restored.
The 430VX chipset consists of an 82437VX, an 8237 1SB and two 82438vxs, all packaged in PQFP.
The maximum memory that can be managed is 256MB, which is lower than 430HX；;
The cost is reduced, and its price is lower than 430HX.
● Intel 430TX PCIset
430TX is the latest chipset launched by Intel Corporation to cooperate with Pentium MMX CPU. It is specially improved and optimized for MMX technology of Pentium microprocessor to achieve the best multimedia application effect.
The 430TX chipset also adopts a series of new technologies, which further improves the performance and intelligence of the PC.
On the other hand, 430TX is also suitable for mobile portable computers, which makes up for the shortcomings of portable computers in multimedia technology and enables users of portable computers to enjoy the fun brought by sound, film and television programs and communication like desktops.
The 430TX chipset adopts two-chip structure, which consists of 82439TX chip and 8237 1AB chip.
● Intel 430MX PCIset
430MX is a chipset specially launched by Intel for Pentium-class notebook computers. This is Intel's first complete design as a portable PCIsets solution, and many architectural innovations have been adopted on the basis of 430FX.
430MX can be used in ProShare(TM) fast Ethernet, audio and graphics enhancement applications.
With the launch of a new generation of 430TX chipset suitable for both desktop and notebook computers, many applications based on 430MX have been gradually transferred to 430TX chipset.
● Intel 440FX PCIset
440FX chipset (note: not to be confused with 430FX chipset) is a chipset suitable for high-energy Pentium Pro.
440FX is based on parallel PCI architecture, including multi-service timer which can enhance video transmission and improve frame speed, passive release mechanism which can improve MPEG and audio performance, and PCI delay job which can make full use of write buffer to improve enhanced write performance of host-based processing applications, and ensure that CPU-to-ISA write control is compatible with PCI2. 1 technical specification.
440FX chipset has the advantages of enhanced 32-bit performance and USB peripheral connection, including pipeline from CPU to DRAM, simultaneous reading and writing, dynamic delay, write burst combination and I/O queue. Other functions, such as bus master IDE (BM-IDE) for fast drive access, integrated ECC support and dual CPU support, greatly improve the overall performance and reliability of 440FX.
The maximum memory capacity that 440FX can manage is 1GB.
440FX has good compatibility with I/O subsystems designed by Intel 430HX, 430VX and other chipsets, which enables 440FX to make full use of existing resources and gain a firm foothold in the market.
Structurally, 440FX consists of three chips, one is 8244 1FX, the other is 82442FX and the other is 8237 1SB. In the design of dual CPU, another independent component, 82093AA, is used.
● Intel 450GX/KX PCIset
450 GX/KX is the first Pentium Pro CPU chipset solution launched by Intel Corporation in 1995.
Among them, 450GX is suitable for servers, and 450KX is suitable for workstations and high-performance desktops.
● Intel 440LX AGPset
Following the Intel 430 PCI chipset, Intel introduced the Intel 440LX AGP chipset.
The bandwidth of AGP graphics and images is three times higher than that of PCI interface, which can bring high-performance graphics functions to mainstream commercial PCs and home PCs.
The 440LX AGP chipset is the first member of the 440 AGP chipset family.
It is based on the characteristics of a 440FX PCI chipset and consists of three chips, but the three chips are compressed into two chips (82443LA and 8237 1AB).
440LX AGP has four main features:
A new set of features, called QPA(quad port Acceleration), is introduced, which is the arbitration mechanism of four ports, including direct connection AGP, dynamic distributed arbitration and multi-pipeline (from CPU, PCI and graphics to SDRAM).
Together, these features can make each device in the PC get the maximum available bandwidth;
440LX AGP supports SDRAM, which can read and write memory faster, and realize faster pipeline transmission among Pentium II processors, graphics accelerators and PCI devices.
Through ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) function, it can achieve stronger power management, including remote wake-up and quick recovery from power failure.
The Ultra DMA function improves access to IDE devices.
● Intel 440BX AGPset
At present, the most popular chipset is Intel's Intel 440BX AGP chipset.
To some extent, the BX chipset is an epoch-making symbol, and it is the first chipset that really supports the main frequency of 100MHz.
The 440BX AGP chipset inherits many advantages of the 440LX AGP chipset family.
As mentioned above, AGP, QPA and SDRAM, ACPI and super DMA.
440BX officially supports 100MHz external frequency, which solves the speed bottleneck caused by low external frequency (66MHz), does not support EDO memory, and even SDRAM requires the speed to reach 100MHz.
As the third product of 440 series, it is positioned in the field of high-end CPU.
It should be said that the support for 100MHz external frequency (which was first proposed by Intel and also its trump card) is not only the most attractive feature of 440BX, but also its biggest selling point.
Although the 440LX chipset implied support for 100MHz external frequency (at that time, some motherboards were equipped with 100 external frequency jumpers), the biggest improvement of 440BX was that it could stably run at external frequency above 100MHz.
The 440BX chipset is also a two-piece structure, with the North Bridge chip model 82443BX and the South Bridge chip model 8237 1AB.
The former adopts 492-pin BGA package, which is responsible for CPU (which can support dual Pentium II working in SMP mode), SDRAM optimized memory interface, 64-bit bus interface, PCI interface, AGP (supporting 133MHz) interface and its connection control; The latter adopts 324-pin BGA package and is responsible for the interface control of floppy drive, hard disk (supporting Ultra DMA/33), keyboard, PCI-ISA bridge and USB connection.
On the basis of all the functions of 440LX, 440BX chipset has three major improvements: first, external bus support100 MHz; Second, it can support Pentium II at 450MHz; Third, the maximum memory can be extended to 1GB.
The mainboard composed of 440BX chipset has been promoted unprecedentedly since it entered the market in April 1998.
Now, with the help of Pentium III and socket 370 Celeron, the tree of life of 440BX is evergreen.
● Intel 440EX AGPset
It is a chipset specially developed by Intel for Celeron processor (Pentium II Simplified Edition).
It is still a two-piece structure. The North Bridge chip model is 82443EX, while the South Bridge chip still uses 8237 1AB, and the external frequency only supports 66MHz.
Compared with 440LX and 440BX chipsets, 440EX seems to have nothing special.
In this way, the total cost of the 440EX chipset originally designed to reduce the motherboard cost has not been reduced.
In addition, the performance of the 440EX chipset has been discounted, resulting in a feeling that high is not enough and low is not enough.
440EX has become the product with the shortest life span since Intel became famous.
● Intel 440ZX AGPset
440ZX is a chipset specially designed by Intel, which supports Celeron with Socket 370 structure.
It is intended to be the standard chipset supporting the motherboard of slot 1 and socket 370.
Although it is a product launched by Intel for the low-end market, the motherboard composed of 440ZX also adds support for 100MHz external frequency.
Generally, this motherboard only has two DIMM slots (the maximum support is only 256MB), three PCI and 1 ISA slots (limited by Micor ATX, one of which is shared).
Another common feature of these motherboards is that they all support the integration of i740 graphics acceleration chip and sound chip, which can greatly reduce the cost.
It should be noted that the 440ZX chipset has two versions: 440ZX and 440ZX-66.
The important difference between them is that 440ZX is based on 440BX and supports 100MHz external frequency. It is designed for Celeron processor with 100MHz external frequency 1 structure. Different from 440BX, it only reduces the number of DIMM and PCI slots. 440ZX-66 can only support 66MHz external frequency, which is specially designed for Socket370 motherboard. Most ZX motherboards that can be seen in the market now adopt 440ZX-66 chipset.
● Intel i82810&; Intel I82820
As the latest version of motherboard chipset, the design ideas of these two chipsets are the same.
They all introduced the latest "hub" concept, but faced with different market positioning, so they introduced it together.
1) Accelerated Hub Architecture
I828X0 chipset adopts the concept of hub, and various devices exchange information directly with CPU and memory through hub.
In the traditional chipset's PCI bus motherboard, IDE, ISA, BIOS, USB hanging on the south bridge chip, graphics card, sound card, modem and other devices hanging on the PCI slot need to exchange information with CPU and memory through the PCI bus and the north bridge chip (as shown in figure 1). Today, with the increasing speed of CPU, memory and various peripherals, the traditional PCI bus is the bottleneck that hinders the system speed increase.
Hang the AGP display interface on the north bridge chip, get rid of the limitation of PCI bus and reach the speed of AGP 2? (528MB/s) is the most obvious improvement.
Intel 828 10 chipset adopts three chips: graphics storage control center 828 10GMCH, input and output control center 8280 1ICH, and firmware center 82802FWH. Sound card, modem, IDE, memory, AGP, PCI and other devices exchange information directly through the hub in a star structure, unlike many devices sharing bus bandwidth, which makes the whole system.
And because each device exchanges data with its channel, the interference between them will also be reduced.
2) Official external frequency 133MHz
At present, many motherboards using 440BX chipset provide an external frequency of 133MHz or even higher, but they are actually overclocking chipsets.
At present, I82820 and 828 10-E chipset of 8X0 family officially provide support for 133MHz external frequency. The biggest benefit brought by the external frequency of 133MHz is AGP 4X. At present, the maximum data exchange rate under the bus frequency of 100MHz is 800MB/s, which can't meet the requirements of AGP 4X.
3) Support new memory
Intel 820 chipset supports 184 rows of RIMM(Rambus inline memory moclule) memory chips, and RIMM memory chips adopt DR-DRAM (Direct Rambus DRAM) memory chips, which can run at the bus frequency of 200MHz, and the bandwidth is more than 3 times higher than that of s DRAM.
Intel820 chipset can also use PC 133 SDRAM through bridge circuit.
4) Integration technology
Intel 8 10 chipset is highly integrated. AGP graphics card, voice codec controller and modem codec controller are all integrated together, and the AGP slot is removed and replaced with a short AMR expansion slot, which can provide an interface for the modem and can also be upgraded as a sound card.
At present, the built-in AGP graphics card of Intel 8 10DC 100 chipset is equipped with 4MB SDRAM. As long as you run on CPU such as PII and PIII, you can get perfect performance. The performance test shows that the built-in AGP graphics card can completely meet the graphic display needs of ordinary users.
However, the integrated display function of 8 10 chipset is not high enough to meet the needs of high-end graphics applications and games.
820 provides users with a wider range of choices. You can use it to match the latest Voodoo4 or Voodoo5 for PIII 800 without making your CPU feel inferior at all.
● Intel I82840
The newly released I82840 is the most interesting topic at present. After all, it is the most powerful successor of 440BX.
The following is a detailed introduction:
Features of i840:
Compared with the old chipset, it has several characteristics: two RAMBUS channels (only one i820); The theoretical peak bandwidth is 3.2 gbit/s (0.8Gb/ s and1GB/s for PC100 and PC 133 systems respectively); The external frequency of 133MHz only provides the main memory with the bandwidth of 1.06GB/ s (133 MHz×8 bytes/clock cycle). I really don't know why there are so few. Although AGP 4× bus can reduce the demand for memory bandwidth, DMA drivers and UMA (Unified Memory Architecture) are available.
The positioning of i840 is the server market. Isn't Intel afraid of the performance bottleneck caused by the lack of memory bandwidth? There may be no problem in the lower-level workstation market, but in the multiprocessor system using SMP (Symmetric Multiprocessing Architecture) and shared MCH (Memory Controller Hub), CPU will still seize the memory access space. Even if two RDRAM channels are used for reading/writing at the same time, it will not help much. Unless Intel adds two memory ports to the MCH during post-production, it is possible to avoid this waste that the memory bandwidth is greater than the CPU bandwidth.
The specifications of i840 chipset are 82840 MCH, 8280 1ICH (input/output controller hub) and 82802 FWH. In addition to the basic three chips, you can also add any of the following components to enhance the functions of the whole chipset: 1, 82806p64h (64 2. 82803 MRH-R (memory repeater hub); 3.82804 MRH-S(SDRAM repeater hub).
Although the specifications of the i840 are various, in fact, only the following points are useful:
Supports two Pentium III or Xeon 3 processors.
Provide 133MHz external frequency.
AGP4X
Intel AHA architecture
Double RDRAM channel
Dual PCI bus, one 33mhz/32bit and one 66mhz/64bit (optional 33/66mhz 64bit PCI bus).
Read-ahead cache
RNG (Random Number Generator)
Two USB interfaces
According to Intel's customized specifications, the i840 motherboard should be able to provide three 66 MHz 64-bit PCI slots, three 33 MHz 32-bit PCI slots and 1 AGP 4x slots.
You may ask what is the use of 66MHz 64-bit PCI slot? After using ultra-wide SCSI RAID controller or 10000 rpm high-speed hard disk, you will know how much data I/O is limited by 33MHz 32-bit PCI bus. ..
In addition, file and database servers need as much bandwidth as possible to improve the transmission speed between memory and processor.
These two reasons are enough for us to upgrade to the i840 with double speed and bandwidth.
Although CPU can't fully enjoy the benefits brought by two RAMBUS channels, separated PCI buses can make full use of memory bandwidth, so the promotion of RDRAM is still useful.
As for AGP 4X, it can only play its application function in future big texture games. For today's 3D games, it still feels a little useless.