| The Athlon 64 processor requires a new generation of chipsets, both to support its 64-bit processor architecture and to allow for integration of the memory controller into the processor (the memory controller has traditionally been located in the North Bridge chip or equivalent). As a consequence, some vendors do not use the term North Bridge to refer to the chipset component that connects the processor to AGP video. AMD, VIA Technologies, NVIDIA, ATI, SiS, and ULi Electronics (formerly ALi Corporation) have developed chipsets for the Athlon 64. Table 4.54 lists the major features of the chipsets developed for the Athlon 64. Most chipsets also support the Socket 754 version of the Sempron (a 32-bit version of the Athlon 64). Table 4.54. Chipsets for Athlon 64Vendor | Chipset Model | Opteron Support | Chipset Connection | South Bridge | Optional Chipset Components | Video Support | PCI-Express x1 Slots | ATA/Serial ATA Support[12] | USB Support (# of Ports) | Audio | LAN |
|---|
AMD | 8151[1] | Yes | HyperTransport (16b/800MHz CPU/NB)[2] | 8111 | 8131 PCI-X tunnel[3] | AGP 8x | None | ATA-133 | 1.1/2.0 (6) | AC'97 (6-channel) | 2.2 10/100 Ethernet | ULi | M1687 | Yes | HyperTransport (16b/800MHz CPU/NB) | M1653[4] | | AGP 8x | None | ATA-133 | 1.1/2.0 (6) | AC'97 2.2 (6-channel); SPDIF | 10/100 Ethernet | ULi | M1689 | Yes | HyperTransport (16b/800MHz CPU/NB) | [5] | | AGP 8x | None | ATA-133, SATA | 1.1/2.0 (8) | AC'97 2.3 (6-channel; 20-bit) | 10/100 Ethernet | ULi | M1695[16] | No | HyperTransport (16b/1GHz CPU/NB; NB/SB) | M1567 | AMD 8132 PCI-X tunnel | PCI-Express 1 x16 or 2 x8; AGP 8x[14], [15] | 2 | ATA-133, SATA, SATA RAID 0, 1, JBOD | 1.1/2.0 (8) | AC'97 2.3 (6-channel; 20-bit) | 10/100 Ethernet | VIA | K8T800 Pro[6] | Yes | HyperTransport (16b/1GHz CPU/NB); Ultra V-Link (NB/SB) | VT8251 (also supports VT8237R[17]) | Velocity Gigabit Ethernet (PCI); VIA Vinyl Gold 8-channel audio | AGP 8x | 2[7] | ATA-133, SATA, SATA RAID 0, 1, 0+1[7] | 1.1/2.0 (8) | AC'97 2.2 (6-channel); Intel HDA | 10/100 Ethernet | VIA | K8T800 | Yes | HyperTransport(16b/800MHz CPU/NP); 8x V-Link (NB/SB) | VT8237R[17] | Velocity Gigabit Ethernet (PCI); SATAlite SATA/SATA RAID 0+1; VIA Vinyl Gold8-channel audio | AGP 8x | None | ATA-133, SATA, SATA RAID 0, 1 | 1.1/2.0 (8) | AC'97 2.2 (6-channel) | 10/100 Ethernet | VIA | K8M800 | Yes | HyperTransport (16b/800MHz CPU/NP); 8x V-Link (NB/SB) | VT8237R[17] | Velocity Gigabit Ethernet; SATAlite SATA/SATA RAID 0+1; VIA Vinyl Gold 8-channel audio | Integrated UniChrome Pro; AGP 8x | None | ATA-133, SATA, SATA RAID 0, 1[7] | 1.1/2.0 (8) | AC'97 2.2 (6-channel) | 10/100 Ethernet | VIA | K8T890 | Yes | HyperTransport (16b/1GHz CPU/NB); Ultra V-Link (NB/SB) | VT8237R[17] or VT8251[17] | Velocity Gigabit Ethernet (PCI); VIA Vinyl Gold 8-channel audio; SATAlite SATA/SATA RAID 0+1 | PCI-Express x16 | 4 | ATA-133, SATA, SATA RAID 0, 1, 0+1[7], [18] | 1.1/2.0 (8) | AC'97 2.2 (6-channel); Intel HDA | 10/100 Ethernet | VIA | K8M890 | Yes | HyperTransport (16b/1GHz CPU/NB); Ultra V-Link (NB/SB) | VT8237R[17] or VT8251[17] | Velocity Gigabit Ethernet (PCI); VIA Vinyl Gold 8-channel audio | AGP 8x; PCI- Express x16; Integrated DeltaChrome | 4 | ATA-133, SATA, SATA RAID 0, 1, 0+1[7], [18] | 1.1/2.0 (8) | AC'97 2.2 (6-channel); Intel HDA | 10/100 Ethernet | VIA | K8T900 | Yes | HyperTransport (16b/1GHz CPU/NB); Ultra V-Link (NB/SB) | VT8251 | Velocity Gigabit Ethernet (PCI); VIA Vinyl Gold 8-channel audio | PCI-Express x16 or 2 x8 | 4 | ATA-133; SATA 3Gbps RAID 0, 1, 0+1, 5; JBOD | 1.1/2.0 (8) | AC'97 2.2 (6-channel); Intel HDA | 10/100 Ethernet | NVIDIA | nForce3 150 | No | HyperTransport (8b/600MHz up; 16b/800MHz down)[5] | [5] | | AGP 8x | None | ATA-133, RAID 0, 1, 0+1 | 1.1/2.0 (6) | AC'97 2.1 (6-channel; 20-bit; SPDIF) | 10/100 Ethernet | NVIDIA | nForce3 150 Pro | Yes[10] | HyperTransport (8b/600MHz up; 16b/800MHz down)[5] | [5] | | AGP 8x | None | ATA-133, RAID 0, 1, 0+1 | 1.1/2.0 (6) | AC'97 2.1 (6-channel; 20-bit; SPDIF) | 10/100 Ethernet | NVIDIA | nForce3 250 | No | HyperTransport (16b/800MHz) | [5] | | AGP 8x | None | ATA-133, SATA, ATA/SATA RAID 0, 1, 0+1 | 1.1/2.0 (8) | AC'97 2.1 (6- channe l; 20-bit; SPDIF) | 10/100 Ethernet[8] | NVIDIA | nForce3 250 Gb | No | HyperTransport (16b/800MHz) | [5] | | AGP 8x | None | ATA-133, SATA, ATA/SATA RAID 0, 1, 0+1 | 1.1/2.0 (6) | AC'97 2.1 (6- channel; 20-bit; SPDIF) | 10/100/1000 Ethernet[8] | NVIDIA | nForce3 250 Pro | Yes[10] | HyperTransport (16b/800MHz) | [5] | | AGP 8x | None | ATA-133, SATA, ATA/SATA RAID 0, 1, 0+1 | 1.1/2.0 (6) | AC'97 2.1 (6- channel; 20-bit; SPDIF) | 10/100/1000 Ethernet[8] | NVIDIA | nForce3 250 Ultra | Yes[13] | HyperTransport (16b/1GHz) | [5] | | AGP 8x | None | ATA-133, SATA, ATA/SATA RAID 0, 1, 0+1 | 1.1/2.0 (8) | AC'97 2.1 (6- channel; 20-bit; SPDIF) | 10/100/1000 Ethernet[8] | NVIDIA[22] | nForce4 | No | HyperTransport (16b/800MHz) | [5] | | PCI-Express x16 | 4 | ATA-133, SATA, ATA/SATA RAID 0, 1, 0+1 | 1.1/2.0 (10) | AC'97 2.1 (6-channel; 20-bit; SPDIF) | 10/100/1000 Ethernet[8] | NVIDIA[22] | nForce4 Ultra | No | HyperTransport (16b/1000MHz) | [5] | | PCI-Express x16[20] | 4[20] | ATA-133, SATA 3Gbps, ATA/SATA RAID 0, 1, 0+1, 5 | 1.1/2.0 (10) | AC'97 2.1 (6-channel; 20-bit; SPDIF) | 10/100/1000 Ethernet[8], [19] | NVIDIA[22] | nForce4 SLI | No | HyperTransport (16b/1000MHz) | [5] | | PCI-Express x16 or two x8[20] | 4[20] | ATA-133, SATA 3Gbps, ATA/SATA RAID 0, 1, 0+1, 5 | 1.1/2.0 (10) | AC'97 2.1 (6-channel; 20-bit; SPDIF) | 10/100/1000 Ethernet[8], [19] | NVIDIA[22] | nForce4 SLI x16 | No | HyperTransport (16b/1000MHz) | [5] | | PCI-Express two x16[21] | 4[21] | ATA-133, SATA 3Gbps, ATA/SATA RAID 0, 1, 0+1, 5 | 1.1/2.0 (10) | AC'97 2.1 (6-channel; 20-bit; SPDIF) | 10/100/1000 Ethernet[8],[19] | SiS | 755 | Yes | HyperTransport (800MHz CPU-NB); MuTIOL 1G with HyperStreaming (NB/SB) | SiS964 | | AGP 8x | None | ATA-133, SATA, RAID 0, 1 | 1.1/2.0 (8) | AC'97 2.3 (6-channel) | 10/100 Ethernet; HomePNA 2.0 | SiS | 755FX | Yes[10] | HyperTransport (1GHz CPU-NB); MuTIOL 1G with HyperStreaming (NB/SB) | SiS965 (also compatible with SiS964) | | AGP 8x | 2[9] | ATA-133, SATA, RAID 0, 1, 0+1[9] | 1.1/2.0 (8) | AC'97 2.3 (8-channel) | 10/100/1000 Ethernet; HomePNA 2.0 | SiS | 756 | Yes[10] | HyperTransport (1GHz CPU-NB); MuTIOL 1G with HyperStreaming (NB/SB) | SiS965 | | PCI-Express x16 | 2 | ATA-133, SATA, RAID 0, 1, 0+1[9] | 1.1/2.0 (8) | AC'97 2.3 (8-channel) | 10/100/1000 Ethernet; HomePNA 2.0 | SiS | 760 | Yes | HyperTransport (800MHz CPU-NB); MuTIOL 1G with HyperStreaming (NB/SB) | SiS964 | | AGP 8x; integrated Mirage 2 | None | ATA-133, SATA, RAID 0, 1 | 1.1/2.0 (8) | AC'97 2.3 (6-channel) | 10/100 Ethernet; HomePNA 2.0 | SiS | 760GX | No | HyperTransport (800MHz CPU-NB); MuTIOL 1G with HyperStreaming (NB/SB) | SiS966 (also compatible with SiS965/L) | | AGP 8x; integrated Mirage 1 | 4[11] | ATA-133, SATA, RAID 0, 1, 0+1[13] | 1.1/2.0 (10)[13] | AC'97 2.3 (6-channel); Intel HDA | 10/100/100013 Ethernet; HomePNA 2.0 | SiS | 761 | Yes[10] | HyperTransport (1GHz CPU-NB); MuTIOL 1G with HyperStreaming (NB/SB) | SiS966 (also compatible with SiS965/L) | | PCI-Express x16; integrated Mirage 3 | 4[11] | ATA-133, SATA, RAID 0, 1, 0+1[13] | 1.1/2.0 (10)[13] | AC'97 2.3 (6-channel); Intel HDA[13] | 10/100/100013 Ethernet; HomePNA 2.0 | SiS | 761GL | Yes | HyperTransport (800MHz CPU-NB); MuTIOL 1G with HyperStreaming (NB/SB) | SiS966 (also compatible with SiS965/L) | | Integrated Mirage 1 graphics | 4[11] | ATA-133, SATA, RAID 0, 1, 0+1[13] | 1.1/2.0 (10)[13] | AC'97 2.3 (6-channel); Intel HDA[13] | 10/100/100013 Ethernet; HomePNA 2.0 | SiS | 761GX | Yes | HyperTransport (1GHz CPU-NB); MuTIOL 1G with HyperStreaming (NB/SB) | SiS966 (also compatible with SiS965/L) | | PCI-Express x16; integrated Mirage 1 | 4[11] | ATA-133, SATA, RAID 0, 1, 0+1[13] | 1.1/2.0 (10)[13] | AC'97 2.3 (6-channel); Intel HDA[13] | 10/100/100013 Ethernet; HomePNA 2.0 | ATI | RS480[23] | Yes | HyperTransport (16b/800MHz CPU/NB); A-Link II | SB400 | | PCI-Express 16x; Integrated Radeon X300 | 2 | ATA-133, SATA, SATA RAID 0, 1 | 1.1/2.0 (8) | AC'97 2.2 (6-channel) | | ATI | RX480[23] | Yes | HyperTransport (16b/800MHz CPU/NB); A-Link II | SB400 | | PCI-Express 16x | 2 | ATA-133, SATA, SATA RAID 0, 1 | 1.1/2.0 (8) | AC'97 2.2 (6-channel) | | ATI | RD482[24] | Yes | HyperTransport (16b/800MHz CPU/NB); A-Link II | SB450 | | PCI-Express 8x (two slots) | 2 | ATA-133, SATA, SATA RAID 0, 1, 0+1 | 1.1/2.0 (8) | AC'97 2.2 (6-channel); Intel HDA | | ATI | RD580 | Yes | HyperTransport (16b/800MHz CPU/NB); A-Link II | SB600 | | PCI-Express 16x (two slots) | 2 | ATA-133, SATA, SATA RAID 0, 1, 0+1 | 1.1/2.0 (8) | AC'97 2.2 (6-channel); Intel HDA | |
[12] Supports Athlon 64FX processors only.
[1] This chipset is also referred to as the 8000. 8151 is the AGP 3.0 Graphics Tunnel, which performs the graphics interface functions normally performed by the North Bridge in other chipset architectures.
[2] 8b = 8-bit-wide HyperTransport connection; 16b = 16-bit-wide connection.
[3] This component provides two independent PCI-X bus bridges and uses HyperTransport.
[4] For features of the M1653, see Table 4.36.
[5] Single-chip chipsete.
[16] AP9507A is used to refer to the combination of M1695 and M1567.
[14] AGP 8x support provided by M1567 South Bridge chip.
[15] This chipset supports ULi's Triple Graphics Interface (TGI) technology, which enables simultaneous use of PCI-Express, ACP, and PCI graphics cards on the same system.
[6] Features asynchronous bus architecture, which locks AGP and PCI buses at the correct speeds when FSB or clock multipliers are adjusted for faster performance.
[17] This chip was originally known as VT8237.
[7] RAID 0+1 requires optional SATAlite PHY.
[18] With VT8237R installed. For ATA/SATA and PCI-Express x1 support with VT8251, see listing for K8T900.
[10] Supports Athlon 64FX, Opteron processors only.
[8] Also incorporates an integrated firewall.
[13] Officially supports Athlon 64 Socket 939; some vendors also use it for motherboards with Socket 940 Opteron processors.
[22] NVIDIA has also developed a series of chipsets that include integrated graphics for the Sempron.
[20] 20 PCI-Express lanes total; can be reconfigured from typical usage shown here.
[19] Also includes ActiveArmor secure networking engine.
[21] 38 PCI-Express lanes total; can be reconfigured from typical usage shown here.
[9] With SiS965 South Bridge.
[11] With SiS966 South Bridge.
[23] These chipsets are marketed under the name Radeon Xpress 200.
[24] This chipset is marketed under the name Radeon Xpress 200 CrossFire Edition. HDA = High-Definition Audio (previously code named Azalia); supports CE-quality (192KHz, 32-bit multichannel) audio with support for Dolby Pro Logic IIx (7.1 surround) and multiple codecs operating independently. JBOD = Just a bunch of disks; a single logical drive created by spanning two or more hard disks.
The following sections cover these chipsets in greater detail. AMD 8000 (8151) Chipset The AMD 8000 is AMD's first chipset designed for the Athlon 64 and Opteron families. Its architecture is substantially different from the North Bridge/South Bridge or hub-based architectures we are familiar with from the chipsets designed to support Pentium II/III/4/Celeron and AMD Athlon/Athlon XP/Duron processors. The AMD-8000 chipset is often referred to as the AMD-8151 because the AMD-8151 provides the connection between the Athlon 64 or Opteron processor and the AGP video slotthe task usually performed by the North Bridge or MCH hub in other chipsets. The name of the North Bridge or MCH hub chip is usually applied to the chipset. However, AMD refers to the AMD-8151 chip as the AGP Graphics Tunnel chip because its only task is to provide a high-speed connection to the AGP slot on the motherboard. The other components of the AMD-8000 chipset include the AMD-8111 HyperTransport I/O hub (South Bridge) and the AMD-8131 PCI-X Tunnel chip. Due to delays in the development of the AMD-8151 AGP Graphics Tunnel chip, most vendors through late 2003 used the AMD-8111 HyperTransport I/O hub alone or along with the AMD-8131 PCI-X Tunnel chip to provide a mixture of PCI and PCI-X slots on motherboards optimized as servers. Some recent systems have incorporated the AMD-8151 chip to provide AGP video, but the AMD-8000 chipset continues to be used primarily as a workstation/server chipset instead of as a desktop chipset. The AMD-8151 AGP Graphics tunnel has the following major features: Supports AGP 2.0/3.0 (AGP 1x8x) graphics cards 16-bit up/down HyperTransport connection to the processor 8-bit up/down HyperTransport connection to downstream chips
The AMD-8111 HyperTransport I/O hub (South Bridge) chip's major features include PCI 2.2-compliant PCI bus (32-bit, 33MHz) for up to eight devices AC'97 2.2 audio (six-channel) Six USB 1.1/2.0 ports (three controllers) Two ATA/IDE host adapters supporting up to ATA-133 speeds RTC Low-pin-count (LPC) bus Integrated 10/100 Ethernet 8-bit up/down HyperTransport connection to upstream chips
The AMD-8131 HyperTransport PCI-X tunnel chip's major features include Two PCI-X bridges (A and B) supporting up to five PCI bus masters each PCI-X transfer rates up to 133MHz PCI 2.2 33MHz and 66MHz transfer rates Independent operational modes and transfer rates for each bridge 8-bit up/down HyperTransport connection to upstream and downstream chips
Figure 4.46 shows the architecture of the AMD-8151 chipset for Athlon 64. Figure 4.46. Block diagram of the AMD 8000 chipset for Athlon 64. 
ULi Chipsets for Athlon 64 Although ULi has largely been absent from chipset development for the Athlon XP, it offers three chipsets for the Athlon 64 and Opteron processors: the M1687, the M1689, and the M1695. The M1687 and M1689 are a traditional two-chip designs, whereas the M1689 is a one-chip design following in the footsteps of SiS and, more recently, NVIDIA. ULi M1687 The M1687 uses the M1563 as its South Bridge, and the major features of this chipset are similar to the AMD-8151/AMD-8111 design: Support for AGP 2.0/3.0 (AGP 1x8x) graphics cards 16-bit up/down HyperTransport connection between processor and M1687 8-bit up/down HyperTransport connection between M1687 North Bridge and M1563 South Bridge PCI 2.2compliant PCI bus (32-bit, 33MHz) for up to six devices AC'97 2.2 audio (six-channel) Six USB 1.1/2.0 ports (three controllers) Two ATA/IDE host adapters supporting up to ATA-133 speeds RTC Low-pin-count (LPC) bus Integrated 10/100 Ethernet
Compared to the AMD-8151/AMD-8111, the major advantage of the ALi M1687 is the Secure Digital and Sony Memory Stick interfaces built in to the M1563. ULi M1689 The ULi M1689 is a single-chip chipset for the Athlon 64 and Opteron processors, and it can also be used with the Mobile Athlon 64. It integrates several of the latest technologies, including Serial ATA, support for eight USB 2.0/1.1 ports, and AC'97 2.3 20-bit six-channel audio. Major features include AGP 1.5/3.0 (AGP 1x8x) PCI 2.3 with support for up to seven bus masters Dual ATA-133 host adapters with support for 48-bit LBA drives Four USB host adapters and eight USB 1.1/2.0 ports 10/100 Ethernet AC'97 2.3 audio with 20-bit sampling Two Serial ATA host adapters
ULi M1695 The ULi M1695 is a true second-generation Athlon 64 chipset that offers no-compromise support for both PCI-Express x16 and AGP 8x video at full speed (when used with the M1567 South Bridge). Its Triple Graphics Interface (TGI) also supports PCI graphics. When PCI-Express, AGP, and PCI graphics cards (all with dual-monitor support) are installed, six screens are supported. The M1695 also supports two PCI-Express x8 slots, enabling configurations similar to NVIDIA's SLI dual-card designs. The M1695 can be used with either ULi's own M1567 South Bridge chip or with other Athlon 64 compatible SB chips. Major features include PCI-Express x16 or 2 x8; AGP 8x support is provided by the M1567 Two PCI-Express x1 PCI 2.3 with support for up to seven bus masters Dual ATA-133 host adapters with support for 48-bit LBA drives Four USB host adapters and eight USB 1.1/2.0 ports 10/100 Ethernet AC'97 2.3 audio with 20-bit sampling Two Serial ATA host adapters with SATA RAID 0, 1 and JBOD
Figure 4.47 displays the ULi M1695/M1567 block diagram. As Figure 4.47 indicates, the ULi M1695/M1567 can also use third-party PCI-X tunnels such as the AMD-8132. Figure 4.47. The ULi M1695/M1567 combination enables a system to provide full-speed PCI-Express x16 video and AGP 8x video. The AMD-8132 PCI-X tunnel is optional. 
VIA Chipsets for Athlon 64 VIA has long been one of the leading developers of chipsets for AMD processors, and this pattern continues with the Athlon 64 and Opteron. VIA offers five chipsets for these processors: K8T800 Pro K8T800 K8M800 K8T890 K8M890
The following sections cover these chipsets in more detail. K8T800, K8T800 Pro, and K8M800 The K8T800 (originally known as the K8T400) was VIA's first chipset for the Athlon 64 and Opteron processors. It departs somewhat from the pattern established by AMD's and ALi's chipsets by using VIA's own 8x V-Link (533MBps) interconnect between the North and South Bridge chips instead of HyperTransport (although HyperTransport is used, of course, to connect to the processor). The K8T800 uses the VT8237 South Bridge chip. Major features include HyperTransport 16-bit/800MHz link between the processor and North Bridge Support for AGP 4x/8x video cards PCI 2.23 with support for up to six bus masters Dual ATA-133 host adapters Eight USB 1.1/2.0 ports 10/100 Ethernet AC'97 5.1 audio Two Serial ATA/SATA RAID host adapters (RAID 0, 1, JBOD)
The K8T800 chipset family also includes the following optional chips, which can be used to add more features: SATAlite SATA (two additional ports, adding RAID 0+1) VPX2 expansion bridge (adds two PCI-X buses) VIA Vinyl Gold (7.1 surround sound via PCI bus) Gigabit Ethernet controller (via PCI bus)
The K8T800 Pro is based on the K8T800, but with the following improvements: HyperTransport 1GHz link between the processor and North Bridge Asynchronous operation of PCI and AGP slots Ultra V-Link (1GBps) connection between the North and South Bridges
The most significant of these features is the asynchronous operation of PCI and AGP slots. This feature enables the user to lock the frequency of these slots regardless of the processor bus and clock multiplier used by the processor, enabling more reliable overclocking. Many Athlon 64 chipsets lack this capability. The K8M800 is based on the K8T800 but adds S3 UniChrome Pro integrated graphics. UniChrome Pro offers a 128-bit 2D/3D engine, dual pixel pipelines, hardware acceleration for MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 video, and support for HDTV up to 1080p and standard TV as well as LCD and CRT displays. K8T890, K8M890, and K8T900 The VIA K8T890 and K8M890 are VIA's first PCI-Express chipsets for the Athlon 64 and Opteron. These chipsets use the 1GHz HyperTransport processor/NB connection and Ultra V-Link NB/SB connections. These North Bridge chips actually have a 20-lane-wide PCI-Express interface, leaving 4 lanes available for PCI-Express x1 cards. These chipsets are also designed to use the new VT8251 South Bridge, which includes several features that once required add-on chips: Four Serial ATA host adapters are included to support SATA RAID 0, 1, and 0+1. Support for Intel's new High-Definition Audio (HDA, formerly code named Azalia) standard. HDA provides Dolby Digital IIfx-compatible (7.1) surround sound and 24-bit/192KHz sampling rates for CE-quality sound. Two PCI-Express x1 slots, for a total of six possible (four connected to North Bridge and two to South Bridge).
Because of delays in production, some systems using the K8T890 and K8M890 used the earlier VT8237R South Bridge instead of the VT8251. Be sure to check specifications for a particular motherboard to determine which South Bridge chip was used. The K8M890 adds integrated S3 Graphics DeltaChrome 2D/3D graphics with DirectX 9 graphics support to the features of the K8T890. The K8T900 is based on the K8T890 but adds support for PCI-Express 2 x8 video to support two PCI-Express graphics cards. NVIDIA Chipsets for Athlon 64 NVIDIA offers more than 14 chipset variations that support the current range of Athlon 64, Sempron, and Opteron processors. Seven of these are single-chip chipsets for use with the Athlon 64: nForce3 150 nForce3 250 nForce3 250Gb nForce3 250 Ultra nForce4 nForce4 Ultra nForce 4 SLI
There are also three two-chip chipsets with integrated video for the Sempron: nForce 410 with GeForce 6100 nForce 430 with GeForce 6100 nForce 430 with GeForce 6150
NVIDIA also offers four single-chip chipsets for the Opteron: nForce3 Pro 150 nForce3 Pro 250 nForce Professional 2050 nForce Professional 2200
NVIDIA refers to these chips as media and communications processors (MCPs) because a single chip combines the functions of typical North and South Bridge chips. The following sections cover these chips in more detail. nForce3 150 and nForce3 Pro 150 The NVIDIA nForce3 150 MCP was one of the first chipsets available for the Athlon 64 processor. Although it departs from the two-chip chipset standard used by most Athlon 64 chipsets by combining North Bridge and South Bridge functions, the nForce3 150 has a limited feature set. The short list of features reflects both this chipset's early development and its positioning as an entry-level chipset. The nForce3 150's major features include HyperTransport chipset-to-processor connection. However, it offers the standard 16-bit/800MHz speed only in the downstream (processor-to-chipset) direction. Data flowing from the chipset to the processor (upstream) runs in an 8-bit data path at only 600MHz. AGP 1x8x video card support. Dual ATA-133 ATA/IDE hard disk host adapters. RAID 0, 1, and 0+1. AC'97 2.1 audio (six-channel) with 20-bit output and SPDIF support. Six USB 1.1/2.0 ports. 10/100 Ethernet.
The nForce3 Pro 150 has a similar feature set but is designed for use with the Opteron processor and NVIDIA's Quadro workstation graphics processor. Note Although some nForce3 150 and Pro 150 motherboards offer SATA and SATA RAID, this is not a function of the chipset; however, it can be performed with the use of an add-on SATA RAID chip.
nForce3 250, 250Gb, and 250 Ultra and nForce3 Professional 250 The nForce3 250 family of MCPs includes four members, all of which include several enhanced features over the original nForce3 150 and 150 Pro. The base model, nForce3 250, has the following major features: HyperTransport 16-bit/800MHz upstream/downstream connections between the processor and the MCP AGP 8x graphics card support Dual independent ATA-133 ATA/IDE host adapters with RAID 0, 1, and 0+1 SATA and SATA RAID 0, 1, and 0+1 Eight USB 1.1/2.0 ports 10/100 Ethernet with integrated hardware firewall AC'97 2.1 audio (six-channel) with 20-bit output and SPDIF support
The 250Gb model has the 250's features and adds support for 10/100/1000 Ethernet with integrated hardware firewall. The 250 Pro has the feature set of the 250 Gb but supports the Opteron workstation processor and the Athlon 64FX and is optimized to work with NVIDIA's Quadro workstation graphics processor. The 250 Ultra model has the 250's features and adds support for both 10/100/1000 Ethernet with integrated hardware firewall and an Advanced 16-bit/1GHz HyperTransport upstream/downstream processor/MCP connection. Note The integrated firewall included in all nForce3 250-series chipsets and all nForce 4 chipsets is highly configurable and protects the computer as soon as it is turned on. Software firewalls, by contrast, cannot protect the computer until they are loaded, which is often late in the boot process.
nForce4 Series and nForce Professional Series NVIDIA's nForce4 series combines PCI-Express support with the successful single-chip design used by the nForce3. The nForce4 series includes four models: the nForce4, nForce Ultra, nForce4 SLI, and nForce4 SI x16. The base model, nForce4, has the following major features: HyperTransport 16-bit/800MHz upstream/downstream connections between the processor and the MCP PCI-Express x16 graphics support Dual independent ATA-133 ATA/IDE host adapters with RAID 0, 1, and 0+1 SATA and SATA RAID 0, 1, and 0+1 10 USB 1.1/2.0 ports 10/100/1000 Ethernet with integrated hardware firewall AC'97 2.1 audio (six-channel) with 20-bit output and SPDIF support
nForce4 Ultra adds support for 3Gbps SATA drives and the ActiveArmor secure networking edition. nForce4 SLI supports a flexible PCI-Express design that can use either a single x16 or two x8 NVIDIA PCI-Express graphics cards. It also adds support for bootable RAID 5 to the features of nForce4 Ultra. nForce4 SLI x16 supports one or two NVIDIA PCI-Express x16 cards running at full speed and supports up to 38 total PCI-Express lanes. Its other features are the same as the nForce4 SLI. nForce4 Professional chipsets for the Opteron processors are based on the nForce4 series, but with the following differences: nForce Professional 2050 has x16 and four x1 PCI-Express lanes; Gigabit Ethernet; and four SATA 3GBps ports with RAID 0,1 and 0+1 support. However, it offers no support for PATA drives, 32-bit PCI, audio, or the low-pin-count (LPC) bus used for legacy devices. nForce Professional 2200 has a flexible 20-lane PCI-Express implementation; Gigabit Ethernet; and SATA 3GBps with RAID 0,1, and 0+1. However, it also supports 32-bit PCI, 10 USB 2.0 ports, the LPC bus, AC'97 2.3 audio, and four PATA drives. The 2200 is designed as a workstation processor. Both chipsets support multiple Opteron processors.
nForce 410 and 430 Series The nForce 410 and 430 are the first NVIDIA chipsets with integrated video for the AMD Sempron, a 32-bit version of the Athlon 64. The nForce 410 and 430 use the GeForce 6100 GPU for integrated video, whereas the 430 can also use the GeForce 6150 GPU. Table 4.55 lists the major features of each nForce 4xx-series integrated chipset. Table 4.55. nForce 4xx Integrated Chipsets for AMD SempronMCP Model | GPU Model | Video Support | PCI-Express x1 Slots | ATA/Serial ATA Support | RAID | USB Support (# of Ports) | Audio | LAN | DirectX 9.0 shader Model 3 | TV Encoder TDM S/DVI Output | GPU Clock Speed | Video Scaling | 1080i/p MPEG-2, WMA Playback |
|---|
410 | GeForce 6100 | PCI-Express x16 | 1 | ATA-133 (4), SATA 3Gbps (2) | 0,1 | 1.1/2.0 (8) | HDA, AC'97 | 10/100 Ethernet | Yes | No | No | 425MHz | 2x2 (basic) | No | 430 | GeForce 6100 | PCI-Express x16 | 1 | ATA-133 (4), SATA 3Gbps (4) | 0,1, 0+1, 5 | 1.1/2.0 (8) | HDA, AC'97 | 10/100/1000 Ethernet[*] | Yes | No | No | 425MHz | 2x2 (basic) | No | 430 | GeForce 6150 | PCI-Express x16 | 1 | ATA-133 (4), SATA 3Gbps (4) | 0,1, 0+1, 5 | 1.1/2.0 (8) | HDA, AC'97 | 10/100/1000 Ethernet[*] | Yes | Yes | Yes | 475MHz | 5x4 (high-quality) | Yes | HDA = High-Definition Audio (previously code-named Azalia); supports CE-quality (192KHz, 32-bit multichannel) audio with support for Dolby Pro Logic IIx (7.1 surround) and multiple codecs operating independently. |
[*] Also includes ActiveArmor secure networking engine.
SiS Chipsets for Athlon 64 SiS offers eight chipsets for 64-bit AMD processors. The following three chipsets require discrete graphics: SiS also offers four chipsets with integrated graphics for AMD's 64-bit processors: The following sections cover these chipsets in greater detail. SiS755 and SiS755FX The SiS 755 is the first SiS chipset to support the AMD Athlon 64, Opteron, and Athlon 64FX chipsets. It is a two-piece chipset that uses the SiS964 as its South Bridge component. Its major features include HyperTransport 16-bit/800MHz connection between the processor and North Bridge with HyperStreaming Support for AGP 8x graphics MuTIOL 1G connection between the North and South Bridge chips with HyperStreaming Dual ATA-133 host adapters Two Serial ATA ports with SATA RAID 0 and 1 Eight USB 1.1/2.0 ports 10/100 Ethernet AC'97 version 2.3 8-channel audio
The 755FX North Bridge chip is pin-compatible with the 755; however, the preferred South Bridge chip for the 755FXthe SiS965uses a larger 588-pin socket over the 505-pin socket used by the 964 family. The 755FX/965 chipset has the following major improvements over the 755/964 chipset: HyperTransport 16-bit/1GHz connection between the processor and North Bridge with HyperStreaming Support for two PCI-Express x1 slots Four Serial ATA ports with SATA RAID 0, 1, and 0+1 and JBOD (disk spanning) 10/100/1000 Ethernet
SiS756 The SiS756 chipset is designed specifically for use with the high-performance Athlon 64FX desktop processor. It is the first SiS chipset to support the PCI-Express x16 graphics interface. The SiS756 is usually paired with the SiS965 South Bridge. This chipset's major features include HyperTransport 16-bit/1GHz connection between the processor and North Bridge with HyperStreaming PCI-Express x16 graphics support Two PCI-Express x1 slots Eight USB 1.1/2.0 ports Four SATA ports with SATA RAID 0, 1, and 0+1 and JBOD 10/100/1000 Ethernet AC'97 2.3 eight-channel audio
Note If the SiS965L is used in place of the SiS965, only two SATA ports with SATA RAID 0 and 1 are available. The other features are the same.
PCI-Express x16 replaces the AGP 8x video support found in earlier SiS chipsets. Figure 4.48 shows the architecture of the SiS756 chipset with the SiS965 South Bridge. Figure 4.48. As with most Athlon 64 chipsets, the SiS756's North Bridge is used only for connection to discrete graphics (PCI-Express in this case), while a vast majority of the work is performed by the South Bridge. 
SiS760 and Sis760GX The SiS760 is the first SiS chipset with integrated graphics for the Athlon 64 and Opteron processors. Otherwise, its major features are similar to those of the SiS755. Both use the SiS964 South Bridge chip. Its features include HyperTransport 16-bit/800MHz connection between the processor and North Bridge with HyperStreaming Support for AGP 8x graphics MuTIOL 1G connection between the North and South Bridge chips with HyperStreaming Dual ATA-133 host adapters Two Serial ATA ports with SATA RAID 0 and 1 Eight USB 1.1/2.0 ports 10/100 Ethernet AC'97 version 2.3 8-channel audio
The integrated SiS Mirage 2 (Ultra256) graphics features of the SiS760 include DirectX 8.1compatible 3D graphics Dual-channel 256-bit 3D interface 128-bit 2D graphics Optional support for TV-out and a secondary CRT or LCD display Shared memory up to 128MB
The SiS760GX instead uses Mirage 1 single-channel (128-bit) graphics. The SiS966 South Bridge is the preferred South Bridge for the SiS760GX, adding the following features: Four PCI-Express x1 slots SATA, SATA RAID 0, 1, and 0+1 Ten USB 1.1/2.0 ports AC'97 2.3 audio with support for Intel's new High Definition Audio 7.1-channel audio 10/100/1000 Ethernet
SiS761GL and SiS761GX The SiS761GL and SiS761GX integrated graphics chipsets are based on the SiS760 and support all Athlon 64 processors, the Opteron, and the Sempron 32-bit version of the Athlon 64. Both chipsets use the SiS966 as their preferred South Bridge. Note The SiS966, SiS965, and SiS965L are pin compatible. Thus, some vendors might use the SiS965 or SiS965L in place of the SiS966.
The SiS761GX North Bridge chip has the following major features: HyperTransport 16-bit/1GHz connection between the processor and North Bridge with HyperStreaming Support for PCI-Express x16 graphics MuTIOL 1G connection between the North and South Bridge chips with HyperStreaming Integrated Mirage DirectX 7.0 graphics using up to 128MB of video memory
The SiS761GL differs from its sibling in these ways: When the SiS966 South Bridge chip is used, both chipsets also feature Four PCI-Express x1 slots SATA, SATA RAID 0, 1, and 0+1 Ten USB 1.1/2.0 ports AC'97 2.3 six-channel audio with support for Intel's High Definition Audio standard Note HDA, previously code named Azalia, provides Dolby Pro Logic IIxcompatible 7.1-channel CE-quality (192KHz, 32-bit multichannel) sound.
10/100/1000 Ethernet
ATI ATI offers four two-piece chipsets for Athlon 64 processors: the RS480 (which includes Radeon X300 integrated graphics), the RX480, and the RD580. The RS480 and the RX480 typically use the SB400 (also known as the IXP400) or SB450 South Bridge. Aside from the RS480's integrated graphics, both chipsets have the following major features: HyperTransport 16-bit/800MHz processortoNorth Bridge connection PCI-Express x16 graphics card support A-Link II connection between the North and South Bridge chips Four PCI-Express x1 slots
The RS480's integrated graphics adds these features: Radeon X300 integrated graphics with DirectX 9.0 Vertex/Pixel Shader 2.0 support Optional dedicated or shared memory design (up to 128MB of RAM) Support for up to three monitors with a separate ATI video card Support for DVI output
The CrossFire version of the Radeon Express 200the RD482supports PCI-Express 2 x8 expansion slots for two PCI-Express video cards; the RD580 supports two x16 PCI-Express expansion slots. The SB400 South Bridge has these major features: Dual ATA-133 host adapters Four Serial ATA host adapters with SATA RAID 0, 1 Eight USB 2.0 ports AC'97 2.3 six-channel audio
The SB450 South Bridge used by the RD482 adds support for HDA audio and RAID 0+1 to the SB400's features. The SB600 is designed for use with the RD580. Some motherboard vendors use third-party South Bridge chips from ULi, such as the M1573 or M1575, instead of ATI South Bridge chips. |
