The last six months, the new platform by Intel LGA775 processors with support for the most advanced technologies such as DDR-II and PCI Express receives a polar assessment by consumers. Discontent causes, mainly the fact that the amount of state components were not enough performance to be able to claim substantial bonus, with decent cost of the acquisition of a new iron, hardly compatible with the previous generation. The reasons for dissatisfaction include high latency of the current DDR memory-II, a small difference between the performance of graphics PCI-E x16 and AGP 8x, comparable with the previous generation of Pentium 4 processors bar frequency system kernels and tires and much more.

In turn, opponents emphasize the novelty of a real platform, a great potential for its development, particularly against the backdrop of the same opportunities depleted DDR-I or AGP. Yes, they agree, at this stage, the opportunities inherent in theory put into practice in several "raw" form, but this is just the beginning and, in any case, a return to the old way would not, as an alternative, but the prices are now gradually civilized look. Regarding the future evolution of the platform - is please, nothing stands still, and the recent announcement processor Intel Pentium 4 EE 3.46 GHz with a new system logic 925XE Express supporting 1066 MHz system bus, to direct proof.

We can not say that the new chipsets sharpened exclusively to the desktop, such a clear division in chipsetnoy strategy Intel has long anymore. The same Lakeport appears in the third quarter of 2005, consisting of Napa mobile platform (the new version of Centrino) called Calistoga, in the southern bridge and ICH7-M processors will be imprisoned under the kernel Yonah / Merom, support DDR2-667 memory interface and Serial ATA-300 . Already known that the specific version of Lakeport chipset will work with the server options series Xeon chips. Today we are in these senses not only polezem and limit the options of desktop PCs.

Judging by the well-known at this time rumours / leaks, the release of new versions of the kernel Prescott chips will be completed as early as this year, a senior with a maximum frequency NetBurst architecture for the 3.8 GHz Pentium 4570 J will remain with 800 MHz FSB, 1 MB L2 cache and NX-bit support. The next kernel, Prescott 2, which will be realized in the form of models Pentium4 630, 640, 650, 660 and 670, initially will be slightly different from its predecessor - the same barrier frequency (3.8 GHz), the same connector (LGA775) FSB is the same (800 MHz) and the same technological process (90 nm), only L2 cache will be increased up to 2 Mb, will support EM64T instructions, technology EIST (Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology), and possibly Vanderpool / LaGrande. While in the past, I highly doubt being support for these technologies and hardware / software part is not ripe.

The Nordic bridges Glenwood / Lakeport
If you talk in terms of the continuity of generations, the Glenwood chipsets / Lakeport is the direct descendent of Intel 925/915 evolution. Change is, but they are mainly touched bar frequencies. Now each of them (and not just new i925XE) will support FSB 1066 MHz. For the first time, debuting support 2 - Channel DDR2-667 memory and south bridges get themselves the staffing support Serial ATA 300.

Support integrated controller 2 - Channel DDR2-667 will improve peak performance memory subsystem with 8.5 Gb / s at DDR2-533 up to 10.8 Gb / s. Please note notorious memory Turbo mode, which gives around 3% - 7% growth in productivity, for the first time submitted i875P chipset (PAT), and then having to Intel 925X, will also remain in the new version of Glenwood.
Support for "flagship" chipset 800 MHz system bus - a tribute not compatible with older Pentium 4 processors or Celeron. Rather, it is aimed at supporting the first processor Smithfield with the kernel, which, because 2 - nuclear architecture and related issues higher energy initially would still only support 800 MHz FSB. And, as has been sounded repeatedly in the press, the bar lower frequencies than modern P4.

With regard to replace Intel 915, both anticipated at the time of announcement chipset will have support for PCI Express x16 slot (and no AGP!). The traditional left two versions - a discrete version of Lakeport-P and Lakeport-G with integrated graphical kernel, but the options GV / GL yet unheard. No wonder, since even i915GV/GL emerged recently and differ mainly by system integrators. Pro integrated in Lakeport-G schedule say different, but it appears it will, or the current DirectX 9 kernel GMA 900 with a frequency of 333 MHz, or "broken" version. Regarding the expansion ADD2 cards to support a second display formats CRT, LCD, TV and HDTV, talk about additional expansion features and functionality video output through something like ADD2.

In phase commissioning of the new generation of Intel chipsets finally and irrevocably renounce support DDR1 memory. Instead, a certification DDR2-667, which samples producers promise by the first quarter, a massive party - by the second quarter of 2005, exactly to the beginning of the supply cards on the Glenwood / Lakeport. Step certainly bold, as so far cost modules DDR2-533 slightly higher than the rates for DDR400. However, probably at Intel believe that by the time of the supply of Lakeport chipsets prices DDR400/DDR2-533 already uravnyayutsya.

South Bridges ICH7
Family ICH7 new bridges in the southern closer look also are a ICH6 improvements to the same mezhmostovym 2.0 Gb / s compounds Direct Media Interface (DMI). As it is known, by the addition and / or a combination of RAID and support Wi-Fi, it was assumed that except for base ICH6 market versions appear ICH6R, ICH6W and ICH6RW. Finished that the last two have remained on paper and the public, nostalgia integration of wireless networks in the desktop PC had dokupat external Wi-Fi device, or sets of producers to the annexed PCI-card.

Meanwhile, the strategy for East Fork support Wi-Fi would still be, at least in part platforms for digital homes. " So far, Intel does with the new south bridge support Wi-Fi. In Taiwan, manufacturers have already received some leakage on the subject, said that at the time of the first sample chips from the nucleus of Smithfield will be submitted to a special module IEEE802.11a/b/g Caswell 2. I will not be surprised if in the end would cost without integrating wireless controllers in the southern bridge, it was already a fairly hot.

The list of new south bridge appears five versions ICH7. It is understood basic ICH7, ICH7DH (Digital Home base for family entertainment PC), ICH7DO (Digital Office, Digital Office class SOHO), ICH7DE (Digital Enterprise, something happening with the industry's support for RAID levels of 5, 0, 1 and 10 for businesses), and trivial ICH7R, with support for RAID levels 0, 1 and 10.

Of course, the first thing in the eye catches increase in the number of PCI Express x1 slots (or tyres, ie lanes), with four to six of the ICH6 some versions ICH7. Advanced motherboard manufacturers that fact will allow to make their options SLI motherboards for desktop Intel chipsets.

Other interesting improvements, there is now support 300 Serial ATA (Serial ATA II) in the previous number of integrated ports. And the greatest honors of new south bridges from each other is called a variable from release to release a set of RAID levels. True, for the first time appeared to be typical RAID5 only for version ICH7DE.

Only the southern bridge ICH7DE planned software technology support Intel AMT (Intel Active Management Technology). In a nutshell it does not describe the technology involves a new level of active management and enterprise resource control, rapid diagnosis of administration and planning strategy to the development of resources, etc. Will be available even wonders such as the inclusion of remote client PC operating system upgrade, restoring data, and more. About AMT spoke at the recent Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco and Moscow who are interested can read briefly about this technology here. I still do not blame it in detail, but Intel guidance on the application, the introduction of AMT could provide 10% of the company's annual spending on savings management companies.

EnergyLake Technology, which will be composed of the southern bridge ICH7DH for "digital homes", involves the development of a theme now pressing for energy conservation. I have details on this technology are not known yet.

But even now we can say that while the new chipsets Glenwood / Lakeport debut two LAN chip under the tyre PCI Express: with the support of Tekoa Gigabit Ethernet (1000BASE-T) and Ekron with support Fast Ethernet (100BASE-TX). Cheep Tekoa-bus with PCI Express among other interesting reduced compared with earlier advancing Northway GbE chip power consumption, as well as support iAMT technology.

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Finally, you can tell a little bit about the timing of deliveries began chipsets Glenwood / Lakeport and system boards based on them. Rumours of Taiwan's OEM producers stipulate that the test mailing of the new party chipsets A0 stepping begins near the end of 4 quarters of 2004, that is, before the New Year. I will not be surprised if the most broadly strategy in the East Fork "bundled" with the new processors and chipsets will be announced with fanfare at the Spring Intel Developer Forum, which is traditionally held in February. Total, if nothing goes, the first samples can "Fire" in the news and reviews until March, a massive samples we nasmotrimsya cards at CeBIT. Remained all nothing survive the winter.